Time to be Optimistic

[member 329811]

Lot's of optimism for the new club and all the shiny new bling and there's nothing wrong with that. However, we should expect results and I'll be optimistic once they finally get out of the bottom 8.

What happens after that - I don't know .... but climbing out of the bottom is a milestone I hope they can accomplish this coming season.

 

[Jacob582]

Another positive is that the Sabres could be paying Berglund $2.45M this season if they hadn't terminated his contract back in 2018.

 

[Buffaloed]

It's a great time to jump on the Sabres bandwagon. When they win the cup, you can rightfully claim you became a fan when they were at their lowest point. This opportunity only comes along every 3 or 4 years.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

It's a great time to jump on the Sabres bandwagon. When they win the cup, you can rightfully claim you became a fan when they were at their lowest point. This opportunity only comes along every 3 or 4 years.

Like Apple in the 90s. Kevyn is our Steve Jobs. "Players that want to be here" is their "Think Different." We are all going to be rich!

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I expect this team to be bad. Like, second year San Jose Sharks bad. But I do expect them to be exciting to watch.

Last year I got frustrated watching them. So I didn’t, outside of an occasional game and when a player made their NHL or Sabres debut. By the end of the season, I was watching nearly every game.

 

[EichHart]

I really can't get there quite yet. If we trade Eichel for more than the garbage I expect maybe I can get there. If we trade Eichel for scraps and we win Wright lottery I can get there quick.

 

[Butt Ox]

So Pecs is back. That's nice.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

So Pecs is back. That's nice.

He'll have some advice for Eichel.

 

[Montag DP]

I can't think of many reasons on paper we'd be anything other than really bad. The only hope of being decent is if we have a turnaround kind of like NYI did after trading Tavares. I agree with others that at least under Granato they shouldn't be as frustrating to watch. Maybe they finally get rid of that "culture problem" they've had since 2015 or whatever. That would be a good start at least.

 

[K8fool]

Note, I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade about being optimistic about the team. It is only personally that I would be more optimistic that they're going to get moving forward via goaltending (think back to two years ago when a .500 goalie would've put them in playoff contention until the final week of the season).

Ironically the same reason many wanted out when Hutton shoyld have been shiwn the door instead

 

[Man of Principles]

I hate when people just write the whole year off like it won't be worth watching. I personally am very excited to see the likes of Cozens, Asplund, Mittelstadt, Ruotsalainen, Dahlin etc. get a year under Granato. I think it's going to be fun even if they're putrid.

 

[Lloydchristmas138]

Watching some Ruotsalainen highlights has me excited for his season. Him, bjork and Cozens had some nice chemistry. This guy has some nice wheels and skills. Who knows how good he could really be?

 

[cramdizzl]

Look at this prospect list from 2015 and then tell me, with a straight face, that we're not off to a better start. And we haven't even begun our "Eichel" year.

1. Jack Eichel
2. Sam Reinhart
3. Jake McCabe
4. Hudson Fasching
5. Nick Baptiste
6. Gustav Possler
7. Vaclav Karabacek
8. Justin Bailey
9. William Carrier
10. Andrey Makarov

 

[Samsonite23]

Steve Kournianos gave us the top grade of the draft. Think this is on apple podcasts too. Sabres are talked about starting around 1:29.

Feel free to move or add this to a draft thread. Not sure where to put it.

With Pronman giving them his top grade as well…kinda cool.

 

[Zman5778]

I expect this team to be bad. Like, second year San Jose Sharks bad. But I do expect them to be exciting to watch.

Last year I got frustrated watching them. So I didn’t, outside of an occasional game and when a player made their NHL or Sabres debut. By the end of the season, I was watching nearly every game.

I'm expecting them to be more of what we saw in the time frame after the streak -- competitive in 75% of the games and generally entertaining. Yeah, we'll have some stinkers......but I think it'll largely be an enjoyable experience.

 

[sabresEH]

I'm looking forward to this next season. Seeing the young guns play some exciting hockey with some big minutes.

Part of me also hopes Eichel connects with Granato and digs the new atmosphere and changes his mind as the season progresses.

I look at Stamkos. He's 31. He didn't win his first cup until 30. Eichel can totally be with this team as they build. He's a franchis center that can insulate Mitts and Cozens.

Big difference between Stamkos sticking it out in TB and Eichel in Buffalo.

In his 3rd year TB made playoffs. In his 7th they made the SCF’s. They had success to build on and keep him happy because of. We have nothing. Not even a sniff of play-offs.

 

[Buffaloed]

I hate when people just write the whole year off like it won't be worth watching. I personally am very excited to see the likes of Cozens, Asplund, Mittelstadt, Ruotsalainen, Dahlin etc. get a year under Granato. I think it's going to be fun even if they're putrid.

If the players believe in the team, they'll try. If they don't believe they'll stop trying. Players that don't want to be here, don't believe. The fans will support a team that doesn't quit. A team that doesn't quit will develop and improve.

 

[Hashbrown77]

Im optimistic that this rebuild will be done the right way, which is slow and steady. The biggest mistake GMTM made was speeding up his rebuild and it cost this franchise dearly. If the right deal for Jack comes along and improves our team not just now but in the future then great......if not, i dont care if he sits out the next 5 years. Im over him and could care less if he ever wears a Sabres jersey again.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

If the players believe in the team, they'll try. If they don't believe they'll stop trying. Players that don't want to be here, don't believe. The fans will support a team that doesn't quit. A team that doesn't quit will develop and improve.

I will agree that Buffalo fans will support a hard working team that never gives up. It's still a lunch pail, work the corners, go fearlessly to the dirty spots type of town - sportsfan wise.

It's just too early to tell if that's what we have here.

 

[Lloydchristmas138]

Another small part of last year that I think shouldn't be forgotten was the fact that the young guys were literally playing Boston, Wash, Pitt, NYI, NYR, PHI every game. A guy like Cozens has already had to line up against Crosby, Bergeron etc. over and over

 

[sabremike]

If the players believe in the team, they'll try. If they don't believe they'll stop trying. Players that don't want to be here, don't believe. The fans will support a team that doesn't quit. A team that doesn't quit will develop and improve.

Adams should probably stop saying that he doesn't expect to be competitive for a few seasons. That crap may buy him time but I doubt it inspires confidence in the players we have. I mean if Leicester City can win the freaking Premier League than this team can at least be in playoff contention going into the final few weeks of the season.

 

[Djp]

Look at this prospect list from 2015 and then tell me, with a straight face, that we're not off to a better start. And we haven't even begun our "Eichel" year.

1. Jack Eichel
2. Sam Reinhart
3. Jake McCabe
4. Hudson Fasching
5. Nick Baptiste
6. Gustav Possler
7. Vaclav Karabacek
8. Justin Bailey
9. William Carrier
10. Andrey Makarov

check back in 2027…..

 

[Djp]

Adams should probably stop saying that he doesn't expect to be competitive for a few seasons. That crap may buy him time but I doubt it inspires confidence in the players we have. I mean if Leicester City can win the freaking Premier League than this team can at least be in playoff contention going into the final few weeks of the season.

Sure if everything goes well you can have a playoff team. If Eichel plays for them or doesn’t. It depends if he’s traded what comes back that plays in nhl next year.


It’s better for him to lower expectations on next year than get blowback.

 

[joshjull]

Adams should probably stop saying that he doesn't expect to be competitive for a few seasons. That crap may buy him time but I doubt it inspires confidence in the players we have. I mean if Leicester City can win the freaking Premier League than this team can at least be in playoff contention going into the final few weeks of the season.

I don’t recall Adams saying we won’t be competitive for a few seasons. Maybe he did and I missed it.

 

[joshjull]

Another small part of last year that I think shouldn't be forgotten was the fact that the young guys were literally playing Boston, Wash, Pitt, NYI, NYR, PHI every game. A guy like Cozens has already had to line up against Crosby, Bergeron etc. over and over

Yep. The schedule was brutal last season from a time crunch and opponent perspective.

No matter how tough our division is this year it will only be 26 of our 82gms (playing each team 3 or 4x). Instead of 56 of 56 games playing them 8x each.