Thank you, UPL

[Thorny]

46 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Has anyone suggested that perhaps (like, tiny chance) GMKA had a multi-phased plan? Phase 1 was "wanna be here" and "stockpile". I am guessing KA is quite pleased with the potential he has achieved via his draft and stockpile approach. Perhaps now that he knows he has an actual abundance of prospects of a certain ilk at mostly the same positions, he will initiate Phase 2 ... turn prospects back into viable and meaningful pros?

I am grasping at straws here ... I know. I am glad we have a solid pipeline of prospects that are not in the NHL, but something about a bird in the hand being worth more that two in the bush and probably a few other proverbs about appreciating the here and now vs pining for a future that may or may not materialize.

Thanks for listening to my TedTalk, off to Target and then to drink some bourbon.

You might be absolutely right. Truthfully, I suppose I’d say I just don’t really care. The league has demonstrated countless times over it doesn’t take 5 years to turn around a hockey team into one that converts on a playoff berth one solitary time.
 

It is very uncommon to take 5 years, to go 4 years under one regime without a playoff berth. There are only *4 current teams* out of 32 in the entire NHL with active droughts longer than 4 years. Let that sink in.

There are only 5 teams with a drought longer than 3 years.

4 years is a very long time and we are headed for that: that’s why the expectation was playoffs, THIS year. If we make it next year, it will be “damn, about time”, not “good job”. And like I said, teams don’t miss 5 straight years. Only 3 right now, league wide, besides us. 

Im sorry, if KA can’t do it in 5, if he’s equaling that putrid level of drought all by his lonesome, that only 3 other teams league wide get to, never mind the REST of our drought, I’m just done with the regime. More power to those who have an endless runway 

Edited January 17 by Thorny

[ska-T Chitown]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

You might be absolutely right. Truthfully, I suppose I’d say I just don’t really care. The league has demonstrated countless times over it doesn’t take 5 years to turn around a hockey team into one that converts on a playoff berth one solitary time.
 

It is very uncommon to take 5 years, to go 4 years under one regime without a playoff berth. There are only *4 current teams* out of 32 in the entire NHL with active droughts longer than 4 years. Let that sink in.

There are only 5 teams with a drought longer than 3 years.

4 years is a very long time and we are headed for that: that’s why the expectation was playoffs, THIS year. If we make it next year, it will be “damn, about time”, not “good job”. And like I said, teams don’t miss 5 straight years. Only 3 right now, league wide, besides us. 

Im sorry, if KA can’t do it in 5, if he’s equaling that putrid level of drought all by his lonesome, that only 3 other teams league wide get to, never mind the REST of our drought, I’m just done with the regime. More power to those who have an endless runway 

I can pretty much feel your frustration through the screen. I hear ya, too. I want nothing more than to cheer for this team; Buffalo Sabres hockey is one of my earliest memories, on TV in our living room. I am a schmuck and still cheer every goal I see, just like I cheered for every touchdown those drought-years Bills scored.

Probably fools' gold, but hoping there is some sort of real plan other than "get guys that want to be here" is sorta the only thread I have left to grasp. 😕

[Thorny]

13 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

I can pretty much feel your frustration through the screen. I hear ya, too. I want nothing more than to cheer for this team; Buffalo Sabres hockey is one of my earliest memories, on TV in our living room. I am a schmuck and still cheer every goal I see, just like I cheered for every touchdown those drought-years Bills scored.

Probably fools' gold, but hoping there is some sort of real plan other than "get guys that want to be here" is sorta the only thread I have left to grasp. 😕

The most hopeful thing is that they probably can/already have found the way to, provided they are somewhere in between what we saw last year and this, be a team at least not SO bad relative to the rest of the league that they just get in by chance eventually  

Edited January 17 by Thorny

[TageMVP]

Not thanking anybody until they make the playoffs 

[tom webster]

17 hours ago, Thorny said:

It’s also a really good point. The better UPL performs, doesn’t that nearly necessitate KA finally making the goaltending move he’s been reluctant to make?

As I said in another thread, I think Levi can be a very good back while he learns to adapt to an NHL schedule.

UPL looks like something changed the last couple of weeks. He’s much more under control. I’ve heard people downplay his play by saying it seems leek the pucks are just hitting him but that is precisely the point, he’s now more in position to make the save. UPL becoming a legitimate starter would be a game changer, one i admittedly did not see coming.

[mjd1001]

15 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Has anyone suggested that perhaps (like, tiny chance) GMKA had a multi-phased plan? Phase 1 was "wanna be here" and "stockpile". I am guessing KA is quite pleased with the potential he has achieved via his draft and stockpile approach. Perhaps now that he knows he has an actual abundance of prospects of a certain ilk at mostly the same positions, he will initiate Phase 2 ... turn prospects back into viable and meaningful pros?

I am grasping at straws here ... I know. I am glad we have a solid pipeline of prospects that are not in the NHL, but something about a bird in the hand being worth more that two in the bush and probably a few other proverbs about appreciating the here and now vs pining for a future that may or may not materialize.

Thanks for listening to my TedTalk, off to Target and then to drink some bourbon.

That sounds good and I agree with it...and despite losing interest in watching them this year....when your entire first line misses major games AND your 3rd/4th best player (Cozens) does his best Ville Leino impression on the ice...well, you at least have SOME reason why they can/will do better.  The ONLY thing that holds me back from buying into it is, Adams has said, and Granato has said MULTIPLE TIMES that development time is basically done, that this year is about winning.

I'm patient, I like MOST of the guys on this team. I enjoy the journey (the team building phase) almost as much as I do the immediate wins.  So I'm not in a rush to make wholesale changes and I like seeing the improvement in the roster, even if there are ups and downs. But again, the organization had key members come out and say that year was about winning...so....??

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Hey @PASabreFan,

Your account has been hacked by the kittens and sunshine crew again.

[PASabreFan]

13 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Hey @PASabreFan,

Your account has been hacked by the kittens and sunshine crew again.

Close. I got my meds mixed up again. It hasn't been right since Johan left.

[Thorny]

5 hours ago, tom webster said:

As I said in another thread, I think Levi can be a very good back while he learns to adapt to an NHL schedule.

UPL looks like something changed the last couple of weeks. He’s much more under control. I’ve heard people downplay his play by saying it seems leek the pucks are just hitting him but that is precisely the point, he’s now more in position to make the save. UPL becoming a legitimate starter would be a game changer, one i admittedly did not see coming.

It’d be a game-changer for me in so far as his increased output helps bridge the gap to a playoff berth this season.

[xzy89c1]

doent even remember topic. The percolate comments are gold

[Sabres Fan in NS]

On 1/16/2024 at 5:42 PM, SwampD said:

They make the best coffee,… hands down.

Other than Turkish / Bosnian, eh !!

 

[PASabreFan]

Actually was thinking of Kramer.

[msw2112]

I'm sure this comment will not satisfy everyone, and it's not necessarily my own opinion, but here's what I think Adams' strategy is:

He wants to build a sustainable long-term contender and not just a team that can squeak into the playoffs once or twice.  For some reason, a hockey example is not coming to me, but when I think of a baseball franchise, I think of the Houston Astros vs. the KC Royals.

The Royals have been terrible for decades, but had a brief renaissance in 2015 when the won the World Series (their first in 30 years).  Since then, they've pretty much been terrible and haven't had a sniff of contention.

In contrast, the Houston Astros were also terrible for an extended period of time.  They tanked and did a very slow rebuild.  They were the worst team in the league for several seasons, before ascending.  The result is that they've been a top contender ever since, reaching the World Series in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, winning it in 2017 and 2022 and they were in the ALCS yet again last season (and I think I read they have been in it for an astounding 7 straight seasons).

I'm not saying that Adams' plan will work, I'm just saying that this is why I think he's staying the course with the excruciatingly slow rebuild.

We'll have to wait and see if 1) it works; and 2) if there will be any fans in the seats by the time they get there.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18 by msw2112

[dudacek]

56 minutes ago, msw2112 said:

I'm sure this comment will not satisfy everyone, and it's not necessarily my own opinion, but here's what I think Adams' strategy is:

He wants to build a sustainable long-term contender and not just a team that can squeak into the playoffs once or twice.  For some reason, a hockey example is not coming to me, but when I think of a baseball franchise, I think of the Houston Astros vs. the KC Royals.

The Royals have been terrible for decades, but had a brief renaissance in 2015 when the won the World Series (their first in 30 years).  Since then, they've pretty much been terrible and haven't had a sniff of contention.

In contrast, the Houston Astros were also terrible for an extended period of time.  They tanked and did a very slow rebuild.  They were the worst team in the league for several seasons, before ascending.  The result is that they've been a top contender ever since, reaching the World Series in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, winning it in 2017 and 2022 and they were in the ALCS yet again last season (and I think I ready they have been for an astounding 7 straight seasons).

I'm not saying that Adams' plan will work, I'm just saying that this is why I think he's staying the course with the excruciatingly slow rebuild.

We'll have to wait and see if 1) it works; and 2) if there will be any fans in the seats by the time they get there.

 

 

 

 

He's pretty clearly stated as much, IMO, and current actions back it up.

it's a patient, long-view approach, and as much as most of us look at this as year 13 of failure, i think he perceives it (or at least wants to) as a year 3 stumble after years 1 and 2 of growth and exceeding expectations.

I expect any reset is going to be largely supplemental: he's going to stick with his philosophy — and probably most of his pieces, so long as they remain on board with his philosophy — until he succeeds or is fired.

Edited January 18 by dudacek

[Thorny]

B2B SO 6K

[Porous Five Hole]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

B2B SO 6K

My new license plate