thesportsbuff Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 The suffering began Saturday night for me. Call me the eternal optimist but I had hope for the Sabres this season. I thought we'd see significant improvement from Hodgson, and maybe that would lead to a hot start or dare I say 40g year for Vanek. And maybe Grigorenko would look like he belonged in the NHL. And Myers would figure it out some, helping to solidify a nice young D core with Ristolainen and Pysyk. I thought the new coaches might be able to get our Power Play going -- one of the biggest complaints about the Sabres lately is how certain players shy away from the gritty side of the game, losing puck battles etc. That shouldn't matter as much with the man advantage. These guys are (almost) all talented enough to play in the NHL, they should be able to score with the man advantage. Or at least a two-man advantage. IMO that's got to be on coaching. I thought that MAYBE, just MAYBE, after a summer of being basically cast aside as a bottom-feeder with no chance, would rally around that and play with urgency and with an edge and try to prove critics wrong and make the playoffs. At the very least, I was hoping to get an extended look at some of the up-and-coming and/or fringe players like Armia, Girgensons, Grigorenko, Larsson, Tropp, and McNabb. What I got instead over the first three games was largely the opposite. We've scored two goals (one of which was pretty flukey). Neither Vanek nor Hodgson have looked remarkable in any way. Grigorenko looks a little better than last season but still has a way to go. Ristolainen and Pysyk haven't been bad, but Myers is still a trainwreck. Risto also failed to engage a forward in front of the net which led directly to a goal against. The power play is a joke. I can't even begin to explain the problems, but NOT no-look drop-passing between your legs to other team would probably be a good place to start if they want to improve. And while Girgensons has played great, Armia and Tropp went down injured before the season started, McNabb didn't make the team (which isn't necessarily a bad thing just stating the opposite of what I had hoped for), and Larsson has played half his shifts with John Scott and Kaleta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waldo Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I think your looking at the wrong guy. So far this season, if Vanek left, there weren't be much difference from what we have seen so far from this team. Its Miller being moved that is going to show us suffering. So far he has been the only one keeping this team from complete blowouts. (Not saying that Vanek leaving won't hurt, but Miller leaving would have a much bigger impact to the team and the games right now) Vanek leaving would confuse other teams. What line would they play their first pair against? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Vanek leaving would confuse other teams. What line would they play their first pair against? That's easy. The 1st one the Sabres put out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Vanek leaving would confuse other teams. What line would they play their first pair against? They could keep their first line on the bench or make them healthy scratches that night, give them the night off. It probably wouldn't make much of a difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koomkie Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 this was posted in the "around the nhl thread" Mike Harrington @BNHarrington19m #Flyers join #Sabres at 0-3 w/no offense. RT @drosennhl Giroux, Hartnell, Read, Voracek, Simmonds all have no points through 3 games. thought it was appropriate for this conversation. our team is young. we are going to lose a lot this year. especially against to teams like detroit and pittsburgh. calm down. expect suffering and enjoy watching the young guys. probably another two years unless some solid veterans are signed to help. after three games i am now convinced vanek will no longer be a sabre after the year is up. same with miller. we will get some nice pieces for them. and we will have a solid chance at conner mcdavid. go sabres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I expect Thomas Vanek to be traded out west before 2014 begins. Miller will follow in the week before the deadline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sicknfla Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I expect Thomas Vanek to be traded out west before 2014 begins. Miller will follow in the week before the deadline. I think Miller goes first. Too many teams have question marks at goalie. Waiting to the deadline may be too long for some of them. This needs to be addressed by management ASAP. Time too turn the page and do what we have to. Darcy cannot roll the dice with this. He may think me is smarter than everyone else but he just needs to watch his team play. The only person he is smarter than is his boss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I think Miller goes first. Too many teams have question marks at goalie. Waiting to the deadline may be too long for some of them. This needs to be addressed by management ASAP. Time too turn the page and do what we have to. Darcy cannot roll the dice with this. He may think me is smarter than everyone else but he just needs to watch his team play. The only person he is smarter than is his boss. But the Market hasn't been set yet for trades, Darcy can't make a move that may set the market or not end up getting what could be perceived as market value later! The only humane thing to do is to get them both on new teams ASAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Crotch Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 But the Market hasn't been set yet for trades, Darcy can't make a move that may set the market or not end up getting what could be perceived as market value later! The only humane thing to do is to get them both on new teams ASAP True on both accounts. Preventioned-focused Darcy is absolutely incapable of doing anything until his hand if forced (in this case by the trade deadline). He will wait, and wait, and wait... then 1 hour before the deadline we'll hear that both players have been moved for more picks. So this year will essentially be 3/4 of a wasted season for Vanek and Miller as they flounder around on a rudderless ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 If Miller goes, it'll likely be early. Teams don't like bringing goalies in later in the year. Bring him in now and get him onto the ice as early as you can. Then, if Miller leave, Vanek would likely have to be shipped out as soon as possible out of respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 If Miller goes, it'll likely be early. Teams don't like bringing goalies in later in the year. Bring him in now and get him onto the ice as early as you can. Then, if Miller leave, Vanek would likely have to be shipped out as soon as possible out of respect. I think this is a different situation and one that hasn't been seen much before. How many times have we seen a team put a #1 goalie, one of the better goalies in the league, on the trade block during a season? Sure theres Luongo, but the situation there was different and no one wanted that contract. But when have we ever seen a situation like this before? Most times a player like Milelr becomes available, its in the offseason, and they are moved around the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sicknfla Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Just throwing this out for debate. IF this thing continues to go as ugly as we expect does TP save face and fire DR BEFORE Vanek/Miller are moved? Does a new GM convince them to stay? Honestly, I hope we start out 0-20. I want TP to lay awake in bed at night and really think if this is the route he wants to take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Just throwing this out for debate. IF this thing continues to go as ugly as we expect does TP save face and fire DR BEFORE Vanek/Miller are moved? Does a new GM convince them to stay? Honestly, I hope we start out 0-20. I want TP to lay awake in bed at night and really think if this is the route he wants to take. I would love a new GM to convince both to stay, but the only way thats going to happen is if they scrap the rebuild and turn things around now which isn't likely to happen. I don't know of too many good players available as trade bait this early in the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattPie Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 If Vanek is traded we will have not one proven top-six forward - not one. You could make a case that Stafford, Hodgson and Ennis have shown they can be second-liners. You could make a case that Grigorenko, Foligno, Girgensons, and Armia could get there. But not one of them is a sure fire second-liner, let alone a first. As for a star, there doesn't seem to be a forward in the system that fits that description. In better news, the Flyers and the Oilers - the prime destinations for Miller - are off to rough starts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waldo Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I expect Thomas Vanek to be traded out west before 2014 begins. Miller will follow in the week before the deadline. bet he ends up in the east? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 The Vanek line is the least hard-working line on the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Just throwing this out for debate. IF this thing continues to go as ugly as we expect does TP save face and fire DR BEFORE Vanek/Miller are moved? Does a new GM convince them to stay? Honestly, I hope we start out 0-20. I want TP to lay awake in bed at night and really think if this is the route he wants to take. No. The new GM would likely have to take the job with the assumption that his first task is to move the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Past performance does not guarantee future results. Guarantee? No, it doesn't. In sports it's pretty much all you have to go on. It's why the draft and free agency are crap shoots and the house is always favored when it comes to betting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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