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Murray has eye on top pick — in 2016


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I dare say the consensus here, and among most fans, is that Tank will be officially over once the Sabres draft McDavid or Eichel (might as well be optimistic). Then Murray is going to try and put a winning team — a playoff team, why not? — on the ice. No more messing around.

 

Given the following, what is it exactly we are rooting for next year? Murray wants his team to be better but knows they won't be a playoff team. Sounds like what he said before this season. Why aren't we rooting for losses next season, too?

 

 

Selfishly, for the Buffalo Sabres, the first three picks (in ‘16) will be part of the lottery as opposed to just the first pick,” Murray said. “We’re not going to be a Stanley Cup contender next year but I hope we’re on the way up while still having a chance to win the lottery.

 

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/03/11/tank-label-unfair-losing-to-win-not-new-concept-sabres-gm-murray

Edited by @fakegorbyportwinestain
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I love that quote.  It captures my sentiment perfectly on tanking / rebuilding.  The 2016 Sabres aren't a Cup contender in any way shape or form.  The old Sabres would have set the playoffs as the bar, but ZFG Tim Murray has no use for the false hope, feel good squads of the Sabres past.  Give me a Cup contender or give me lottery picks!

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I don't think this is a troll by PA, and I think those saying that are reacting to past provocations.

 

It's a fair question. I happen to think it has a very straightforward answer.

 

The team's path back to respectability is likely sloped a bit like a sine curve, not like some jagged cliff. Murray seems to be saying that they will be better next year, but maybe not yet a playoff team. So, in theory, he would want the bottom teams to get the top picks, but, selfishly, realizes that next year a team (like his) that just misses out on the playoffs will also get a shot at one of the top 3 picks. TM does not think that should be the case, but allows that his team may still benefit from it.


Give me a Cup contender or give me lottery picks!

 

I don't think that's what GM TM was saying at all.

Edited by That Aud Smell
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I don't think that's what GM TM was saying at all.

 

That was more my attitude than what I feel GMTM believes. I don't think he's implying tanking again to gain the best odds at getting a top 3 pick as PA seems to be suggesting, he's just taking a realistic view at 2016, and 2016 only, and acknowledging that the Sabres aren't going to be a playoff team much less a Cup contender so let's go with this new system and hope it turns out well for us.

we won't be the same team next year as this year IMO

We won't be. This year we're a bad by design. Next year we'll just be a bad team.

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I don't think this is a troll by PA, and I think those saying that are reacting to past provocations.

 

It's a fair question. I happen to think it has a very straightforward answer.

 

The team's path back to respectability is likely sloped a bit like a sine curve, not like some jagged cliff. Murray seems to be saying that they will be better next year, but maybe not yet a playoff team. So, in theory, he would want the bottom teams to get the top picks, but, selfishly, realizes that next year a team (like his) that just misses out on the playoffs will also get a shot at one of the top 3 picks. TM does not think that should be the case, but allows that his team may still benefit from it.

You're softening his rhetoric. He wants to be a lottery team next year. "Lottery team" is the new DFL. According to the cold way of looking at things around here, Murray should do whatever he can to accomplish this goal, and the smart fans will be pulling for just enough losses to get there. Why make the playoffs? Short-term pain for long-term gain.

 

The Lottery Hockey League. Enjoy.

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We won't be. This year we're a bad by design. Next year we'll just be a bad team.

I don't see how you can possibly separate the design of a team from the explicit, expressed goal of that team's general manager. ZFG? Great. Then Murray should design a non-playoff team. The problem is what if that team overachieves and is on the playoff bubble come next February? Is there more roster manipulation to get worse? Should fans root for losses again, to avoid that awful fate of playing well into April and maybe May? We're down the rabbit hole here.

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Aud, I'd hate to say I told ya so...but I did tell ya ;)

It's OK. You can bop me on the nose instead of Tim. I know you don't like what Tim said, but you won't admit it. No one should like it. It's an affront. It's disgusting. But... let the great SabreSpace Backtracking begin, in the fine tradition of this board.

Amazing how this s### still works.

Talking to me? I'm the problem? The GM just said he wants his team to miss the playoffs again next year, and I'm the villain?

Edited by @fakegorbyportwinestain
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Murray doesn't plan on being last anymore, so, selfishly, he's good with next year's set-up — even though he's opposed idealistically.

I'm glad that's his attitude.

 

Yup.

 

That was more my attitude than what I feel GMTM believes. I don't think he's implying tanking again to gain the best odds at getting a top 3 pick as PA seems to be suggesting, he's just taking a realistic view at 2016, and 2016 only, and acknowledging that the Sabres aren't going to be a playoff team much less a Cup contender so let's go with this new system and hope it turns out well for us.

We won't be. This year we're a bad by design. Next year we'll just be a bad team.

 

 

Gotcha - sorry. And agreed.

 

 

You're softening his rhetoric. He wants to be a lottery team next year. "Lottery team" is the new DFL. According to the cold way of looking at things around here, Murray should do whatever he can to accomplish this goal, and the smart fans will be pulling for just enough losses to get there. Why make the playoffs? Short-term pain for long-term gain.

 

The Lottery Hockey League. Enjoy.

 

Where did he say he wants to be a lottery team next year? Please point to the specific language.

 

Oh, and DAMMIT ALL.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPw-3e_pzqU

 

Aud, I'd hate to say I told ya so...but I did tell ya ;)

 

DAMMIT!

 

I don't see how you can possibly separate the design of a team from the explicit, expressed goal of that team's general manager. ZFG? Great. Then Murray should design a non-playoff team. The problem is what if that team overachieves and is on the playoff bubble come next February? Is there more roster manipulation to get worse? Should fans root for losses again, to avoid that awful fate of playing well into April and maybe May? We're down the rabbit hole here.

 

I can't decide whether this is nonsense or non-sensical.

 

See what I get for defending your ability to proffer a good faith question?

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It's OK. You can bop me on the nose instead of Tim. I know you don't like what Tim said, but you won't admit it. No one should like it. It's an affront. It's disgusting. But... let the great SabreSpace Backtracking begin, in the fine tradition of this board.

 

Talking to me? I'm the problem? The GM just said he wants his team to miss the playoffs again next year, and I'm the villain?

Yes.

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It's OK. You can bop me on the nose instead of Tim. I know you don't like what Tim said, but you won't admit it. No one should like it. It's an affront. It's disgusting. But... let the great SabreSpace Backtracking begin, in the fine tradition of this board.

Talking to me? I'm the problem? The GM just said he wants his team to miss the playoffs again next year, and I'm the villain?

 

If you play/show those quotes to 100 high school educated people, 90+ will come away with what the consensus here is: He doesn't want to be a non-playoff team next year, he just recognizes that, in the process of getting better, the team probably will fall a bit short. It's a process, dude. Becoming a contender takes some time -- it's not a "just add McEichel" recipe.

 

Your understanding of what he's saying is (*sigh*) a distortion of the language's plain meaning.

Edited by That Aud Smell
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It's OK. You can bop me on the nose instead of Tim. I know you don't like what Tim said, but you won't admit it. No one should like it. It's an affront. It's disgusting. But... let the great SabreSpace Backtracking begin, in the fine tradition of this board.

Talking to me? I'm the problem? The GM just said he wants his team to miss the playoffs again next year, and I'm the villain?

 

 

As is the fine tradition of your nonsense.  You take one quote from an article, label it "rhetoric" and then extrapolate it out to be the philosophy of GMTM to be set in stone going forward. 

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I don't see how you can possibly separate the design of a team from the explicit, expressed goal of that team's general manager. ZFG? Great. Then Murray should design a non-playoff team. The problem is what if that team overachieves and is on the playoff bubble come next February? Is there more roster manipulation to get worse? Should fans root for losses again, to avoid that awful fate of playing well into April and maybe May? We're down the rabbit hole here.

 

 

I don't think you see Murray signing players like the Mess and Balls this offseason.  I don't think you see him ship out his two starting goalies who are playing well next season.  These were clearly tank moves by design and those types of moves are no longer on the table IMO.  If a miracle happens and they are on the bubble at the deadline, then yes I'd expect him to make some moves to acquire guys to help with the playoff push, but not at the risk of screwing up the pipeline we have built.

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If you play/show those quotes to 100 high school educated people, 90+ will come away with what the consensus here is: He doesn't want to be a non-playoff team next year, he just recognizes that, in the process of getting better, the team probably will fall a bit short. It's a process, dude. Becoming a contender takes some time -- it's not a "just add McEichel" recipe.

 

Your understanding of what he's saying is (*sigh*) a distortion of the language's plain meaning.

 

Yes it is, and those kind of posts are detrimental to the overall flow and feel of this board. 

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