Speculation: 2018 Root for the Tank Thread

[littletonhockeycoach]

Just.... stop...... this..... already

I've had my fill of "tanking" talk. The Avs didn't tank last season. They simply sucked. And it didn't even give them the #1 pick.

Sell at the trade deadline. Or in one or 2 cases, when a players value is at their highest. There's no point in disassembling the roster prior to then which will only result in greater and renewed criticism and abuse from the league. The tanking concept/strategy is no longer credible, cute or fashionable.

And As per Joshjull.... this will be all I have to say about this subject.......

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Strong tank moves yesterday. We lose badly, Montreal and Arizona win. Cant see the trend changing tonight in Winnipeg where we may get spanked equally as hard.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Why is anyone rooting for the team to fail? They are great at doing that on their own.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Why is anyone rooting for the team to fail? They are great at doing that on their own.

So you think these overpaid turds on the ice deserve cheering for? Im gonna be happy with losses as that helps chances for future success. This season is dead and even if wr win it literally means nothing. Oh wait, if we start winning Housley might stay on. Of course Im gonna cheer losses when it increases the chances of what I want to happen to happen:
1. Fire Housley
2. Trade away all rentals/useless players we can get something for asap (if Al freaking Montoya can return a 4/5 then our turds can too)
3. Increase chances of Dahlin
4. Secure elite talent in top4/5 at worst in this draft.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

I am not cheering for tanking but if we are not going to the playoffs I will take a top 3 pick over the 10th pick......Why hide it?

 

[brian_griffin]

I will not pull for them to tank, because they are doing a fine job of lackluster play on their own. However, it is not, IMO, in their interests to purposefully tank. They need to determine the viability of players on expiring RFA deals, etc., and that means trying to determine if they are coachable / have innate talent and what that future value is to either BUF or a trading partner. The problem as I see it is I don't believe Housley and/or the current coaching staff have the ability to accurately assess that for those players (Girgs, Larsson, Josefson, etc.)

Also, offering this as an option if a theme song is needed (from my post in the Wild GDT thread)

to the tune of I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen

We'll tank to draft Rasmus Dahlin
Across the ocean wild and wide
To where his heart has never been
Buffalo has lost all their pride.
The Sabres all stink at the rink.
I've watched them fade away and die
Their voices sad when e'er they speak
Tears fall from the Buffalo eye.
Oh! we will tank to draft, Dahlin
To where his heart will feel much pain
And when the lottery we win
We'll gladly draft first again!
We know you'll love us, Dahlin, dear
Your heart will love the Sabres, too.
We'll start to win when you are here.

 

[sabremike]

We have literally had only two moments in our entire history where we got lucky: before our first game when we won Gil and when we acquired Hasek. Other than that we have been cursed like no other team in the entire league. So pardon me if I think the idea of this team ever getting a break in any way is a sick joke.

 

[DJN21]

We have literally had only two moments in our entire history where we got lucky: before our first game when we won Gil and when we acquired Hasek. Other than that we have been cursed like no other team in the entire league. So pardon me if I think the idea of this team ever getting a break in any way is a sick joke.

Drury and briere say hello.

 

[HaNotsri]

Arizone has no notable UFA players. With an early Kane trade and sending away some other pieces while taking on cap dumps I think we can mke it to first place.
Just do it.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Arizone has no notable UFA players. With an early Kane trade and sending away some other pieces while taking on cap dumps I think we can mke it to first place.
Just do it.

I was never thinking bottom of the league but it actually seems quite possible. Its embarassing but I would take it for the futures value we get out of it. All we need is Arizona to start playing semi normal hockey, Botts to keep Housley and for us to sell off a few assets and we quite likely finish behind them.

On a sidenote, +2 points last night for Ottawa against us. Good.

 

[HaNotsri]

Players on my tankblock:

• Lehner
• Mccabe
• Kane
• Pominville (with retention)

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Players on my tankblock:

• Lehner
• Mccabe
• Kane
• Pominville (with retention)

Add Johan(trash), Josefson(UFA), Pouliot (useless and UFA), Gorges (with retention UFA), Reinhart (depends if we get good value on him or not).

Also if retaining on Pomers is still no posirive value in return, then we keep him until end of contract.

 

[brian_griffin]

Add Johan(trash), Josefson(UFA), Pouliot (useless and UFA), Gorges (with retention UFA), Reinhart (depends if we get good value on him or not).

Also if retaining on Pomers is still no posirive value in return, then we keep him until end of contract.

So in other words, your opinion is:

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

So in other words, your opinion is:

None of these would bring future success so why keep them. Only exceptions are maybe Reinhart and maybe Josefson, but there is nothing stopping us from getting Josefson back in the summer and on Reinhart it all depends on what his market value is.

 

[HaNotsri]

Add Johan(trash), Josefson(UFA), Pouliot (useless and UFA), Gorges (with retention UFA), Reinhart (depends if we get good value on him or not).

Also if retaining on Pomers is still no posirive value in return, then we keep him until end of contract.

I fail to see how it would help our tank to get rid of them? They’re the core of our tank!

 

[sabremike]

Drury and briere say hello.

The fact that those two count as us being blessed pretty much proves my point.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Strong showings from Ottawa, Vancouver and Arizona last night. Ottawa with 2 points versus Tampa and both Vancouver and Arizona pick up losers points versus quality opposition. Good for our draft position.

 

[HaNotsri]

Good early goalie pull to make our goal differential even better. Housley is passionate about the tank.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Good early goalie pull to make our goal differential even better. Housley is passionate about the tank.

Housley is the best tank commander in franchise history. Doesn't even require GM assistance.

 

[BananaSquad]

Who cares about tanking now? Doesn’t matter where they finish, all that matters is where their lottery balls fall.

 

[HaNotsri]

Who cares about tanking now? Doesn’t matter where they finish, all that matters is where their lottery balls fall.

I’d say 4th or 5th pick makes a lot of difference. There’s one exceptional and five really good prospects this draft. Higher pick means we’re more likely to get our guy or the second best d-man.
Also, this is the tanking thread and tanking talk is really good for venting. Creates an illusion that the losing actually leads to something. A purpose for following the team.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Who cares about tanking now? Doesn’t matter where they finish, all that matters is where their lottery balls fall.

Of course it matters. Higher guaranteed pick+higher odds of winning something. And when that something is Dahlin, yes it matters.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Of course it matters. Higher guaranteed pick+higher odds of winning something. And when that something is Dahlin, yes it matters.

I can't even remember the last time the team in dead last actually picked first. It seems being anywhere from 2 to 6 are the best spots to grab 1st overall.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Can't wait to finish 31st/last for third time in 5 drafts and get the #4 overall pick.

 

[Mr Orangeshirt]

What is the best/most efficient path for the tank to travel? Trade players for futures, or keep the current roster and just lose with it like they are currently doing? Maybe a zig-zag combo of the two?