Ryan Callahan - 13 points in 37 games.
- sbroads24

Glue.

Glue.
- CaptainRivet

the one thing you are missing there is building through the draft, teams that have won the cup are not rosters that are put together through Trades and UFA alone, can't win a cup with a D core that are trade and signing off casts.

sabres have some of the major boxes checked off through the draft, but they need to draft better (Avs are in the same boat) if taking the next step to being a consistent playoff team.
- DDM-Coga

Agree strongly. It hurt giving you guys zadorov. Ideally we are picking high enough to draft a defenseman who can play at a high level immediately, and then get a top 3/6 winger in free agency or via trade. Tall orders, but thats what it looks like for me.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00005218.html
shaw
saad
teravainen
thats all they have 2010 on though in the big leagues and they moved one
- homiedclown

Hartman is good, hes still developing. Motte plays with Compher at UM and his line are 1-2-3 in division scoring apparently. So hes an inserting guy

Saw Danault last night, he played. Hes a good 3C for them moving forward.

They hit with their later draft picks, you need a little luck to find an NHLer in the 3rd and 4th rounds, like Kruger for them. Hes a good bottom 6 guy.

Also now with their ability to get year after year the best non drafted NCAA guys is a little annoying

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00005218.html
shaw
saad
teravainen
thats all they have 2010 on though in the big leagues and they moved one
- homiedclown

Their top 2 D and top 2 forwards have allowed them to bring others in on the cheap and allowed them to only need to make a minimal impact from time to time to make a difference. Ditto their draft picks who are called up. I agree their drafting has been slightly overrated since they got Kane, Toews, Keith, and Seabrook.

Their top 2 D and top 2 forwards have allowed them to bring others in on the cheap and allowed them to only need to make a minimal impact from time to time to make a difference. Ditto their draft picks who are called up. I agree their drafting has been slightly overrated since they got Kane, Toews, Keith, and Seabrook.
- kingcong39

I think people dont give hossa enough credit. Guys on the wrong side of 30 usually have their offense fall off a cliff, and thats the danger of throwing money at a ufa winger. Murray has not chosen wisely on moulson and gionta, if he goes after an old guy, its gotta be more hossa/less gionta-moulson

Hartman is good, hes still developing. Motte plays with Compher at UM and his line are 1-2-3 in division scoring apparently. So hes an inserting guy

Saw Danault last night, he played. Hes a good 3C for them moving forward.

They hit with their later draft picks, you need a little luck to find an NHLer in the 3rd and 4th rounds, like Kruger for them. Hes a good bottom 6 guy.

Also now with their ability to get year after year the best non drafted NCAA guys is a little annoying
- DDM-Coga

Thing is, when the core is very good, it tends to make those players look better than they actually are. Not knocking their drafting or saying it's not important but that certainly plays a factor and will probably help our next wave of prospects as well.

(frank) Julien wearing a hoody a la Billicheat

Thing is, when the core is very good, it tends to make those players look better than they actually are. Not knocking their drafting or saying it's not important but that certainly plays a factor and will probably help our next wave of prospects as well.
- Sabresfan-365

What I meant was that they can fill those Bottom 6, 3-6 Dman positions through their draft since they have drafted so well to establish their Top 6 and Top 4 already. Now they just have to plug in these depth guys, don't have to hold out for them to be super stars.

When a team can just plug cheap ELCs in their depth positions, you can manage the cap vs over paying at UFA to try and get a good "3rd line guy" or a solid "Depth dman"

Its a good model to have once you have your core established

Very difficult to judge with it being so soon after his first two drafts but he does seem to have an eye for defenseman so far with Guhle, Martin, and Borgen.
- kingcong39

Agreed. But his forward choices in Karabacek, Cornel, Lemiuex (When Barbashev was there) and even possibly picking Reinhart over Draisaitl (I know, I know) leaves something to be desired

What I meant was that they can fill those Bottom 6, 3-6 Dman positions through their draft since they have drafted so well to establish their Top 6 and Top 4 already. Now they just have to plug in these depth guys, don't have to hold out for them to be super stars.

When a team can just plug cheap ELCs in their depth positions, you can manage the cap vs over paying at UFA to try and get a good "3rd line guy" or a solid "Depth dman"

Its a good model to have once you have your core established
- DDM-Coga

To be fair, Hossa is being paid near $6M for eternity, and while his constant level of production has been great, it will end sooner rather than later.

Oduya was a god send for them last year but without him they've had real issues.

To me: depth players are 5-6 D and bottom 4-5 forwards.

Agreed. But his forward choices in Karabacek, Cornel, Lemiuex (When Barbashev was there) and even possibly picking Reinhart over Draisaitl (I know, I know) leaves something to be desired
- sbroads24

Agreed on his forward choices but what I'd say to not taking Barbashev, based on who he has offloaded, is that he really does seem to dislike Russians.

I believe Reinhart was a positional pick over who he thought was the most talented player overall.

Agreed. But his forward choices in Karabacek, Cornel, Lemiuex (When Barbashev was there) and even possibly picking Reinhart over Draisaitl (I know, I know) leaves something to be desired
- sbroads24

Missed out on Dvorak as well.

Their top 2 D and top 2 forwards have allowed them to bring others in on the cheap and allowed them to only need to make a minimal impact from time to time to make a difference. Ditto their draft picks who are called up. I agree their drafting has been slightly overrated since they got Kane, Toews, Keith, and Seabrook.
- kingcong39

this

eichel
skunk
risto
player x

Agreed. But his forward choices in Karabacek, Cornel, Lemiuex (When Barbashev was there) and even possibly picking Reinhart over Draisaitl (I know, I know) leaves something to be desired
- sbroads24

I do not think he should get a pass regarding this

plus he gave up a lot for Fasching

Kane trade

Lehner

Agreed on his forward choices but what I'd say to not taking Barbashev, based on who he has offloaded, is that he really does seem to dislike Russians.

I believe Reinhart was a positional pick over who he thought was the most talented player overall.
- kingcong39

plus we only had girngo and girgens in pipeline for centers

I wonder who he would have picked if he knew he would have eichel and ror 12 months later

plus we only had girngo and girgens in pipeline for centers

I wonder who he would have picked if he knew he would have eichel and ror 12 months later
- homiedclown

Probably overpays to try and get #1 to draft Ekblad. Otherwise I think Reinhart was the top forward on their list.

Missed out on Dvorak as well.
- Sabresfan-365

So did 8 other teams?

Probably overpays to try and get #1 to draft Ekblad. Otherwise I think Reinhart was the top forward on their list.
- Sabresfan-365

If we are talking the best fit, IMO Bennett with his speed might be it.

this

eichel
skunk
risto
player x
- homiedclown

Player X will likely be their 1st round pick this year, although Player X easily could be Guhle. Martin and Borgen also could be, as well as somebody like Florentino, who I really like.

If we are talking the best fit, IMO Bennett with his speed might be it.
- sbroads24

In hindsight, yes, but at that time, no. That's only my opinion though.

the one thing you are missing there is building through the draft, teams that have won the cup are not rosters that are put together through Trades and UFA alone, can't win a cup with a D core that are trade and signing off casts.

sabres have some of the major boxes checked off through the draft, but they need to draft better (Avs are in the same boat) if taking the next step to being a consistent playoff team.
- DDM-Coga

We can't draft better if don't stop pissing away our picks. With this years draft being at home I'd like to see us as players moving back up into the first round. We have a bunch of latter round picks and hopefully we might actually be able to move some garbage at the deadline. If, Johnson continues to play well, hell, we might actually get a second or third for him when the whole league counted him as the worst vet goalie that was in the league.

Probably overpays to try and get #1 to draft Ekblad. Otherwise I think Reinhart was the top forward on their list.
- Sabresfan-365

Possibly, but I think he would have stood pat and taken one of the wingers.

In hindsight, yes, but at that time, no. That's only my opinion though.
- kingcong39

Oh I agree. I don't think Murray knew O'Reilly would fall in his lap.

Tim Murray traded away many prospects and picks for players who are supposed to make us better now. Yet we find ourselves three points out of last place and the third worse team in the league. We gave away many picks and good prospects for established players who are supposed to make us better now but we are close to last in almost all of the stat categories that Michael covers in his blog.

Was the tank really worth it? We traded away Neuvirth and Enroth for next to nothing to help ensure the tank. Neuvirth now leads the league in save percentage. Instead of resigning Stafford he was included in a trade for Kane. In part because Kane had surgery and wouldn't play again until the next year which would help the tank. This team is very weak at RW, and Stafford is having a good year and would be fourth on this team in scoring, second in goals, with his current stats. Myers is producing more points per sixty minutes as a defenseman than Kane is as a forward.

We have very little in as far as quality prospects who can make significant contributions to this team in the near future and the team as currently constructed is much closer to last place then they are to being in the playoff picture.

Murray made many trades giving away our futures for players who are supposed to make us better now in an attempt to show that rebuilds didn't have to take years. Something he said in interviews and has failed miserably in demonstrating. This is with adding McCabe, Pysyk, Reinhart and Eichel to this years roster. We are still the third worse team, three points out of last.

So I ask you, how do you grade Tim Murray's performance? McNabb trade, top four big, physical defenseman and two second round picks for two bottom six forward prospects. Myers, Stafford, Lemieux, Armia and a first round pick for Lawless and Blowgosian. 21st overall pick for Lehner and Legwand. The O'Reilly trade looks to be heavily in our favor, which is probably the only thing saving Murray's job at this point.
- SabresPanacea

Are you kidding me? Do you realize how bad this team would be if Murray hadn't kicked the rebuild into high gear? We traded quantity for quality. We are going in the right direction and that is all that matters. Nobody should get their panties in a jumble at this point. We're not that far from breaking through and at some point these close games will go our way. These guys are all playing together for the first time.

Also, remember that every single one of those player dumps last year had a single purpose: finish last. Mission accomplished.