in depth look at the rebuild

[JATMtheJATM]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/what-do-you-think-of-darcy-regiers-rebuild-so-far/


this is the stuff my wet dreams are made of. ive been following the rebuild closely and when everything shakes out, it looks like buffalo is coming out on top of its trades so far.

the sabres have loads of future NHL talent waiting in the wings, and while nothing looks like a sure fire super star in this (risto and grigs and armia are not figured in) it looks like they acquired a ton of future help. help that can win games in april and may.

future is bright. present is bleak, but the future of this team is bright.

[JATMtheJATM]

it also makes no mention of 5th round pick gustav possler, who many feel could be a steal and a very good player at the NHL level.

what the sabres need is two GMs. one (darcy) to make trades, another to oversee the draft and scouting and free agency.

because while darcy isnt a great GM, no one can argue he gets lots of value in his trades.

[DetDannyWilliams]

it also makes no mention of 5th round pick gustav possler, who many feel could be a steal and a very good player at the NHL level.

what the sabres need is two GMs. one (darcy) to make trades, another to oversee the draft and scouting and free agency.

because while darcy isnt a great GM, no one can argue he gets lots of value in his trades.
They do... Kevin Devine is assistant GM to Darcy and as assistant to the GM Mark Jakubowski http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=36588

[Crisis]

From what I've seen of the draft videos, Devine is pretty much the one running the drafts. Darcy obviously has final say but I'm pretty sure it's mostly Devine.

[JATMtheJATM]

They do... Kevin Devine is assistant GM to Darcy and as assistant to the GM Mark Jakubowski http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=36588

no, make co-GMs. not assistant. one for each task.

[Ginger Vitis]

From what I've seen of the draft videos, Devine is pretty much the one running the drafts.

The one video I saw and most sabres fan on his site have seen.. Kevin Devine was freaking out because he thought the Nashville Predators were going to pick Rasmus Ristolainen and Devine was very relieved when the Predators picked Seth Jones.. I find it very disturbing that Kevin Devine though Rasmus Ristolainen was a better prospect than Seth Jones..

[mightysimi]

The one video I saw and most sabres fan on his site have seen.. Kevin Devine was freaking out because he thought the Nashville Predators were going to pick Rasmus Ristolainen and Devine was very relieved when the Predators picked Seth Jones.. I find it very disturbing that Kevin Devine though Rasmus Ristolainen was a better prospect than Seth Jones..

That pretty much sums it up. No where did anyone have Risto anywhere near the conversation for top pick. But you do never know. Who would have figured that Florida would take Barkov with Drouin and Jones there.

[Ginger Vitis]

Who would have figured that Florida would take Barkov with Drouin and Jones there.

That shocked me.. I still think Jones was the 2nd best prospect in the 2013 draft but Barkov will be a very good NHLer. If Barkov was in next years draft I think he might go No.1 and Sam Reinhart would go No.2

[JATMtheJATM]

The one video I saw and most sabres fan on his site have seen.. Kevin Devine was freaking out because he thought the Nashville Predators were going to pick Rasmus Ristolainen and Devine was very relieved when the Predators picked Seth Jones.. I find it very disturbing that Kevin Devine though Rasmus Ristolainen was a better prospect than Seth Jones..

i dont think he thought it was jones who was better, but risto who would fall to them. i think they bet the farm on it. and when they saw the finnish scout up there, they thought risto would go 4, jones 5, and the whole draft plan out the window with 15 minutes to come up with a new one.

[DetDannyWilliams]

here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksty-Sn5NEQ

[Crisis]

The one video I saw and most sabres fan on his site have seen.. Kevin Devine was freaking out because he thought the Nashville Predators were going to pick Rasmus Ristolainen and Devine was very relieved when the Predators picked Seth Jones.. I find it very disturbing that Kevin Devine though Rasmus Ristolainen was a better prospect than Seth Jones..

Or he knew there was no chance Seth Jones would fall to our pick and knew Risto had a better chance of being there at our pick unless Nashville took him.

[OpIv37]

Here's the thing: I don't miss any of the guys we gave up in those trades. We weren't winning when they were here. If they were still here, this team would be better that it is at the momennt but not by much. Their ceiling would be a first round playoff exit.

But right now, all we have is potential. It's not likely but it is possible that every single one of those draft picks will suck.

At the end of the day, it's still Darcy calling the shots, and we all know what his results on the ice have been for the last 3 years.

Who knows- maybe previous ownership was holding him back and he'll do better with a fresh start and Pegula's massive piles of cash. But I won't believe it til I see it. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt.

[trapezeus]

i'm kind of holding out hope that pegula is making darcy unravel his core and then like a gangster cuts him. Kind of making a guy dig his own grave.

I just don't get how a player like kaleta who has been useless for two years gets cut, and a gm who has been useless for about 14 of his 17 years keeps his job. How do players take that seriously. a player performs poorly and gets cut, but a guy who didn't win anything with the best goalie in the world, gets a 3rd rebuild opportunity?

Are they crazy.those are the kind of things that make players not want to come to buffalo. If the organization has a different standard for the brass but puts all blame on the players, that can kill a career if they scapegoat you.

[JATMtheJATM]

i'm kind of holding out hope that pegula is making darcy unravel his core and then like a gangster cuts him. Kind of making a guy dig his own grave.

I just don't get how a player like kaleta who has been useless for two years gets cut, and a gm who has been useless for about 14 of his 17 years keeps his job. How do players take that seriously. a player performs poorly and gets cut, but a guy who didn't win anything with the best goalie in the world, gets a 3rd rebuild opportunity?

Are they crazy.those are the kind of things that make players not want to come to buffalo. If the organization has a different standard for the brass but puts all blame on the players, that can kill a career if they scapegoat you.

about the kaleta thing, its been floating around the NHL "requested" kaleta no longer be a sabre. darcy even tried to trade him. nothing. i think the NHL had a hand in kaletas demise. hes been blacklisted.

[OpIv37]

Avery, Cooke and Bertuzzi get another chance but Kaleta's blacklisted? If there is any truth at all to that, it's more proof of the ridiculously arbitrary nature of the league's discipline policies.

[JATMtheJATM]

Avery, Cooke and Bertuzzi get another chance but Kaleta's blacklisted? If there is any truth at all to that, it's more proof of the ridiculously arbitrary nature of the league's discipline policies.

thats just the rumor floating around...

[Downinfloflo]

Here's the thing: I don't miss any of the guys we gave up in those trades. We weren't winning when they were here. If they were still here, this team would be better that it is at the momennt but not by much. Their ceiling would be a first round playoff exit.

But right now, all we have is potential. It's not likely but it is possible that every single one of those draft picks will suck.

At the end of the day, it's still Darcy calling the shots, and we all know what his results on the ice have been for the last 3 years.

Who knows- maybe previous ownership was holding him back and he'll do better with a fresh start and Pegula's massive piles of cash. But I won't believe it til I see it. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt.

I must say, It's refreshing to see a realistic take on the situation.

[OpIv37]

thats just the rumor floating around...

Just to explore this a little further.... what do you mean by "blacklisted?"

Did the league somehow tell teams to stay away from Kaleta in a "subtle enough to have plausible deniability but direct enough to be unambiguous" sort of way? Or did the teams just kind of mutually agree that he's the kind of player they want to stay away from?

Either way- I know Kaleta has been a problem and I know players don't like to play against him because of what he does, but this is the first time I've ever heard of something like this happening. Kaleta just seems like a weird place to draw the line, especially if you look at some of the old-skool goons that got away with nonsense for years- McTavish and Domi come immediately to mind.

[JATMtheJATM]

Just to explore this a little further.... what do you mean by "blacklisted?"

Did the league somehow tell teams to stay away from Kaleta in a "subtle enough to have plausible deniability but direct enough to be unambiguous" sort of way? Or did the teams just kind of mutually agree that he's the kind of player they want to stay away from?

Either way- I know Kaleta has been a problem and I know players don't like to play against him because of what he does, but this is the first time I've ever heard of something like this happening. Kaleta just seems like a weird place to draw the line, especially if you look at some of the old-skool goons that got away with nonsense for years- McTavish and Domi come immediately to mind.

i think they hinted to the sabres that another kaleta incident could put them in dire straits, because you cant bring somebody up during a suspension to take that players spot. that roster spot is taken. so, if you are stuck with a 25 game suspension, thats trouble. also that refs were going to be looking for kaleta even more then usual.

kaleta is in rochester to reprogram his game. they want to turn him into a more complete player, defensive grinder without the hyper smash hitting.

[JATMtheJATM]

Here's the thing: I don't miss any of the guys we gave up in those trades. We weren't winning when they were here. If they were still here, this team would be better that it is at the momennt but not by much. Their ceiling would be a first round playoff exit.

But right now, all we have is potential. It's not likely but it is possible that every single one of those draft picks will suck.

At the end of the day, it's still Darcy calling the shots, and we all know what his results on the ice have been for the last 3 years.

Who knows- maybe previous ownership was holding him back and he'll do better with a fresh start and Pegula's massive piles of cash. But I won't believe it til I see it. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt.

much of professional sports is based on potential. right now, the potential this team has acquired and drafted makes for a very positive future. its possible a few picks miss. its happened before and itll happen again, but right now, there isnt much to suggest thats going to be an issue.

there is a reason the sabres keep moving up in organizational rankings based on our recent drafts. and will continue to as we move older players for picks and the sabres draft high.

[JATMtheJATM]

I must say, It's refreshing to see a realistic take on the situation.

i know, it must be so hard being a rangers fan and coming to a sabres board and hearing sabre fans optimistic about the future of the team.

[JATMtheJATM]

Just to explore this a little further.... what do you mean by "blacklisted?"

Did the league somehow tell teams to stay away from Kaleta in a "subtle enough to have plausible deniability but direct enough to be unambiguous" sort of way? Or did the teams just kind of mutually agree that he's the kind of player they want to stay away from?

Either way- I know Kaleta has been a problem and I know players don't like to play against him because of what he does, but this is the first time I've ever heard of something like this happening. Kaleta just seems like a weird place to draw the line, especially if you look at some of the old-skool goons that got away with nonsense for years- McTavish and Domi come immediately to mind.

players like chris simon and marty mcsorely were gone after so many suspensions (mcsorely incident is still one of the worst on ice incidents in the sports history) and other teams stayed away after. i have no idea if the rumor is true, or if other teams just backed away.

[Downinfloflo]

i know, it must be so hard being a rangers fan and coming to a sabres board and hearing sabre fans optimistic about the future of the team.

It's only you...The other guys don't live in a fantasy world.

[JATMtheJATM]

It's only you...The other guys don't live in a fantasy world.

thats the thing. i dont live in fantasy world. im optimistic about the rebuild. how thats fantasy world, i havnt the slightest.

and im not the only one. plenty of people around the NHL are high on the sabres future.

[Downinfloflo]

thats the thing. i dont live in fantasy world. im optimistic about the rebuild. how thats fantasy world, i havnt the slightest.

and im not the only one. plenty of people around the NHL are high on the sabres future.

Quick question for you....

Do you watch the Sabres games?

[JATMtheJATM]

Quick question for you....

Do you watch the Sabres games?

um, yes. when i can. i dont watch them all, but i watch them when i can.

[Downinfloflo]

um, yes. when i can. i dont watch them all, but i watch them when i can.

So how many have you seen this season?

[JATMtheJATM]

around 10. i missed a few when the tigers had a playoff game at the same time. usually id listen to my WGR app when i cant watch it.

[trapezeus]

thats the thing. i dont live in fantasy world. im optimistic about the rebuild. how thats fantasy world, i havnt the slightest.

and im not the only one. plenty of people around the NHL are high on the sabres future.

that is categorically not true. if you want to play the rumors game, many high level GM's and owners think pegula is a joke because he is only listening to his inner circle and his inner circle isn't considered very strong.

he is a laughing stock right now.

for the average buffalo fan we love that he has deep pockets, an intense love for the game, and the desire to build in buffalo.

as for his rep in the league, it's pretty crappy based on some people that i know around the league.

[JATMtheJATM]

that is categorically not true. if you want to play the rumors game, many high level GM's and owners think pegula is a joke because he is only listening to his inner circle and his inner circle isn't considered very strong.

he is a laughing stock right now.

for the average buffalo fan we love that he has deep pockets, an intense love for the game, and the desire to build in buffalo.

as for his rep in the league, it's pretty crappy based on some people that i know around the league.

im talking about the youth theyve acquired. as for how hes running the team, thats a different matter.

[trapezeus]

they can acquire all the talent they want, but they simply have not developed players well. they can acquire talent all the time, but it rarely lives up to the level they should.

this speaks to the poor player development. look at hte free agents they have brought in that haven't done much, but then go on to play better elsewhere.

there is something fundamentally wrong with their player development...it has existed since darcy came here. he isn't fit to fix it.

[JATMtheJATM]

they can acquire all the talent they want, but they simply have not developed players well. they can acquire talent all the time, but it rarely lives up to the level they should.

this speaks to the poor player development. look at hte free agents they have brought in that haven't done much, but then go on to play better elsewhere.

there is something fundamentally wrong with their player development...it has existed since darcy came here. he isn't fit to fix it.

thats an issue ive been worried about myself. theyve mishandled grigo. they should return zad and let him play in london. girgs should probably be in rochester. im ok with larsson in buffalo. risto has been ok, but could use time in rochester himself.

but, thats also why they have rolston as coach. hes known for developing players. he did amazing work with the US NTDP.

thats another reason to follow kris baker of sabres prospects. he can see the growing of grigo. the points may not be there, but as a player, hes better then he was last year in many areas.

i fully admit this franchise has faults. darcy being one of them. but ive bought in to this rebuild. its very interesting and fun to follow the growth of players. i can see the direction this team is heading. im very glass half full on this rebuild. i hope i can sway some of you to follow the kids with optimism. because thats all we have right now.