Eichel/Reinhart 3G away of being 1st Sabres pair of Sabres rookies 20G since Gare&McN

[DetDannyWilliams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Eichel/Reinhart now 3 goals apiece away from being first pair of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sabres?src=hash">#Sabres</a> 20-goal rookies since Gare (31) and McNab (22) in 1974-75.</p>&mdash; Mike Harrington (@BNHarrington) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNHarrington/status/698932239363547136">February 14, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[JATMtheJATM]

But I thought reinhart sucks??!!

[Night Train]

Boy, the future is indeed bright.

Another good off-season and another 2-4 good players will be added.

[JATMtheJATM]

Boy, the future is indeed bright.

Another good off-season and another 2-4 good players will be added.

I'm anxious to see what we do at the draft and free agency. O think they will get eichel some more help on the wings and you'll see him take off.

[Ginger Vitis]

Swiper still thinks Reinhart is too skinny to be a effective NHL player

[JATMtheJATM]

Swiper still thinks Reinhart is too skinny to be a effective NHL player

Some say reinhart was going to be a third liner at best

[gebobs]

Some are idiots.

[WagonCircler]

I know this might be a little Pollyannish, but the way they're both playing, I think they will end up closer to 30/30 than 20/20.

[Dr. Lecter]

I know this might be a little Pollyannish, but the way they're both playing, I think they will end up closer to 30/30 than 20/20.


I see where you are coming from, but with both being young I see them having some peaks and valleys as the year goes on. ROR is a bad slump right now and I can see one or both of these two doing the same.


So I'll split the difference and say both hit 25.

[WagonCircler]

I see where you are coming from, but with both being young I see them having some peaks and valleys as the year goes on. ROR is a bad slump right now and I can see one or both of these two doing the same.


So I'll split the difference and say both hit 25.

Yeah, that's my biggest worry, that they're not physically used to the long NHL season and will get bogged down.

But I'm hoping that what we're seeing from both of them is that they're just beginning to figure things out and that their low mileage will help their bodies overcome the long slog.

25 seems right on.

All I know is, I'm enjoying the hell out of watching them (and the rest of the team), and anyone who can't see the difference between this year's team and last year's team just isn't paying attention.

[trapezeus]

ROR is burning out this season. I feel bad for him. he is asked to do quite a bit. next year, if they get more help with moulson and gionta away, ROR won't be asked to score goals, be the grit, be the first OT line, be the leader, etc. He'll have a more normal load and be a strong piece of the puzzle instead of the whole puzzle.

[JATMtheJATM]

Yeah, that's my biggest worry, that they're not physically used to the long NHL season and will get bogged down.

But I'm hoping that what we're seeing from both of them is that they're just beginning to figure things out and that their low mileage will help their bodies overcome the long slog.

25 seems right on.

All I know is, I'm enjoying the hell out of watching them (and the rest of the team), and anyone who can't see the difference between this year's team and last year's team just isn't paying attention.

Well, allegedly, they are tanking again, despite the results on the ice

[WagonCircler]

Well, allegedly, they are tanking again, despite the results on the ice


I know you're being facetious, but I don't think the players, not a single one, ever had anything to do with tanking. That was all on management. The tank was about putting the Charlestown Chiefs out there.

The guys I'm seeing out there now are legit future (and one present) stars.

It's going to take a while for this thing to gel and for all the necessary pieces to be acquired and/or mature, but they're definitely not moving backwards.

[JATMtheJATM]

I know you're being facetious, but I don't think the players, not a single one, ever had anything to do with tanking. That was all on management. The tank was about putting the Charlestown Chiefs out there.

The guys I'm seeing out there now are legit future (and one present) stars.

It's going to take a while for this thing to gel and for all the necessary pieces to be acquired and/or mature, but they're definitely not moving backwards.

I'm certainly not being serious. But because the sabres are at the bottom of the standings, the tim murray obsession club keeps talking about them tanking. Obviously, they are not.

[trapezeus]

they are struggling now because they legitimately have a full line of waste in Gionta, Moulson and ennis. whether injured, old or just bad, they aren't there. they are paid to better than they are. but they get upgraded, the sabres have more scoring power at their hands. and the goalie situation needs to be better. lehner is ok, but I don't love him. I don't get the sense on a good team, he'll bail out a team on any given night. he mostly seems to be an average goalie for whom we gave up a first rounder. So improvements are needed, but simple upgrades that are very much available makes next year the year they have to be in the hunt for the 8th seed at the very least.

This year they actually outshoot other teams. this year we don't only face the back upgoalie and still lose. they are3 points out from last year's finish at mid February. If you don't see improvements, you are being intentionally obtuse. and if you think sabres fans are happy with the team as it, you are trolling. it's just nice to see a team on a positive trajectory for a change.

[YardRat]

I see improvements, the team certainly is more entertaining to watch this season and there is a glimmer of hope for the future, but fighting for last place in 14-15, and fighting for last place in 15-16, is not an upward trajectory.

[JATMtheJATM]

I see improvements, the team certainly is more entertaining to watch this season and there is a glimmer of hope for the future, but fighting for last place in 14-15, and fighting for last place in 15-16, is not an upward trajectory.

It's the points that's the most important at this stage.

[WagonCircler]

I see improvements, the team certainly is more entertaining to watch this season and there is a glimmer of hope for the future, but fighting for last place in 14-15, and fighting for last place in 15-16, is not an upward trajectory.

It depends how you look at it. The team is still broken, so yes, the W/L situation is bad. But if you look at it as a building endeavor, there's absolutely and upward trajectory. There's a foundation being built around three players with tremendous upside. Players who weren't even here last year.

Last year our best player was Tyler Ennis. That's scary (and not "scary good").

Eichel is the real deal and he shows it every time he takes to the ice. And he's still a teenager. Reinhardt is showing a lot more than most people thought. A twenty goal season for another teenager is no joke. ROR is a beast. Risto is going to be a perennial all star.

Kane will likely end up with 20+ goals.

None of the above could be said about last year's team.

There's more than a glimmer of hope.

[YardRat]

It's the points that's the most important at this stage.

Points are only significant compared to the rest of the league...54pts/last place, 70pts/last place...it's still last place. Actually, it would be worse this season if it were to happen, because they allegedly aren't tanking.

[trapezeus]

last year, yardrat, when they played the 3rd worst team, they weren't even close in the standings. a 5 game win streak can move them close to the playoffs. still a long shot, but last year at this time, it was even possible to imagine that. They could have gone undefeated from February on and barely been in line with other teams.

[Dr. Lecter]

Points are only significant compared to the rest of the league...54pts/last place, 70pts/last place...it's still last place. Actually, it would be worse this season if it were to happen, because they allegedly aren't tanking.

So 70 <54?

That must be common core math or something

[trapezeus]

at 58 games this season, the sabres are -25 in GF (137) vs GA (162). At the end of last year, they were at -113 with 167 For and 274 Against. The team need to score 1.25 goals in the remaining games to get to last year's output. They would also have to give up 4.7 goals to hit the same goals against, almost double what they've given up 71% of the way through the season.

Goals for per game - this season (2.36), last season (2.04)
Goals against per game- this season(2.79), last season (3.34)

seems like visible proof of improvement

[gebobs]

Points are only significant compared to the rest of the league
No. We're gauging the Sabres' improvement so the rest of the league is not really relevant. Even still, league-wide points is basically a zero sum. Points we gain over last year are points that other teams aren't getting. Thus the Sabres are improving with respect to the rest of the league.


54pts/last place, 70pts/last place...it's still last place.
Probably closer to 75 points is my guess. Let me get out my abacus. That's just shy of a 40% improvement.

And they aren't still in last place. They're not even last in their division.


Actually, it would be worse this season if it were to happen, because they allegedly aren't tanking.

Allegedly? No, they are definitely not tanking unless I don't understand what tanking is. They are doing the opposite of tanking. Making moves to improve. Moves that are beginning to bear fruit. Jesus haploid christ, what does it take to see that?

[JATMtheJATM]

Points are only significant compared to the rest of the league...54pts/last place, 70pts/last place...it's still last place. Actually, it would be worse this season if it were to happen, because they allegedly aren't tanking.

Bad teams are had teams. Sabres are still pretty bad. Doesn't meant they haven't improved dramatically. All evidence shows they have.

[Dr. Lecter]

Just to back up Gebobs, they are on pace for 75 points now. And have been more successful lately (points in 7 out of 9 games)

80 points isn't out of the question

[YardRat]

No. We're gauging the Sabres' improvement so the rest of the league is not really relevant. Even still, league-wide points is basically a zero sum. Points we gain over last year are points that other teams aren't getting. Thus the Sabres are improving with respect to the rest of the league.

That's a fair enough point.

Still, last place is last place, although I would have to admit I don't expect them to be in last place at the end of the season.

[YardRat]

So 70 <54?

That must be common core math or something

10 > 5 also, but if you score either on the Wonderlic you're still a box of rocks. 60 is 2x better than 30, but it's still an 'F'. (I just threw in the second one because I thought you could relate to it better.)

[JATMtheJATM]

That's a fair enough point.

Still, last place is last place, although I would have to admit I don't expect them to be in last place at the end of the season.

Well, they aren't in last place... so...

[gebobs]

Still, last place is last place, although I would have to admit I don't expect them to be in last place at the end of the season.

I don't even expect them to be in last place if I open the paper today. Why do you keep on insisting that they are?

You know who will probably be in last place come April? Edmonton. Despite McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, Nurse, Yakupov, Hall, MGP - four #1 overall picks and another three in the top 10 in the last seven drafts - will be the odds on favorite to pick first again.

Curiously, no one here ever talks about the Oilers tanking.

[Dr. Lecter]

I don't see how Toronto doesn't end up in last place.

[JATMtheJATM]

Unfortunately, ROR is hurt and I think you'll see the sabres dip. It's a result of having a rather young, thin team.

GMTM has improved the team plenty, but there is alot of work left. The team is doing exactly how I felt they would.

[coastal]

Historically bad tank crank to improving bottom 3 team overnight!

believe it!

[Dr. Lecter]

As of today, the Sabres are 23rd in the NHL and on pace for 77 points.

The rest of the schedule isn't that brutal (a lot of the more difficult games were earlier in the year).

80 points is no way unreasonable and finishing in the low 20s can happen too.

I don't see how that isn't a damn big improvement

[Dr. Lecter]

And Eichel had #20 last night!

Reinhart with a nice pass to Kane to set up a goal and pretty damn nice shootout goal as well.

[gebobs]

And Eichel had #20 last night!

Came pretty darn close to 21 in OT too.

[POTLAND PSILBYLO]

I know this might be a little Pollyannish, but the way they're both playing, I think they will end up closer to 30/30 than 20/20.

If you're gunna go Pollyanna, you gotta go full Pollyanna