Mounting injuries for Sabres, the unintended tank or train wreck? Larsson too!

[MattPie]

If the Sabres are still struggling with injuries come March and are mired towards the bottom of the standings I'll have no issue whatsoever with a mini tank.  Right now it's too early.

 

Traditionally referred to as "being sellers at the deadline". Which happens every year.

 

 

I'm LOL'ing at the thought of someone skating onto the ice with the name "d4rk" embroidered on the uniform - and RJ actually saying "d4rk????? Who the @#$% is that????? "  And Razor replying  "Dunno - maybe Dan Bylsma sent in a goon, RJ"  lol

I wonder if we'd get the traditional "and d4rk's parents and long-time girlfriend Josie are on-hand for his first NHL game" camera shot.

[Claude_Verret]

 

Traditionally referred to as "being sellers at the deadline". Which happens every year.

 

 

My explanation beyond simply selling is there too.

[Cereal]

I wonder if we'd get the traditional "and d4rk's parents and long-time girlfriend Josie are on-hand for his first NHL game" camera shot.

What number does Rip slap him with?

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres need to go 32-18-8 for the rest of the season to earn 95 points and have a chance at the playoffs. Gorges and Bogo are weeks from taking the ice. I also doubt GMTM wants to waste a year of Guhle's contract on a team that is unlikely to make the playoffs.

 

Another fact is that we are going to have a significant turnover in players again after this season. We are going to lose someone to expansion. Gionta, Grant, Franson, Kulikov, Fedun, and Nilsson are UFAs. Girgensons, Larsson, Lehner and Foligno are RFA's. Kane is on the trading block. That's nearly 12 players or 50% of the roster that might not be here next year. I believe that 7 of the guys listed won't be retained. Others, like Bogo or Ennis could also be moved.

 

So would having another "bad" year be worth it long-term? At think point I think it would. I am desperate for the Sabres to be a championship contender, but this current roster is very flawed. I think we only have 2 D of a championship team (Guhle could be the 3rd) and only have 6 of the needed forwards. With Nylander coming, I think we need another high end D and a pure scorer or two. With D like Hague and Liljegren near the top of this draft and pure scorers like Tolvenen and Tippett, we might be wise stink f\or one more year.

[Doohickie]

What number does Rip slap him with?

 

A

[North Buffalo]

The Sabres need to go 32-18-8 for the rest of the season to earn 95 points and have a chance at the playoffs. Gorges and Bogo are weeks from taking the ice. I also doubt GMTM wants to waste a year of Guhle's contract on a team that is unlikely to make the playoffs.

Another fact is that we are going to have a significant turnover in players again after this season. We are going to lose someone to expansion. Gionta, Grant, Franson, Kulikov, Fedun, and Nilsson are UFAs. Girgensons, Larsson, Lehner and Foligno are RFA's. Kane is on the trading block. That's nearly 12 players or 50% of the roster that might not be here next year. I believe that 7 of the guys listed won't be retained. Others, like Bogo or Ennis could also be moved.

So would having another "bad" year be worth it long-term? At think point I think it would. I am desperate for the Sabres to be a championship contender, but this current roster is very flawed. I think we only have 2 D of a championship team (Guhle could be the 3rd) and only have 6 of the needed forwards. With Nylander coming, I think we need another high end D and a pure scorer or two. With D like Hague and Liljegren near the top of this draft and pure scorers like Tolvenen and Tippett, we might be wise stink f\or one more year.

Exactly were I was going with this thread and tonights game may reinforce the above.

[LGR4GM]

you want these guys to learn what it takes to win a hockey game. You need to help them this season as much as possible. 

[North Buffalo]

you want these guys to learn what it takes to win a hockey game. You need to help them this season as much as possible.

 

True but I am a realist... too many injuries... aint gonna happen consistently.

[LGR4GM]

True but I am a realist... too many injuries... aint gonna happen consistently.

I am a realist too. I was a tank advocate back in 2013 when we made the historic run to 8th that pissed me off. We came within a hair of getting Darnelle Nurse because we didn't finish in the bottom 7. The point is, at some point you have to stop the hemorrhaging. Jack Eichel on this team makes it impossible to really tank. He isn't that guy. There is a mental side to it. I've been on teams that were loser teams, it is awful. Right now the mentality is that they have been hamstrung by injury but they are better. I would foster that as much as possible and try to finish in the playoffs or closer than you have in recent years. The draft lottery gives us an option of getting near the top anyways and also if GMTM and company are good at their jobs, they will get a talented player wherever we draft. 1 talented guy from this draft isn't going to be the tipping point. I just don't think this is the time to tank. 

[North Buffalo]

Train wreck continues

[qwksndmonster]

Train wreck continues

Oh no! We got a loser point against one of the best teams in the league with 3 of our defenseman out! /sob /tank

[TrueBlueGED]

And who could we trade to qualify it as a mini-tank? Kane?

It's not tanking to sell off Kulikov, Franson and Gionta at the deadline.

That's just good asset management.

 

Semi-related: I fully expect Murray to call Gionta into his office a few weeks before the deadline, and ask him if he wants to play out the string here or be traded to a Cup contender. Then I expect Murray to do exactly what Gio wants.

If he keeps playing the way he has so far this season, I'd call trading Kane improving the team.

[Huckleberry]

[darksabre]

Aw I love that comic.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I really think the Sabres have held their own pretty well considering all the injuries this season.

 

13 points separate the top from the bottom in the East.  The Sabres sit 12 points out of first.  That tells me that there is a very fine line between winning and losing in today's NHL.

 

Lets see what happens when the Sabres have a full roster.

 

And I'll say it ... I think Disco is a pretty darn good coach.

[Doohickie]

And I'll say it ... I think Disco is a pretty darn good coach.

 

 

I won't pass judgment on him just yet.  I just want the team to win.

[GASabresIUFAN]

And who could we trade to qualify it as a mini-tank? Kane?

It's not tanking to sell off Kulikov, Franson and Gionta at the deadline.

That's just good asset management.

Semi-related: I fully expect Murray to call Gionta into his office a few weeks before the deadline, and ask him if he wants to play out the string here or be traded to a Cup contender. Then I expect Murray to do exactly what Gio wants.

I agree completely. The trade deadline is GMTM's best opportunity to begin to fix this flawed roster by moving good/decent players like Kulikov, Gio, Franson and even Kane and Girgensons to create offseason cap space and/or acquire players to fill needs. I've seen enough of Carrier and Fedun to be comfortable with them in the lineup if trade open up spots for them.

 

I wonder if Roch's place in the standings will effect GMTM's willingness to move assets at the deadline?

[inkman]

I agree completely. The trade deadline is GMTM's best opportunity to begin to fix this flawed roster by moving good/decent players like Kulikov, Gio, Franson and even Kane and Girgensons to create offseason cap space and/or acquire players to fill needs. I've seen enough of Carrier and Fedun to be comfortable with them in the lineup if trade open up spots for them.

 

I wonder if Roch's place in the standings will effect GMTM's willingness to move assets at the deadline?

As any Amerk fan will tell you, there are zero given to their win loss record

[MattPie]

I agree completely. The trade deadline is GMTM's best opportunity to begin to fix this flawed roster by moving good/decent players like Kulikov, Gio, Franson and even Kane and Girgensons to create offseason cap space and/or acquire players to fill needs. I've seen enough of Carrier and Fedun to be comfortable with them in the lineup if trade open up spots for them.

 

I wonder if Roch's place in the standings will effect GMTM's willingness to move assets at the deadline?

 

Both of those guys need to show they can play for more than like 10 games before we start talking about them cementing spots in the top-4 D and middle-6 F.

Edited December 7, 2016 by MattPie

[North Buffalo]

Both of those guys need to show they can play for more than like 10 games before we start talking about them cementing spots in the top-4 D and middle-6 F.

Agreed Fedun needs more seasoning and Carrier while hustling still is on a learning curve.  Did he get hurt or benched at the end of the game?

[dudacek]

Love Carrier's fearlessness and speed. It's way too early to project him into the regular lineup.

So far he's produced like Nick Deslauriers.

 

How is he an equal to, let alone and improvement on Girgensons or Gionta or Foligno or Kane, or anyone else he masses have gotten sick of? I could say the same for Fedun and Falk over Franson and Gorges. Shiny new toys.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Both of those guys need to show they can play for more than like 10 games before we start talking about them cementing spots in the top-4 D and middle-6 F.

Carrier is up to 16 games already and Fedun 8 (with 4 assists and a +1)  Also how much more seasoning does Fedun, 28, possibly need?

 

Love Carrier's fearlessness and speed. It's way too early to project him into the regular lineup.

So far he's produced like Nick Deslauriers.

 

How is he an equal to, let alone and improvement on Girgensons or Gionta or Foligno or Kane, or anyone else he masses have gotten sick of? I could say the same for Fedun and Falk over Franson and Gorges. Shiny new toys.

 

I didn't say I'm ready to insert either guy in the lineup today permanently.  I never said they were better then what we would be trading away.  I said if we trade away some players at the deadline, I'm comfortable with these two playing out the string.  

[MattPie]

Carrier is up to 16 games already and Fedun 8 (with 4 assists and a +1)  Also how much more seasoning does Fedun, 28, possibly need?

 

 

I didn't say I'm ready to insert either guy in the lineup today permanently.  I never said they were better then what we would be trading away.  I said if we trade away some players at the deadline, I'm comfortable with these two playing out the string.  

 

For Fedun: NHL players and staff have a funny way of figuring guys out after they play enough games. Like GT, Fedun needs to have enough tape that other teams know his weaknesses, and then Fedun needs to compensate and show he can adapt and stay competent.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Tonights game, with nearly a healthy lineup, showed how far away we from being a championship contender. Lehner wasn't veey good, the D looked worse despite the return of Gorges. The PK stinks.

 

It's time to begin to consider letting this season go.

[Ogre]

Tonights game, with nearly a healthy lineup, showed how far away we from being a championship contender. Lehner wasn't veey good, the D looked worse despite the return of Gorges. The PK stinks.

 

It's time to begin to consider letting this season go.

Not entirely sure what you meant by this? Let it go where? Keep playing hockey the best you can IMO. No more tanking.