Could last place be the plan?

[TrueBlueGED]

There's no way they believed at the beginning of the year they'd be in last place at this point. I don't think they thought they were a Cup contender, but I do think they believed they were on the way. Now, though? Upper management/ownership has to be hoping the team tanks, there's no other logical position to have. That's not to say they told the team to suck, but if you're going to miss the playoffs, the franchise is far better served missing big for a chance at elite talent in the draft. I think it's possible sometime last month Pegula/Black essentially told Regier: don't trade top 6 for top 6, this year is over, get ready for next season. Credible sources reported Darcy wanted to acquire a top-6 forward from another team, and we never heard anything after that.....not even that he's been unsuccessful, just nothing. I wouldn't rule out them having made the decision to pack it in.

[Weave]

Sure, a team that was in bankruptcy and on the verge of being dissolved finishing last versus a team that has the league's highest payroll and is about to take a $30 million loss on the year without any playoff revenue because they overspent on garbage, from top on down.

 

This franchise is truly rudderless. I have seen 3 of the worst posts EVER by 3 of the best posters the past few days. First it was Taro claiming Miller will be great next year because he will have an extra 10 days rest from not having to get ousted in the 1st round.....now this thread.

 

This franchise is in DEEP....DEEP....doodoo.

 

Meh. I'm always for trying to foster discussion and throw ideas around a room.

 

There's no way they believed at the beginning of the year they'd be in last place at this point. I don't think they thought they were a Cup contender, but I do think they believed they were on the way. Now, though? Upper management/ownership has to be hoping the team tanks, there's no other logical position to have. That's not to say they told the team to suck, but if you're going to miss the playoffs, the franchise is far better served missing big for a chance at elite talent in the draft. I think it's possible sometime last month Pegula/Black essentially told Regier: don't trade top 6 for top 6, this year is over, get ready for next season. Credible sources reported Darcy wanted to acquire a top-6 forward from another team, and we never heard anything after that.....not even that he's been unsuccessful, just nothing. I wouldn't rule out them having made the decision to pack it in.

 

Now this is the type of convo I was hoping to drag out. Thank you. You get it.

[deluca67]

Meh. I'm always for trying to foster discussion and throw ideas around a room.

 

 

 

Now this is the type of convo I was hoping to drag out. Thank you. You get it.

If there was a plan to finish at the bottom of the Conference, it stayed at the highest levels. If the plan exists, Regier and Ruff were not architects of the plan they were the main component of the plan. Pegula and Black had complete faith in Regier and Ruff, faith that they would run the franchise into the ground. After a couple of years, after the Sabres have drafted their Toews and Kane, they will fire Regier and Ruff and bring in qualified hockey people to take this team to the next step.

 

If there is a plan, that has to be it.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Meh. I'm always for trying to foster discussion and throw ideas around a room.

 

 

 

Now this is the type of convo I was hoping to drag out. Thank you. You get it.

 

Have you not listened to everything Black, Regier and Pegula have said the past few months? Even yesterday?

 

Ted Black was making critical fans enemy #1. That's not the tone you take if you know you are holding back. It is career suicide. Did you not see Pegula say "go for it" last year when the SHOULD HAVE tanked? Everything about the way this franchise handles itself says they are all about feel good, rah-rah BS, and will try and bamboozle you into a cuddly feeling of Hope and goodwill.

 

Now all of a sudden it is their "masterplan" to finish 2nd in the league, so they have a 30% chance at a #1 pick who will have a 30% chance of becoming a superstar? You write $185 million check for a team then another $80 million in checks for salary, only to root for your guys to blow it for a 9% chance at a superstar who will take 8 years to hit his prime? That is the type of stuff I would expect a certain group of posters in total denial to bring to the table in a hail mary attempt at defending status quo.

 

Some things don't make sense about this year....I agree. But instead of looking for some cockamamee master plan that the brilliant braintrust we have all seen in operation has put into play, the simple answer is that you have an owner with a tankload of money, who waxed poetic about his youth when he could actually pay attention to hockey......who bought this team as a family pet-project and like so many other slightly-off people who had incredible success in another field, figured he could just show up and turn elephant dung into gold. His main advisor was probably too busy shredding documents at The Second Mile, or getting Pat Toomey re-elected, to do any real research into who would make a viable GM and coach for this team. His team president is Yang to Larry Quinn's Yin....same qualifications, same results, although Ted at least tells you to bend over with a smile and some Striesand in the background to set the mood.

 

Here's the deal......Pegula has no clue whatsoever......no clue. He's living every fan's dream right now, and I can't blame him for wanting to try and be positive about things. He wanted to be one of the boys from day #1. Sh!t.....he's calling Mike Gilbert "Gibby" in his first public appearance. Well....he's one of the boys now. It's a lot harder tossing one of the boys out the door than it is to come in on day #1 and evaluate these positions as assets of a company. Do you think he is going to swing a machete around when his daughters are twittering half the players on the team? Lindy ain't goin nowhere? He telegraphed what type of owner he would be in that editorial meeting with the BUFF News last year. If Vanek wasn't hurt we would have won the Boston series.....if Lydman and Tallinder were still around they would have made it to the Cup.....the players quit because the media says critical things about them.

 

Pegula's family is great, they seem to have big hearts. As an asset to the community, they are perfect. As an owner of a hockey team that you watch for entertainment, escape, and God-forbid expect an honest effort and a chance at a championship......well, they are going to have to learn. We blew last year at the deadline.....we blew this season....and by waiting so long to do anything, we are in the process of blowing next year. I contend there is a better chance of nuclear war happening than the Sabres winning anything with this current GM and coach. Heck, I stopped blaming the players.....when there are no real expectations from inside, why not fluff it?

 

I'm sorry your post disappointed me, but it is grasping at the thinnest of straws. I am upset not at you.....but at the fact that this team of spoiled brats and their gatekeepers have reduced the dialogue on this board to tofu jerkey and jaywalkers instead of who we match up against in the playoffs and who wants to take a roadtrip to Detroit in June.

[TheChimp]

I say no, not a plan.

[Weave]

Have you not listened to everything Black, Regier and Pegula have said the past few months? Even yesterday?

 

Ted Black was making critical fans enemy #1. That's not the tone you take if you know you are holding back. It is career suicide. Did you not see Pegula say "go for it" last year when the SHOULD HAVE tanked? Everything about the way this franchise handles itself says they are all about feel good, rah-rah BS, and will try and bamboozle you into a cuddly feeling of Hope and goodwill.

 

Now all of a sudden it is their "masterplan" to finish 2nd in the league, so they have a 30% chance at a #1 pick who will have a 30% chance of becoming a superstar? You write $185 million check for a team then another $80 million in checks for salary, only to root for your guys to blow it for a 9% chance at a superstar who will take 8 years to hit his prime? That is the type of stuff I would expect a certain group of posters in total denial to bring to the table in a hail mary attempt at defending status quo.

 

Some things don't make sense about this year....I agree. But instead of looking for some cockamamee master plan that the brilliant braintrust we have all seen in operation has put into play, the simple answer is that you have an owner with a tankload of money, who waxed poetic about his youth when he could actually pay attention to hockey......who bought this team as a family pet-project and like so many other slightly-off people who had incredible success in another field, figured he could just show up and turn elephant dung into gold. His main advisor was probably too busy shredding documents at The Second Mile, or getting Pat Toomey re-elected, to do any real research into who would make a viable GM and coach for this team. His team president is Yang to Larry Quinn's Yin....same qualifications, same results, although Ted at least tells you to bend over with a smile and some Striesand in the background to set the mood.

 

Here's the deal......Pegula has no clue whatsoever......no clue. He's living every fan's dream right now, and I can't blame him for wanting to try and be positive about things. He wanted to be one of the boys from day #1. Sh!t.....he's calling Mike Gilbert "Gibby" in his first public appearance. Well....he's one of the boys now. It's a lot harder tossing one of the boys out the door than it is to come in on day #1 and evaluate these positions as assets of a company. Do you think he is going to swing a machete around when his daughters are twittering half the players on the team? Lindy ain't goin nowhere? He telegraphed what type of owner he would be in that editorial meeting with the BUFF News last year. If Vanek wasn't hurt we would have won the Boston series.....if Lydman and Tallinder were still around they would have made it to the Cup.....the players quit because the media says critical things about them.

 

Pegula's family is great, they seem to have big hearts. As an asset to the community, they are perfect. As an owner of a hockey team that you watch for entertainment, escape, and God-forbid expect an honest effort and a chance at a championship......well, they are going to have to learn. We blew last year at the deadline.....we blew this season....and by waiting so long to do anything, we are in the process of blowing next year. I contend there is a better chance of nuclear war happening than the Sabres winning anything with this current GM and coach. Heck, I stopped blaming the players.....when there are no real expectations from inside, why not fluff it?

 

I'm sorry your post disappointed me, but it is grasping at the thinnest of straws. I am upset not at you.....but at the fact that this team of spoiled brats and their gatekeepers have reduced the dialogue on this board to tofu jerkey and jaywalkers instead of who we match up against in the playoffs and who wants to take a roadtrip to Detroit in June.

 

 

Damn dude. How long did it take you to type all that out? :P

[TheChimp]

I like the part about his daughters tweeting everyone on the team. You listen to Pegula talk and you actually hear a guy who WOULD use that as a reason to keep everybody here.

[SwampD]

Sure, a team that was in bankruptcy and on the verge of being dissolved finishing last versus a team that has the league's highest payroll and is about to take a $30 million loss on the year without any playoff revenue because they overspent on garbage, from top on down.

 

This franchise is truly rudderless. I have seen 3 of the worst posts EVER by 3 of the best posters the past few days. First it was Taro claiming Miller will be great next year because he will have an extra 10 days rest from not having to get ousted in the 1st round.....now this thread.

 

This franchise is in DEEP....DEEP....doodoo.

 

Sorry. All I really said was that Pittsburgh did it at least once. Wasn't really commenting on the Sabres.

 

Have you not listened to everything Black, Regier and Pegula have said the past few months?...

 

I wrote a book...

 

I agree with all of this. I don't think it was a plan. I do think that the people in charge have no clue and should be let go.

 

..And I am pissed that we've been subjected to, yet again, another lost season.

 

..And, yet again, it seems like no one cares.

[Weave]

Sorry. All I really said was that Pittsburgh did it at least once. Wasn't really commenting on the Sabres.

 

 

 

I agree with all of this. I don't think it was a plan. I do think that the people in charge have no clue and should be let go.

 

..And I am pissed that we've been subjected to, yet again, another lost season.

 

..And, yet again, it seems like no one cares.

 

I about pissed my pants laughing when I saw that you edited GoDD's manifesto into "I wrote a book".

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Damn dude. How long did it take you to type all that out? :P

 

The exact amount of time that the Sabres average in honest effort during a 60 minute game. Somewhere between 14:33 and 23:51

 

Sorry. All I really said was that Pittsburgh did it at least once. Wasn't really commenting on the Sabres.

 

 

 

I agree with all of this. I don't think it was a plan. I do think that the people in charge have no clue and should be let go.

 

..And I am pissed that we've been subjected to, yet again, another lost season.

 

..And, yet again, it seems like no one cares.

 

Sure, it's a valid plan in certain situations.......sell off all your aging parts with value, go on the cheap a few years and develop prospects, get some nice picks, make a run 3-4-5 years later. It worked for Pitt, hasn't yet worked for Edmonton or the Islanders.

 

You guys are good. I just think it is a sign how dysfuctional this franchise is when some of the best posters are pulling things out of dark, hollow, cylindrical places from pure shock and boredom.

[SwampD]

The exact amount of time that the Sabres average in honest effort during a 60 minute game. Somewhere between 14:33 and 23:51

 

 

 

Sure, it's a valid plan in certain situations.......sell off all your aging parts with value, go on the cheap a few years and develop prospects, get some nice picks, make a run 3-4-5 years later. It worked for Pitt, hasn't yet worked for Edmonton or the Islanders.

 

You guys are good. I just think it is a sign how dysfuctional this franchise is when some of the best posters are pulling things out of dark, hollow, cylindrical places from pure shock and boredom.

It beats having to repair drywall from putting our fist through it after watching a bad loss (after loss, after loss...).

 

I about pissed my pants laughing when I saw that you edited GoDD's manifesto into "I wrote a book".

An oldie but a goodie.

[Taro T]

Sure, a team that was in bankruptcy and on the verge of being dissolved finishing last versus a team that has the league's highest payroll and is about to take a $30 million loss on the year without any playoff revenue because they overspent on garbage, from top on down.

 

This franchise is truly rudderless. I have seen 3 of the worst posts EVER by 3 of the best posters the past few days. First it was Taro claiming Miller will be great next year because he will have an extra 10 days rest from not having to get ousted in the 1st round.....now this thread.

 

This franchise is in DEEP....DEEP....doodoo.

As I responded to you in the other thread, I'm willing to put money on Miller playing better next year (assuming he doesn't get reinjured this season). (Before you agree to a wager, you might want to ask DeLuca how the last wager I made worked out.)

 

Considering, that the 2 times Miller's had a roughly 1 week's rest he's picked up his play significantly (this last time clearly, and the 1st time until McNabb popped him in the head as well), I don't see where it's unreasonable to expect a full off-season to let him heal up. The extra 2 weeks are just gravy and to claim that that is why I think he'll be on his game is either misunderstanding my comments at best or disingenius at worst. Either way, the rebuttal is less than you normally bring; I fully expect the next reply to be back on your game.

[deluca67]

As I responded to you in the other thread, I'm willing to put money on Miller playing better next year (assuming he doesn't get reinjured this season). (Before you agree to a wager, you might want to ask DeLuca how the last wager I made worked out.)

 

Considering, that the 2 times Miller's had a roughly 1 week's rest he's picked up his play significantly (this last time clearly, and the 1st time until McNabb popped him in the head as well), I don't see where it's unreasonable to expect a full off-season to let him heal up. The extra 2 weeks are just gravy and to claim that that is why I think he'll be on his game is either misunderstanding my comments at best or disingenius at worst. Either way, the rebuttal is less than you normally bring; I fully expect the next reply to be back on your game.

Define better, better than this season? Better than his career average? As good as the Olympic year? Miller can have a better year next season and still not reach his career numbers and not even be close to the Olympic year. Miller can be better than he has been this season and still be a average goalie making $6 mil a year.

[Huckleberry]

I've come at a point where i actually don't want this team winning much anymore myself, top 5 draft pick would be nice.

and maybe we can trade for another 1st round pick.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Define better, better than this season? Better than his career average? As good as the Olympic year? Miller can have a better year next season and still not reach his career numbers and not even be close to the Olympic year. Miller can be better than he has been this season and still be a average goalie making $6 mil a year.

 

I believe he said as good as his olympic year.

 

Taro was on the sauce that night. He is forgiven. I just think this franchise is in such a pitiful place from where it was expected that people are flinging Chimp's poop around.

 

Sure, miller could be better next year. What is he...ranked 30th in the league?

 

As I responded to you in the other thread, I'm willing to put money on Miller playing better next year (assuming he doesn't get reinjured this season). (Before you agree to a wager, you might want to ask DeLuca how the last wager I made worked out.)

 

Considering, that the 2 times Miller's had a roughly 1 week's rest he's picked up his play significantly (this last time clearly, and the 1st time until McNabb popped him in the head as well), I don't see where it's unreasonable to expect a full off-season to let him heal up. The extra 2 weeks are just gravy and to claim that that is why I think he'll be on his game is either misunderstanding my comments at best or disingenius at worst. Either way, the rebuttal is less than you normally bring; I fully expect the next reply to be back on your game.

 

Yes, my rebuttals are less than i usually bring because a few months ago I accepted where this franchise was in life, and it is not worth pouring much emotion and energy into anymore. Larry Quinn was working an agenda and that was easy to rail against. Pegula has a good heart but is just clueless about what a disaster this has been and how many of the intelligent, logical fans with money to spend in the past are pretty much at or nearing the same point I am at. Trading Roy, Gaustad and Boyes next week for a 2nd, 4th and a 24 year old center with a career high of 13 goals is not going to change who is in charge of the team and the decade of malaise that has sculpted the franchise culture.

 

This team is pretty much in checkmate. There may be 6 or 7 moves to play out, but I'm waiting for a new player and a fresh board to come in before the moves make a difference again for me to follow. Meanwhile I'll just meander over to the hot dog vender in the park for a salty dog and go feed the pigeons.

 

Oh...and if all it takes to get Miller to play well is 1 week of rest, Ruff really is the biggest moron to ever coach the game.

[TheChimp]

The only way Miller will play with any real passion again is for another team.

[LabattBlue]

Unless DR has a major selling spurt over the next week, I still have a gut feeling that this team will play better down the stretch and end up picking between 8th-10th.

 

Bye bye top 5 pick. :(

[TheChimp]

Quick! Someone with the flu, go bake the team some *cough* congratulatory cookies!!!!! :P

[Taro T]

Define better, better than this season? Better than his career average? As good as the Olympic year? Miller can have a better year next season and still not reach his career numbers and not even be close to the Olympic year. Miller can be better than he has been this season and still be a average goalie making $6 mil a year.

I expect him to be among the league's best next year if he's healthy. Not sure if I'd go so far as to predict he'd be top 5, but I definitely see him realistically being in the top 10 and probably top 7. And I see there being a much greater likelihood of him being top 5 than in the 25-30 realm that he was in for large portions of this season. I doubt that we'd be able to come up w/ a definition of criteria to work out a wager that we'd both be happy with. (Though the original wager offer was directed to Dwight, I'd expect setting up the framework of wager would be more trouble than it's worth w/ him as well.)