Speculation: 2018 Root for the Tank Thread

[CatsforReinhart]

Not worried about the tank. We should get pick 2-7 and chances are Boqvist or Hughes is there if the sabres want one of them.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

And we are last! Now keep it that way somehow as none of Vancouver, Ottawa or Arizona are by no means guaranteed to finish in front of us.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

this is all I got, go tank go

 

[dang111]

I remember I was so hopeful at the start of the season, yet here we are praying for another last place finish.

 

[truthbluth]

Congratulations! We now have the worst f***ing team in the entire f***ing league for the 3rd f***ing time in 5 f***ing years! And what a reward! An extra 5.5 f***ing percentage points chance at Rasmus f***ing Dahlin! Totally f***ing worth it!

 

[Fearnot]

Congratulations! We now have the worst ****ing team in the entire ****ing league for the 3rd ****ing time in 5 ****ing years! And what a reward! An extra 5.5 ****ing percentage points chance at Rasmus ****ing Dahlin! Totally ****ing worth it!

Maybe we'll hit on another Jack Eichel instead of getting another Alexander Nylander. The worst part is they were trying to win this year.

 

[Zip15]

And we are last! Now keep it that way somehow as none of Vancouver, Ottawa or Arizona are by no means guaranteed to finish in front of us.

While it's no guarantee that we finish ahead of Arizona, they've been playing better than us for a while. They're 12-7-6 in 2018, which amounts to an 82-game pace of 98 pts under the NHL's silly point system. As a frame of reference, we are 11-15-4 since January 1 - a 70-point pace.

Vancouver has a six-point head start on us. Really, it's more like a 7-point lead given that they have four more ROWs than us right now. That's a lot of ground to make up over 15 games. Even if we played .500 hockey in our last 15 games - our best 15-game stretch this season is 7-6-2 - the VanCans probably only need to a 4-10-1 finish to stay ahead of us.

Ottawa is the team that concerns me. They've been in a death spiral for months.

Congratulations! We now have the worst ****ing team in the entire ****ing league for the 3rd ****ing time in 5 ****ing years! And what a reward! An extra 5.5 ****ing percentage points chance at Rasmus ****ing Dahlin! Totally ****ing worth it!

But we've looked so much better in recent months! How can this be?

 

[MayDay]

So suppose for the sake of argument that we win the draft lottery and draft Dahlin.

I'm just wondering...who then is our franchise player / face of the franchise? Is it still Eichel? Or is it Dahlin? Or is it both equally (like a Toews/Kane situation in Chicago)?

I know that would be a good problem to have, I'm just curious about how that would shake out. My feeling is Eichel would still be the main public face of the franchise because he's (a) a little older, (b) a center, and (c) an American and native English speaker.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

So suppose for the sake of argument that we win the draft lottery and draft Dahlin.

I'm just wondering...who then is our franchise player / face of the franchise? Is it still Eichel? Or is it Dahlin? Or is it both equally (like a Toews/Kane situation in Chicago)?

I know that would be a good problem to have, I'm just curious about how that would shake out. My feeling is Eichel would still be the main public face of the franchise because he's (a) a little older, (b) a center, and (c) an American and native English speaker.

Chicago had Keith, Toews and Kane. Didnt see them complaining about not knowing who the face of the franchise is. Lets get Dahlin and then we can discuss the minor details like this.

Maybe we'll hit on another Jack Eichel instead of getting another Alexander Nylander. The worst part is they were trying to win this year.

This is exactly what the problem is - if we finish last we dont have to chance it with a Nylander type but would have a very secure level prospect in the top4. Its not just the 5% exyra we have for Dahlin. If say Svechnikov is in the Eichel realm in a few years from and we get him at 2nd overall will people still complain that we never win the lotto?

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Also, please lose to Ottawa tonight. Beating the kdd playoff team/contender is fine but I dont want to see any wins over direct tank opponents. Considering oyr roster situation it should be fairly easy to lose this.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Maybe we'll hit on another Jack Eichel instead of getting another Alexander Nylander. The worst part is they were trying to win this year.

It’s not bad. The NHL won’t let tankers get the first pick. Except Toronto.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Of course when we dont need it, they will actually win a shootout with Lehner in net. This team...

 

[HaNotsri]

Of course when we dont need it, they will actually win a shootout with Lehner in net. This team...

As long as Reinhart scores I’m fine with it.

 

[sabrebuild]

Don’t stress everyone, they are going to win the lottery this year.

 

[sabremike]

So suppose for the sake of argument that we win the draft lottery and draft Dahlin.

I'm just wondering...who then is our franchise player / face of the franchise? Is it still Eichel? Or is it Dahlin? Or is it both equally (like a Toews/Kane situation in Chicago)?

I know that would be a good problem to have, I'm just curious about how that would shake out. My feeling is Eichel would still be the main public face of the franchise because he's (a) a little older, (b) a center, and (c) an American and native English speaker.

I would literally sell one of my kidneys if it meant we would get to have that argument.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

As long as Reinhart scores I’m fine with it.

I dont root for specific players, I root for the team. Reinhart scoring means nothing to me when the season is over. In fact it may actually mean we would have to pay him more now because he scored a bunch of points in a bunch of meaningless games.

 

[HaNotsri]

I dont root for specific players, I root for the team. Reinhart scoring means nothing to me when the season is over. In fact it may actually mean we would have to pay him more now because he scored a bunch of points in a bunch of meaningless games.

I care about our 2nd overall pick not busting and having trade value

 

[Aladyyn]

Oh no, one of our young players has actually developed well and improved. That SUCKS so bad.

 

[Clock]

I don't blame anyone for not caring about individual player development in the larger scheme of things at this point. How can you?

 

[Aladyyn]

I don't blame anyone for not caring about individual player development in the larger scheme of things at this point. How can you?

He said as half this board was getting pumped about Casey Nelson for weeks.

 

[Clock]

He said as half this board was getting pumped about Casey Nelson for weeks.

That doesn't contradict what I said.

 

[Aladyyn]

That doesn't contradict what I said.

Well if you don't get excited for development of one of the 5 players that actually matter in the current lineup, maybe you should take a break from hockey and discussing it.

 

[Clock]

Well if you don't get excited for development of one of the 5 players that actually matter in the current lineup, maybe you should take a break from hockey and discussing it.

Sure. I'll try to short circuit this and just say that I don't buy into any argument that revolves around conditions for when it's OK and not OK to follow a sports team for entertainment and we can agree to disagree.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

So about this we won't catch Vancouver stuff...think we probably will as they are absolute trash.
Last 3 weeks:
Arizona is 4-2-1
Buffalo is 5-4-0
Ottawa is 2-6-2
Vancouver is 2-4-3

We are just 4 points behind Vancouver and probably even less than that behind Ottawa with 14 games to go. It's wide open with us and Arizona behind the other 2 but also clearly getting better results (even though we have bad injuries....). Man, if we can't tank it out without McCabe, ERod, Kane, Eichel and Okposo playing I'd be royally bummed.

 

[enthusiast]

the ship may be fully sunk, but at least some of the deckhands are really exceeding expectations