What would be considered a successful season?

[Ginger Papa]

More than wins and losses I'm interested to see if the new coaching staff can properly evaluate its players and learn how to deploy them in a way that will allow them to succeed.

That and the development of our young players like Mitts, Olofsson, Tage, Jokiharju and others.

Full disclosure, I apologize for pasting in a post that I made in the "Projected Line-up" Thread. I'll see if it needs to be removed as I should have placed it here to begin with.

Now that's out of the way.....

Fellow long-suffering 1970 franchise fan coming in peace.

I've been following our fraternal franchise much closer since the arrival of #9 and I believe you're closer to a playoff team than the Canucks. I think that in addition to your obvious stars, you have a couple of real gems in Olofsson & the Joker. IMHO, Victor appears to have that rare ability to creep into open space that reminds me of past great -Rick Martin (I know, I'm old). How great would it be if #9 is his Gilbert.

I realize that I'm walking the tightrope of hyperbole, but I just wanted to share my appreciation of what I believe is going to be a team on the rise this year, in particular, because of the coach and what he brings. I am not an "Insider", but I have a family member who was close to the 2012-2013 Oilers supporting cast and the collective thoughts were that Ralph was the long-awaited beginning of the upswing. There was an equally collective sense of disappointment when Mr. Krueger was dismissed.

My prediction is that the Sword & Bison make the playoffs ala Trotz & the Isles last season. I truly believe that your new coach is going to bring out the best in your vets & develop your young prospects. I loved watching Phil play for you back in the 80's & Jets in the 90's, but I wish for him that he could have been your assistant coach, as I see that as his strength (Arizona will benefit IMHO).

Best of luck from the West Coast in the upcoming season, I think you're going to have a lot to cheer about (fingers crossed on Hutton).
Cheers

 

[Jim Bob]

Seeing people already making excuses for this team bombing out this season is making me want to slam my fist through a wall. Eight years of seasons over by early February and people are OK with nine (in a league all but rigged so that just about every team has a postseason chance and has seen 2 bottom 3 teams in the past few years qualify the next season)?

You see people making excuses and I see people that are looking at the makeup of this roster and having a realistic outlook on how this season will play out.

There is a huge gap between what I want this team to do this season and what I expect them to do this season.

 

[Dubi Doo]

It's debatable to say Botterill showed favoritism to Mittelstadt and Thompson, when one of them played 4th most mins of the regular Cs, and the other played even less time before being sent down...all while there was shoddy depth across the FW group. There's an argument to have put them in Rochester, but hardly enough to call it a clear case of GM bias. Look at how Botterill added to the FW group with Johansson and Vesey. Is that a GM looking to gift Mittelstadt and Thompson more time?

Even if you're totally right, playing anyone who was available in front of them doesn't move the needle for team success, because the depth was THAT bad last season, and not much better for now until draftees progress. Wanting to win is great, and robbing the future for now looks like a great effort, but it's a failed plan that has already proven itself for the worse. Filling the two biggest holes on the roster (2C and scoring RW), with the proper targets of quality young players entering their prime, would cost a massive haul that few teams could afford in trade...let alone Buffalo.

Thompson was literally one of the worst forwards on the roster, and Mitts had long stretches where he looked physically outmatched. Botts should've been shuffling the young players to see who could find a role on the squad. Nylander, Smith, Asplund, and Olofsson should've been cycled in when it was clear Thompson and Mitts were far from NHL ready. It's what's best for everyone.

Oh, I agree. Finding a great 2C in his prime under term is a tough task, and the price would be sky high, but since Botts was the one who created that blackhole in the line-up...I have no sympathy for him, and he should be judged harshly because of this. We're going to be struggling to find that 2C for a long time. The roster is suffering because of Botts moves.

We seem to be derailing the thread, though, so meet me at the Botts thread after lunch! We'll handle our beef there! *insert pinching emoji*

 

[Aladyyn]

If you asked people in spring 2017 where the Sabres would be in 3 years they would 100% say the playoffs. If Botts isn't good enough then he's just not good enough and that's the end of it.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

The real question is: Would you be ok/happy/sad if they reach the conference finals, only to lose and get swept by the Leafs?

Realistically if we make the playoffs its via wildcard and i don't see Toronto beating out Tampa and Boston for the division.

*Whoops i misread your post - didn't notice you said conference finals. Hell the leafs aren't making it there either haha.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[HaNotsri]

Success=playoffs. It's the only outcome where the players can feel ok about themselves. Completely unrealistic though. We were worse than Ottawa in 2019. We outsucked every single team in 2019.

 

[Tatanka]

Those two teams were in very different places than the Sabres were entering this season.

And like has been talked about all, it wasn't just the coaching change that got the Blues from worst to first. They also called up Binnnasty who went on a heater in net.

And if you think RK is Trotz v2.0, well....

I don't but I also am not inclined to allow the management to use the new coach excuse. Or wait til next year when zi have a clean cap.

 

[sabremike]

I've changed my mind: if when the laffs visit KBA Sabretooth goes behind their bench, drops his pants and moons Matthews wearing only underwear I will consider the season a smashing success.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Getting through the season healthy. Not the team, I'm talking about me. Going to be a long one.

 

[OkimLom]

The last thing we need is the Sabres to make the playoffs and make the thought of a re-signing/keeping Sobotka, Bogosian, and others, an enticing one...

 

[Chainshot]

Be competitive until late in the season. Be relevant.

 

[ADK]

If we are still in contention for a playoff spot in March, I will be very satisfied. If we make the playoffs, it will be euphoric. I'd like at least 90 points.

 

[Panthaz89]

Getting to the playoffs will be a process.

Looking at a new coaching staff, I don't believe that setting the bar at making the playoffs this year is realistic.

For me, I think this team needs to be better this year under RK and staff and get to the point where making the playoffs next year feels like a realistic expectation 12 months from now.

The bar absolutely has to be playoffs considering how long the team has had time to build a team that contends...coaches are expected to make progress and get as much as you can out of your players if we don't do that then then the season has been a failure. Calling it unrealistic is a joke 16 teams make it in every year we were 1st in the league a couple months into last year we have to find out how to maintain that level of play more.

 

[Panthaz89]

Those two teams were in very different places than the Sabres were entering this season.

And like has been talked about all, it wasn't just the coaching change that got the Blues from worst to first. They also called up Binnnasty who went on a heater in net.

And if you think RK is Trotz v2.0, well....

I also don't think you realize that the Islanders weren't in a great position at all...they had just grabbed our former starter in Lehner and lost Tavares after making the playoffs like once this decade....they weren't in a spot that was necessarily better than the Sabres its hard to say that they even have better players overall.

 

[Panthaz89]

Thompson and Mitts are who I was referring to. Last season their leash was way too long, and it's because they were Botts boys. If they show they dont belong this year, then send them down. Same for any of the other youngsters. Botts hasn't shown the ability to separate his love affair with who he hand picked and acknowledging what's best for the team now and the prospects long term.

But...if this team is going to make the playoffs the young players will have to make big strides. I have my doubts, but that's what needs to happen. I hope they do. I'm a fan first and foremost, and want to win.

Mitts is straight up better than any other options we have as bottom 6 Center you play the best guy possible and that's Casey he certainly deserved to be on the team over crap like Sobotka there is a difference between thrusting a kid into the lineup when you have someone just as good as far as we know no one in our organization is better than Mitts as a 3C so why the hell do people whine about it? Thompson sure didn't deserve the minutes last year because we know that we had better wingers available down in our system.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Mitts is straight up better than any other options we have as bottom 6 Center you play the best guy possible and that's Casey he certainly deserved to be on the team over crap like Sobotka there is a difference between thrusting a kid into the lineup when you have someone just as good as far as we know no one in our organization is better than Mitts as a 3C so why the hell do people whine about it? Thompson sure didn't deserve the minutes last year because we know that we had better wingers available down in our system.

That's not an excuse to rush a prospect who's not ready. Also, Reinhart could've got a shot at center, or even Girgs.

 

[SabresSharks]

So the consensus is "We're crap, but we bloody well better make the playoffs."?

 

[Aladyyn]

So the consensus is "We're crap, but we bloody well better make the playoffs."?

More like "we really shouldn't still be crap"

 

[brian_griffin]

I'm reading all the "playoffs are a must" posts and thinking that it is like expecting a 6 month old baby to run a sub 5 second 40 yard dash in the next week.

"Sorry kid, but you aren't getting that D1 scholarship by rolling over! We need to raise the bar, son!"

I know, right!!!
I was potty trained before I could do a sub-5-second 40. People have unrealistic expectations.

 

[valet]

Playoffs, regardless of what our roster looks like

 

[valet]

I know, right!!!
I was potty trained before I could do a sub-5-second 40. People have unrealistic expectations.

Expectations have nothing to do with a general marker for team success in the league tho.... Regardless of what's realistic or not we can still say that a team didn't succeed in a season that they didn't make the playoffs

 

[5 Minute Major]

When you have two, experienced #2’s overall and a supposed generational talent on defense, anything short of winning in the playoffs should be unacceptable.

My gosh, some people act like a playoff berth is something that should be celebrated.

Enough with the excuses for this sorry franchise. Start winning or get the hell out of town.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

When you have two, experienced #2’s overall and a supposed generational talent on defense, anything short of winning in the playoffs should be unacceptable.

My gosh, some people act like a playoff berth is something that should be celebrated.

Enough with the excuses for this sorry franchise. Start winning or get the hell out of town.

Sixteen out of thirty-one teams qualify for the playoffs. Over half the teams in the league make it in every year. Over time, teams should luck into making the playoffs occasionally. Eight straight years in the bottom half of the league is quite a testament to a long line of incompetence.

 

[jd1970]

Not becoming a playoff team would be a disaster. In that event, I would favor trading Eichel in a Pierre Turgeon like blockbuster.