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Face it. We have 1.5 good lines. Maybe 3 to 4 solid defensemen. Botts isn’t buying at the trade deadline.


RonHextallsShoulderPads

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We have 1.5 good lines. Maybe 3 to 4 solid defensemen. Botts isn’t buying at the trade deadline. This was supoosed to be a rebuilding year with signs of improvement, and that’s what it is. We’re not going to mortgage the future for a quick 4-2 first round playoff exit. We have what we have and that’s probably good for 10th. 

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Yeah I agree. An improvement on last year then another move forward next season. No team playing Elie in there line up is making a hard push for a play off spot. But let's get pilut back in and not sit him again before the end of the season and also get Smith back up and play him anywhere other than the 4th line. Also get nylander recalled before the season end. 

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4 hours ago, RonHextallsShoulderPads said:

We have 1.5 good lines. Maybe 3 to 4 solid defensemen. Botts isn’t buying at the trade deadline. This was supoosed to be a rebuilding year with signs of improvement, and that’s what it is. We’re not going to mortgage the future for a quick 4-2 first round playoff exit. We have what we have and that’s probably good for 10th. 

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

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My expectations for this year was just out of the playoffs, which may be in fact where we end up. However my expectations changed after that 10 game streak. I agree with Doohickie, though I'll be watching every game regardless.

 

I don't want them to do anything stupid at the trade deadline. So far JBots seems to be better in Free agency anyways. I'd love to see them announce a new contract with Skinner by the deadline, but most likely we're not going to get any long term help without giving up too much to a team desperate to win it all this year.

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5 hours ago, RonHextallsShoulderPads said:

We have 1.5 good lines. Maybe 3 to 4 solid defensemen. Botts isn’t buying at the trade deadline. This was supoosed to be a rebuilding year with signs of improvement, and that’s what it is. We’re not going to mortgage the future for a quick 4-2 first round playoff exit. We have what we have and that’s probably good for 10th. 

I agree with you completely and with the other posts in this thread, except one, so far ...

5 hours ago, Doohickie said:

You might be right.

Or they could pull another 10 game winning streak out of their ***** and actually see the playoffs. 

I'll be watching every game regardless.

Of course, this could happen, but a 10 gamer is less likely at this point in the season.  Last night is a perfect example of what the Sabres will run into more often ad the season winds down.

1 hour ago, nucci said:

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

I will politely disagree that this was supposed to be a playoff year with the way things have worked out.  That said, when the Sabres made the decision the timing was to have us at, or very near, the playoff this season.  It did not work out that way and stuff happened to mess with the timing and the plan.

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48 minutes ago, nucci said:

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

I personally have no idea anymore. It keeps getting pushed back with this franchise.

But there are a lot of people here that know a heck of a lot more about hockey than I do, and so I value their opinions greatly. So if they tell me that an 8th straight season without playoffs is not reason for concern, then I will try not to get too worked up over it.

Keep all of our high 2019 draft picks and keep drafting for a future of an unspecified length of time ahead? Fine. Today (January 31) is the first day of the 2018-19 season when I realized and accepted that these guys just don't have it in them to make the playoffs.

But I do still look around and see teams like the NY Islanders and Montreal Canadiens somehow ahead of us. And then I think about a full three seasons ago, under Murray and Bylsma, when we finished with 81 points (we're currently pacing for 92 points and definitely less if you factor in the pace since the 10-game winning streak ended) and wonder how much progress this franchise is actually making with JB and PH.

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44 minutes ago, Marchand'sNose said:

I personally have no idea anymore. It keeps getting pushed back with this franchise.

But there are a lot of people here that know a heck of a lot more about hockey than I do, and so I value their opinions greatly. So if they tell me that an 8th straight season without playoffs is not reason for concern, then I will try not to get too worked up over it.

Keep all of our high 2019 draft picks and keep drafting for a future of an unspecified length of time ahead? Fine. Today (January 31) is the first day of the 2018-19 season when I realized and accepted that these guys just don't have it in them to make the playoffs.

But I do still look around and see teams like the NY Islanders and Montreal Canadiens somehow ahead of us. And then I think about a full three seasons ago, under Murray and Bylsma, when we finished with 81 points (we're currently pacing for 92 points and definitely less if you factor in the pace since the 10-game winning streak ended) and wonder how much progress this franchise is actually making with JB and PH.

I second that.

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2 hours ago, nucci said:

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

That's not necessarily true.  Before the season I predicted a big bump in points but no playoffs.

That looks like what we are going to do, and I wasn't the only one envisioning that sort of season.

 

6 hours ago, RonHextallsShoulderPads said:

We have 1.5 good lines. Maybe 3 to 4 solid defensemen. Botts isn’t buying at the trade deadline. This was supoosed to be a rebuilding year with signs of improvement, and that’s what it is. We’re not going to mortgage the future for a quick 4-2 first round playoff exit. We have what we have and that’s probably good for 10th. 

We are a whole bunch of key, important pieces away from being a solid playoff team.

Looking back on this whole thing, it was not worth the pain.  This is easily the worst period in Sabres history as measured from any angle, and it's not over yet! 

 

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1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

 

I will politely disagree that this was supposed to be a playoff year with the way things have worked out.  That said, when the Sabres made the decision the timing was to have us at, or very near, the playoff this season.  It did not work out that way and stuff happened to mess with the timing and the plan.

ok, so when are we supposed to make the playoffs...next year...2-3 years from now or do we want to try and match the Bills 17 year streak?

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2 hours ago, nucci said:

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

Thank you.

At some point you look like a franchise that's afraid to even try, that doesn't really know how. Trying to buy contender status (2011), tanking, rebuilding, patience, protecting the future. Meanwhile, other franchises rise and fall, maybe modestly, but at least their fans are having some fun.

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Taking stock of what we have:

Good goaltending tandem

Two out of three defensive pairings

Threatening top line and good fourth line

Three out six middle six players who have the ability to score and getting better defensively (TT, Mitts, Sheary)

Good PK

Prospects on both ends who show they belong on the team

GM with a plan

 

What we need:

Third defensive pairing

2C

A real PP

A real coach

Captain who captains

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, nucci said:

when do you want to win? This year was not supposed to be a rebuilding year. This year is supposed to be a playoff year

Disagree totally. Most were not expecting playoffs. That expectation for most started after the ten game streak.

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Just now, Radar said:

Disagree totally. Most were not expecting playoffs. That expectation for most started after the ten game streak.

Adding Skinner along with other  moves and most were not expecting playoffs? Why not and when do you expect to make the playoffs.....over 8 seasons now...

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1 minute ago, nucci said:

Adding Skinner along with other  moves and most were not expecting playoffs? Why not and when do you expect to make the playoffs.....over 8 seasons now...

With all do respect for your opinion. Yes I did not expect playoff this year by adding a rookie (very talented) defenseman,Sheary, and Skinner to a bottom of the league team. We have one very good forward line. Our defense is improving but can be erratic. Terrible power play. Sorry but as much as we've improved we're not yet playoff material in my mind. Closer but not there yet.

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Just now, Radar said:

With all do respect for your opinion. Yes I did not expect playoff this year by adding a rookie (very talented) defenseman,Sheary, and Skinner to a bottom of the league team. We have one very good forward line. Our defense is improving but can be erratic. Terrible power play. Sorry but as much as we've improved we're not yet playoff material in my mind. Closer but not there yet.

I agree we don't seem like a playoff team right now but you can't tell me expectations weren't there at the beginning of the season.

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13 minutes ago, jame said:

Expectations change.... we were #1 in the East about 1/3 of the way through the season. Missing the playoffs would be a complete and total failure.

Agreed.  At that point in the season,  good teams should have been separating from bad teams.  The expectation absolutely should have been playoffs at that point.

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13 minutes ago, Weave said:

Agreed.  At that point in the season,  good teams should have been separating from bad teams.  The expectation absolutely should have been playoffs at that point.

Twitter insert fail:

Buccimane: Sabres: Fall to 8-13-4 in last 25 games (tied for 3rd-worst in NHL since Nov. 29); were tied for most Pts in NHL prior to that

 

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They've played the last 25 games as a team that's basically just as terrible as last year.... and some people are actually like, "look they're just outside the playoffs, this is what I expected".

It's not like they've been decimated with injuries.... maybe this is who they are.

 

 

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