Robviously

Totally disagree on that as sentence. They've looked completely terrible in the games I've watched -- like Ron Rolston Sabres terrible. And even if they weren't that bad, the West is ridiculous this year. The Oilers are nowhere close to being in the playoffs.

I was seriously just going to say that I'm tired of you and that you need to zip it. :P For the part in bold, I don't think you need to second-guess your posts and worry so much. Most of the friction with the new posters is about tone. They come roaring in throwing haymakers in all directions. I don't think anyone is going to jump all over you for anything. Post away.

Hope.

Not really. We traded Zack Kassian the Player, not Zack Kassian the Concept.

The Fourth Period is saying the Phoenix Coyotes are interested in Matt Moulson. http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/phx140120.html If we could pry Henrik Samuelsson out of Phoenix's system in a trade, it might make all my dreams come true.

The problem is that last year Miller wasn't really lighting the world on fire. We spent last season talking about how Miller wouldn't have been a huge upgrade for most of the playoff teams. It's still mind-boggling to me that Regier didn't move him during the off-season. His whole plan was to bottom out and draft high. So he decides to keep a goalie whose performance ranges from "good" to "best in the world" on the roster for that? This would be an example of Regier putting "winning trades" over having a plan for the team.

Not really. We've finished stronger each of the past three seasons -- only to start off horribly again the following year. These heroic second half finishes have never led to anything good later. If it's going to happen, that's how. He's been piling up points for us pretty steadily for almost two months now. And now Myers is coming back to life.

:(

The best case scenario -- the *best* case -- is that we finish with the 3rd fewest points in the NHL. Edmonton and Calgary are both in a death spiral already and they're in the West where basically every team is good (except them). So they won't be getting a lot more points between now and the end of the season. A 3rd-from-last finish means: 14.2% chance of drafting 1st, 43.8% chance we draft 3rd, and 42.0% chance we draft 4th. Unfortunately, Florida and the Islanders are still within striking distance. Carolina, Winnipeg, and Nashville aren't super far away either. Let's say a couple other teams collapse for real and the Sabres put together one of their patented last-season streaks. A 5th-from-last finish means: 8.1% chance of drafting 1st, 68.7% chance of drafting 5th, and 23.2% chance of drafting 6th. And if we finish 6th-from-last or higher, we will have completely squandered the "tank". Lots of hockey left and plenty of time for the Sabres to get the four-peat for sucky draft position after a sucky season.

Is there any reason we can't call our arena/center an "Auditorium"? Everything in Buffalo is about throwbacks and I think we'd have the only "auditorium" in the league.

I think the Patrick Kane talk bugs you the same way the Connor McDavid talk bugs me. Not impossible, but also not worth talking about in January 2014.

Wait, Patrick Kane is too immature but you're open to Evander Kane? Also, if Evander Kane hates Winnipeg, my guess is that Buffalo isn't going to be his favorite city either. As for Patrick, if the Sabres are contenders a few years from now and he has the option to sign here, I think he might. The idea of coming home (no matter where home is) is always alluring. And I think he understands what it would mean in Buffalo to get that first Cup. Anyways, Sabres Prospects.

AND the second coming of Cam Neely.

Welcome aboard!

1st Intermission in Vancouver starts and there's footage of John Tortorella trying to storm the Calgary dressing room with a cameo from Clint Malarchuk (Flames' Goalie Coach) helping push him back (along with a bunch of Flames players). EDIT: Instagram is on it -- http://instagram.com/p/jVhP9AywGs/

Anyone catch the start of the Flames-Canucks game? 5 on 5 brawl at puck drop. Love it -- it was Slap Shot come to life.

Sabres in December: 5-5-2 Sabres in January so far: 2-2-3 Say hello to our annual un-Tanking.

The second coming of Malkin.

Just one assist? Bust.

That would actually be perfect.

OK, he's back to being a future NHL superstar again.

Grigorenko plays his first game of the season for the Quebec Remparts tonight.

:lol:

Five Stages of Grief: 1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance. The only thing sadder than fans rooting for a tank is fans someone convincing themselves the tank is complete. It's like deciding you're going to go on a diet and then deciding mission accomplished because didn't that salad last week count just as much as a diet? The Sabres have never tanked. This is their fourth year in a row where they've started horribly and then begun to climb out of that mid-season. 2010-2011: Start horribly, draft 16th. 2011-2012: Start horribly, draft 12th. 2012-2013: Start horribly, draft 8th. 2013-2014: Start horribly, draft ???. What we have to show for this so far is: Armia (so-so in the AHL), Catenacci (barely exists in the AHL) , Jacobs (who?), Grigorenko (has had success in the Q and a good WJC), Girgensons (awesome but needs to protect himself if he wants a long career), McCabe (hasn't turned pro yet), Kea (???), Ullmark (let's see what he can do in North America in late 2015), Risto (so far so good), Zadorov (so far so good), and a 2013 grab bag of a forwards that *might* be good but probably won't be superstars (Compher, Hurley, Bailey, Baptiste, and Possler). Not a bad haul, but I'm still not seeing a franchise player to lead us back to the playoffs in there. And by "franchise player", I'm not even talking about a Crosby. I just mean someone to lead the team, and to count on when the game is on the line. I guess maybe Myers if continues his resurgence. Maybe Girgensons if he doesn't get himself killed. Complete the tank this year and a first overall pick means they're getting a player with more potential than anyone they've drafted since Pierre Turgeon (1987). Add that guy and suddenly this whole blueprint (no hashtag) snaps into focus. Unfortunately, draft 4th, 5th, or 6th this year (which seems likely) and we're looking at another Grignorenko-level prospect. Who knows? As for next year, I hope they start off hot and we hope they hang in there for the playoffs. Anything is better than another year of "Start horribly, and hope they finish horribly." Four is plenty.

If they draft first (don't worry, they won't), I'd expect them to give the kid a few NHL games before sending him back down to the CHL for the rest of the season. It's a bonus for the player even if PLF doesn't want 18 year old developing in the NHL.