Current Carrion Hockey League Standings

[Claude_Verret]

Any plan to win the Stanley Cup that was hinged on the addition of one player to the team was never going to work anyway.

 

And for anyone who is going to try and convince themselves by trying to convince me that it was never about getting just one player, save it. Read all the posts and listen to every caller and host on WGR that are crying otherwise.

This is the CHL thread so I'll lay it out why you're wrong, again.

 

Of course the goal this season is to finish DFL/McEichel. So what? The goal for every other season was a Stanley Cup and nobody ever promised us that either. In other words 2006 was a huge disappointment, but it can hardly be characterized as a complete failure or waste of a season.

 

A true and complete failure when setting out to tank would be ending up with the tenth pick with a team that had zero chance of going to the playoffs regardless. You know like the movie we've seen all too often already as Sabres fans.

 

We may not end up adding a generational talent in the draft this year, which would be disappointing, but we are in position to add another elite talent to the one we acquired last year due to tanking.

[Taro T]

Current standings through games played 3/18.

 

Team         GP  L  W OT PT MPP PR RPTC CPM

Buffalo      70 43 20  7 93 117 24 22   18.7

Edmonton     71 39 19 13 91 113 22 24   14.0

Arizona      70 41 21  8 90 114 24 25   12.4

Toronto      71 38 27  6 82 104 24 33    8.6

Carolina     69 34 26  9 77 103 26 38    8.0

Columbus     70 35 31  4 72  96 24 43    8.5

 

CPM = per sportsclubstats.com and lottery weighting - last updated 3/10 in AM

 

With Edmonton's single point picked up last night, the young Liger's mind is ready to go kerplewy as both Buffalo and Arizona control their own fate.

 

Large NHL slate tonight including 4 CHLers. All but Sabres and Eulers in action.

[LGR4GM]

Current standings through games played 3/18.

 

Team         GP  L  W OT PT MPP PR RPTC CPM

Buffalo      70 43 20  7 93 117 24 22   18.7

Edmonton     71 39 19 13 91 113 22 24   14.0

Arizona      70 41 21  8 90 114 24 25   12.4

Toronto      71 38 27  6 82 104 24 33    8.6

Carolina     69 34 26  9 77 103 26 38    8.0

Columbus     70 35 31  4 72  96 24 43    8.5

 

CPM = per sportsclubstats.com and lottery weighting - last updated 3/10 in AM

 

With Edmonton's single point picked up last night, the young Liger's mind is ready to go kerplewy as both Buffalo and Arizona control their own fate.

 

Large NHL slate tonight including 4 CHLers. All but Sabres and Eulers in action.

Can't. Function....

 

 

 

Brain.... melting.... 

 

 

 

 

:death:

[That Aud Smell]

I still refuse to take a pessimistic stance in this thread...so here's some glass half full thoughts for today..

 

Right there with you.

 

So many things could happen...

 

Really good stuff. I agree. I just really agree with that sentiment.

 

The silver-bullet certainty that people have re McEichel feels like it could end up being a trap of sorts. Or not. Who knows. That's the point, innit? Who. Knows. So much -- in fact, everything -- that is yet to come is unknown and largely unknowable. Just chill out.

 

I liked Liger's poem. 

[LGR4GM]

I liked Liger's poem. 

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

That is just the last little part

[Sam]

I woke up annoyed when I checked my phone and found out that we beat Boston the other night. It's got to that point.

 

Oh and I definitely don't think we'll draft McDavid, or Eichel for that matter. Leafs will pick #1 and EDM #2.

[Sabrestrike]

This is the CHL thread so I'll lay it out why you're wrong, again.

 

Of course the goal this season is to finish DFL/McEichel. So what? The goal for every other season was a Stanley Cup and nobody ever promised us that either. In other words 2006 was a huge disappointment, but it can hardly be characterized as a complete failure or waste of a season.

 

A true and complete failure when setting out to tank would be ending up with the tenth pick with a team that had zero chance of going to the playoffs regardless. You know like the movie we've seen all too often already as Sabres fans.

 

We may not end up adding a generational talent in the draft this year, which would be disappointing, but we are in position to add another elite talent to the one we acquired last year due to tanking.

 

This is an excellent point.  You're never guaranteed anything in sports. The most you can do is put yourself in a position to achieve your goals; the rest is mostly luck.  That's as true for the Shart as for the Stanley Cup.

 

So while I was bitterly disappointed that we lost to the Stars in that infamous Game 6, I couldn't realistically ask for anything more than the organization icing a team that got us to that point.  Same with the Shart.  We're in position, now we just need to seal the deal.

[LGR4GM]

"Amateurs practice until they can get it right; Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

[Samson's Flow]

"Amateurs practice until they can get it right; Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

I have a sneaking suspicion that Liger is toying with us by posting poems and quotes rather than youtube videos. He's on to our little game. :P

[Doohickie]

This is an excellent point.  You're never guaranteed anything in sports. The most you can do is put yourself in a position to achieve your goals; the rest is mostly luck.

That was something I brought up months ago. Let's say the Sabres get McDavid and then he blows out his knee and can't play well for a year or two. With the status of the rest of the rebuild it might have been better if we'd have gotten Hannefin or something. I know the benefit of a generational talent, but I'm also wary of building a team around a single player and depending on that player too much. I'd rather have an ensemble cast (again, the Detroit model) where the pieces are more interchangeable.

[Sam]

I've mentioned this before, not sure whether on here or on Twitter but, I think it's funny how Buffalo fans are looking towards what they can get next, without appreciating what we have now (ala Oilers); if you look at the comparisons between Reinhart and Bennett (Calgary's pick), they can't stop ranting and raving about him, whereas the majority of Buffalo fans I speak to seem to have forgotten that Reinhart exists. a 1-2 Center punch of Reinhart and Girgensons for years to come is pretty scary.

 

Don't get me wrong, I want McDavid for Buffalo. I'm delighted when we lose, and annoyed when we grind out a W. But lets not forget what we already have before being upset whether or not we manage to draft McDavid or Eichel. (This is also kind of a reply to those saying that they're worried about the pressure on building around McDavid, when we already have skilled centers in the system - so it's not as if he'd be all alone if we theoretically got him)

[LGR4GM]

I love me some Sam Reinhart he really improved a lot of aspects of his game this season.  1 thing to note however is Bennett is coming off a long injury so that is why no one is talking about him, there is not much to discuss. 

[K-9]

I've mentioned this before, not sure whether on here or on Twitter but, I think it's funny how Buffalo fans are looking towards what they can get next, without appreciating what we have now (ala Oilers); if you look at the comparisons between Reinhart and Bennett (Calgary's pick), they can't stop ranting and raving about him, whereas the majority of Buffalo fans I speak to seem to have forgotten that Reinhart exists. a 1-2 Center punch of Reinhart and Girgensons for years to come is pretty scary.

 

Don't get me wrong, I want McDavid for Buffalo. I'm delighted when we lose, and annoyed when we grind out a W. But lets not forget what we already have before being upset whether or not we manage to draft McDavid or Eichel. (This is also kind of a reply to those saying that they're worried about the pressure on building around McDavid, when we already have skilled centers in the system - so it's not as if he'd be all alone if we theoretically got him)

Good post, thanks for the perspective. 

 

Can't speak for anyone else, but I haven't forgotten SR. Not by a long shot. I was in the minority when pointing out his positives during his nine game stint this season. He's gonna be a good one, no doubt. That said, unless he's had a remarkable physical turnaround, I think he's still a year or two away from being able to compete on a purely physical level. Mentally, he's been there for a while though. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[dudacek]

If Reinhart plays with Kane and Ennis or the equivalent, I predict 10-15 goals, 40-50 points next year.

If he is forced to "earn" his spot "competing" on the 3rd or 4th line, he will be in Rochester by December.

[That Aud Smell]

I'd rather have an ensemble cast (again, the Detroit model) 

 

A fair point.

 

It's good to see reasonable minds getting together to brace themselves for a 29th place finish and 3rd overall pick.

 

One thing I keep laughing about, just the idea of it (as unlikely as it may be): A 29th place finish followed by a lottery victory.

If he is forced to "earn" his spot "competing" on the 3rd or 4th line, he will be in Rochester by December.

 

I hate to have to ask: Would he qualify for that assignment?

[Claude_Verret]

That was something I brought up months ago. Let's say the Sabres get McDavid and then he blows out his knee and can't play well for a year or two. With the status of the rest of the rebuild it might have been better if we'd have gotten Hannefin or something. I know the benefit of a generational talent, but I'm also wary of building a team around a single player and depending on that player too much. I'd rather have an ensemble cast (again, the Detroit model) where the pieces are more interchangeable.

 

 

It never has been about a single player and we are assembling a cast whether we win the shart or not. The worry of injury, which can happen to any player(s) who are key to our rebuild at any time is therefore not a good reason to forgo a tank.

[LGR4GM]

I hate to have to ask: Would he qualify for that assignment?

Qualify as in can he be assigned to Rochester next year? The answer is yes. He will be 20 before December 1st 2015.  

[dudacek]

A fair point.

 

It's good to see reasonable minds getting together to brace themselves for a 29th place finish and 3rd overall pick.

 

One thing I keep laughing about, just the idea of it (as unlikely as it may be): A 29th place finish followed by a lottery victory.

 

I hate to have to ask: Would he qualify for that assignment?

 

Yes, because of a late birthday.

 

The realistic mindset of the fan base this year should always have been about a chance to get another prospect as talented as Reinhart, and improving our odds on winning the lottery.

 

Murray has done what he can. The chances of the worst goalie (statistically) in the NHL playing like Hasek for a 10-game stretch are like that of having four injured defencemen going in to game seven: they aren't great, but they exist.

 

That's sport. If you want certainty try math as your hobby.

 

Winning the Shart is as hard as winning the Cup.

[Doohickie]

Another thing to consider - Sydney Crosby is a "generational talent." How many Cups has he brought to Pittsburgh? One (plus another Finals appearance). Over that same 9 year period, 5 Cups were won by two teams - Chicago and L.A., both of which are built more on the ensemble cast model. Ovechkin is the other player that is in the generational talent conversation; he has zero Cups.

 

Of course we want McEichel but that doesn't guarantee a Cup.

[Claude_Verret]

I think the word guarantee needs to be banned from the CHL thread.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Claude_Verret

[woods-racer]

Another thing to consider - Sydney Crosby is a "generational talent." How many Cups has he brought to Pittsburgh? One (plus another Finals appearance). Over that same 9 year period, 5 Cups were won by two teams - Chicago and L.A., both of which are built more on the ensemble cast model. Ovechkin is the other player that is in the generational talent conversation; he has zero Cups.

 

Of course we want McEichel but that doesn't guarantee a Cup.

 

Your are right, but, and this is a big but,

 

Their GM sucked for years after...

 

Could not find, and can not find the players around him to complete the task.

 

GMTM has told us all, it's not the early first round pick's that matter because anyone can select them, a true good GM finds the late hidden round gems.  You need the 2-4 top five picks on a team, plus a good GM.

[Assquatch]

That was something I brought up months ago. Let's say the Sabres get McDavid and then he blows out his knee and can't play well for a year or two. With the status of the rest of the rebuild it might have been better if we'd have gotten Hannefin or something. I know the benefit of a generational talent, but I'm also wary of building a team around a single player and depending on that player too much. I'd rather have an ensemble cast (again, the Detroit model) where the pieces are more interchangeable.

You'd rather not have the superstar because if/when he gets hurt there is more of a dropoff to the rest of the team?  :huh:

 

The pieces around the 1st round pick next year are exactly the same in either scenario. Drafting 2nd vs. 3rd really only comes down to supporting cast + superstar vs. entire team of supporting cast. You're claiming to want the latter.

[Randall Flagg]

Regardless of what happens, I'm really excited for next year. Obviously will be more excited with a top 2 pick, but either way, I had spent so many years hoping for the blow up of the old core, and not only has that happened, but we're probably done with the hardest part to deal with after. After these twelve games, it's hope and growth and wanting to win all the way, and it will be so refreshing. And I think our core of prospects plus a top 3 pick this year combined with GMTM's abilities can get us to where we all want to be, hoisting that cup. Sure, I have no evidence to point to yet that Murray can build that team or that the kids will hit the levels required, but as this season winds down, that hope is beginning to trickle back into me again, for the first time since Hecht slipped it by Ward in the dwindling seconds of period 2. 

[LGR4GM]

You'd rather not have the superstar because if/when he gets hurt there is more of a dropoff to the rest of the team?  :huh:

 

The pieces around the 1st round pick next year are exactly the same in either scenario. Drafting 2nd vs. 3rd really only comes down to supporting cast + superstar vs. entire team of supporting cast. You're claiming to want the latter.

i think he is saying there is more to a championship then simply one star player

[TrueBlueGED]

i think he is saying there is more to a championship then simply one star player

 

Of course he is, and of course there is. Frankly I think the biggest benefit of getting a superstar that nobody seems to mention is that *we get to watch a superstar 82+ times per year*. Maybe we'll win a Cup, maybe we'll win multiple, maybe we'll win zero...but we WILL get to watch one of the league's next superstars every single game he plays. Isn't that worth a lot to fans? It's worth a ton to me.