The Next 'Core'

BuiltTagonTough

Stand still laddy!
Jul 2, 2009
11,700
474
Buffalo
Hodgson
Grigs
Girgs
Larsson
Armia
Foligno

Myers
Sekera
Pysyk

Hackett

Everyone else is a piece to help build with. Not saying these guys are untradeable, but they are the ones I prefer not to move.
 

Clock

Registered User
May 13, 2006
22,225
73
Interesting question. I'd have to say "no one." We're basically at a blank slate at this point, which I don't think is necessarily a bad thing, being at ground zero of a rebuild. Let's see who makes this team theirs next season.
 

SnuggaRUDE

Registered User
Apr 5, 2013
8,950
6,481
With the old core pretty much down and out, in various forms, I have to ask, as bluntly as possible:


Who should "the new core "consist of?


Who are we building the team around? Are we still a few years away from establishing a core? May seem vague, but give it a shot.

I don't know, but I'm already sick of them. They're a bunch of losers who have never won anything. Also they've probably had their confidence shattered already. Plus they may have once met Tim Connelly. And now they know Jochen Hecht.

Fire them all, hire a replacement GM. Then fire him too because he once shared an office with Darcy. Become the first team in the league to be run by "Whiner Line Consensus" embrace THE CLOUD. The Whiner Line will succeed because THEY WANT IT MORE.

Or never refer to a group of players again as 'The Core'. I'm fine with either solution.
 

stokes84

Registered User
Jun 30, 2008
19,285
4,157
Charleston, SC
This is a transitional group, so I think we may have to wait for another year or two before we see a real core emerge. Early front runners are:

Myers
Pysyk
Ennis
Hodgson

All of the other kids have a lot to prove and will battle it out to belong in that group. (So does Pysyk, but he looks like he's on his way.)
 

MayDay

Registered User
Oct 21, 2005
12,661
1,146
Pleasantville, NY
This is a transitional group, so I think we may have to wait for another year or two before we see a real core emerge. Early front runners are:

Myers
Pysyk
Ennis
Hodgson

All of the other kids have a lot to prove and will battle it out to belong in that group. (So does Pysyk, but he looks like he's on his way.)

I would include Foligno in this group.
 

Chainshot

Give 'em Enough Rope
Sponsor
Feb 28, 2002
148,169
96,820
Tarnation
Merged.

Interesting question. I'd have to say "no one." We're basically at a blank slate at this point, which I don't think is necessarily a bad thing, being at ground zero of a rebuild. Let's see who makes this team theirs next season.

I'm in the same boot. There isn't enough talent here to be overly attached to anyone on the current roster or in the prospect pool. Front office attachments lead them to leave the same pieces in place for nearly 5 years before making some changes. If they become attached again, rather than continuely reviewing what they have on the ice and what they as a franchise want to accomplish, we'll probably be having this conversation again in 5-ish years again.

It seems as though Regier holds these roster players in a certain light:

Hodgson
Myers
Ennis
Foligno

Whether right or wrong, that's the bunch they are trying to mature right now. Which of the prospects develops and adds to that group remains to be seen -- there are plenty of questions about the high-end skill guys to be troublesome, and there are enough guys who may not have the offensive upside to be of questionable effectiveness. They need a stud, dynamic, dominant forward, someone who can shift the course of a game in a single shift. Is there one here or on the way? Maybe, but I have my doubts.

No one should be untouchable right now. If there is a deal that could improve the team, they need to be looking at it. And that puts anyone and everyone onto the available list, including the names above. No one need be safe any more. Safe got them into this mess, safe will not get them out.
 

French Connection

Registered User
Aug 16, 2007
739
0
Hodgson
Grigs
Girgs
Larsson
Armia
Foligno

Myers
Sekera
Pysyk

Hackett

Everyone else is a piece to help build with. Not saying these guys are untradeable, but they are the ones I prefer not to move.

Simply amazes me how players are just picked from being the flavor of the day.

How about Mcnabb and Tropp? Oh ya they where hurt so we forgot about them and just kick them aside like any other damaged player.

Having said that, there is no CORE as nobody is untouchable.
 

MayDay

Registered User
Oct 21, 2005
12,661
1,146
Pleasantville, NY
How about Mcnabb and Tropp? Oh ya they where hurt so we forgot about them and just kick them aside like any other damaged player.

I wouldn't be so quick to label those two as "core," but I definitely haven't forgotten about them.

But you're right, I think posters tend to forget about players who are out with extended injuries.

I've hardly heard Corey Tropp's name this season in discussions about rebuilding this team going forward.
 

notHiro

Registered User
Feb 22, 2009
236
0
I'd say the only two pieces right now that seem to be untouchable are Hodgson and Myers. Foligno is close, but I think everyone's backed off a bit after his hot start at the end of last season.

We still have to wait on guys like Grigorenko, Armia, Girgensons, and a lot of the other prospects to see if they can be part of the rebuild.
 

snapshot19

Registered User
Feb 27, 2012
241
0
We all remember when the franchise's soul was ripped apart by the departures of Drury and Briere. The young core we were left to pin our hopes on included Vanek, Roy, Pominville, Connoly, Stafford, Campbell, Gaustad, Paille, MacArthur and Miller in goal. As hard as it was to take losing the heart and soul of the team that young core which remained did have lots of promise and looking at the stats from the 2006-2007 many had already broken through as young stars - Vanek with 43 goals and 84 points, Pominville with 34 goals and 68 points, Roy 21 goals and 63 points, Campbell 48 points, Stafford projected to a full season 26 goals and 54 points.

And now with what looks like a back to square one rebuild underway, possibly going into next season minus Pominville, Vanek and Miller, what is the next 'core' to put our hopes in?

It's Myers, Hodgson, Ennis, Foligno and a bunch of kids with little or no professional experience and some not even drafted yet. Myers we already know is suspect character/maturity wise, came in unprepared out of shape and gets very down on himself, doesn't like pressure.
Hodgson was not liked in the room in Vancouver, there were the stories of his hockey dad father pushing management for more ice time and a bigger role in his kid's rookie season on a team filled with veterans. Also talk of Cody just not fitting in socially - he's a daddy's boy who prefers chess to boozing and carousing. If he was your son you'd be fine and maybe proud of that - in the culture of hockey, that is a 'square peg'
. Ennis, there was talk about him a couple months ago, regarding dedication/preparation, I forget Paul Hamilton's words but they were not flattering to Ennis. Hamilton is around the team as much as anybody in the media. Grigorenko fell to 12th in the draft because of doubts about his character and dedication. Armia will be a kid from Europe on his own in North America for the first time, sure to be growing pains on and off the ice. With the dearth of talent on the Sabres young players will be force fed to play in the NHL. Not the best situation for young players, a small number of those thrive who get thrown in the deep end young but most are worse for it.

What this team needs to do in the off season is trade some of the picks for NHL veterans and get others through free agency, you can't have a room full of kids, you need older players who will demand and command respect and you need some real 'dirtbags', who aren't afraid to make things unpleasant for the kids if need be, put a little fear into them. This was a major problem I believe with the last 'core' - they were allowed to create their own culture and it was a culture of softness and comfort with little accountability and expectations. Poor Lindy, the grumpy Dad barking into the wind as the grass remained unmown, the garbage bags piling up in the garage, and the grades remained C's for the underachievers.

The more I think about it the more I realize that Vanek has to go, there's not a chance he re-signs here after next season with the youth movement underway. We need to get as full value as we can for him and that means before next season begins.

There's no turning back now in my opinion. The option to hang on to Miller and Vanek another year hoping they both re-sign is too risky, even if they play for us next year and under a new coach or even Rolston some kids come in and contribute well, Myers reclaims some of his potential and the Sabres were to make the playoffs - I still think Vanek and Miller leave without us getting anything in return. Can't afford that, making the playoffs and a first round exit isn't worth that risk.

Regier can't survive this, please tell me I'm right. If this team was a publically traded stock it would be worth about 4 dollars now from 30 dollars a couple of years ago. The stockholders would demand the CEO had to go and he'd be gone.

Way to make up a bunch of stuff about Hodgson. I'd like a source on any of the above regarding not being liked in the room in Vancouver and apparent talks of him not fitting in socially. I like the discussion post but don't just throw out random information with no source and expect it to go unnoticed by everyone else on the board. I went to University with Hodgson's brother Clayton and on more than one occasion Cody did come out with us. He was far from socially awkward. So get your facts straight and don't go throwing out random comments without knowing a single real fact regarding Cody and who he is as a person. Anyone who takes their job as a NHL player seriously isn't out drinking and as you put it carousing. And that doesn't make him a Daddy's boy it means he is taking responsibility for his top priority and that is being a professional hockey player on and off the ice. Something most NHL players do prime example Sidney Crosby. I'm not saying I'm all buddies with Cody but I did hang out with him so I feel I have some sort of opinion on where he sits socially. Definitely more of an opinion than the random comments you made.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

BuiltTagonTough

Stand still laddy!
Jul 2, 2009
11,700
474
Buffalo
But 5 forwards who haven't proven a thing in the NHL are "core". Solid logic.

Yes, because I meant tomorrow, and not several years from now. I think those are the players they should build around in the future. If Ennis is on the team great, if not I won't lose sleep over it.

Simply amazes me how players are just picked from being the flavor of the day.

How about Mcnabb and Tropp? Oh ya they where hurt so we forgot about them and just kick them aside like any other damaged player.

Having said that, there is no CORE as nobody is untouchable.

I didn't say anybody was untouchable. I went out of my way to say that they weren't in fact. Flavor of the day? Please. Tropp is a 3rd liner. I love him but he isn't a key piece.

Hackett before Ennis, only on HF.

Apples and oranges. Unless Ennis can stop pucks?
 

Djp

Registered User
Jul 28, 2012
23,825
5,639
Alexandria, VA
Buffalo doesnt need to to a major rebuild---and they dont need to go with some sort of win next year or else mentality.

The goal right now is for 2014/15.

In the summer of 2014 there could be a few notable free agents they could go and get.

What I see as the team in 2014/15:

Leino-Hodgson-????
Foligno-Grigorenko-Armia
Girgensons-Larrson-Ott
???? - Catenacci-Kaleta


Ennis(RFA 2014) , stafford(UFA 2015), Troup(RFA 2013), Adam(RFA 2013), Porter (UFA 2014), Flynn (RFA 2013), Gerbe (RFA 2014).

Having 2 1st in 2013 will likely produce one player who will want to be on the NHL 23 man unit in 2014/15.

Ehrhoff-Myers
Sekera-Pysyk
McNabb-Weber
McCabe

Hackett, Makaro, Enroth


I wouldnt mind doing an Ennis +Stafford for Ryan


If you look at the team and look at the younger depth you wonder what they will do.

Miller gets dealt for picks/prospects.

Vanek gets dealt for Picks/prospects

Id like to resign Vanek at a reasonable price. If they resign Vanek for 4 years, do they then look to move Leino sometime in 2014 for pics and eat part of his contract (like $1-$2 M per yr) instead of just waiving/buyout.




Likely return for Miler would be a quality young player + 1st/2nd.

Likely return for Vanek would be 2 quality young players + 1st
 

1972

"Craigs on it"
Apr 9, 2012
14,426
3,147
Canada
Myers(needs to regain form)
Hodgson

I have no idea how people are anointing Girgensons, Armia, Hackett, Grigorenko ect.. as core when we have no idea if they will even be above average players.
 

BuiltTagonTough

Stand still laddy!
Jul 2, 2009
11,700
474
Buffalo
Myers(needs to regain form)
Hodgson

I have no idea how people are anointing Girgensons, Armia, Hackett, Grigorenko ect.. as core when we have no idea if they will even be above average players.

Again, not anointing, not saying they are core now or will ever be, I just think that those are the guys we will eventually be building around.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->