PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Looks like blue and gold Koolaid. "Things seemed to work out in the Buffalo Sabres' favor at the 2009 NHL entry draft. The prospect list was filled with strong, tough kids who like to hit, fight and score. In other words, it was filled with exactly the type of players the Sabres need." http://www.buffalonews.com/buffalosabres/story/716865.html Maybe I've been reading DeLuca too long, but it almost feels like this whole draft was a charade meant to get the media and fans off their back. (Not that the Buffalo media is all that tough on the Sabres.) Makes it look like they're "addressing needs." I call BS. In a couple of years do they want to go back to the days of the "hardest working team in hockey"? A team that fans just adored to the tune of 13,000 a night at the Aud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 This draft can be an immediate success if it is followed up with an aggressive off-season. Kassian and this draft has to be step one in a series of moves to turn the franchise around and get it into the playoffs this season. There was size and toughness in the draft and the Sabres took advantage of it. There is size and toughness in the free agent market and the Sabres need to make multiple moves on that front. I want the Sabres to sign Chris Neil. If they did, and it was their only move I would consider the off-season a complete failure. There is a check list the Sabres need to follow. 1) Change the draft philosophy. - DONE 2) Purge the roster of dead weight. 3) Be aggressive in free agency. Find at least two, maybe a three if priced right, players that are used to having blood on their jersey. 4) Make a deal to add talent to the top of this roster. Simple formula which should be so easy even a Larry Quinn can follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 So you want Vogl to write: "This draft is a charade to help the Sabres manage a media perception by fans that they are soft by drafting tough players." ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 So you want Vogl to write: "This draft is a charade to help the Sabres manage a media perception by fans that they are soft by drafting tough players." ?? Welcome to Buffalo Zack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Welcome to Buffalo Zack! At least he was able to keep that "I'm tough" act going until draft day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R_Dudley Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 This draft can be an immediate success if it is followed up with an aggressive off-season. Kassian and this draft has to be step one in a series of moves to turn the franchise around and get it into the playoffs this season. There was size and toughness in the draft and the Sabres took advantage of it. There is size and toughness in the free agent market and the Sabres need to make multiple moves on that front. I want the Sabres to sign Chris Neil. If they did, and it was their only move I would consider the off-season a complete failure. There is a check list the Sabres need to follow. 1) Change the draft philosophy. - DONE 2) Purge the roster of dead weight. 3) Be aggressive in free agency. Find at least two, maybe a three if priced right, players that are used to having blood on their jersey. 4) Make a deal to add talent to the top of this roster. Simple formula which should be so easy even a Larry Quinn can follow. Sounds simple to me except for number 2 and the domino effect it has on 3 and/or 4. It seems as others have offered and I agree we are either stuck on our player choices(e.g. waiting for them to mature) or unwilling to trade(eat some of the salary) or out right release a player we are paying under contract. If they cannot find any traders or takers the dead weight on the team will not be purged...Therein lies the rub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 So you want Vogl to write: "This draft is a charade to help the Sabres manage a media perception by fans that they are soft by drafting tough players." ?? No. I just don't want anyone to use the words "this team" and "needs" when referring to the draft. Foligno is being compared to Gaustad in terms of toughness (got a little chuckle out of that, but I digress). Gaustad was drafted in 2000. I don't need to go further in any explanation about how hockey players develop. Not to the wise fans on here. But to most of the average Joe Sports Fans on the street, the Sabres did address the needs of the 2008-09 team. John Vogl just said so. Maybe a lot of these fans are more into football, where drafted players make immediate impacts on a routine basis. The first time Miller is run next fall and there's no response, they're going to be howling for that Kassian kid to be called up or for Foligno's kid. The Sabres are branding this draft using words like "toughness" and "size" and "needs." Most of the fans consider the current team lacking in both toughness and size. That activates my radar. When you see the beat reporter joining it, my periscope is straight up. (Yeah, I'm turning myself on a bit, but I digress.) I just hope this isn't a ploy to convince Tommy Ball Boy to give them a few more years. "Wait til you see these kids. We'll finally have the tools to contend in the rough and tumble NHL." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Welcome to Buffalo Zack! No clue. See, there's the problem. We're not welcoming him to Buffalo, at least not next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 At least he was able to keep that "I'm tough" act going until draft day. Again, no clue. May I buy a vowel Pat? Listen, I have no problem with the Sabres draft. Or with Kassian, who I'm sure is tough as nails. I have a problem with how the draft is being spun -- as the addressing of "this team's needs." That there's even this much debate about the point on this board stuns me a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 No clue. See, there's the problem. We're not welcoming him to Buffalo, at least not next season. my post got lost in translation... I was just trying to make a joke that if Vogl did indeed say what X had suggested, that would be a wonderful way to welcome our new 1st rounder - by calling him a charade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 my post got lost in translation... I was just trying to make a joke that if Vogl did indeed say what X had suggested, that would be a wonderful way to welcome our new 1st rounder - by calling him a charade. I thought it was about me. Wow, my ego just deflated. And the image of me and Vogl with a periscope was really working for me. Thanks SDS. Thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpandean Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Deluca hinted at the real question: was the draft the start of a system-wide change in philosophy (actually, Rivet could be seen as the start) that will continue with some trades this Summer (I have no delusions that this team will make huge moves, but a couple of trades would be another step in the right direction) or is considered good enough by management, leaving any progress to "improvements from within" and/or recent picks eventually hitting the system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Deluca hinted at the real question: was the draft the start of a system-wide change in philosophy (actually, Rivet could be seen as the start) that will continue with some trades this Summer (I have no delusions that this team will make huge moves, but a couple of trades would be another step in the right direction) or is considered good enough by management, leaving any progress to "improvements from within" and/or recent picks eventually hitting the system? An even realer (?) question would be: if there is such a change in philosophy, is it the way to go? Have the last two Cup champions been THAT big, physical and tough to suggest this philosophy is how you build a winner in this era? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Again, no clue. May I buy a vowel Pat? Listen, I have no problem with the Sabres draft. Or with Kassian, who I'm sure is tough as nails. I have a problem with how the draft is being spun -- as the addressing of "this team's needs." That there's even this much debate about the point on this board stuns me a little. Vogl on Friday wrote about how the NHL draft is different from other drafts....no immediate help..crapshoot......etc.... Now he has to rerun it? I don't disagree with anything he's ran this month and didn't see this as a puff piece at all. He's a very good reporter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Deluca hinted at the real question: was the draft the start of a system-wide change in philosophy (actually, Rivet could be seen as the start) that will continue with some trades this Summer (I have no delusions that this team will make huge moves, but a couple of trades would be another step in the right direction) or is considered good enough by management, leaving any progress to "improvements from within" and/or recent picks eventually hitting the system? I still like how we're ignoring the fact that last year's draft had a good mix of size and strength. The only one people ever think about is Ennis, but they actually took a good mix of ability last year and I see no problem with that. It just doesn't fit into the delusional ramblings, so it is ignored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Vogl on Friday wrote about how the NHL draft is different from other drafts....no immediate help..crapshoot......etc.... Now he has to rerun it? I don't disagree with anything he's ran this month and didn't see this as a puff piece at all. He's a very good reporter. It's Sunday. It's the day after the draft. A lot of casual fans are paying attention. Yes, I think Vogl should have made it abundantly clear that these guys are the distant (in hockey) future and may or may not at the time they enter the league address a need. I mean, if the Sabres have finally found God and decided they need to get bigger, stronger and tougher, why should it take three to five years to get there? That's an eternity in sports! But Vogl says these are the guys who will change the team's reputation. I also found the full color, near-poster size photo of Marcus Foligno a bit much. Not that it's not already on my bedroom wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 It's Sunday. It's the day after the draft. A lot of casual fans are paying attention. Yes, I think Vogl should have made it abundantly clear that these guys are the distant (in hockey) future and may or may not at the time they enter the league address a need. I mean, if the Sabres have finally found God and decided they need to get bigger, stronger and tougher, why should it take three to five years to get there? That's an eternity in sports! But Vogl says these are the guys who will change the team's reputation. I also found the full color, near-poster size photo of Marcus Foligno a bit much. Not that it's not already on my bedroom wall. Looks like I need to hit up Wegmans and get myself a Buffalo News. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 An even realer (?) question would be: if there is such a change in philosophy, is it the way to go? Have the last two Cup champions been THAT big, physical and tough to suggest this philosophy is how you build a winner in this era? Your question doesn't really fit. The Sabres are currently at the extreme side of soft on the NHL toughness scale. I can't think of many teams. if any, softer than the Sabres. What the Wings and Pens have in regards to toughness is balance. Because the Sabres are so slanted one way it will take an extreme shift in philosophy to obtain that balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 Let's also not forget that it will be considered an exceptional draft if they sign 3 of these players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad1 Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 So the draft is now the end of the offseason? :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickshaw Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 No. I just don't want anyone to use the words "this team" and "needs" when referring to the draft. Foligno is being compared to Gaustad in terms of toughness (got a little chuckle out of that, but I digress). Gaustad was drafted in 2000. I don't need to go further in any explanation about how hockey players develop. Not to the wise fans on here. But to most of the average Joe Sports Fans on the street, the Sabres did address the needs of the 2008-09 team. John Vogl just said so. Maybe a lot of these fans are more into football, where drafted players make immediate impacts on a routine basis. The first time Miller is run next fall and there's no response, they're going to be howling for that Kassian kid to be called up or for Foligno's kid. The Sabres are branding this draft using words like "toughness" and "size" and "needs." Most of the fans consider the current team lacking in both toughness and size. That activates my radar. When you see the beat reporter joining it, my periscope is straight up. (Yeah, I'm turning myself on a bit, but I digress.) I just hope this isn't a ploy to convince Tommy Ball Boy to give them a few more years. "Wait til you see these kids. We'll finally have the tools to contend in the rough and tumble NHL." Two digresses in one post. You must be spent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderbread Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 Two digresses in one post. You must be spent! I'm tired just reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 I'm tired just reading it. I tried to finish on a high, give folks a real payoff. Tommy Ball Boy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderbread Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 I tried to finish on a high, give folks a real payoff. Tommy Ball Boy? Monica Seles refrence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted June 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 Looks like I need to hit up Wegmans and get myself a Buffalo News. Well? Did you get the Kleenex too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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