FO just isn't going to make this team better.

[Nighthawk]

This article pretty much sums up how clueless this FO is. It states that the team will go into the season with this roster and are confident they will still be one of the better teams in the league. Are they freakin' serious??? This team wasn't good enough last year and they lost their biggest character guy in Drury. Oh yeah, they also got beat up last year in the playoffs and what have they done to improve that? Umm, yep, that's right...NOTHING! People wonder why I get so frustrated with this organization and this article pretty much sums it up...they just don't get it.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335363

[OpIv37]

Kind of reminds me of the Bills- lose their two best LB's, do nothing with the DL, then expect to get better.

[SabreEleven]

Don't let Thurm read this....He and the mayor of Buffalo are already planning the parade route for the Stanley Cup party next year.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

This article pretty much sums up how clueless this FO is. It states that the team will go into the season with this roster and are confident they will still be one of the better teams in the league. Are they freakin' serious??? This team wasn't good enough last year and they lost their biggest character guy in Drury. Oh yeah, they also got beat up last year in the playoffs and what have they done to improve that? Umm, yep, that's right...NOTHING! People wonder why I get so frustrated with this organization and this article pretty much sums it up...they just don't get it.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335363

Then stop being a fan it's that easy! This team is still going to be good not like last years team but it will still make the playoffs the Sabres know what they have and Lindy is a great coach. I said this before when we lost all those players to injury last year and the Sabres called up the kids from Rochester to replace them and we still won those games.

[Nighthawk]

Don't let Thurm read this....He and the mayor of Buffalo are already planning the parade route for the Stanley Cup party next year.

Hey, I'm hopeful that they can be competitive, but they have done nothing to improve this team and it is very frustrating. I understand that they can't sign everybody, but at least trade some of the dead weight on this team to add some grit, character, heart, etc. to this team. I just don't think this organization has a game plan and I'm positive that whatever they are doing does not focus on winning the Cup.

[SabreEleven]

Then stop being a fan it's that easy!

Maybe he should just switch to making useless threads about the team and pretend that this team is about to win 5 Stanley Cups in a row...:rolleyes:

[SabreEleven]

Hey, I'm hopeful that they can be competitive, but they have done nothing to improve this team and it is very frustrating. I understand that they can't sign everybody, but at least trade some of the dead weight on this team to add some grit, character, heart, etc. to this team. I just don't think this organization has a game plan and I'm positive that whatever they are doing does not focus on winning the Cup.

You know I was being sarcastic, right?

[Nighthawk]

You know I was being sarcastic, right?

Yep :cheers:

[Nighthawk]

Then stop being a fan it's that easy! This team is still going to be good not like last years team but it will still make the playoffs the Sabres know what they have and Lindy is a great coach. I said this before when we lost all those players to injury last year and the Sabres called up the kids from Rochester to replace them and we still won those games.

OK, thanks for the advice. Now go away.

[THATHURMANATOR]

This article pretty much sums up how clueless this FO is. It states that the team will go into the season with this roster and are confident they will still be one of the better teams in the league. Are they freakin' serious??? This team wasn't good enough last year and they lost their biggest character guy in Drury. Oh yeah, they also got beat up last year in the playoffs and what have they done to improve that? Umm, yep, that's right...NOTHING! People wonder why I get so frustrated with this organization and this article pretty much sums it up...they just don't get it.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335363
way to be a douchebag..... :bf1:

[THATHURMANATOR]

Yeah we should live in the dreamworld where we could have signed drury and Briere for a mil per year each for 5 year contracts...... don't be idiots people.... oh wait its too late most of you are already.... :ill:

[Crisis]

God I want to say something but I can't stand the thought of agreeing (partially albeit) with LW.

[chernobylwraiths]

way to be a douchebag..... :bf1:

attack the post, not the poster

[Philagape]

Yeah we should live in the dreamworld where we could have signed drury and Briere for a mil per year each for 5 year contracts...... don't be idiots people.... oh wait its too late most of you are already.... :ill:

both for $11.5 would have been good, and that's fact

[Nighthawk]

Yeah we should live in the dreamworld where we could have signed drury and Briere for a mil per year each for 5 year contracts...... don't be idiots people.... oh wait its too late most of you are already.... :ill:

Yep, your comments obvious show you don't get it either. I don't expect them to sign crap for large contracts, as I mentioned. However, keeping guys on the team that don't produce instead of trading their contracts to get better is stupid and that is a fact!

[Nighthawk]

way to be a douchebag..... :bf1:

I'm so go glad you posted this because it truly shows your intelligence level. :bf1:

[Nighthawk]

God I want to say something but I can't stand the thought of agreeing (partially albeit) with LW.

Yet again, for our challenged folks out there...being a fan doesn't mean you have to agree with everything the team does. I like that they have Roy & Vanek signed long term. I don't like that they haven't done anything to improve the team and I don't like that they let Drury get away. How does that make me less of fan? Some of you guys make this site struggle because you just can't have intelligent conversation.

[Meathead]

attack the post, not the poster
i agree with the ignorant slut

[Meathead]

now hold on there john boy. can we unbunch our panties and think about this minute

now i admit i was uncharacteristically pissed for quite some time about losing the captains. it still looks like a botched negotiation based on a flawed strategy, but as time goes on its starting to appear that perhaps weve lucked into close to the best outcome possible

the sabres have just extended roy for six years and a considerable sum. it sounded high at first but as lecter pointed out to me thats what the going rate is now. that represents a change in approach for this front office and says to me that they recognize the new financial landscape in the nhl and have a strategy in place to address it. granted they were forced into it a bit by the vanek situation but they now have two of their best young players locked up for quite a while. you have to assume they are preparing to do something similar next year for miller and soupy, the best other two young stars remaining on the team

that means they have something in mind for the higher priced veterans within the next year. theres no way they are going to sacrifice either of their two remaining young talents and they cant just sign a fa because they be saddled with the veterans salaries so they have to move some guys and theres probably a trade looming on the horizon. and of course theres plenty of time remaining to do that before next season so its in their best interest to be patient and wait until they can line up the right deal for this team

the downside is that they have to sacrifice the potential to be a super team for a year or two. but the advantage is that they should be a consistently highly competitive team for a half decade or more. most often the super team approach fails and youre left with cap hell and fewer draft picks in the pipeline - a recipe for long term mediocrity

the sabres currently appear to have an advantage of an abundant supply of home grown talent that will allow them to continually restock the team and let some of the moderate cap busting talent walk or be traded. it will hurt some to see those kind of guys go but it is a reality if they want to keep the core of talented young stars together

most teams would still die to be in the sabres position and probably will continue to target our talent as rfas for offers that would force our hand just like vanek. the answer is to do exactly what they are doing - shift to longer contracts for a core and make sure you keep your picks when you can and develop talent so its ready to cycle in

its a tough landscape but the sabres are probably better off than any team in the league right now to stay competitive long term. the more i think about it the more i like it. its not perfect but its about the best you can ask for

[Nighthawk]

now hold on there john boy. can we unbunch our panties and think about this minute

now i admit i was uncharacteristically pissed for quite some time about losing the captains. it still looks like a botched negotiation based on a flawed strategy, but as time goes on its starting to appear that perhaps weve lucked into close to the best outcome possible

the sabres have just extended roy for six years and a considerable sum. it sounded high at first but as lecter pointed out to me thats what the going rate is now. that represents a change in approach for this front office and says to me that they recognize the new financial landscape in the nhl and have a strategy in place to address it. granted they were forced into it a bit by the vanek situation but they now have two of their best young players locked up for quite a while. you have to assume they are preparing to do something similar next year for miller and soupy, the best other two young stars remaining on the team

that means they have something in mind for the higher priced veterans within the next year. theres no way they are going to sacrifice either of their two remaining young talents and they cant just sign a fa because they be saddled with the veterans salaries so they have to move some guys and theres probably a trade looming on the horizon. and of course theres plenty of time remaining to do that before next season so its in their best interest to be patient and wait until they can line up the right deal for this team

the downside is that they have to sacrifice the potential to be a super team for a year or two. but the advantage is that they should be a consistently highly competitive team for a half decade or more. most often the super team approach fails and youre left with cap hell and fewer draft picks in the pipeline - a recipe for long term mediocrity

the sabres currently appear to have an advantage of an abundant supply of home grown talent that will allow them to continually restock the team and let some of the moderate cap busting talent walk or be traded. it will hurt some to see those kind of guys go but it is a reality if they want to keep the core of talented young stars together

most teams would still die to be in the sabres position and probably will continue to target our talent as rfas for offers that would force our hand just like vanek. the answer is to do exactly what they are doing - shift to longer contracts for a core and make sure you keep your picks when you can and develop talent so its ready to cycle in

its a tough landscape but the sabres are probably better off than any team in the league right now to stay competitive long term. the more i think about it the more i like it. its not perfect but its about the best you can ask for

I agree with a lot of your comments, but there is some acceptance of mediocrity in your statements. Is it not the goal of every franchise to get better and win the cup??? This team has not done that. They can do that with some well thought out trades and dumping of some players that just are not good enough...i.e. Kalinin & Kotalik. All I want to see is a concerted effort to get better...I'm not asking for that much...really!

[chernobylwraiths]

now hold on there john boy. can we unbunch our panties and think about this minute

now i admit i was uncharacteristically pissed for quite some time about losing the captains. it still looks like a botched negotiation based on a flawed strategy, but as time goes on its starting to appear that perhaps weve lucked into close to the best outcome possible

the sabres have just extended roy for six years and a considerable sum. it sounded high at first but as lecter pointed out to me thats what the going rate is now. that represents a change in approach for this front office and says to me that they recognize the new financial landscape in the nhl and have a strategy in place to address it. granted they were forced into it a bit by the vanek situation but they now have two of their best young players locked up for quite a while. you have to assume they are preparing to do something similar next year for miller and soupy, the best other two young stars remaining on the team

that means they have something in mind for the higher priced veterans within the next year. theres no way they are going to sacrifice either of their two remaining young talents and they cant just sign a fa because they be saddled with the veterans salaries so they have to move some guys and theres probably a trade looming on the horizon. and of course theres plenty of time remaining to do that before next season so its in their best interest to be patient and wait until they can line up the right deal for this team

the downside is that they have to sacrifice the potential to be a super team for a year or two. but the advantage is that they should be a consistently highly competitive team for a half decade or more. most often the super team approach fails and youre left with cap hell and fewer draft picks in the pipeline - a recipe for long term mediocrity

the sabres currently appear to have an advantage of an abundant supply of home grown talent that will allow them to continually restock the team and let some of the moderate cap busting talent walk or be traded. it will hurt some to see those kind of guys go but it is a reality if they want to keep the core of talented young stars together

most teams would still die to be in the sabres position and probably will continue to target our talent as rfas for offers that would force our hand just like vanek. the answer is to do exactly what they are doing - shift to longer contracts for a core and make sure you keep your picks when you can and develop talent so its ready to cycle in

its a tough landscape but the sabres are probably better off than any team in the league right now to stay competitive long term. the more i think about it the more i like it. its not perfect but its about the best you can ask for

What a bunch of crap!

Lucked into the best possible outcome? That won't be apparent for YEARS, and I seriously doubt that will happen. If we tie up Drury and Briere long term last year, we could lose Vanek AND Roy and still be way ahead. Especially with four first rounders.

It is only the going rate because of idiotic teams overpaying AGAIN for mid range players to either try to keep them or to try to take them away from another team. And I don't consider Roy one of our best young players, unless you are talking about our fifth best behind Miller, Vanek, Stafford, and Campbell. He isn't in Afinogenov's or Connolly's league either. He COULD develop into a very good player, maybe second tier at best though.

As for the players coming to FA in the next year, I don't know if they have a plan. I can only hope they learned something from this year, but I won't hold my breath.

I'd rather have short term greatness (meaning at least one Cup) and miss the playoffs for several years at this point.

[Meathead]

What a bunch of crap!
dont sugar coat it

[chernobylwraiths]

dont sugar coat it

:D

[Meathead]

a). i didnt mean to say id rather have this than briere or drury but i see now i didnt make that clear. i would have preferred they could turn back the clock and sign both captains for 5 mil each but since that water is already over the dam the adjustments they are making could still result in a very good outcome with all the young talent they still have. notice i said the captains negotation still appears like a botch implying i wish it had turned out differently

257). if i had a crystal ball and could assure a cup id be fine with mortgaging the future to get it done now. prollem is i cant do that. chances are much better that a go for broke strategy will fail in the short term leaving the team in bad straits for future years. with the captains already lost it appears this strategy gives the sabres a longer handful of years for it to come together and stay in cup contention longer. adjusting for risk i would rather try the latter than the former. you apparently see it differently and thats fine

iivix). bite my cripple metal ass ;)

[ddaryl]

the FO deserves to be ***** slapped.

I want a chamionship, not a team capable of making the playoffs, and the FO's complete inability to keep one of the 2 while letting our grit walk the year before has definitely taken us a dozen steps backwards.

I'm angry because I felt the Sabres were as close as ever to winning the cup... now I'll have to wait 3-5 more years to see how the young team developes. My patience has run out

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

the FO deserves to be ***** slapped.

I want a chamionship, not a team capable of making the playoffs, and the FO's complete inability to keep one of the 2 while letting our grit walk the year before has definitely taken us a dozen steps backwards.

I'm angry because I felt the Sabres were as close as ever to winning the cup... now I'll have to wait 3-5 more years to see how the young team developes. My patience has run out

I am sure others have brought this up, and I am not trying to oversimplify, but
this past year I saw a team that had more talent than anyone in the east just lay down in the conference championship series. They couldn't get motivated, for whatever reason.

That said, and from a business perspective, I think to some extent heads have to roll. I may be in the minority, but I place the blame mostly on the players. And Drury in particular because he has championship experience.

So while I would have liked to keep Briere, I guess I am not too upset that they are both gone. I think we'll be much more active at the trade deadline this year, and this will gear us up for a playoff run (size, verteran leadership).

[Meathead]

1.) one you make the playoffs literally ANYTHING can happen. thats more true in hockey than any other major sport. unless some kinda disaster happens the sabres will be there

D). tis true the sabres folded against the sens. they wilted under the pressure of being the top seed and against a team that had dedicated their entire hockey lives this year to beating the sabres. they were too young to figure out how to manage that situation properly and got spanked. the good news is that kind of lesson will sting bad all off season and right up until the playoffs start again. that has a way of making youngsters grow up real fast which is likely to pay big dividends next few times around the post season

§). they botched keeping at least one of the captains but they still have a great nucleus of very skilled veterans both young and old ready to win now. lindys liberal use of the ahl reserves when they were covering for injuries will have them ready to step in, play big roles, and perform well. very few teams have the depth the sabres have right now

XIV). ryan miller