Would it be bad to say "Lose out" and get a top 5 Pick?

[SkateZilla]

we are closer to the bottom than a Playoff spot (teams wise, not pts),

since we've traded parts away and starting to re-build,

Would you want to lose out to get a top 5 Pick, or actually try to make a run with what we have?

[SabreEleven]

I'm not going to say it but I'm thinking it.

[sukie]

Loser mentality yields loser drafting luck

[SabreEleven]

Loser mentality yields loser drafting luck

Worked for the Penguins.

[PTI]

They might as well. I wanted the Bills to lose them all the year before and get Luck.

[OpIv37]

I was gonna say that this team can probably lose out without trying, but we play TB, the Flyers, and the Jets twice. I can't see any way we lose all 4 of those games. I'm sure the Devils, Rangers, Bruins, Canadiens and Senators will have their way with us.

[casdhf]

Make a push ... build confidence. WIN.

[Crisis]

Make a push ... build confidence. WIN.

Yeah a 9th place finish would sure do us a lot of good....

We've already started trading the vets, may as well bottom out during the short season.

[Ginger Vitis]

Would you want to lose out to get a top 5 Pick,
After the Seth Jones/Nathan Mackinnon/Jonathan Drouin trio there is a bit off a drop off so your goal should be for the Sabres to get a Top 3 pick

[tampabay25690]

No not at all...

[OpIv37]

seriously, though, I think you have to keep trying to win as long as there is a possibility.

Don't misunderstand me. I do not actually think this team is going to make the playoffs. I'm not saying that at all. But it is still technically possible, and as far as the team is concerned, they have to keep trying to win until they are formally eliminated. You can't let players give up when there is still something to play for, even if it's an extreme long shot.

[trapezeus]

with stafford on this team and leino on this team, they have no shot at doing anything this year. you need a team hungry to prove people wrong. those two guys just want to skate around and make some money. and if everyone else is doing a good job, they are happy to chip in. when the going gets tough, they walk away.

they didn't pick up anything to help be a consistent team. i think they will end up going below .500 from here on out....and that's with them trying. so no harm in losing if that's the best they can do.

i do think pegula will ensure that that ball up is the sabres this year. i just have this feeling. he's a deep pocketed owner that the NHL loves. and he said what his goal is and i think they'd be happy to have the highest rated market watching games of their team.

[OpIv37]

with stafford on this team and leino on this team, they have no shot at doing anything this year. you need a team hungry to prove people wrong. those two guys just want to skate around and make some money. and if everyone else is doing a good job, they are happy to chip in. when the going gets tough, they walk away.

they didn't pick up anything to help be a consistent team. i think they will end up going below .500 from here on out....and that's with them trying. so no harm in losing if that's the best they can do.

i do think pegula will ensure that that ball up is the sabres this year. i just have this feeling. he's a deep pocketed owner that the NHL loves. and he said what his goal is and i think they'd be happy to have the highest rated market watching games of their team.

I don't disagree.

I just think the young guys have to be forced to work their asses off to get into the playoffs even though it's not going to happen. And when Stafford and Leino don't pull their weight, Stafford will be traded for peanuts and Leino will get bought out. And then the new guys will know what's expected of them: you want to play here, play like you mean it.

[DetDannyWilliams]

the NHL won't let us get a top 5 pick the lottery system

The draft lottery will be weighted with the teams having the fewest points in the regular season having the best chance of winning. The team with the fewest points will have a 25 percent chance of winning. The non-playoff team with the most points will have a 0.5 percent chance of winning.
While the top pick can now go to any of the 14 non-playoff clubs, or the team owning the rights to the first pick of a non-playoff club, the odds of winning the lottery are unchanged from previous years.
No club will move down more than one position as a result of the lottery. The remaining first-round drafting positions are determined by the Stanley Cup playoffs.
http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9016426/nhl-changes-lottery-rules-14-teams-eligible-top-pick

best the Sabres could do is draft 6-10

[Mski]

best the Sabres could do is draft 6-10

thats the old rules, now anyone with a lottery pick can move up to 1

[trapezeus]

this is true.

[Skooby]

I was gonna say that this team can probably lose out without trying, but we play TB, the Flyers, and the Jets twice. I can't see any way we lose all 4 of those games. I'm sure the Devils, Rangers, Bruins, Canadiens and Senators will have their way with us.
The way it's gone, we're losing to the losing teams & beating the winning teams. We just beat the Pens & snapped a 15 game winning streak, I know Syd wasn't there but WTF?

[Captain Obvious]

I'm sure the Senators will have their way with us.

100% sure?