Official 2015 Tank Thread Part 1: "No more half measures"

[sjci]

And the Sabres Are now out of 30th. But right, we are assured "McEichel"

****ing Oilers. They are an embarrassment to professional sports.

Dude, chill. Yes, it "sucks" that we aren't running away with last place right now, but there's plenty of season left. And, (as has been pointed out a ridiculous number of times, but seemingly needs to be brought back up over an over) the Sabres are getting well above average goaltending, Oilers not so much.

There's 4 phases to a season

Phase 1
Beginning to Thanksgiving:Identify the bottom feeders. (Roughly 25 games in)
Last season the bottom five teams were
1) Buffalo 11pts
2) Edmonton 18pts
3) Florida 19pts
4) NYI 19pts
5) Calgary 20pts

All those teams, just in a slightly different order, were the bottom 5 teams at the end of the season.

Phase 2
Thanksgiving till mid January/All-Star Break (Roughly 50 games in)
1) Buffalo 33 pts
2) Edmonton 36 pts
3) Calgary 39pts
4) Florida 47pts
5) NYI 49pts

Phase 3
After All-Star Break to Trade Deadline (Roughly 63 games in)
1) Buffalo 44pts
2) Edmonton 50pts
3) Florida 53pts
4) Calgary 53pts
5) NYI 56pts

Phase 4
Post Trade deadline till the end of the season
1) Buffalo 52pts
2) Florida 66pts
3) Edmonton 67pts
4) Calgary 77pts
5) NYI 79pts

This is where you really saw the separation. Buffalo only gained 8 points in their final 21 games. Up until the deadline, all the bottom 5 teams remained fairly close to each other all season. Buffalo had a mid season surge where they won a couple more games than they usually did, but the collapse at the end is what sealed it.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Dude, chill. Yes, it "sucks" that we aren't running away with last place right now, but there's plenty of season left. And, (as has been pointed out a ridiculous number of times, but seemingly needs to be brought back up over an over) the Sabres are getting well above average goaltending, Oilers not so much.

There's 4 phases to a season

Phase 1
Beginning to Thanksgiving:Identify the bottom feeders. (Roughly 25 games in)
Last season the bottom five teams were
1) Buffalo 11pts
2) Edmonton 18pts
3) Florida 19pts
4) NYI 19pts
5) Calgary 20pts

All those teams, just in a slightly different order, were the bottom 5 teams at the end of the season.

Phase 2
Thanksgiving till mid January/All-Star Break (Roughly 50 games in)
1) Buffalo 33 pts
2) Edmonton 36 pts
3) Calgary 39pts
4) Florida 47pts
5) NYI 49pts

Phase 3
After All-Star Break to Trade Deadline (Roughly 63 games in)
1) Buffalo 44pts
2) Edmonton 50pts
3) Florida 53pts
4) Calgary 53pts
5) NYI 56pts

Phase 4
Post Trade deadline till the end of the season
1) Buffalo 52pts
2) Florida 66pts
3) Edmonton 67pts
4) Calgary 77pts
5) NYI 79pts

This is where you really saw the separation. Buffalo only gained 8 points in their final 21 games. Up until the deadline, all the bottom 5 teams remained fairly close to each other all season. Buffalo had a mid season surge where they won a couple more games than they usually did, but the collapse at the end is what sealed it.

The collapse at the end of last year was due to the trade deadline and a surplus of injuries. The Sabres won't be trading any important assets this year aside for may be Stafford. Injuries will happen but the Sabres have more depth this year.

I expect a top 3 pick. I'm praying to the hockey gods we some how land McDavid or Eichel, but i believe the standings will be closer this year. The progression of our rookies makes me believe that. Of course they probably will slump at some point this year. I wonder what Murray does to alter the roster if we are overachieving by Jan or Feb.

I didn't expect the goaltending to be as good as it's been this year. I assume the team will regress in this area which should put the pro tank crowd at ease. The question is how much.

 

[Bps21*]

Let's revisit this in a week and ahalf after the home and homes against Montreal and tampa. If we can lose to Winnipeg tomorrow...we can do some damage.

Of course the jets played today and beat one of the teams we are tied with...so losing to us tomorrow is the perfect storm.

 

[TehDoak]

 

[Namejs]

I wonder what Murray does to alter the roster if we are overachieving by Jan or Feb.

Send Girgs back to the 2nd/3rd line and put Ennis back at center. There, DONE.

The GEM line has scored 9 out of 16 Sabres' goals since they started playing together.

 

[TehDoak]

It's ok guys, Murray's got an ace up his sleeve

 

[Zip15]

On January 25, 2014, we were in 29th place and the Oilers were in 30th. Edmonton finished with 67 pts. We finished with 52 pts.

Still not worried. Edmonton is on a seven-game losing streak and we're on a three-game winning streak. This too shall pass. I expect a post-Eakins bump from Edmonton.

 

[I Like Eich]

On January 25, 2014, we were in 29th place and the Oilers were in 30th. Edmonton finished with 67 pts. We finished with 52 pts.

Still not worried. I expect a post-Eakins bump from Edmonton.

I'm still not slightly concerned. I'll hit the panic button if the All-Star break comes and we are not in last place. And that is a long way away from now still

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

There's some Twitter chatter (Strickland, others) about a possible Stewart to Jets trade.

 

[Digger12]

Year 9 of no playoffs, and still happy and proud to tank. If that happens to this fan base...

If you took a long look at the posts on the Oilers board, you would realize that 99% of the fans there are neither happy NOR proud about what's transpired so far this season. Frankly, we're pretty much disgusted, demoralized and disillusioned with it all.

Our org is run with rampant incompetence at all levels, and it's headed by an owner that though he means well and at least hasn't (yet) limited the team to how much it's allowed to spend, seems incapable of making the tough decision to fire his friends and always seems to have room from one more Oilers alumni hire. It's a truly hopeless situation at this point.

And it's been accomplished with:

A) The softest October and November schedule we've had in years.

B) Very little in the way of injuries.

Our December sked is absolutely brutal as we'll finally be playing the upper echelon of the Western Conference on a consistent basis. Of the 14 games we have that month, IMO they'll be fortunate to win more than 2 of them.

I've been watching my team for 35 years, and I've never felt as ashamed to have their jersey as I do now. I truly, legitimately hope you guys don't have to go through what it's been like for us these past 9 years and counting.

 

[sabrebuild]

If you took a long look at the posts on the Oilers board, you would realize that 99% of the fans there are neither happy NOR proud about what's transpired so far this season. Frankly, we're pretty much disgusted, demoralized and disillusioned with it all.

Our org is run with rampant incompetence at all levels, and it's headed by an owner that though he means well and at least hasn't (yet) limited the team to how much it's allowed to spend, seems incapable of making the tough decision to fire his friends and always seems to have room from one more Oilers alumni hire. It's a truly hopeless situation at this point.

And it's been accomplished with:

A) The softest October and November schedule we've had in years.

B) Very little in the way of injuries.

Our December sked is absolutely brutal as we'll finally be playing the upper echelon of the Western Conference on a consistent basis. Of the 14 games we have that month, IMO they'll be fortunate to win more than 2 of them.

I've been watching my team for 35 years, and I've never felt as ashamed to have their jersey as I do now. I truly, legitimately hope you guys don't have to go through what it's been like for us these past 9 years and counting.

I checked out your board a few days ago. It was like Mad Max out there, despair for what could have been and no hope for future glory.

 

[MayDay]

There's 4 phases to a season

Phase 1
Beginning to Thanksgiving:Identify the bottom feeders. (Roughly 25 games in)
Last season the bottom five teams were
1) Buffalo 11pts
2) Edmonton 18pts
3) Florida 19pts
4) NYI 19pts
5) Calgary 20pts

All those teams, just in a slightly different order, were the bottom 5 teams at the end of the season.

Phase 2
Thanksgiving till mid January/All-Star Break (Roughly 50 games in)
1) Buffalo 33 pts
2) Edmonton 36 pts
3) Calgary 39pts
4) Florida 47pts
5) NYI 49pts

Phase 3
After All-Star Break to Trade Deadline (Roughly 63 games in)
1) Buffalo 44pts
2) Edmonton 50pts
3) Florida 53pts
4) Calgary 53pts
5) NYI 56pts

Phase 4
Post Trade deadline till the end of the season
1) Buffalo 52pts
2) Florida 66pts
3) Edmonton 67pts
4) Calgary 77pts
5) NYI 79pts

This is where you really saw the separation. Buffalo only gained 8 points in their final 21 games. Up until the deadline, all the bottom 5 teams remained fairly close to each other all season. Buffalo had a mid season surge where they won a couple more games than they usually did, but the collapse at the end is what sealed it.

Yep, reconfirms what I have been fearing. At the quarter-mark last year, we already had substantial separation, a lead we never relinquished throughout the season.

This year is very different. For one thing, we can't count on a 4th quarter as horrible as we had last year. Last year it was a result of an abnormal streak of injuries and trading off key vets at the deadline. Sure we will have injuries this year but very unlikely that we will hit a stretch all at the same time like last year. We had Lieuwen and Hackett an Mackarov starting games, for godsake.

And as for trading veterans - we no longer have many veterans making key contributions left to trade. Sure, we could trade Stewart and Stafford, but their absence won't hurt us nearly as much as last year's loss of the likes of Moulson and Miller.

The final thing that worries me is that the Sabres seem to improving their play at the exact time that the teams around us (Edmonton, Carolina, Columbus) are getting worse. That's not a good trend for our draft hopes.

Point to Corsi and goal differential all you want, but I am very concerned about our prospects of McEichel at the moment. The single most important thing we need to do this season is to get one of those players, and we are in danger of blowing it.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Yep, reconfirms what I have been fearing. At the quarter-mark last year, we already had substantial separation, a lead we never relinquished throughout the season.

This year is very different. For one thing, we can't count on a 4th quarter as horrible as we had last year. Last year it was a result of an abnormal streak of injuries and trading off key vets at the deadline. Sure we will have injuries this year but very unlikely that we will hit a stretch all at the same time like last year. We had Lieuwen and Hackett an Mackarov starting games, for godsake.

And as for trading veterans - we no longer have many veterans making key contributions left to trade. Sure, we could trade Stewart and Stafford, but their absence won't hurt us nearly as much as last year's loss of the likes of Moulson and Miller.

The final thing that worries me is that the Sabres seem to improving their play at the exact time that the teams around us (Edmonton, Carolina, Columbus) are getting worse. That's not a good trend for our draft hopes.

Point to Corsi and goal differential all you want, but I am very concerned about our prospects of McEichel at the moment. The single most important thing we need to do this season is to get one of those players, and we are in danger of blowing it.

We did relinquish the lead.

 

[TehDoak]

I don't want to see this thread if it comes down the last week between us and another team for last place. It's going to be like a reverse playoff race.

 

[Clock]

I don't want to see this thread if it comes down the last week between us and another team for last place. It's going to be like a reverse playoff race.

It already is!

 

[TehDoak]

It already is!

The amount of panic if its down to the wire >>> the amount of panic now.

 

[Eram]

IMO whenever the Oilers do make a move (which should be soon), they should get a shot in the arm from the shakeup. They have their faults, but they shouldn't be nearly this bad.

 

[Bps21*]

We did relinquish the lead.

Technically for about three days by winning percentage. Never by points won.

 

[sabrebuild]

Yep, reconfirms what I have been fearing. At the quarter-mark last year, we already had substantial separation, a lead we never relinquished throughout the season.

This year is very different. For one thing, we can't count on a 4th quarter as horrible as we had last year. Last year it was a result of an abnormal streak of injuries and trading off key vets at the deadline. Sure we will have injuries this year but very unlikely that we will hit a stretch all at the same time like last year. We had Lieuwen and Hackett an Mackarov starting games, for godsake.

And as for trading veterans - we no longer have many veterans making key contributions left to trade. Sure, we could trade Stewart and Stafford, but their absence won't hurt us nearly as much as last year's loss of the likes of Moulson and Miller.

The final thing that worries me is that the Sabres seem to improving their play at the exact time that the teams around us (Edmonton, Carolina, Columbus) are getting worse. That's not a good trend for our draft hopes.

Point to Corsi and goal differential all you want, but I am very concerned about our prospects of McEichel at the moment. The single most important thing we need to do this season is to get one of those players, and we are in danger of blowing it.

I would actually say that losing Stafford would be similar to losing Moulson last year.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Carolina trailing Florida 1-0 in the 3rd.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Carolina trailing Florida 1-0 in the 3rd.

Same score as the final.

 

[haseoke39]

If I had to name the team that most controls their destiny right now, it would be Carolina. If that team decides to sell, they can walk away with it.