What to expect next season, the 2018 Sabres

[LGR4GM]

Buffalo Sabres Stats‏ @SabresStats 44s45 seconds ago

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From the start of the season to Dec 27th (37 games), the #Sabres powerplay went 13/110 (11.8%). That was tied with CBJ for dead last in the NHL.

In the 42 games since then, they are 33/136 (24.3%) with the man advantage. That ranks 6th in the NHL over that stretch.

 

I don't think they will make the playoffs next season, but I think there are some underlying numbers to suggest the team is actually starting to improve. Yes they lack consistency. 

[dudacek]

Sabres PP should be very good always.

All five guys are very good at their roles.

 

Housley never should have messed with it.

[Marions Piazza]

There are numerous things you can like about how they finished the season, IMO, the #1 is that Reinhart seems to have figured it out.  I know, I know, many here are worried its just Stafford disease, time will tell, I am hoping it's not an anamoly and he can continue his play next year right out of the gate.

 

Eichel will likely continue to be a PPG player, maybe slightly above if we can get him a winger or two that can keep up with him.

 

Worried that Okposo will never be the same, he did play well just prior to his injury, but, are injuries going to continue to be a problem with him?

 

Defense is still a massive ?  Unless we land Dahlin, we will be weak yet again.  Poor Ullmark and whoever else are between the pipes.

 

Playoffs, no way, there isnt going to be any Avs style turn around.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Marions Piazza

[WildCard]

I would be so happy with just these 6 things

 

1) .500

2) Healthy Jack

3) Mittelstadt hits 40 points

4) Dahlin

5) Rochester continues to improve, prospects brought in contribute and look good

6) We finally hit on something other than a top 10 pick; have a good draft 

[LGR4GM]

I would be so happy with just these 6 things

 

1) .500

2) Healthy Jack

3) Mittelstadt hits 40 points

4) Dahlin

5) Rochester continues to improve, prospects brought in contribute and look good

6) We finally hit on something other than a top 10 pick; have a good draft

Number 6 seems likely. Murray did well in 2016 outside of Nylander.

[Randall Flagg]

Aside from a 12 or 18 percent chance at Dahlin, that all seems reasonable enough.

 

Maybe not .500...

[GASabresIUFAN]

Sabres PP should be very good always.

All five guys are very good at their roles.

 

Housley never should have messed with it.

This was a rookie coach trying to put his stamp on the team and making a rookie mistake. Rule 1 if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

My expectation is at least 82 pts

Edited April 3, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[Mustache of God]

I'd like the team to have an appointed Captain along with some consistency, aka, WINNING STREAKS.

 

Has this team won more than 3 games in a row this year, have they even won 3 in a row?

 

It'd also be nice to see a FA acquisition work out for us. I can't think of many (or any) players we've brought in from FA and have actually worked out and I've wanted to see on the team the following year (Pouliot, Balou, Anitpin, Nolan, Franson, Moulson, Carlo C., etc.)

 

We're also due to start having the prospects Murray drafted start to break into the league. It'd be really nice if at least one of them can make the jump and impress. I cna't remember the last player that has come up from Rochester and stayed up for good. Perhaps Pegula can harness the energy coming off the perpetual motion of turnstile that has been spitting out players from Rochester to Buffalo and back again.

[Crusader1969]

I'd like the team to have an appointed Captain along with some consistency, aka, WINNING STREAKS.

 

Has this team won more than 3 games in a row this year, have they even won 3 in a row?

 

It'd also be nice to see a FA acquisition work out for us. I can't think of many (or any) players we've brought in from FA and have actually worked out and I've wanted to see on the team the following year (Pouliot, Balou, Anitpin, Nolan, Franson, Moulson, Carlo C., etc.)

 

We're also due to start having the prospects Murray drafted start to break into the league. It'd be really nice if at least one of them can make the jump and impress. I cna't remember the last player that has come up from Rochester and stayed up for good. Perhaps Pegula can harness the energy coming off the perpetual motion of turnstile that has been spitting out players from Rochester to Buffalo and back again.

 

I think the lesson should be, lets not sign any free agents until we get a solid "core". UFA's should be the final pieces, not core guys you build around.  Of course, you are going to have to sign 1 or 2 just to fill out your roster next year but definitely no "big splash"

[Mustache of God]

I think the lesson should be, lets not sign any free agents until we get a solid "core". UFA's should be the final pieces, not core guys you build around.  Of course, you are going to have to sign 1 or 2 just to fill out your roster next year but definitely no "big splash"

 

I'm not even talking high-end free agents you throw money at. I'd like to see a depth acquisition not be a complete dumpster fire and actually out-perform what was expected. I know it doesn't happen often but the Sabres always seem to be on the other end of that.

[Randall Flagg]

I'd like the team to have an appointed Captain along with some consistency, aka, WINNING STREAKS.

 

Has this team won more than 3 games in a row this year, have they even won 3 in a row?

 

It'd also be nice to see a FA acquisition work out for us. I can't think of many (or any) players we've brought in from FA and have actually worked out and I've wanted to see on the team the following year (Pouliot, Balou, Anitpin, Nolan, Franson, Moulson, Carlo C., etc.)

 

We're also due to start having the prospects Murray drafted start to break into the league. It'd be really nice if at least one of them can make the jump and impress. I cna't remember the last player that has come up from Rochester and stayed up for good. Perhaps Pegula can harness the energy coming off the perpetual motion of turnstile that has been spitting out players from Rochester to Buffalo and back again.

I'm almost positive the last time we won more than 3 in a row was in the 2011-12 season.

[Winston]

I'm almost positive the last time we won more than 3 in a row was in the 2011-12 season.

 

We had four straight wins during the McEichel tank season. All one goal wins in mid-December. We actually won 10 of 13 game during that stretch. At the conclusion of that 4 game streak, we lost 18 of 19.

[darksabre]

A lot of my expectations next year will be influenced by how the team changes around our center spine. The Jack-Casey-ROR are going to be the top 3 centers, and then I'm looking at wingers to see who is scoring goals there. 

 

Sam, Okposo, Rodrigues, 

 

???

The defense, if Nelson returns, doesn't look too bad but still lacks depth. When Tennyson and Gorges are your depth, you're in trouble. 

 

But shuffling at forward is going to mean a lot. They simply need to score, and they need to do it as a team. 

[dudacek]

It probably doesn’t deserve mention because with Bogosian it’s a given, but he and McCabe entered the year as our second pair. Guhle, Antipin and Beaulieu were also out.

Injuries have not been kind to the blueline.

Tennyson and Gorges are as good as any other teams 11 and 10 blueliners.

Edited April 3, 2018 by dudacek

[Thorny]

It probably doesn’t deserve mention because with Bogosian it’s a given, but he and McCabe entered the year as our second pair. Guhle, Antipin and Beaulieu were also out.

Injuries have not been kind to the blueline.

Tennyson and Gorges are as good as any other teams 11 and 10 blueliners.

And the Sabres being at or near the top of the man-games lost list is, unfortunately, a year in, year out occurrence.

 

Can’t manage to get my hopes up for a better result injury-wise next season when that’s seemingly always the case.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Thorny

[Brawndo]

On Insider Trading Pierre LeBrun mentioned that he believes Botterill is ready to make some tangenable changes. They are deep in marquee players and there maybe a huge market and an overpay for ROR or Reinhart and even though there is no movitation to move them, they maybe listening.

 

Starts at 2:52 mark

 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/insider-trading-which-coaches-are-on-the-hot-seat~1361937

 

More from LeBrun in the Athletic

 

Good question, with only tough answers. First-year GM Jason Botterill has now had a full season with his new club and has a better understanding of what needs to be done. Not that it can happen overnight. But I think the questions he had about this team heading into the season have mostly been answered. My sense is, he won’t be shy to act this summer.

 

“Our key to our success long term is obviously Jack (Eichel) and the development of Jack,” Botterill told The Athletic on Tuesday. “One, we got to keep him healthy. Two, it’s just becoming more of that leader. You look at the success from some of the teams that turned it around this year, New Jersey and Colorado, it’s (Taylor) Hall and MacKinnon that really took that step.”

 

As a group, there needs to be change.

 

“Look, I do believe there are some pieces here,” said the Sabres GM. “But there’s also a level of consistency that’s just not here at all. That level of consistency goes through practices. It’s easy to say we want to change the culture, but it’s a little more difficult of implementing that and going through it. Just look at the last couple of weeks. We beat Toronto at home a few weeks ago, and then we lose the next (game) 5-1 at home to Calgary, and honestly, it should have been 10-1. We can’t sustain any success. To me, that goes back to working harder in practice and having more of a base, more of a foundation so we can actually have a bit more consistency to our game.”

 

Just as MacKinnon has led by example in lifting his team after last season’s last-place showing, which he says left him embarrassed, you get the sense from talking to Eichel that the young Sabres superstar has the same desires for next year. His eight-year, $80 million contract begins next season and he doesn’t intend to re-live another lost year. He’s clearly had enough. He will welcome any change that helps this team on and off the ice.

 

 

And whether it’s a guy like O’Reilly or any other core player, the Sabres are going to have to make some tough decisions about the direction of their team. Do they listen on some core players?

 

“Let’s be honest, with our team, we have some good, young pieces, but when you finish 31st, you do have to evaluate everything,” Botterill said. “Even with our core guys, we’re going to have to make the assessment here leading up to the draft and free agency, do we keep our guys or make an adjustment there?”

 

Because it is beyond frustrating for this team to be here yet again.

[spndnchz]

So Botterill then a guy like Burke? But by that time Botterill could be Burke.

[nfreeman]

Well, that really sounds like a major move is in the offing.

[Randall Flagg]

Words are just words and we've been burned by them before, but I definitely hear all the right things from Botterill to give me as much hope as one can have in early April of a season like this.

[BagBoy]

I'd like the team to have an appointed Captain along with some consistency, aka, WINNING STREAKS.

 

Has this team won more than 3 games in a row this year, have they even won 3 in a row?

 

It'd also be nice to see a FA acquisition work out for us. I can't think of many (or any) players we've brought in from FA and have actually worked out and I've wanted to see on the team the following year (Pouliot, Balou, Anitpin, Nolan, Franson, Moulson, Carlo C., etc.)

 

We're also due to start having the prospects Murray drafted start to break into the league. It'd be really nice if at least one of them can make the jump and impress. I cna't remember the last player that has come up from Rochester and stayed up for good. Perhaps Pegula can harness the energy coming off the perpetual motion of turnstile that has been spitting out players from Rochester to Buffalo and back again.

 

No and once.  This is exactly what bugs the everloving heck out of me about this team.  One 3-game winning streak this season, and only three 2-game winning streaks.  That's it.  Let that sink in for a minute here at game 80, if you haven't already been basking in this misery since January like me.  I'm fine with a little inconsistency as we develop as team, but there is no inconsistency here whatsoever!  This team has sucked extremely consistently!  

[bunomatic]

Won't get fooled again by The Who comes to mind. I'll take a wait and see approach on JBots from here on out. Little of what he did leading up to this season seemed to work in any tangible fashion so I'll try to temper my enthusiasm until I see results. Hopefully we start with Dahlin but really I'm not holding out hope on that one.

[WildCard]

Words are just words and we've been burned by them before, but I definitely hear all the right things from Botterill to give me as much hope as one can have in early April of a season like this.

Agreed. St least he seems to understand the underlying issue at hand here

[dudacek]

Sounds a lot like it did early in Kane sweepstakes, with Botterill trying to set up a bidding war.

The major difference is he doesn’t have to make a trade.

 

It will depend on whether the value another GM places on O’Reilly, Ristolainen and/or Reinhart exceeds the value Botterill puts on same, and how certain Botterill is that one of those guys is part of the problem.

 

Curious to see what he perceives as the problem he now claims to have a handle on - aside from the already cited lack of speed and skill - with the clues apparently bad practice habits and relationship with Jack. Is O’Reilly an Eeyore? Is Reinhart a bad influence? Does Risto party too much?

 

This has planted the seed for a more interesting summer than I had thought.

Edited April 4, 2018 by dudacek

[pi2000]

Reading between the lines, sounds like JBOTS is not exactly enamored with Housley's practices.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Well, that really sounds like a major move is in the offing.

If Jbot trades ROR, this is taking us back to the beginning and sadly that maybe what needs to happen. He would be certainly be implying that everything TM was wrong.

 

While I don’t disagree that TM was incompetent, I can’t think of what we’d get back that would take the team forward next season.

 

A deal for futures would basically condemn us to another bottom finish for 2018.

Edited April 4, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN