Has nothing to do with what team was/is last.

It's the fact that there is 2 superstar players available and everyone wants a shot at them.
- sbroads24

I agree It has nothing to do with Buffalo, but do you honestly believe it would have been approved if the likes of Jacobs or MLSE were knee deep in a rebuild??Absolutely ZERO chance, that's what I don't like about it......it should have been structured to begin a minimum of 2 seasons from now so you don't already know the teams it will negatively affect.

it was definitely last year and is this year our intention to tank. it's not so blatant, as we have brought in gionta, brought back moulson and traded for gorges, but, on the whole, taking away miller, vanek, ott and ehrhoff on a team that only garnered 52 points last year, it's pretty obvious what the intentions are. we buffalo fans, however, are 100% behind the tank for mceichel.
- polish assassin

So you're going to sit there rooting for the team to lose, as much as possible, come October?....if it ends up we are that bad then so be it, but you aren't a real fan if that's your thinking when the season starts.

youre being blatantly dishonest, you traded away your talent to assure you are in no position to win. Ehrhoff at 4 million a year is cheap and in his prime. you bought him out just so you can lose more efficiently. without Mcdavid as the ultimate goal the sabres do not buy out ehrhoff
- joeyp

You keep talking about the Erhoff buyout but have no idea why it was actually done.

Let me help you.

The final three years of this deal were at $1 million per season and if Ehrhoff retired early, the Sabres would have been hit with a significant cap hit penalty depending on when he retired.....has nothing to do with tanking as you assume.

You keep talking about the Erhoff buyout but have no idea why it was actually done.

Let me help you.

The final three years of this deal were at $1 million per season and if Ehrhoff retired early, the Sabres would have been hit with a significant cap hit penalty depending on when he retired.....has nothing to do with tanking as you assume.
- nikel

Yeah the other guy just doesn't get it.

It was a wise move by Buffalo management.

Why is the NHL draft lottery selection closed door?

They will decide "rig" as to what player goes to what team...they should do it on live TV just like the other leagues and let the chips fall as they may...the doors are closed for one reason and one reason only which is BS. If they were not screwing around the doors would be open with nothing to hide...even more so now with the new draft rules...now they can really decide who gets what which is a disgrace to hockey.

I really didn't see Buffalo finishing in last place anyway.

Nolan is a great motivator and will play the best players until they drop.

Great things for the Sabres in the future... but no guarantee's the finish bottom 2!!!
- jimmc7722

Agreed

rewarding a team for sucking is silly...the new lottery is a step in the right direction.

Has nothing to do with what team was/is last.

It's the fact that there is 2 superstar players available and everyone wants a shot at them.
- sbroads24

Well then teams should have planned for a shot at them like the Sabres did...smart moves by Darcy...GM of the year post mortum if we land one of the 2 studs with his brilliant planning.

So you're going to sit there rooting for the team to lose, as much as possible, come October?....if it ends up we are that bad then so be it, but you aren't a real fan if that's your thinking when the season starts.
- nikel

Finally a good sabers fan. All I hear isn Sabres fans rooting to lose. It's possible that teams preform better than they actually are. Root for them to win, hope for playoffs and if they are bad then hey you get a good prospect. Might as well get some entertainment out of the season.

Well then teams should have planned for a shot at them like the Sabres did...smart moves by Darcy...GM of the year post mortum if we land one of the 2 studs with his brilliant planning.
- keithl5633

Yeah beacause it's so hard to make a bad team.

before the last place team had much better than 25% (45% i believe) chance of getting the first pick. If a team that finished out of the playoffs but wasn't in the bottom 5 teams in the league the last place team kept the first overall. New Jersey won the lottery a couple years ago and moved from 8 to 4 picking Adam Larssen. Under the new system they would have been 1st.

rewarding a team for sucking is silly...the new lottery is a step in the right direction.
- Barx

Its not a "reward" the idea behind the draft is competitive balance. How long do you think some teams would last if top tier teams or even fringe playoff teams were getting the best players from the draft?

Yeah the other guy just doesn't get it.

It was a wise move by Buffalo management.
- Aaron_85

Most of the vets we moved werent interested in being here any longer either.

Its not a "reward" the idea behind the draft is competitive balance. How long do you think some teams would last if top tier teams or even fringe playoff teams were getting the best players from the draft?
- zdp1189

Yes and bad teams will always get high draft picks. If your last place your guaranteed a good pick. The chances of fringe playoff teams winning the lottery every year is extremely low.

Yes and bad teams will always get high draft picks. If your last place your guaranteed a good pick. The chances of fringe playoff teams winning the lottery every year is extremely low.
- JVR_42_PK81

Right. The guy i quoted seemed to be trying to get across that these bad teams shouldnt be getting these high picks cause theyre bad

Right. The guy i quoted seemed to be trying to get across that these bad teams shouldnt be getting these high picks cause theyre bad
- zdp1189

I think that the worse teams should get good picks but not necessarily the best every time. Any team that makes the playoffs should never enter the lottery though.

If one man made a team, teams like Pitt should have multiple cups by now, icing a competitive team for years with both Crosby and Malkin. Let teams tank, they are only hurting themselves by stripping their team down to go after one player.
Ovechkin or Crosby can't do it on their own...

James Tanner: Are the Draft Lottery Rule Changes Fair to the Sabres?
The new draft lottery rules could unfairly impact the the Buffalo Sabres.
- James_Tanner

I don't know... should the Sabers be continuously be sucking so hard that the last place spot losing 5% should hurt them?

rewarding a team for sucking is silly...the new lottery is a step in the right direction.
- Barx

Youd rather punish them?

So you're saying a team that is truly bad shouldn't get help?


I don't wanna hear free agency nonsense either. Some markets are extremely undesirable and not only can't attract blue chip talent, but have to way overpay for the lesser names.

People can use all the conjecture they want on who tanked etc etc. but not helping the lowest teams with the best young talent is laughably stupid.

Wouldn't it be great if the bruins or the hawks got mcdavid!

i thought the odds for the last place team to get the first pick only dropped 5%.

at least that's the way it was explained to me. i admit i haven't read any of the news about the changes they made though (and that i'm terrible at math!) but i was told it was a 5% difference not a 20% difference.

i'm confused now though.

yes lets reward the welfare markets of the NHL

I think that the worse teams should get good picks but not necessarily the best every time. Any team that makes the playoffs should never enter the lottery though.
- JVR_42_PK81

I think it should be like the nfl. If fans suffer through a year of their team blowing it they should atleast get some enjoyment outta the draft. I mean how bad would it be to have your favorite team be the worst in the league then they draft 4th or 8th. Itd probably turn off the casual fans.

yes lets reward the welfare markets of the NHL
- 2Real

Cause the flyers have never been a bottom 10 team right?

they need a system like the NBA..worst team in the league? might end up with the 4th pick.

The draft is a joke and has been for awhile.

Pitt was going bankrupt and going to have to move.......then, they get lucky and draft two players that are now arguably the two best players in the world now and PRESTO.

Chicago wasn't doing so hot they draft Toews and Kane and....

The Oilers have been drafting top talent for what......? Like a decade straight?

I think it sucks that mediocre teams don't have a chance at top talent and you either GET SUPER LUCKY, Pitt and Chi, or your team is a BLACK HOLE OF USLESSNES, looking at you Edmonton.

The teams that really get screwed are the DETROITS, hate to say it but MTLs, etc.

How would I change it...not idea. But I'm sick of Edmonton of getting top picks every year.
Does anyone know how many more years they plan to suck before they start trying?