SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

[Guest]

With the Buffalo Sabres already off to their worst start in franchise history, team president Ted Black is bracing fans to prepare for more rough times.

That's the message Black issued Thursday during his weekly show on WGR-AM.

Saying it's "going to be difficult to stomach in the short run," Black said the Sabres intend to stay the course by rebuilding through youth....

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=434950

Well, at least between the Bills and the Sabres, the Buffalo fan base is used to it.

[coastal]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

Bull****.

Theres building around youth and then a poorly managed and coached cluster **** that is this year's Buffalo Sabres.

[JATMtheJATM]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

this isnt a surprise. this is a multi-year rebuild. im actually kind of excited. yeah, i know, how could i be excited? when the results start to show, and they will, everyone will be more happy. and come june 27, when the sabres have a top 3 pick and can get a franchise player, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

hard to be optimistic for the immediate future, but long term? this team is going to be a very good team.

ill lay out my time frame for the team, and this is only my opinion.

first half this season: absolutely awful. if we have 5 wins by the new year, ill be shocked.
second half of this season: bad hockey, but not as bad as the first. some of the younger players will develop enough to be competent on the ice. itll still be alot of losses

off season. trades and picks for younger players (i assume miller and vanek will be traded) and the draft of a top 3 player.

first half next season: much like the second half of the previous season. bad hockey, but some glimpses of the future.
second half next season: the kids develop and click enough to play competitive hockey, but still results in mostly losses.

off season: top 10 pick again, possibly top 5.

2 seasons from now first half: competitive hockey but still some bumps. the are maybe 12th in the east
2 seasons from now second half: its here. sabres play .500 hockey or better. miss postseason, but finish top 10 east

after that, we should be able to make the playoffs.

[trapezeus]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

i really resent that Black, who seems to get it, that fans knew what we signed up for. The loyal ones. i didn't expect the sabres to be playoff worthy this year, but i didn't expect them to be unable to pass the 3 pass drill. they are terrible and they have no heart.

and this is directly about regeir. he wasn't fit the first 2 times to put his teams together. the guy had all the capital in the world to turn around his crap team constructed in 2003-2005 with big money acquisitions. He failed. he failed to win with the greatest goalie the game has ever seen.

We are more than willing to go through the pain of having a bad team. even this bad team. but give us a glimmer of hope that some one else is looking at this with a fresh pair of eyes.

I am totally fine with JatMtheJATM's review of the season. but i don't want rolston or regeir guiding the upcoming decisions.

[JATMtheJATM]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

i really resent that Black, who seems to get it, that fans knew what we signed up for. The loyal ones. i didn't expect the sabres to be playoff worthy this year, but i didn't expect them to be unable to pass the 3 pass drill. they are terrible and they have no heart.

and this is directly about regeir. he wasn't fit the first 2 times to put his teams together. the guy had all the capital in the world to turn around his crap team constructed in 2003-2005 with big money acquisitions. He failed. he failed to win with the greatest goalie the game has ever seen.

We are more than willing to go through the pain of having a bad team. even this bad team. but give us a glimmer of hope that some one else is looking at this with a fresh pair of eyes.

I am totally fine with JatMtheJATM's review of the season. but i don't want rolston or regeir guiding the upcoming decisions.

i dont have a problem giving rolston a fair shot. his thing is developing players and the sabres are young.

regier? yeah, his ship has sailed. lets get someone else in here.

[Crisis]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

I think this is one of those times where Black is better off keeping his mouth shut. What he's saying might be the reality of the situation, but no one wants to hear it.. he's just going to get more people to turn on him by talking.

I also think Black knew we'd be bad, but not THIS bad. Hopefully looking incompletely incompetent will cost at least Rolston his job... the guy is not an NHL level coach.

The only thing Rolston is good for is the tank.

[DetDannyWilliams]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

Pegula is doing it the right way! from the book Forty "Sabres at Forty" commemorating the 40th Anniversary last season there's a quote by the late Seymour H. Knox III when he found out that he got a hockey team in Buffalo he says that

This team will never be able to bring in big name players, We are in a small market city we will have to build through the draft and make trades.

and Seymour H. Knox III did just that by hiring Imlach as GM and coach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...es_draft_picks until 5 years went by and in 1975 the Sabres were in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Flyers.

[Downinfloflo]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

What if the youth sucks?

Just because your young and drafted high don't mean your going to be a good hockey player in the NHL.

Just look at Edmonton...They have had top picks and a **** load of them...What have they got for it in the last 5 years?

[JATMtheJATM]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

What if the youth sucks?

Just because your young and drafted high don't mean your going to be a good hockey player in the NHL.

Just look at Edmonton...They have had top picks and a **** load of them...What have they got for it in the last 5 years?

edmonton isnt done yet either. theyve neglected the defense and for the most part goaltending.

[Downinfloflo]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

edmonton isnt done yet either. theyve neglected the defense and for the most part goaltending.

How long have they been trying to put it together?

Defense is over rated in today's NHL....They can't touch anyone like they use to be able too.

[Rockstar]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

edmonton isnt done yet either. theyve neglected the defense and for the most part goaltending.

Exactly, and we have not in any way shape and form forgot to stock our blue-line. It actually may be the most promising aspect of our team. Leaving out Myers and McNabb who have been disappointing in many ways there is
Jamie McBain (25)
Mark Pysyk (21)
Rasmus Ristolainen (18)
Nikita Zadorov (18) These kids all look really good and promising. Zadorov look like a possible STUD!!

[ckg927]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

edmonton isnt done yet either. theyve neglected the defense and for the most part goaltending.

And a reason for that is Edmonton's in the same boat as Buffalo, if you think about it: They can't get any decent FA's to come play up there to show the young guys how to compete and win.

[Rockstar]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

How long have they been trying to put it together?

Defense is over rated in today's NHL....They can't touch anyone like they use to be able too.

If you are implying that hitting is all that defense is about then you don’t understand hockey, since I’m pretty sure you know better you are simply playing the old antagonizer role like on the other site.

Our young defense is showing that they can skate exceptionally well and make good breakout passes. 18 year old Zadorov was the best passer on the ice against the Bruins. McBain is playing on the first PP unit because of his vision and calm decision making.

Defense is still on my opinion second most important aspect of hockey behind goaltending. The ice time a top four blue-liner gets is almost more than any forward on the team, and the top two D-men are ALWAYS the most important men on the ice and receive the most ice time, even in an extreme example such as Sidney Crosby who is arguable the greatest player in hockey.

So your take that “Defense is over rated in today's NHL” is false..

[Rockstar]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

And a reason for that is Edmonton's in the same boat as Buffalo, if you think about it: They can't get any decent FA's to come play up there to show the young guys how to compete and win.

eh, I have fan faith and some good precedent recently that we will evolve quickly (meaning next year) What is my source of evidence? The Colorado Avalanche.. Second worst team in the league last season, very young. Now one of the best teams in the league and one point behind San Jose for the NHL's best record.

[Skooby]

Re: SABRES PRESIDENT BRACES FANS FOR MORE ROUGH TIMES AHEAD

Captain obvious sailing the ship to the bottom, all aboard.