News Article: NHL.com 30 in 30 - Buffalo Sabres 2015-16 Season Preview

[26CornerBlitz]

Revamped Sabres set to start climbing standings

By Joe Yerdon - NHL.com Correspondent

NHL.com 30 in 30 - Buffalo Sabres
[NHL]832729[/NHL]
E.J. Hradek and Dan Rosen take a look at the Buffalo Sabres
for the upcoming 2015-16 NHL season.

BUFFALO -- Things are about to change for the better for the Buffalo Sabres.

The past two seasons were the worst in Sabres history, so it'd be easy to say things can't get worse, but the arrival of the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Boston University center Jack Eichel, has changed the attitude here.

Eichel's arrival, coupled with the eventual debut of forward Evander Kane, who didn't play for the Sabres after he was acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 11 (elbow surgery); center Ryan O'Reilly, acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on June 26; and coach Dan Bylsma, has the Buffalo fan base hopeful the organizational rebuild will bring results on the ice.

Click to read more...

 

[old kummelweck]

It's funny how analysts look at the 23 wins and say the playoffs are 'too big a jump'. IMO if Murray didn't tamper so much to ensure last place, I bet you could add another 7-10 wins to that.

I do agree the D is a big question mark. On paper, it doesn't look so good. But I look at a team like Boston a few years ago that made the playoffs with young guys like Krug and Barkowski and hope the sabres lack of established vet depth isn't the same as lack of real depth.

 

[Thorton02]

I think they'll end up like Florida last year by making a serious push for the playoffs but fall just short. With the top 3 picks in the 2016 draft now determined by lottery, that's not a bad thing.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Sabretip]

It's funny how analysts look at the 23 wins and say the playoffs are 'too big a jump'..

I think they'll end up like Florida last year by making a serious push for the playoffs but fall just short. .

I really expect to see the Calgary scenario repeat this season in Buffalo: no one will expect much from the Sabres this season going into training camp but a motivated coach, key performances from their young stars and a wave of enthusiasm from the fanbase will lead to a surprise appearance in the playoffs, just like happened to the Flames last season.

The level of talent upgrades on the current roster under a competent, qualified coach, are just too significant not to think the playoffs could be in reach IMO, barring any disastrous run of injuries that can derail any team's hopes. Granted, I think they'd be in the 7th or 8th spot to make the playoffs and probably a first round casualty because of the inexperience factor but still....

 

[Sabretip]

While I think that Kane will definitely be the key guy to reviving / improving the Sabres pathetic offensive output, I do see the 3 guys landed on June 26th (Eichel, O'Reilly and Lehner) as the trio who will ultimately be most responsible for whatever improvement overall we see from the team.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

I think this season will be harder for a lot of people than the last 2 were. Inflated expectations hurt when they come crashing down.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I think this season will be harder for a lot of people than the last 2 were. Inflated expectations hurt when they come crashing down.

Who has inflated expectations? There is literally nowhere for the team to go but up, and I don't think many people are really expecting that much from this group. The majority opinion, as far as I can tell, is that we'll be better and more talented/exciting than the last few years but likely still a bottom 10 team. I also think everyone is aware that we've got a young team and there will be ups and downs that come with that.

 

[Zman5778]

Who has inflated expectations? There is literally nowhere for the team to go but up, and I don't think many people are really expecting that much from this group.

I think more are "expecting" playoffs than you think.

I think Tracksuit is right --- this year is going to be one of the worst "reactionary" years we've seen in a while from the fanbase.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/03/its-buffalo-sabres-day-at-pht/

It’s Buffalo Sabres Day at PHT

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2015/08/03/under-pressure-robin-lehner/

Under Pressure: Robin Lehner

PFT is just behind NHL.com.

 

[Jacob582]

I think this season will be harder for a lot of people than the last 2 were. Inflated expectations hurt when they come crashing down.

We'll said.

Will we excel at winning this season as well as we excelled the last two seasons at tanking?

 

[sabrebuild]

Some ppl will always find a negative. The reality is the team will be much more interesting for good reasons this year than it has in years.

 

[Sabreality]

Some ppl will always find a negative. The reality is the team will be much more interesting for good reasons this year than it has in years.

yep, we can all agree that it will at least be fun again to actually root for the team (and get pissed off at losses)...even if the reality is likely at best a bubble team, and thats if a lot of things go right.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Der Jaeger]

I think this season will be harder for a lot of people than the last 2 were. Inflated expectations hurt when they come crashing down.

I doubt it.

Simply and openly rooting for wins instead of quietly hoping for losses will make this season far more bearable than the last two seasons.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

I think more are "expecting" playoffs than you think.

I think Tracksuit is right --- this year is going to be one of the worst "reactionary" years we've seen in a while from the fanbase.

I have not seen people(maybe there are some) say the sabres will make the playoffs.
Most people see Buffalo flirting with .500. and getting a chance at a lottery pick.

 

[OkimLom]

I think this season will be harder for a lot of people than the last 2 were. Inflated expectations hurt when they come crashing down.

For me, the only expectation that I have is improvement from everybody. Do I think they will make the playoffs, no. Would I be surprised if they squeaked into the playoffs? Truthfully, no.

 

[Sabres Dynasty]

I don't expect playoffs. I do expect to watch some decent hockey after two long, sh*tty years.

A big part of the fanbase are going to have inflated expectations and setting themselves up for disappointment, no doubt.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...the-buffalo-sabres-from-a-to-z-234150912.html

Puck Daddy with a Sabres A to Z

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

I doubt it.

Simply and openly rooting for wins instead of quietly hoping for losses will make this season far more bearable than the last two seasons.

People raged last season that the hockey wasn't watchable enough during a year we wanted to lose. Now games are going to matter again, people have Murray agendas they'll want pushed, the anti-Robyn Lehner crowd will be worse than the anti-Miller crowd, and I'm expecting at worst double the number of posting members around game night. It took 10-15? Games last season for the first round of Nolan hate threads to pop up, I'll put money down that it won't take that long before the first round of hate threads start this year.

 

[ZZamboni]

People raged last season that the hockey wasn't watchable enough during a year we wanted to lose. Now games are going to matter again, people have Murray agendas they'll want pushed, the anti-Robyn Lehner crowd will be worse than the anti-Miller crowd, and I'm expecting at worst double the number of posting members around game night. It took 10-15? Games last season for the first round of Nolan hate threads to pop up, I'll put money down that it won't take that long before the first round of hate threads start this year.

Yea, but the hate threads or at least the shortsighted hate posts are done by the same 5-7 posters. And if you've been paying attention, you know who they are. Nothing is good enough. No patience. Always looking for a conspiracy, or underlying "other reason". Dramatic over-the-top statements.

Some will definitely have inflated expectations. Especially those that only equate individual points to success. This season will be better. Better to watch. Better results. Better record. Better talent. And at the arena... A better experience all around. And I still doubt they make the playoffs.

 

[Der Jaeger]

People raged last season that the hockey wasn't watchable enough during a year we wanted to lose. Now games are going to matter again, people have Murray agendas they'll want pushed, the anti-Robyn Lehner crowd will be worse than the anti-Miller crowd, and I'm expecting at worst double the number of posting members around game night. It took 10-15? Games last season for the first round of Nolan hate threads to pop up, I'll put money down that it won't take that long before the first round of hate threads start this year.

There's a huge difference between unmet expectations and rooting for your team to lose.

There were two GDTs on this site - one for tankers and one for those who wanted to win. Doubt you'll see a pro-Murray GDT and an anti-Murray GDT. Agendas will clash, but not like the past two seasons.

There is nothing harder than rooting for your team to lose. Even if you understand it's for the better in the long run. The moment Buffalo lost to Columbus, and we knew it'd be McDavid or Eichel for sure, the very first thing everyone was happy to do was end the tank. The fanbase was nearly unified in it, pro- or anti-tank. That indicates how difficult this was for fans. You don't get unified fanbases over trades, agendas, unmet expectations.

 

[Reddawg]

yep, we can all agree that it will at least be fun again to actually root for the team (and get pissed off at losses)...even if the reality is likely at best a bubble team, and thats if a lot of things go right.

Doesn't matter, next summer the lottery gods pay us back and we win #1 overall no matter where we finish.