Still have hopes for Donovan, I see good things coming for him.
- Isles_since_6

Donovan can still develop into a good player but he's not as close to NHL legitimacy as some like to believe. He was clearly overwhelmed last season.

Donovan can still develop into a good player but he's not as close to NHL legitimacy as some like to believe. He was clearly overwhelmed last season.
- Jethro09

He was. No denying it. You can see his potential though. Well at least some of us can. Like any other player coming up the ranks he may make it or he may not. I think the right coach would do wonders for the kid. Who knows, no matter how much i dislike him maybe Capuano is the right one. This will be a big camp for him. Hopefully he has a strong one. I'm rooting for the kid.

I agree your goaltending improved but by how much? A closer look at Halak shows he played on Montreal and St Louis teams that were top 15 defensive teams and when they weren't in the top 15 Halak had his 2 worst years statistically. If the rest of the team doesn't improve defensively then I don't see Halak being a big factor in the team improving. Having a healthy JT back can go just so far.

Yes, I'm a Sabres fan and want the best pick possible in the draft but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite team to succeed in the NHL it would be the Islanders...just not this year. Just being honest lol

I agree your goaltending improved but by how much? A closer look at Halak shows he played on Montreal and St Louis teams that were top 15 defensive teams and when they weren't in the top 15 Halak had his 2 worst years statistically. If the rest of the team doesn't improve defensively then I don't see Halak being a big factor in the team improving. Having a healthy JT back can go just so far.

Yes, I'm a Sabres fan and want the best pick possible in the draft but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite team to succeed in the NHL it would be the Islanders...just not this year. Just being honest lol
- Leninthebuff

Even on last years team, Halak would have been head and shoulders above Nilsson & Poulin.
This is a better defense right now then last years. I'm not suggesting its good, but it is considerably better than the horror it was last year.

XxNYIxX

I agree your goaltending improved but by how much? A closer look at Halak shows he played on Montreal and St Louis teams that were top 15 defensive teams and when they weren't in the top 15 Halak had his 2 worst years statistically. If the rest of the team doesn't improve defensively then I don't see Halak being a big factor in the team improving. Having a healthy JT back can go just so far.

Yes, I'm a Sabres fan and want the best pick possible in the draft but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite team to succeed in the NHL it would be the Islanders...just not this year. Just being honest lol
- Leninthebuff

This team is significantly(which still doesn't make them great defensively btw but it's still a fact) better defensively than last year. Goaltending was a MAJOR issue last year. It will help quite a bit having Halak/Johnson. If he's even average it'll be a huge upgrade. I don't think many are aware just how bad our goaltending was last season. Now with that said defensively our team is a bit of a question mark still even though it's improved. As of now objectively I look at them as a maybe bubble team. If Snow adds a legit top 4(which I still see him doing with the log jam we have up front)to me we are a definite playoff team and may even surprise and win a round or who knows?
There is also the possibility that DeHaan doesn't have a sophomore slump. Hamonic has a bounce back year. Viz stays healthy. A kid steps up(Donovan, Reinhart if he makes it, Czuzman, etc). If any or all of these things happen we are a legit playoff team and a head ache for whomever we face. Not saying it will happen but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

This team is significantly(which still doesn't make them great defensively btw but it's still a fact) better defensively than last year. Goaltending was a MAJOR issue last year. It will help quite a bit having Halak/Johnson. If he's even average it'll be a huge upgrade. I don't think many are aware just how bad our goaltending was last season. Now with that said defensively our team is a bit of a question mark still even though it's improved. As of now objectively I look at them as a maybe bubble team. If Snow adds a legit top 4(which I still see him doing with the log jam we have up front)to me we are a definite playoff team and may even surprise and win a round or who knows?
There is also the possibility that DeHaan doesn't have a sophomore slump. Hamonic has a bounce back year. Viz stays healthy. A kid steps up(Donovan, Reinhart if he makes it, Czuzman, etc). If any or all of these things happen we are a legit playoff team and a head ache for whomever we face. Not saying it will happen but it's not out of the realm of possibility.
- Cptmjl

I love how Sabres fans pop in here and tell us how bad this new guy is or that guy is and how they won't help us as much as we think etc etc. It's like they are trying to convince themselves that the isles aren't better then last year

The Islanders defense seemed to play at the end of the year when Czuczman and Mayfield were in the lineup...still need one or two NHL defensemen...

I love how Sabres fans pop in here and tell us how bad this new guy is or that guy is and how they won't help us as much as we think etc etc. It's like they are trying to convince themselves that the isles aren't better then last year

- Vukota

Whats even funnier is that they actually believe that they will automatically win next years draft lottery of either McDavid/Eichel. They appear to blind enough to notice that the west has much stronger teams than the east and that Van, Cal, Winn have a better chance of getting top 3 than Sabres.....

The east only has a few dominant teams the rest is really a crapshoot....

Today should be fun in here

I love how Sabres fans pop in here and tell us how bad this new guy is or that guy is and how they won't help us as much as we think etc etc. It's like they are trying to convince themselves that the isles aren't better then last year

- Vukota

It has gotten old. The main reason I don't like the Vanek trade is due to Sabres fans having a vested interest in our upcoming season. I honestly have not read one objective post from any of them. This one above me here probably came closer than any other I read though it offered nothing of substance really. As soon as somebody says our defense won't be better with our goaltending upgrades(on paper of course) I pretty much go into "what's the point of debating this" mode. I disappoint myself every time I reply to these posts.

The Islanders defense seemed to play at the end of the year when Czuczman and Mayfield were in the lineup...still need one or two NHL defensemen...
- kear20

It coincided with the departure of AMAC. Shocker. The defense seemed to settle in once he was gone. He was a huge negative factor. It's not coincidence. Hopefully he keeps up that level of play for the Flyers. It'll be a lot of fun to watch and visit the Flyers thread and see who is still singing his praises and talking about how great of a contract it was.

It coincided with the departure of AMAC. Shocker. The defense seemed to settle in once he was gone. He was a huge negative factor. It's not coincidence. Hopefully he keeps up that level of play for the Flyers. It'll be a lot of fun to watch and visit the Flyers thread and see who is still singing his praises and talking about how great of a contract it was.
- Cptmjl

I won't even argue it with them anymore. If they're happy with him then I'm totally fine with that. After 50 games we all know they won't be singing the same tune so there's really no point in getting all heated about it now.

It has gotten old. The main reason I don't like the Vanek trade is due to Sabres fans having a vested interest in our upcoming season. I honestly have not read one objective post from any of them. This one above me here probably came closer than any other I read though it offered nothing of substance really. As soon as somebody says our defense won't be better with our goaltending upgrades(on paper of course) I pretty much go into "what's the point of debating this" mode. I disappoint myself every time I reply to these posts.
- Cptmjl

I usually just ignore them but I was bored

I won't even argue it with them anymore. If they're happy with him then I'm totally fine with that. After 50 games we all know they won't be singing the same tune so there's really no point in getting all heated about it now.
- eichiefs9

I don't get heated(except for maybe that one time... )about it. I'd just be a casual observer on their thread. Not offering my opinion .

Absolutely. I don't know which D is Worse: the Flyers' or the Islanders'
- Barnaby36

i do

This team is significantly(which still doesn't make them great defensively btw but it's still a fact) better defensively than last year. Goaltending was a MAJOR issue last year. It will help quite a bit having Halak/Johnson. If he's even average it'll be a huge upgrade. I don't think many are aware just how bad our goaltending was last season. Now with that said defensively our team is a bit of a question mark still even though it's improved. As of now objectively I look at them as a maybe bubble team. If Snow adds a legit top 4(which I still see him doing with the log jam we have up front)to me we are a definite playoff team and may even surprise and win a round or who knows?
There is also the possibility that DeHaan doesn't have a sophomore slump. Hamonic has a bounce back year. Viz stays healthy. A kid steps up(Donovan, Reinhart if he makes it, Czuzman, etc). If any or all of these things happen we are a legit playoff team and a head ache for whomever we face. Not saying it will happen but it's not out of the realm of possibility.
- Cptmjl

Just my opinion, but even with a top-4 d-man (and who that "top-4 d-man" would be is a big factor), I think quite a bit has to fall into place. KO needs to show last season was the real deal. If that happens, they still need to find a left wing that meshes with that line and makes them as big of a threat as they were last season (defense is key, but the offense can't afford to take even a baby step backward). I don't think we need both Grabovski and Kulemin to kill it offensively, but one of the two needs to be better than last season. Similarly, I don't think Nelson, Lee and Strome all need to blossom at once, but I'd say two of the three need to build on their rookie seasons and contribute somewhat regularly to the offense.

On D, Hamonic needs to be consistent. deHaan, like the forward rookies, looked good but can't afford to take a step back, and that's never a guarantee with young players...especially young d-men. And that's just our "top pair." One of the rookies also needs to step forward.

They're not all equal concerns. I'm a bit more confident that KO is the real deal than I am in, say, a rookie d-man stepping forward and blowing our minds. And there are other perfectly plausible things that could happen that could offset one of the above not going as planned. Grabner could settle in somewhere between his boom and bust years and chip in 25 or so goals. Vis could stay healthy and be the steady veteran presence on D the team needs. The improvements defensively among the forwards could offset some of the question marks on D. Bailey could...never mind.

Tough to really say what happens with the Isles. And who knows what happens with other teams around them. Washington, with Trotz, a better D and maybe a talented young player like Kuznetsov breaking out, should be better. I think there's just as much of a chance that the young talent on Florida puts it together as there is the young talent on the Isles does, etc. Hoping for the best, but even with a top-4 D, I think it's a tough battle...nowhere near a lock.

I agree your goaltending improved but by how much? A closer look at Halak shows he played on Montreal and St Louis teams that were top 15 defensive teams and when they weren't in the top 15 Halak had his 2 worst years statistically. If the rest of the team doesn't improve defensively then I don't see Halak being a big factor in the team improving. Having a healthy JT back can go just so far.

Yes, I'm a Sabres fan and want the best pick possible in the draft but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite team to succeed in the NHL it would be the Islanders...just not this year. Just being honest lol
- Leninthebuff

seriously? did you not watch nabby/nilsson/poulin last year? a cardboard (not wood, cardboard) cutout would have made more saves.

I agree your goaltending improved but by how much? A closer look at Halak shows he played on Montreal and St Louis teams that were top 15 defensive teams and when they weren't in the top 15 Halak had his 2 worst years statistically. If the rest of the team doesn't improve defensively then I don't see Halak being a big factor in the team improving. Having a healthy JT back can go just so far.

Yes, I'm a Sabres fan and want the best pick possible in the draft but if I had to pick a 2nd favorite team to succeed in the NHL it would be the Islanders...just not this year. Just being honest lol
- Leninthebuff

Whats even funnier is that they actually believe that they will automatically win next years draft lottery of either McDavid/Eichel. They appear to blind enough to notice that the west has much stronger teams than the east and that Van, Cal, Winn have a better chance of getting top 3 than Sabres.....

The east only has a few dominant teams the rest is really a crapshoot....
- Ur Not Me

honestly don't think vancouver will finish that low. They greatly underachieved last year. They're likely not a playoff team with the strength of the west but they will be better than they were.

honestly don't think vancouver will finish that low. They greatly underachieved last year. They're likely not a playoff team with the strength of the west but they will be better than they were.
- Isles_since_6

Vancouver to me has to many "if's"

They lost Kesler, but gained Bonino - but hes not on a stacked ducks team
Edler needs to regain form of 2-3yrs ago
Sedins have slowed down and now having injuries
Not so good bottom 6 F

Is there anything different that I might be missing?

It has gotten old. The main reason I don't like the Vanek trade is due to Sabres fans having a vested interest in our upcoming season. I honestly have not read one objective post from any of them. This one above me here probably came closer than any other I read though it offered nothing of substance really. As soon as somebody says our defense won't be better with our goaltending upgrades(on paper of course) I pretty much go into "what's the point of debating this" mode. I disappoint myself every time I reply to these posts.
- Cptmjl

Meh, I had legitimate hope for Vanek playing for you guys. I was always a fan of his and thought he'd have a chance to be amazing playing with Tavares. Once it was clear he was leaving, to hell with you guys.

Meh, I had legitimate hope for Vanek playing for you guys. I was always a fan of his and thought he'd have a chance to be amazing playing with Tavares. Once it was clear he was leaving, to hell with you guys.
- stashu

To hell with your, um...face.

Meh, I had legitimate hope for Vanek playing for you guys. I was always a fan of his and thought he'd have a chance to be amazing playing with Tavares. Once it was clear he was leaving, to hell with you guys.
- stashu

They were pretty great together for a while.

Donovan can still develop into a good player but he's not as close to NHL legitimacy as some like to believe. He was clearly overwhelmed last season.
- Jethro09

I disagree, I think Donovan is easily ready for protected offensive heavy minutes with a good D partner.

They were pretty great together for a while.
- Cptmjl

That guy can make anyone look like a star...hence Moulson.