The sabres and Rangers were in similar spots 4-5 years ago. The sabres sold off their pieces and the Rangers traded their high priced players and replaced them with players like nash and st louis. All I'm saying is there were dozens of alternatives to the way we did this and if we don't get a top 2 I can't imagine any alternative being worse
- Khymlev13

the big problem IMO is this is what the sabres should have done when they let briere and drury walk, and refused to extend soupy at 5 mil per

take the picks for vanek, rebuild with miller under contract

they instead chose a piss poor attempt to rebuild on the fly and most additions underperformed as did the secondary core members extended.

looking back to this past off season, the only thing I can say is they plan to tank for 2 more seasons, as the moves were good ethic working stop gap players.

If they do not get a top 2 pick this draft, it's not all for not as the pipeline will be full in 18 months. The key will be what Murray does then to build the team to ice the opening lineup for the 2016-17 season. If that team is not built to compete for years, then the rebuild is a failure right away and murray will need to be let go.

What the rangers did was kind of the proper way to retool, at the expense of the pipeline for the future.

If Darcy did what the rangers did, when briere and drury walked, then this team would not have gone 7 years w/o a playoff series win and only 2 trips to the post season during the "Miller years"


my 2 cents

I have nothing to do with it. Though I think it's great he's getting some love. He deserves it. While he may not be like the other 4 guys on that list (yet), he has managed to get the two best offensive players on the team going since being put on the same line as them.
- HonkFortheGoose

Girgensons has emerged as a legit top 6 forward, and hes here to stay. It will be interesting in 10 years to look back to that draft, but I think Girgs has a shot to be one of the best 5 players.

-----

Im still not concerned about not drafting in the top 2. We went through these stretches last year too. Injuries will happen. I dont think the team can find sustainable ways to win with just 1 legit NHL line. And its obvious by the way they really get out possessed when GEM isnt on the ice.

But for all the disappointment in not landing McEichel, the emergence of our prospects both in the pros already (Ristolainen, Zadorov, Armia, Grigorenko, McCabe) and in juniors/college (Reinhart, Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching, Compher) will make the pill easy to swallow and I'd happily draft Hanifin and have one of the best Defenses in the NHL for years.

Emelin fined no suspension? Time for the tin foil.

Ma's icing down the Gennys already: she loves these chippy games.
- Der Kaiser

Holy smoke is she fired up: deviled eggs and homemade brezeln!!

It's gonna be a hot one at Kaiser's tonight!!!

Seguin was traded, and not for a king's ransom. That option is 100% better than being a 50 point team
- Khymlev13

Darcy should have been all over that player


I am still pissed e did not offer the B's more then Vanek for Seguin

I absolutely agree with the guy saying if we dont pick top 2 this year its a waste but the team had to be blown up plain and simple. I still cant believe they let that pos ott wear the c.

Darcy should have been all over that player


I am still pissed e did not offer the B's more then Vanek for Seguin
- homiedclown

They wanted Girgensons

Girgensons has emerged as a legit top 6 forward, and hes here to stay. It will be interesting in 10 years to look back to that draft, but I think Girgs has a shot to be one of the best 5 players.

-----

Im still not concerned about not drafting in the top 2. We went through these stretches last year too. Injuries will happen. I dont think the team can find sustainable ways to win with just 1 legit NHL line. And its obvious by the way they really get out possessed when GEM isnt on the ice.

But for all the disappointment in not landing McEichel, the emergence of our prospects both in the pros already (Ristolainen, Zadorov, Armia, Grigorenko, McCabe) and in juniors/college (Reinhart, Baptiste, Bailey, Fasching, Compher) will make the pill easy to swallow and I'd happily draft Hanifin and have one of the best Defenses in the NHL for years.
- theblueandgold

Agreed, he has shown this season he could be a second line player on a team built for a cup run. Before this season I was thinking third line.

I also think Ennis will be a second line player when the rebuild is done.

Gringo is the X factor as I can see him as a possible first line player or a fringe NHL player


I still think a top 2 d man will be needed and a few proven goal scorers on the wing (Armia?)

I absolutely agree with the guy saying if we dont pick top 2 this year its a waste but the team had to be blown up plain and simple. I still cant believe they let that pos ott wear the c.
- DynamicThreads

Really? I thought he made some great points.

They wanted Girgensons
- theblueandgold

we will never know what the extra was/would have closed the deal

They wanted Girgensons
- theblueandgold

I thought the rumour was they wanted Vanek and Foligno but this was back when Foligno was still in god mode?

the big problem IMO is this is what the sabres should have done when they let briere and drury walk, and refused to extend soupy at 5 mil per

take the picks for vanek, rebuild with miller under contract

they instead chose a piss poor attempt to rebuild on the fly and most additions underperformed as did the secondary core members extended.

looking back to this past off season, the only thing I can say is they plan to tank for 2 more seasons, as the moves were good ethic working stop gap players.

If they do not get a top 2 pick this draft, it's not all for not as the pipeline will be full in 18 months. The key will be what Murray does then to build the team to ice the opening lineup for the 2016-17 season. If that team is not built to compete for years, then the rebuild is a failure right away and murray will need to be let go.

What the rangers did was kind of the proper way to retool, at the expense of the pipeline for the future.

If Darcy did what the rangers did, when briere and drury walked, then this team would not have gone 7 years w/o a playoff series win and only 2 trips to the post season during the "Miller years"


my 2 cents
- homiedclown

In retrospect Darcy's greatest sin was not letting Drury and Briere escape, or deciding to hold Vanek. It was failing to see that the post lockout highlife was lightening in a bottle, and the team needed to be completely reshaped to contend after the game went back to standard NHL hockey.

Agreed, he has shown this season he could be a second line player on a team built for a cup run. Before this season I was thinking third line.

I also think Ennis will be a second line player when the rebuild is done.

Gringo is the X factor as I can see him as a possible first line player or a fringe NHL player


I still think a top 2 d man will be needed and a few proven goal scorers on the wing (Armia?)
- homiedclown

I'm still waiting for my 6 pack.

Emelin fined no suspension? Time for the tin foil.

Ma's icing down the Gennys already: she loves these chippy games.
- Der Kaiser

i'm surprised that he even got a call

Agreed, he has shown this season he could be a second line player on a team built for a cup run. Before this season I was thinking third line.

I also think Ennis will be a second line player when the rebuild is done.

Gringo is the X factor as I can see him as a possible first line player or a fringe NHL player


I still think a top 2 d man will be needed and a few proven goal scorers on the wing (Armia?)
- homiedclown

If I'm a GM, im not really looking for a specific 1st line, 2nd line, etc... I'll call him a top 6 player. A player that can play major minutes and be a contributing factor in all facets of the game. As a sophomore, albeit on a pretty bad team, he has proven as a top 6 player already, he can be the driving force to get 2 veteran NHL players going. I really think Girgensons has the shot to be a Bergeron type C for the Sabres when they make the turn around. A top 6 C that drives possession through his two way play and can contribute respectable offensive numbers. Take away the 2 post lockout years of Bergeron and those are the numbers I expect Zemgus to be putting up when hes 24/25/26 years old.

Grigs is an x factor. He was always considered a top 3 pick in that draft based on talent alone. He still has that ability, it never went anywhere. And with getting serious about the NHL this offseason, we gotta hope we hit the jackpot on Grigos lottery numbers.

Really? I thought he made some great points.
- Khymlev13

Honestly its nice to see someone have a different take on things and not once in the past 5 years did I think about a rebuild. We all know letting drury and briere walk was horrible but from what I was told drury made it clear he was gay for new york and darcy offered him the contract anyway and briere got butt hurt and went to be with his man biron (whos one of my fav sabres ever) so im not sure the team even had a chance at resigning both. The vanek offer sheet was a panic move and darcy was nuts to sign him to it instead of taking the picks especially considering the oilers picked top 2 three years in a row. No way vanek changed that for them and darcy should have been fired on the spot that summer.

That being said i like the team now for the most part and im excited for the next decade.

I'm still waiting for my 6 pack.
- HonkFortheGoose

I have been to NY 3 times since then and offered to hand deliver it to you in Florida

Commit to meeting the clown and you will get your beer, or pm me your paypal account if scared

They wanted Girgensons
- theblueandgold

Then he should have done it

I have been to NY 3 times since then and offered to hand deliver it to you in Florida

Commit to meeting the clown and you will get your beer, or pm me your paypal account if scared


- homiedclown

Meeting the clown = code?

I thought the rumour was they wanted Vanek and Foligno but this was back when Foligno was still in god mode?
- Sabresfan-365

I dont think Darcy would turn down 1 year of Vanek + Foligno for Seguin given the actual trade he made for Vanek. Bruins got rid of Seguin because he didnt fit their organizational mold. Theres a Beyond the B episode on YouTube produced by the Bruins organization. At least 3-4 scouts/upper level management guys were slamming Seguin as not fitting in to their team. Girgensons (and Foligno) both fit the Bruin mold. They wanted Girgensons.

gus 4th in all-star voting.

gus 4th in all-star voting.
- gerbe75pts

late, and he's 2nd.


Step your game up. Lack of tanking's got you off you're game

Then he should have done it
- sbroads24

Im okay with it not happening. Its not a type of move you make when you dont have the support around you. We wouldnt have had a player close to Benn's ilk, and he really insulates Seguin in Dallas.

I dont think Darcy would turn down 1 year of Vanek + Foligno for Seguin given the actual trade he made for Vanek. Bruins got rid of Seguin because he didnt fit their organizational mold. Theres a Beyond the B episode on YouTube produced by the Bruins organization. At least 3-4 scouts/upper level management guys were slamming Seguin as not fitting in to their team. Girgensons (and Foligno) both fit the Bruin mold. They wanted Girgensons.
- theblueandgold

I agree it makes more sense, Im just going of what twitter told me


I like Girgensons, but I think I still would have done that deal at the time. Although if he does turn into our version of Bergeron as you mentioned I think i'd get past it.

Im okay with it not happening. Its not a type of move you make when you dont have the support around you. We wouldnt have had a player close to Benn's ilk, and he really insulates Seguin in Dallas.
- theblueandgold

That doesn't matter to me. Seguin was 21, it would have been a buy low long term move.

Seguin is arguably a top 5-10 NHL player right now.

Girgensons will never be close to that good, and I really like Girgs

Seguin has 114 points in 103 games as a Star.

The Bruins are morons for dealing him