Darcy built the best team in franchise history. The only team in Sabres history to win the Presidents trophy. He built a solid team, the best in the NHL, its too bad Ruff didnt know how to coach once the team got in the playoffs.

Its also too bad we had a money conscious owner at the time that just wanted to break even, otherwise, we wouldve been a top team after signing Briere and Drury to long term deals. Problems came about when Darcy was forced to choose 1 of those 2 instead of both.

Darcy added Leino, Ehrhoff, and Regher to a team that made the playoffs the prior year.... and then everything went downhill from there.
- theblueandgold

Darcy never went out and got teh scorer ever after post lockout clearly the offense was open and that was the style to win. Since then hes put out a roster of that is like trying to connect to the internet on your 56k dialup

Can't score goals with 3rd and 4th line players and that's what we have, a number 1 center would be nice as well but that won't happen.
- SABRES 89

I agree. If we get Reinhart he shouldn't be on the top line and Cody still isn't a 1C.

I do not or will not support tanking in any way, you can't keep tanking and expexct players to sign here and you can't win iceing a team full of kids. You throw kids in that aren't ready and it makes matters worse, you won't see another 5- 10 years of this team being bad, Pegula won't let that happen.
- SABRES 89

Theres not a single team in the cap era that has built a winner around signing free agents. We dont need to worry about players signing here if we build a team through the draft.

We'll need Leinos contract the new few season to hit the cap floor unfortunately, unless of course some big moves are made.
- Rally_Shots

We don't need Leino for anything if Moulson and Ott want to stay that's one way or if not there are other players to bring in that can actually contribute to this team. Leino is and always will be a waste.

Darcy never went out and got teh scorer ever after post lockout clearly the offense was open and that was the style to win. Since then hes put out a roster of that is like trying to connect to the internet on your 56k dialup
- hubie

Yeah he did, dont you remember the beloved Thomas Vanek? Mr 40 goal scorer if you pair him with a top center.

I still maintain that the reason we didnt make it far when we were at least borderline playoff team was because we had an inept bottom 6.

Theres not a single team in the cap era that has built a winner around signing free agents. We dont need to worry about players signing here if we build a team through the draft.
- theblueandgold

Free Agents are a thign of the past really the good ones dont hit FA espcially young ones. Its filled with people you plug into the bottom six to round out a roster not your starting point

Theres not a single team in the cap era that has built a winner around signing free agents. We dont need to worry about players signing here if we build a team through the draft.
- theblueandgold

Draft or no draft, you can't throw these kids on the ice and play if they aren't ready you need NHL talent to go along with them. Pegula won't let this go on for another 5 years.

Yeah he did, dont you remember the beloved Thomas Vanek? Mr 40 goal scorer if you pair him with a top center.

I still maintain that the reason we didnt make it far when we were at least borderline playoff team was because we had an inept bottom 6.
- theblueandgold

Bottom six has been that bad till recently, if you ask me its the top 6 that is bad
as you see take away vanek your left with didly do and a bunch of guys we all love and think are 10x better than they are.

Draft or no draft, you can't throw these kids on the ice and play if they aren't ready you need NHL talent to go laong with them. Pegula won't let this go on for another 5 years.
- SABRES 89

Yeah, you cant throw middle first round picks immediately into the NHL and expect them to do well.

However, you can throw top 3 first round picks into the NHL, because those are the highly talented guys.

Reinhart will make it. Ekblad will make it. The only way McDavid doesn't make it is if he all of a sudden looks overwhelmed, or Brent Sutter takes a Ted Nolan approach with young kids, which I doubt will happen.

Btw, I highly doubt Canada doesn't win the World Juniors this year. That team is very deep, and after being shut out last year, you know they did some serious soul searching over the past year, kind of like the US did after the disaster in 2012.
- buffalofan19

McDavid will barely get ice time. Crosby didn't do much at his age in the WJC

I do not or will not support tanking in any way, you can't keep tanking and expexct players to sign here and you can't win iceing a team full of kids. You throw kids in that aren't ready and it makes matters worse, you won't see another 5- 10 years of this team being bad, Pegula won't let that happen.
- SABRES 89

That's just it ! What you have to realize is the only way to build a franchise is through the draft . Especially in Buffalo . We just are not glamourous enough to attract the top franchise type free agents . Once people come here and they are here a few years they realize Buffalo is a great place and perhaps they want to stay . Just to much negativity out there about Buffalo.

Bottom six has been that bad till recently, if you ask me its the top 6 that is bad
as you see take away vanek your left with didly do and a bunch of guys we all love and think are 10x better than they are.
- hubie

Grier, Niedermeyer, Hecht, Kaleta, Ellis, Kennedy... yeah we had a terrible mix of bottom 6 players when we were a borderline playoff team after Briere and Drury left.

McDavid will barely get ice time. Crosby didn't do much at his age in the WJC
- sbroads24

Can't tell anybody that they think no matter who we draft will be a number 1 center or a winger, it doesn't work like that. Worst thing you can do is throw any of these kids in a number 1 role. Crosby, Stamkos ETC didn't work with them at first.

Darcy built the best team in franchise history. The only team in Sabres history to win the Presidents trophy. He built a solid team, the best in the NHL, its too bad Ruff didnt know how to coach once the team got in the playoffs.

Its also too bad we had a money conscious owner at the time that just wanted to break even, otherwise, we wouldve been a top team after signing Briere and Drury to long term deals. Problems came about when Darcy was forced to choose 1 of those 2 instead of both.

Darcy added Leino, Ehrhoff, and Regher to a team that made the playoffs the prior year.... and then everything went downhill from there.
- theblueandgold

I'm not so sure that would have happened. Drury's leg almost fell off at the knee cap not even 3 years later, and Briere, while clutch in the playoffs, has had a hard time staying healthy. Briere was also essentially a 3rd liner on a very deep Flyers team, something this team wouldn't have been.


And what went downhill after the summer of 2011 was the fact that the Sabres had no forward group worth taking seriously. He let Connolly go, which was the right move, but he never really replaced him with an offensive equivalent. One could argue that that later came in the form of Hodgson, but the same thing happened with Derek Roy. As much as he needed to go, they still needed to figure out how to obtain a center that could put up at least similar offensive production.

That's just it ! What you have to realize is the only way to build a franchise is through the draft . Especially in Buffalo . We just are not glamourous enough to attract the top franchise type free agents . Once people come here and they are here a few years they realize Buffalo is a great place and perhaps they want to stay . Just to much negativity out there about Buffalo.
- Maximum Signal

Top end of the draft being 10-15 only spins your tires
But in the end winning cures everything, where the red wings live is the "same" as living in Clarence just like 80% of the other cities in the NHL but when that team wins and has a winning culture that attracts people

That's just it ! What you have to realize is the only way to build a franchise is through the draft . Especially in Buffalo . We just are not glamourous enough to attract the top franchise type free agents . Once people come here and they are here a few years they realize Buffalo is a great place and perhaps they want to stay . Just to much negativity out there about Buffalo.
- Maximum Signal

So tanking for 5 more years will show them? just because of the draft? I don't buy that. My opinion.

Can't tell anybody that they think no matter who we draft will be a number 1 center or a winger, it doesn't work like that. Worst thing you can do is throw any of these kids in a number 1 role. Crosby, Stamkos ETC didn't work with them at first.
- SABRES 89

It did work with them. This team isn't going to make the playoffs this year. The experience they gained in their first years getting top line minutes was incredibly valuable.

McDavid will barely get ice time. Crosby didn't do much at his age in the WJC
- sbroads24

He is dominating the OHL at his age . Here is hoping Sutter puts him and Reinhart together on a regular line . Then they will get the ice time.

Grier, Niedermeyer, Hecht, Kaleta, Ellis, Kennedy... yeah we had a terrible mix of bottom 6 players when we were a borderline playoff team after Briere and Drury left.
- theblueandgold

could argue that those are 3 top end pk guys around. ID give my left nut to have those guys back.

He is dominating the OHL at his age . Here is hoping Sutter puts him and Reinhart together on a regular line . Then they will get the ice time.
- Maximum Signal

He most likely won't. I bet you barely see McDavid

He most likely won't. I bet you barely see McDavid
- sbroads24

the early games maybe but prob not so much in the medal rounds.

It did work with them. This team isn't going to make the playoffs this year. The experience they gained in their first years getting top line minutes was incredibly valuable.
- buffalofan19

not on this team it won't be, it will hurt before it helps. you don't see 55 and 61 here playing D do you? Crosby and co. had guys to mentor them we don't have that unless we resign a few guys or make a trade(s).

Grier, Niedermeyer, Hecht, Kaleta, Ellis, Kennedy... yeah we had a terrible mix of bottom 6 players when we were a borderline playoff team after Briere and Drury left.
- theblueandgold

The bottom 6 matters very little when your top 6 is dominant. That is why those parts are always interchanging.

When the Sabres top 6 consisted of - Vanek,Stafford, Connolly, Roy. That team was destined to fail from the start.

So tanking for 5 more years will show them? just because of the draft? I don't buy that. My opinion.
- SABRES 89

Where are you getting tanking for 5 more years ? You get Reinhart and Mcdavid or even both . Tanking will be over within a year . The old core did not reach their potential . So it has been dismantled . . It takes a few years to build a new core. Free Agency is not the route to go anymore. You overpay for players past their prime . Richards worked out so well for New York , Leino here. Clarkson is doing so well in Toronto.

not on this team it won't be, it will hurt before it helps. you don't see 55 and 61 here playing D do you? Crosby and co. had guys to mentor them we don't have that unless we resign a few guys or make a trade(s).
- SABRES 89

When Crosby came into the league, Pittsburgh signed a multitude of veterans to mentor him. They had signed Ziggy Palfy (whatever happened to that guy) and Mark Recchi to decent deals. Those veterans won't be hard to come by. I would imagine any GM would consider that.