The Buffalo Sabres are in Free Fall

[Dr Black]

Buffalo has benefitted the least from the lotto we moved down twice due to the lotto despite being dead last.....

In one way, the Sabres were lucky in terms of the lottery in the way that Bettman changed the draft lottery rules in 2015 instead of 2016. If the top 3 picks were lottery picks in 2015, the Sabres could have missed out on Jack Eichel and picked Dylan Strome instead.

 

[Subbanned]

Their 10 game win streak was luck. All the underlying stats have shown it but as usual some people believed in them despite the evidence otherwise. Not that surprising. They are not in the league of the Eastern Conference's better teams.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Without having watched them this season I'd guess that they're this years Devils. Ie: teams stopped playing their backup goalies against them and have more film on their current roster.

 

[Panthaz89]

Their 10 game win streak was luck. All the underlying stats have shown it but as usual some people believed in them despite the evidence otherwise. Not that surprising. They are not in the league of the Eastern Conference's better teams.

the fact that they are losing just as many 1 goal games in the past 2 months is pretty unlucky and considering we had some injuries that hurt our team that's more unlucky than the win streak was where the team was relatively healthy at the time.

 

[Subbanned]

the fact that they are losing just as many 1 goal games in the past 2 months is pretty unlucky and considering we had some injuries that hurt our team that's more unlucky than the win streak was where the team was relatively healthy at the time.

Sorry, I should be more clear. By underlying stats I was referring to possession metrics which were not favourable. They were simply not as good a team as the standings indicated.

 

[Panthaz89]

Sorry, I should be more clear. By underlying stats I was referring to possession metrics which were not favourable. They were simply not as good a team as the standings indicated.

GD is usually a lot easier than looking at a bunch of metrics and almost always indicates whether the team is that good or not.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

lol only hit on top 3 picks most of the others are in juniors or ahl, it's not like they're busts, they're developing- and extremely well. Check out 7th rounder Victor Olofsson who lead the ahl in scoring this season and had the most goals in the shl last season, the 2nd best league in the world. UPL a 2nd rounder looking to be the best goalie prospect in a long time. Center Asplund a 2nd round pick with sky-high upside. Most non-first rounders aren't in the nhl at 20 you frame it as if they can't draft they obviously have very well. Laaskonen was a 3rd and he's looking like a top 10 d in the shl at 19. Stop spreading your propaganda or post it on your own board.


& I stand by my pre-season prediction of 6th in eastern conference.


They're getting very unlucky. (Sabres fans weren't exaggerating with 3 own-goals in one game) They are a better team than MTL, NYI, and CAR. Barring injuries I'm cautiously confident that they will make the PO's

For UPL you mean best goalie prospect for Buffalo in a while, right ?

 

[sabremike]

In one way, the Sabres were lucky in terms of the lottery in the way that Bettman changed the draft lottery rules in 2015 instead of 2016. If the top 3 picks were lottery picks in 2015, the Sabres could have missed out on Jack Eichel and picked Dylan Strome instead.

Murray going balls to the wall to prevent the 2016 rules being enacted a year early was literally the only good thing that clown ever did.

 

[Panthaz89]

In one way, the Sabres were lucky in terms of the lottery in the way that Bettman changed the draft lottery rules in 2015 instead of 2016. If the top 3 picks were lottery picks in 2015, the Sabres could have missed out on Jack Eichel and picked Dylan Strome instead.

its not even a guarantee that the Sabres pick Strome......why do you assume they pick the only underwhelming player in the top 5. Marner went right after.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

In September, if you told me the Sabres would be 1 point back of a playoff position after the new year then I’d have been ecstatic.

The 10 game win streak changed everyone’s perception of what this team is. It’s flawed, trading ROR has left a massive crater at the center position, nobody outside the top line and occasional defense scoring has provided anything of value points wise.

I still think we’ll back into the playoffs by April. Two things that might help the Sabres get back in the win column regularly is Botterill has to go find himself a better center option that Vladimir f***ing Sobotka and start riding Ullmark > Hutton.

I’d change out Housley for Quennville, (pipe dream) drive Housley to the airport and pay for his flight back to Minnesota if that’s what it took.

It’s been a decently fun year and frustrating at times when we lose which is actually a welcome change over rooting to obliterate the roster and lose every game.

 

[Niten Ichi Ryu]

Wonder if this will affect the projected cap. Bettman said the cap will be around 83-84M next season, up by 4-4.5 mil because of Buffalo's 10 game win streak.
Now that it's going the other way, does that number go down too?

 

[LongWayDown37]

I wouldn’t say they’re in a free fall, but they have been treading water and are now struggling to gulp for air.

 

[Advanced stats]

I wouldn’t say they’re in a free fall, but they have been treading water and are now struggling to gulp for air.

Hardly treading water Imo, don't they have a terrible last 10-15 games?

 

[Selanne00008]

I believe it's 6-10-4 in their last 20 games. Not good.

Someone above just commented about this, but most Sabre fans this year (myself included) just wanted to see growth. Be in it maybe until spring and most fans would simply be happy that their much better tan last year. No need to push for playoffs and trade a 1st rounder or anything. Let the chips fall wherever. If they make the playoffs and gain a round of experience even better!

 

[Lahey]

Told u all

 

[Thorton02]

Meh, they're right where we expected them to be going into the season. That 10 game winning streak changed the measuring stick for a lot of people, but apparently not our GM. Frankly, I'm ok with that. We've got some great young talent that's legit, but far too many guys that are either too young and need more development, or are just not very good.

One thing we've done was to establish our defence. Our top 6 with the additions of Dahlin, Pilut and a healthy Bogo actually excites me. If we can just find someone to slide into our #2 center spot, I think we'll see an immediate difference. A couple of wingers are in the pipeline, but we need a driver, not more complimentary players.

 

[bobbyking]

They'll still beat Edmonton tonight

 

[Blueline Bomber]

They'll still beat Edmonton tonight

This post didn’t age well...

 

[Pens x]

Botts need 5 or 6 more top 3 picks to make that team a contender.

 

[koyvoo]

15 losses in past 21 games?

Is that right?

 

[Woodhouse]

15 losses in past 21 games?

Is that right?

 

[Tage2Tuch]

It’s 6-11-4, 5 of those 6 following the ten game winning streak were by one goal against Nashville Washington Toronto Tampa and Winnipeg.

Just so the people who talk about winning by one goal, just so they know losing by one all the same.

Tonight wasn’t much like the team losing to Edmonton but they were bound to whoop us after the sabres blown out the oilers a few times the last few years.

Buffalo even outshot Edmonton 42-25 and nearly best the best team in the league last game.

The sabres never were better then a team competing for a wildcard spot and that’s exactly what’s happening.

If you would of told me we’d have the record we have now at the beginning of the year I wouldn’t of believeD it (even still) and would be ecstatic.

I am worried of course but I am
Still happy with what they’ve done this year they’ve also got really great prospects coming and three first round picks this season.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

I'm shocked. If only there were metrics that could have predicted this.

Ah the metrics.

The same ones that have the leafs nt having won a series in a decade and a half. Gotta love those.

And yet the leafs aren’t even THAT far ahead with there all star team they have. LOL

 

[GellMann]

Ah the metrics.

The same ones that have the leafs nt having won a series in a decade and a half. Gotta love those.

And yet the leafs aren’t even THAT far ahead with there all star team they have. LOL

Stop

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I just came here to read some Blues fans dish some well-deserved heat, where y'all at

 

[Tage2Tuch]

7 of the 10 wins in the streak were OT "wins", which means luck was on their side, (OT is basically luck of the draw).

Now the luck has shifted as it usually does over 82 games. I still like their chances.

Funny how people look at this but not how five of the six loses following the ten wins against the best teams were by one goal. All of them.

Weird that Jack Attack brought up Matthews in a post about Eichel. It's like clock work.

Only when it’s deserved and I hear about this so called pouting, nothing better then e posing the irony and giving an example of someone literally pouting.

Great game by the leafs tonight too!