Robviously

Can we please stop assigning magical properties to the Tank? The team had 81 points in Eichel's first year. There was huge roster turnover including adding a bunch of talent like Kane, Bogo, ROR, Lehner, etc. Expectations were that it'd be a quick turnaround. There was nothing "gutted" about that team. They were on the right track and added Okposo going into the next season. And things regressed. We'd built around the wrong players. We'd made bad trades. And it had nothing to do with what had happened before they got here. We're not digging out of 2013-2015. We're digging out of having a bad GM for three years.

So what are you actually proposing? We could stay the course but we just became the first NHL team in history to finish 31st. We could get *more* negative, but ROR just said he lost his love for the game at points this season so I'm not sure that's even possible. Or we could push for leadership that is bold, positive, and assertive rather than the passive apologetic gloom we've been stuck with for years. "We should do better" "We know we could do more" "Everyone knows we need to give more effort" Or "We are going to work our @sses off and win." See the difference?

"Pretty darn good" = starting to lead and contribute in January after the season was already effectively lost, right? He's paid and expected to be a leader. He finally found his game too late to turn the season around and when he opens his mouth it's just a bunch of "woe is me." I'd love a post-game interview where he actually plants a flag and says we're going to win our next game. Or that we *will* be better. Instead he only talks about himself, and how lousy he is. It's not "rah-rah" either. It's literally proven that optimistic people are generally more successful. That's not even hard to grasp; would you rather be on a project with the most optimistic/positive person in your office or the most pessimistic/negative one? If you're wearing a letter, your mindset and quotes should be "We're going to work hard. We're going to be prepared. We're going to play 60 minutes. We're going to win." Because *that's* someone you'd want to play with. Everything else about should/could/sorry is just BS.

The team never tanked while he was here, and had 81 points his first season in Buffalo. He's not a victim. And if he can't get it together and be part of the solution, then he's part of the problem. He's basically a running gag at this point with his post-game comments. "I've got to be better. I feel so bad. I've got to be better. No one feels worse than me." We get it, Ryan. Can you please just play better and/or help your teammates play better instead of being literally the most depressing pro athlete I've ever heard be interviewed? If his approach to leadership is self-flagellation then it's no wonder we're full of headcases here. The team crumbles at the first sign of adversity and then forgets what they're doing 1 game after a win.

Then we have our choice of a bunch of other good prospects: Tkachuk, Wahlstrom, Boqvist, Hughes, etc.

I hope that doesn't end up being his entire NHL career but it's hilarious for the time being.

Another point for Casey.

His key to the game was "Play Fast" Dunleavy: "What do you mean?" Ray: "...time-wise."

That was probably one of the funniest comments I've ever heard on a TV broadcast.

Glad I'm not the only one. Last game of the year is always sad -- maybe a little more now since there are a few more fun young players on the team right now.

The NFL usually has more than 24 hours notice though. Tough to adjust schedules this close in.

It amounted to a great scoring chance.

That weird birthday might help defend his stats though too. I read somewhere that he was the second youngest player in college hockey this year. His stats aren't elite but he's definitely been impressive this year, especially after a slow start to the season. His WJC performance against his age group was outstanding. I like him after the top 4 a lot and I'd trust Botterill if they took him at 4 too. Plus I like that he seemed to enjoy his time in Buffalo in December (posting about BillsMafia at the outdoor game).

Well, I don't have him *much* lower. He's my 5/6 -- and honestly his attitude and aggression might make him way more appealing to our currently sleepy team. He's a jerk and he hates losing. Good. At least he has a pulse. But I don't have him at #4 because I really like Wahlstrom's upside. He's 9 months younger and his goal-scoring for the USDP is ridiculously impressive. I think he could be this year's Mittelstadt, a guy that should be taken higher but won't be because he's not in a league that scouts respect as much. My board (which is entirely based on reading other people's boards and scouting reports and the occasional YouTube highlight reel) is: Dahlin Svechnikov Zadina Wahlstrom Tkachuk/Boqvist Hughes/Bouchard And pretty decent chance I change my mind between now and June. With a top-4 pick though, we need Botterill to land another blue chip to build around and he should have his chance.

All of this is great but the part in bold is literally amazing. What a simple way to give this organization a completely different culture. And how silly is it that this was something we weren't doing previously. With every passing day it becomes more humiliating that we were ever impressed by ZFG.

They didn't panic and tear down the team after 2010-2011 though. They kept trying to add pieces to a flawed core and things just got worse. The 2009-2010 team was the magical Myers year I brought up, where the Sabres suddenly were winners again and we thought we'd stumbled onto a franchise player. They regressed the next season and by the 2012 draft we were so desperate for a change in trajectory that this board celebrated Grigorenko as our savior. Like, we were literally over the moon that he fell to us at #12. A lot of us were on the board then talking about how amazing it was that we'd gotten Grigorenko and Girgensons at 12 and 14 since we'd finally have #1 and #2 centers. (Note: everyone keep this in mind the next time you get into a heated argument on this board. *That* is how wrong we can be about hockey here...) We had one magical season, and then a playoff appearance, and then we were back to being a lifeless franchise in the post-Black Sunday haze. This board celebrated them tearing down the franchise in 2013 for a reason. I like our young players and I'm optimistic about Botterill. We just had the worst season in Sabres history but I still chalk that up to Murray's disastrous tenure. I have hope for the future and I don't miss anything we had pre-Tank at all.

So you don't remember those years then? Because they were usually out by Thanksgiving/Christmas and then the second half of the season was all about a desperate push for 8th place. And end of season momentum that never carried over to next season. We hated those teams for a reason. The years between Black Sunday and the Tank were all trash except for Myers' rookie season. We didn't lose anything when we blew that team up.

Because we loved the teams before that. :doh:

It's basically a 50% shot at Dahlin/Svechnikov/Zadina and a 50% shot at our choice of Wahlstrom/Tkachuk/Boqvist/Hughes. We need a little luck and/or for Botterill to hit another HR in the first round, but whoever we get should be a big part of the eventual turnaround.

Ekblad and McDavid over Reinhart and Eichel still isn't nearly enough to make up for Murray's disastrous tenure as GM.

Accidental Tank

I think my 5, 6, 7 is something like Tkachuk, Boqvist, and Bouchard. Who do you have?

Great post. He's struggled, but next season could have been and probably should have been his first in the AHL. If he puts it all together next year, he's right back on schedule.

It's you? The Sabres came back and crushed the Preds after that. And they all talked about it in the postgame.

We added speed. The team looks a lot different with just a few new players.