YIKES!

Judging by the Sabres' November schedule, they'll be luck to have a half-dozen wins on the season by the end of the month.

Knowing the Sabres' luck they won't win the lottery either!

I want the exact opposite.
- buffalofan19

which ast gm are you thinking of? I bet we are thinking different.

Maybe we should just forfeit the pick..and trade risto, Zadorov and Girgensons for 7th rounders. It guarantees us last place which unfortunately only gives us a 25% chance of getting McDavid.

Plus its the sabres were talking about. We're not getting McDavid while Gary Bettman is in charge.
- Sabresfan-365

You can trade out of the #1 pick and solve that problem without losing assets. My problem isn't that they are tanking for a high draft pick. My problem is that they are tanking for the wrong one.

Tomas vanek was picked 5th overall,where did they get us
- REGIERhater

One of the best goal scorers in team history?

YIKES!

Judging by the Sabres' November schedule, they'll be luck to have a half-dozen wins on the season by the end of the month.

Knowing the Sabres' luck they won't win the lottery either!
- As_I_See_It

I will gladly take second overall. I'll even be happy if we take Ekblad provided they move a defensemen so as to avoid a giant cluster(frank) of prospects on the blue line.

One of the best goal scorers in team history?
- sbroads24

Like being the tallest miget

My biggest fear is that Reinhart, assuming they win the lottery and pick him, is good enough to get the Sabres out of the basement but not the playoffs, and they miss out on a decent chance to get McDavid.
- buffalofan19

Someone else has already mentioned other pieces leaving, but I point back to a post I made earlier - leave Reinhart in Juniors or wherever he's playing, that way he doesn't help the team. Then the 15/16 season could theoretically field a duo of #1 overall rookies for us.

I will gladly take second overall. I'll even be happy if we take Ekblad provided they move a defensemen so as to avoid a giant cluster(frank) of prospects on the blue line.
- Sabresfan-365

Im guessing its you now that disagrees with me if we draft 2 i want Nylander if Ekbald left trade out

You can trade out of the #1 pick and solve that problem without losing assets. My problem isn't that they are tanking for a high draft pick. My problem is that they are tanking for the wrong one.
- buffalofan19

I would argue that despite the timing, We have just as much a chance as winning the lottery next year as we do this year. I don't see us really being that much better next year. Sure the kids will grow up, but we'll be short exactly one game saving goaltender and there's a chance guys like ott and moulson will be replaced with more kids.

My biggest fear is that Reinhart, assuming they win the lottery and pick him, is good enough to get the Sabres out of the basement but not the playoffs, and they miss out on a decent chance to get McDavid.
- buffalofan19

But if we are like Edmonton like you say we are, don't we have consecutive 1st overall picks coming our way?

Im guessing its you now that disagrees with me if we draft 2 i want Nylander if Ekbald left trade out
- hubie

I would be fine with Nylander as well. Honestly I think all three are very talented. I give a slight edge to the two canadians but I'm not going to be crying if we end up with Nylander.

Given how weak we are on the wings I'd welcome the addition.

Tomas vanek was picked 5th overall,where did they get us
- REGIERhater

This is another thing that I have a problem with. Someone came up with some research that every cup winning team over the past 10-15 years or so had a top 5 pick on it, which is true. However, if you do some simple math, it's not that mind-boggling, and not some sort of ground-breaking formula for success. Let's go back 10 years. That means that there are 50 "top 5 picks" since 2003 (2003 to 2012 is ten seasons). There are only 30 teams in this league. Law of averages, combined with trades, free agency, etc. dictates that most teams will have a "top 5 pick" on it, so of course it's not unthinkable that a top 5 pick is going to be on most cup winning teams. In fact, a top 5 pick is also going to be on most teams overall.

Maybe we should just forfeit the pick..and trade risto, Zadorov and Girgensons for 7th rounders. It guarantees us last place which unfortunately only gives us a 25% chance of getting McDavid.

Plus its the sabres were talking about. We're not getting McDavid while Gary Bettman is in charge.
- Sabresfan-365

You are taking it too extreme. However without the lockout Pittsburgh doesn't get Crosby. Malkin is good enough to get them in the 26-18 place. Did Pittsburgh need Malkin to win the cup 100% yes but they don't get there without Crosby.

The Sabres need that "it" guy. We don't have him now and won't after the 2014 draft barring some major trade happening.

The examples of Boston and LA are noted but LA was stacked with Carter Richards Kopitar Brown. The Sabres don't have any of those

The Bruins had Chara an elite game changer (he was then) who shut everyone down. We don't have that. No NHL team does

But if we are like Edmonton like you say we are, don't we have consecutive 1st overall picks coming our way?
- sbroads24

I didn't say that the Sabres would be like Edmonton because they have multiple first overall picks. I say that they are like Edmonton in that however many first overall picks Buffalo gets, be it one or seven, none of them is a guy worth building a franchise around. Are they players that make your team good, yes. Great? No.

You are taking it too extreme. However without the lockout Pittsburgh doesn't get Crosby. Malkin is good enough to get them in the 26-18 place. Did Pittsburgh need Malkin to win the cup 100% yes but they don't get there without Crosby.

The Sabres need that "it" guy. We don't have him now and won't after the 2014 draft barring some major trade happening.

The examples of Boston and LA are noted but LA was stacked with Carter Richards Kopitar Brown. The Sabres don't have any of those

The Bruins had Chara an elite game changer (he was then) who shut everyone down. We don't have that. No NHL team does
- Stripes77

Not yet. When the rebuild is "over" you asses your team and determine who's staying, who's trade bait and who's a bust.

There's not way that by the time the sabres are semi-competitve that all of these 1st round picks will have stuck around, the numbers don't work out. LA got carter and richards by moving pieces and we would need to do the same. They decided Doughty and Kopitar were worth keeping and that Johnson and Schenn would be valuable assets to move for NHL ready players and I hope we do the same.

I would argue that despite the timing, We have just as much a chance as winning the lottery next year as we do this year. I don't see us really being that much better next year. Sure the kids will grow up, but we'll be short exactly one game saving goaltender and there's a chance guys like ott and moulson will be replaced with more kids.
- Sabresfan-365

This team will improve next year, even if it's marginally. The question becomes, how many other teams tank as well. The more teams that blow things up, the less chance you get for a pick that's good enough to get a reasonable chance at winning the lottery.

I didn't say that the Sabres would be like Edmonton because they have multiple first overall picks. I say that they are like Edmonton in that however many first overall picks Buffalo gets, be it one or seven, none of them is a guy worth building a franchise players. Are they players that make your team good, yes. Great? No.
- buffalofan19

In sorry but Crosby alone doesn't make this team great. No player would, that's why it's called a rebuild, you're rebuilding the whole team, not just one player. Bottom line Reinhart helps us become more talented. End of story, you take him. Don't trade the pick

I would be fine with Nylander as well. Honestly I think all three are very talented. I give a slight edge to the two canadians but I'm not going to be crying if we end up with Nylander.

Given how weak we are on the wings I'd welcome the addition.
- Sabresfan-365

I just think Ekbald add to an already deep young d core whos contracts will all come at one time. I mean think of this in 3 years the Defense could have several top paid players
myers, erhoff, then the kids will get a nice pay day

I just think Ekbald add to an already deep young d core whos contracts will all come at one time. I mean think of this in 3 years the Defense could have several top paid players
myers, erhoff, then the kids will get a nice pay day
- hubie

That's why I hope if they do choose him they compensate by trading a few of those D-men for some forwards.

In sorry but Crosby alone doesn't make this team great. No player would, that's why it's called a rebuild, you're rebuilding the whole team, not just one player. Bottom line Reinhart helps us become more talented. End of story, you take him. Don't trade the pick
- sbroads24

r u serious? Put corsby on this team (with or without vanek) and they are in the playoffs

That's why I hope if they do choose him they compensate by trading a few of those D-men for some forwards.
- Sabresfan-365

Dont hate that idea but dont love it either

r u serious? Put corsby on this team (with or without vanek) and they are in the playoffs
- hubie

You really think so? Then they should probably never lose a game then with the talent on their team

In sorry but Crosby alone doesn't make this team great. No player would, that's why it's called a rebuild, you're rebuilding the while team, not just one player. Bottom line Reinhart helps us become more talented. End of story, you take him. Don't trade the pick
- sbroads24

Crosby is, however, obviously a guy that you can build a franchise around. You get the franchise guy first, and then you get guys you can use to build around him, not the other way around, which is what the Sabres are doing right now.

They won't trade the pick. It will be a PR nightmare if they did. However, if the goal is to really make your team great through the draft, which I never said was a bad idea, you do everything in your power to make sure that you get that player than can become the face of your franchise. My point is that I think they bottomed out too early because that face of the franchise player is not available.

YIKES!

Judging by the Sabres' November schedule, they'll be luck to have a half-dozen wins on the season by the end of the month.

Knowing the Sabres' luck they won't win the lottery either!
- As_I_See_It

Knowing the Leafs' luck, they'll have a 3 goal lead in Game 7 and be 10 minutes from the Cup Finals, and still blow it.....

ummmmmmm

Crosby is, however, obviously a guy that you can build a franchise around. You get the franchise guy first, and then you get guys you can use to build around him, not the other way around, which is what the Sabres are doing right now.

They won't trade the pick. It will be a PR nightmare if they did. However, if the goal is to really make your team great through the draft, which I never said was a bad idea, you do everything in your power to make sure that you get that player than can become the face of your franchise. My point is that I think they bottomed out too early because that face of the franchise player is not available.
- buffalofan19

I don't think they planned to bottom out in 2014, it just worked itself out like that. I'm sure a year ago the plan was to have Miller, Ott and Vanek extended by this time. I just think the timing of expiring contracts has forced them to make the best of a bad situation. I'm willing to wager that we still get a decent shot at first pick next year as well though. Although the conspiracy theorist in me fully believes that the NHL has already selected McDavids next team