Jack Eichel ain't a hot-headed teenager. But, he is steaming mad right now. How can anyone possibly blame him? Johann F. Larsson is done for the year. We may have seen the last of him in blue & gold (unless he plays for Sweden again). He would have been in demand at the deadline considering his combination of skill, versatility, and cost-containment. The Sabres could protect him in the expansion draft. If he's exposed I think Vegas would deem a young versatile center more valuable than some expensive declining guy. Even if he doesn't move to LV, I could still see TM using JFL in a "hockey trade", i.e., moving relative strength (centerman) for need (defenseman). Team Sweden at WJC hopefully portents a brighter offense in Buffalo in a couple of years. Nylander the Better One, and Asplund the Second Round Steal look pretty good. Zemgus Girgensons is no longer enjoying a honeymoon with the fans. He has to step things up. The natives are getting restless with Disco Dan's gyrations. The line changing has been dizzying and the style of play does not inspire any confidence that he aspires for more than mediocrity.
Could it be? Could the Buffalo Sabres truly be a team that hates to lose? And, and a team that knows how to win?! The last three games were 2 pts. in OT, with the equalizer goal being scored by BUF late in the third. (As much as it must have stung to see Patty Kane score the tying G & OT GWG in Chicago early this month, it looks like they learned a valuable how-to lesson that night.) The team is playing well, something like 7-3-1 in 2017. They've got a game or two in hand against several teams above them in the playoff race. But, there are too many teams to leapfrog to expect a postseason gig this year. The only way the Sabres make it would be two things: 1) they step it up and play better than they have in Jan. And, 2) one or two teams crash & burn a la Montreal last year. In other words, the Sabres do not control their own destiny. But, it is fun to watch this team grow up. TM is going to have some tough decisions between now and March 1st, and again until July 1st. There may literally be too much NHL talent in the org. at F. Someone good is gonna leave. Hate to say it, but it could be my boy Gus "the Lion Killer" Girgensons. Johann F. Larsson would make most teams better as a bottom six C. The question in my mind is can TM parley the surplus of middle/bottom line F's, attractive prospects, and draft pick bounty into the necessary help on D?
...and that's a good & fun thing. They are exciting to watch play and a real close to being a solid contender. Ive seen them play a half dozen times at least this season and every time they win in exciting fashion. They don't quit and that's a + also.
The Sabres have good depth in the pipeline. I just read a pretty glowing report about Rasmus Asplund (2/#33, 2016). He's had a lot of success playing with Alexander Nylander (1/#7, 2016) in Sweden. Rasmus should be in Rochester next year and he'll need at least 1, probably 2, in the AHL before he's ready. But I salivate at the thought of watching two guys with burners on their skates look like they've played together for years (because they will have). Of course the team has some D prospects I'm high on, but that is clearly an org. deficiency. Hopefully they'll use the '17 draft to load up on blueliners. I also expect some of the surplus F's will be dealt for D. This year the team seems to have found, and more importantly embraced, their team identity. They never say never and the fat lady does not sing early. The future Sabres are going to be fast. They'll play like they've been together for years, and they'll play to win every night. And, they'll be damned fun to watch.
so do you deal Kane now for assets or let it play out? i think it comes down to this- has the decision to not re-sign him already been made? *edit- i thought this was the last year on his deal, turns out he has next season too so there isnt a rush. still an appropriate question though because his value probably wont be any higher than right now w/ 1.5 seasons left and him producing at a steady rate.
E. Kane has been roundly excoriated by Sabres fans, especially after his offseason issues. He was spoken about as if he were obviously a danger to society and a cancer in the locker room. Mind you, no proof exists for either claim. (I personally think he's a douchbag, but that's no problem for me if he can help the team win and if teammates get along with him.) The reason TM traded for him - and why he was #4 overall pick - was on display in the OT game against SJ. He lacks finesse, but he has the speed to keep up with Jack Eichel. If were any other tandem than those two I don't think they get the GWG. Kane helps the Sabres win, and I think there's very little chance he's dealt. The team is going to have hard decisions to make after the '17-'18 season because both Jack and Sam will be coming off their ELC's. Kane could be packaged in a blockbuster type deal over the summer. He could be a rental asset in Feb. '18 if the Sabres are not contending for the playoffs. But there is no rush to move him; the team would not get replacement value for him now, so while his value is up I still think other teams are leery. The key, IMO, is to watch Alex Nylander's* development. If he makes a physical leap like Sam did after his first year, then he'll make Kane more expendable. I remember seeing Sam early in the '15 season before he went down and thinking, "wow, he is still a boy"; I was surprised that he made the leap after only one year. Alex is lean too, and I don't expect he could make the jump that quickly either. But, I've already been proven wrong once, (even though I never make a mistake). I felt that Alex was the most talented player in last year's draft, after the first 2-4 studs. * Many have expressed that Alex is the best hockey player in the Nylander family. His dad was not too shabby, and Will has a bright future - be it in TO or elsewhere.
The loss to Anaheim may not be the death knell on this season, but a big nail was driven into the coffin. The Sabres are playing extremely well at home, and they need points in every game in this homestead if they realistically hope to jump out off their early season hole. There are just too many teams to get by to make the playoffs unless they reel off something like 17 pts. in a 10 game stretch. Some teams may play well below a .500 pt. pace the rest of the way, but not enough of them will.
Kane scored 2 last night in Toronto. (Sidebar fun stat: E. Kane now has the third most 2G games without a hattie in NHL history.) I think he's now at 16 G over his last 31 games. I hesitate to think what Jack's production would be without him. But it's probably a lot more accurate to say Kane's numbers are up because he's on the line with Jack & Sam. In the end, I am saying I doubt that Kane is traded this year. He would seem to be almost the perfect acquisition for playoff hockey with his combo of speed and physicality. However, it would take an overpayment (e.g., a team offering a top pair D) for TM to pull the trigger. And I doubt any team is going to overpay given his history.
Win one. Lose one. Win one. Lose one. Win one. Tonight was my night to feel good. Buffalo completed the season series with Ottawa with a nice W in Canada's capital and a 5-0-1 record vs. the Sens. Next game is at home vs. the Avs. Ah c'mon, they have to get at least a mini winning streak going. Don't they!?
I wish the Sabres could only play games against teams that are playoff teams, (based on 2/19/17 standings). Their record vs. teams headed to the real season, (again if the season ended yesterday), is 17-10-6. Unfortunately they play other teams sitting outside the playoffs too. Against these teams their record is 9-14-4. I think the only definitive conclusion we can draw is that it sucks to be a Sabres fan. It may indicate that no team can sleep on Buffalo. It may also indicate that Buffalo cannot afford to sleep on anyone, but they do. The Sabres D blows, but any team with Risto on the roster has hope. Jake McCabe is rounding out to be pretty good too. Damn, you want more that 2 blueliners on your lineup. If BUF loses one of their next two (at CO & AZ) then they absolutely will be sellers at the deadline. The expansion draft may add almost as much excitement as we normally expect at the trade deadline. I'm thinking it's time to sacrifice a first round pick, (top 3 protected) for D - hopefully someone from ANA. A June deal is much more likely than Feb., however.
I guess the Sabres will 1st try to get rid of Jorgensan, Dan? He didn't look good at all and definitely had a very bad game. I just hope Rutherford doesn't try to trade for him. The Penz have a ton of injuries and seem to have another every game they play. It's kind of surprising to the fans of Pitt that they are still winning....... *SCRATCH*
Kulikov will not be brought back, in fact, TM essentially admits he made a mistake getting him from Florida. (Although few will remember this in a few years, Asplund came to the Sabres as part of the trade. He may prove to the biggest piece of all.) I think the Sabres would be very lucky if Vegas were to select Bogosian in the eDraft. He can help a team (sometimes he helps the Sabres - to lose) but at his salary I doubt it'll be that easy to be rid of Zach. Josh Gorges, he's a player a lot of fans would like to see in Vegas. He's worn the A and appears to be a better leader than a player. I suppose TM could find a way to package him in a trade. I just don't expect much for him. If I had to guess, I would have guessed you meant Zemgus "the Lion Killer" Girgensons. Gus is one of several young F's that BUF has in abundance. Marcus Foligno, Johann Larsson, Hudson Fasching, Will Carrier, and a couple others could all have long mid to bottom six careers. They're all the type of depth players that Stanley Cup contenders need/covet. I hope that one or two of them, along with a high draft pick, may be enough to land a top four D-man ready to step right in and play 10+ years for Buffalo.
Jake McCabe: "It's about consistency. We would win, then we would lose. It got to the point we were playing .500 hockey, that's unacceptable".
The HC has to take most of the flak for this fact. The players play their season one game to the next. The coach is supposed to see the big picture and make sure the players' heads are in the game every game. The Sabres are not that far away. They need a top four d-man that can carry the puck. Their personnel did not seem well suited for DB's system; and he seemed unwilling to make adjustments. I think a few new players through FA, a big trade, and a new coach could be the ticket. That's a lot of work, but certainly achievable in one offseason.
I agree with you. They have got to shake things up a bit. Buffalo is very talented and I'm with you... get a new coach. I also agree that they are just a few personal changes away... and that's very possible if they do things smartly. _________________________________ One thing to, the Sabres are a fun team to watch, they just cant get the W's on a consistent basis.
I haven't checked season-ending stats., but the Sabres are at or close to the best PP team in the NHL. For a team that appears to have a hard time scoring, this seems like a contradiction. I like to hunt for anomalies that point to an underlying truth. The truth is that Buffalo can score - and are damned entertaining in the process. Their defensive style invited, IMHO, mistakes and created opportunities for the opponent. One or two lapses in your defensive zone are all it takes to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory. I do not think it's a matter of developing the D. I think they're not good enough. But Risto and McCabe are nice building blocks. They're bringing in Antipin from the KHL, and I've heard he's a fast puck handling player that can light the lamp. With the #5 pick (before the lottery) and a ton of talent at F, along with expansion draft maneuvers, I think TM can swing a trade for that needed top four D. Coaches? There are lots of them available.
