MattPie Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Just to point out from the original post the part about Arizona losing out on the top 2 and being last in the preseason, out of the 3 teams being discussed, they also probably did the least of them to change over their roster and are depending more on the very good youth in theor system to step forward in the next year or 2. Buffalo used a good chunk of their youth to buy nhl ready top guys who are now suiting up for them and Edmonton already has a bunch of top of the draft guys with NHL experience and made a move to shore up their biggest weakness in net. Arizona is last year's Sabres, they went fire-sale at the trade deadline and are stockpiling picks. Buffalo and Edmonton are on the next stage, having collected the Tank badge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 It is interesting we are seeing the things we discussed heavily going into the draft come to fruition. Namely the fact that McDavid is more finesse and Jack is more, physical for lack of a better term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewookie1 Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 And McDavid played 88 without counting the prospects games, World Juniors or anything like that. The junior schedule is much closer to the NHL schedule, the grind is harder, too, because there is less time in between games. Again, I don't know any of this first hand, but I've heard Paul Hamilton talk about it on WGR before, about how some college players have a harder time adjusting to the schedule. Not that its a long term thing, but I bet we see some Eichel dropoff sometime in the early-winter while he gets used to it. Well that might be true, but I think while the Junior schedule is more grueling, paradoxically college players tend to be more ready made for NHL competition since they had time to train and likely played older players. So Eichel will very likely have an impressive start to the season, McDavid will likely have a better end to the season. That being said they'll both be great overall over the course of the season. I'd also take a guess that Eichel may have more goals on the season while McDavid would have more assists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Arizona is last year's Sabres, they went fire-sale at the trade deadline and are stockpiling picks. Buffalo and Edmonton are on the next stage, having collected the Tank badge.I don't know if I would say they are last year's Sabres (ie top of the draft or bust, we are going to lose on purpose for the best pick). I think that given the mess of the ownership/lease situation along with not getting into the top 2 last year their rebuild is taking a little longer and is going to be more about the home grown talent in the system taking over rather then the Sabres approach of keeping some of the prospects and dealing a bunch of others for better nhl talent (o'Reilly, kane, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattPie Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 I don't know if I would say they are last year's Sabres (ie top of the draft or bust, we are going to lose on purpose for the best pick). I think that given the mess of the ownership/lease situation along with not getting into the top 2 last year their rebuild is taking a little longer and is going to be more about the home grown talent in the system taking over rather then the Sabres approach of keeping some of the prospects and dealing a bunch of others for better nhl talent (o'Reilly, kane, etc.) As long as "lose on purpose" means "not mortgage the future and build up draft picks", I couldn't disagree more. I think Arizona is going to be bad this year, they know it, and they're doing exactly what the Sabres did in the same situation last year to fix it: nothing. They hope to draft high and then build next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 We had more talent to sell off than Arizona. That being said I think Arizona has some good prospects maturing. Quick List: Max Domi Laurent Dauphin Dylan Strome Henrik Samuelsson Anthony Duclair So some good players but they could use an Austin Matthews to really push them forward when they move to Seattle in 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 We had more talent to sell off than Arizona. That being said I think Arizona has some good prospects maturing. Quick List: Max Domi Laurent Dauphin Dylan Strome Henrik Samuelsson Anthony Duclair So some good players but they could use an Austin Matthews to really push them forward when they move to Seattle in 5 years. The deck is being shuffled in the NHL, and that can only be exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3putt Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 An overlooked side effect of the last two seasons was the ability to purge contracts that weren't in the LT best interest of the team. They didn't get into ego battles they just wiped the slate clean. Stafford, to a lesser extent Myers, Miller et al gone. They were able to then shop with a clean credit card and terms they ciuld manage. I think they will be fun to watch this year as they evolve and establish their identity. But I think we are only glimpsing a fraction of the master plan. I think even next year will see major changes. And a few fan faves will be moved. This is almost like watching an expansion team that knows what it is doing. I'm stoked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krt88 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 OK, the Sabres and Oilers are both 0-0 in games that count and people are creating threads that they are GOOD. what is wrong with you? Let's wait until October 30 not Sept. 30 to start making declarations. Yep, both teams look promising, and we can have hope and excitement but we are not good, yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I'm gonna wait til March 30th before I am convinced anybody is good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Okay.....well I'M going to wait until TWO THOUSAND and 30th (2030) to decide who is good! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Haven't seen the Oilers, yet, but the change and energy in Buffalo is palpable. I predict we see the Sabres getting a lot of love from the talking heads as they do their season primers heading into opening day. There's a lot to be impressed with in these preseason games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Let's just not get ahead of ourselves and start expecting too much, only to get disappointed halfway through the year. Remember, most of us had realistic expectations of not making the playoffs this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Let's just not get ahead of ourselves and start expecting too much, only to get disappointed halfway through the year. Remember, most of us had realistic expectations of not making the playoffs this year. we can always hope :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewookie1 Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 In theory lets say both make it to the playoffs as the 3rd in their respective divisions, who does better? I'd say Buffalo partially due to East vs West competition is lesser, but mainly due to the Sabres being built far more geared to the playoffs than the Oilers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Let's just not get ahead of ourselves and start expecting too much, only to get disappointed halfway through the year. Remember, most of us had realistic expectations of not making the playoffs this year. I rooted for the playoffs last year. Last year. I'm sure gonna hope we make them this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 It is wayyy to early for any celebratory declarations. Preseason, man, preseason.NSFW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I rooted for the playoffs last year. Last year. I'm sure gonna hope we make them this year. I think we all hope for the playoffs this year, we just don't all expect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 we can always hope :D I rooted for the playoffs last year. Last year. I'm sure gonna hope we make them this year. Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 I think we all hope for the playoffs this year, we just don't all expect it. It will take a good chunk of the season before I begin to expect it, even in a good year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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