Better future: Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs

[Filthy Dangles]

With the Buffalo Sabres' acquisition of Rasmus Dahlin, I was wondering which Atlantic Division Eastern Conference team you think will be better in the future (2-4 year).

Dahlin, Eichel, Mittelstadt, Risto etc

Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly etc

Buffalo probably has the better core, Toronto probably has the better depth/compliment around their core and they have a better goaltending situation.

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[winnipegger]

If Dahlin is as advertised, the Buffalo Sabres are headed for great things.

 

[DrJustice]

Gonna take a couple years for the Sabre's to build the winning culture Toronto has now.

A lot of unknown with the Sabres as well, Dahlin and Middelstadt's are pretty unproven at the NHL level.

For the next 2-4 years its Leafs.

 

[Pi]

The team that has made the playoffs back to back years? The Leafs have actually shown improvement with their core and the core has been underplayed by Babcock. Went from 30th to playoffs to 7th in the league.

Don't get me wrong, Dahlin is great but even McDavid is a great talent and he's won back to back Art Ross trophies and his team didn't even come close to sniffing the playoffs this year.

It takes more than a couple players to make the playoffs.

Plus, coaching does make a difference. I am not sure Housley is any good at it.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Oh, you guys want to do this again? After being embarrassingly wrong back in 2015?

 

[Randy Randerson]

both looking pretty good, sets up some nice battles down the road

for the sake of symmetry, it would be nice if both Liljegren and A. Nylander put it together

Eichel v. Matthews
Middlestadt v. Marner
Risto v. Rielly
Nylander v. Nylander
Dahlin v. Liljegren

None are perfect of themselves, but it adds up to what could be a nice rivalry

 

[Plural]

Until further notice, team with back to back PO appearances.

 

[DRW204]

TOR especially when you factor in G, coaching and overall roster composition.

 

[Yamazaki]

Matthews > Eichel
Marner >>> Middlestadt
W Nylander >>> Alex Nylander
Rielly > Risto
Liljegren <<<<<<<<<<<<<< Dahlin

Toronto management >>>>>>> buffalo management

It’s hard for me to take the Sabres seriously. 2 years ago when the leafs started their rebuild they were told they were 3 years behind the sabres. Until I see drastic improvement I’m taking the leafs with ease.

 

[BB88]

The team that has made the playoffs back to back years? The Leafs have actually shown improvement with their core and the core has been underplayed by Babcock. Went from 30th to playoffs to 7th in the league.

Don't get me wrong, Dahlin is great but even McDavid is a great talent and he's won back to back Art Ross trophies and his team didn't even come close to sniffing the playoffs this year.

It takes more than a couple players to make the playoffs.

Plus, coaching does make a difference. I am not sure Housley is any good at it.

The thing is Eichel is superior vs Edmontons best D-man and Edmonton has one of the worst F depths in the league.
Quality depth has been a massive problem for Buffalo but things are looking better, Eichel, RoR, Reinhart, Mitt, Okposo, Nylander at F, Dahlin, Risto, Scandella on defense.

Pre draft Toronto, with Dahlin would bet on Buffalo to be ahead on few years time.

 

[Phil McKraken]

The high end talent potential is pretty much a wash in my opinion, but Buffalo's farm system needs a lot of work compared to that of Toronto. You need to be able to develop and bring up some players yourself to maintain a solid bottom six and bottom pairing.

 

[Pi]

The thing is Eichel is superior vs Edmontons best D-man and Edmonton has one of the worst F depths in the league.
Quality depth has been a massive problem for Buffalo but things are looking better, Eichel, RoR, Reinhart, Mitt, Okposo, Nylander at F, Dahlin, Risto, Scandella on defense.

Pre draft Toronto, with Dahlin would bet on Buffalo to be ahead on few years time.

If Dahlin is as good as advertised, he's going to cost a pretty penny to sign long term. Okposo is bad contract, Mittelstadt and Nylander are unknowns and Nylander has been very bad in the AHL.

Buffalo still has a lot of trouble scoring goals and keeping them out of their net. For all of Toronto's issues, they are still a +45 differential team. Buffalo is -81. I am sure that Dahlin will make a big impact but the rest of Buffalo's roster is still lacking depth.

Till Buffalo shows some life and moves out of the basement, they are just a team with a great collection of players. I'd trust Toronto's management and organization way more than Buffalo's at the moment. It could change in the future but we have no indication of that at the moment.

 

[wintersej]

The high end talent potential is pretty much a wash in my opinion, but Buffalo's farm system needs a lot of work compared to that of Toronto. You need to be able to develop and bring up some players yourself to maintain a solid bottom six and bottom pairing.

If Dahlen becomes a franchise super star, I think the high end talent tilts towards Buffalo. (If)

But, yeah, organizationally Toronto is years ahead of Buffalo.

 

[BB88]

If Dahlin is as good as advertised, he's going to cost a pretty penny to sign long term. Okposo is bad contract, Mittelstadt and Nylander are unknowns and Nylander has been very bad in the AHL.

Buffalo still has a lot of trouble scoring goals and keeping them out of their net. For all of Toronto's issues, they are still a +45 differential team. Buffalo is -81. I am sure that Dahlin will make a big impact but the rest of Buffalo's roster is still lacking depth.

Till Buffalo shows some life and moves out of the basement, they are just a team with a great collection of players. I'd trust Toronto's management and organization way more than Buffalo's at the moment. It could change in the future but we have no indication of that at the moment.

That's 3 years from now, and Eichels contrat is not going to look the same as it does now then.

Leafs are clearly ahead considering next year but I just believe Dahlin won't bust, and that's a game changer at the end of day. The base of Eichel/Dahlin is better, should be lot better than Matthews/Rielly.

Qualit depth again goes today to Toronto but Buffalo's should improve over the next few years, while Toronto's isn't likely going to, anyways as much as Buffalos with them being a playoff team and losing those quality ELC's one by one.

 

[mammothCacti]

This is Toronto until Buffalo overtakes the Leafs.

No shit Buffalo has the percieved higher "upside" core, they will get to draft top 10 twice more than the Leafs in the past few years.

Their young guys haven't even gotten the chance to get smashed by Bergeron, Marchy and Pastrnak yet.

 

[rent free]

ofc op chooses the one that isnt toronto

 

[Filthy Dangles]

ofc op chooses the one that isnt toronto

You mean like 14 others in a poll that's almost a tie?

 

[rent free]

You mean like 14 others in a poll that's almost a tie?

13 others and i pointed you out because you always vote against the leafs

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Leafs until Sabres prove anything. Goaltending also an issue for them.

 

[olli]

Buffalo has the slightly better core, but Toronto's depth is way better so this is Toronto.

 

[Apotheosis]

In what way is Buffalo's core better?

Matthews > Eichel
W Nylander >>>> A Nylander
Marner >> Middlestadt
Rielly > Risto
Liljegren << Dahlin

The only part Buffalo wins is Dahlin versus Toronto's comparable D prospect which is clear cut. Kadri worse than RoR but that doesn't make up the gulf in class everywhere else. Toronto has superior goaltending too.

 

[Atomos2]

If Dahlin is as advertised, the Buffalo Sabres are headed for great things.

They're gonna need decent goaltending first.

 

[Beerz]

Matthews > Eichel
Marner >>> Middlestadt
W Nylander >>> Alex Nylander
Rielly > Risto
Liljegren <<<<<<<<<<<<<< Dahlin

Toronto management >>>>>>> buffalo management

It’s hard for me to take the Sabres seriously. 2 years ago when the leafs started their rebuild they were told they were 3 years behind the sabres. Until I see drastic improvement I’m taking the leafs with ease.

Funny thing is that you think the Leafs only started their rebuild 2 years ago.

 

[Yamazaki]

Funny thing is that you think the Leafs only started their rebuild 2 years ago.

Leafs kept trying to retool , for example the clarkson signing. We finally had a full year down in 2015.

Retool isn’t a full tear down rebuild.

 

[BB88]

In what way is Buffalo's core better?

Matthews > Eichel
W Nylander >>>> A Nylander
Marner >> Middlestadt
Rielly > Risto
Liljegren << Dahlin

The only part Buffalo wins is Dahlin versus Toronto's comparable D prospect which is clear cut. Kadri worse than RoR but that doesn't make up the gulf in class everywhere else. Toronto has superior goaltending too.

How is it not in potential?

Matthews> Eichel today
Dahlin >> Rielly on potential, which is the difference maker.

Both teams have franchise C's, one of these teams have a guy with the potential to be the next Karlsson, Toronton's D-group is their weakness, like Buffalos is today but they don't have a guy like Dahlin waiting.

It's a bit weird to have A.Nylander over ROR or Reinhart as a core player.