horseshoes and hand grenades. They went from the 2nd worst team in the league to division winners with late 3 period come back wins, going something like 10-2 in the shootout and St Louis blowing it the last 10 games of the year.

That really hurts the team expectations in the eyes of the rest of the hockey world, they forget that they were a terrible terrible team for years before Roy came in to win that division, now if they don't make the playoffs they are a disaster? Its a little unfair.
- DDM-Coga

got it...that's what we outsiders don't see on a daily basis

Man I'm squeezing so hard for those two pieces - and I think we need to find them at the right prices.
- Der Kaiser

who's the second piece?

I agree... For our sake I hope he has a great year this year and then suck in 2017-2018 so we can trade him for a 2nd round pick and hopefully by then have to wingers who are better in talent
- bluengold12

Look, let's put it this way .............. if Kane is sucking he is bringing down the entire team. I think the guy breaks out next year and everyone will be screaming for Murray to give him an extension. I think he likes it here and would do it.

I just don't get the hate for this guy.... maybe it's a Black thing I don't know.

Man I'm squeezing so hard for those two pieces - and I think we need to find them at the right prices.
- Der Kaiser

I'm glad the team improved, but it would definitely be nice drafting in the top 4 for one more year

got it...that's what we outsiders don't see on a daily basis
- Michael Pachla

and the other side of it is that fact the team had nothing in terms of developed talent with their own picks.

Brad Malone, aaron palushaj, Kevin Porters, Cody McLeods, etc were filling up their bottom 6. can't keep all the core togehre forever, so when good players have to move on for other reasons, they had really no help internally to help replace them.

Teams in the Divisions were getting better and the Avs roster couldn't keep up since they were forced to fill in the gaps with UFAs and off casts of other teams.

Thats when Roy and Sakic said no more of that, need a proper development pipeline if you want to succeed in this league. Lottery picks won't win you games alone....it happened to the Avs, and its the reason why the Oilers are having issues too.

fact is you make deals based upon your vision for the team and your knowledge of the players involved...you pay your money and you take your chance...

if it was the previous regime, we'd have all these picks and prospects, very little pro-contract room and would probably be drafting in the top three again...or, more succinctly, we'd be the oilers of the east
- Michael Pachla

Darcy never drafted poorly .............. they were on point with taking the best player available in their slots. I don't recall any "reaches".

Looking back on many of the failures ............. I'd blame the Sabres in their development of said players than I would on Darcy actually drafting the wrong ones.

and the other side of it is that fact the team had nothing in terms of developed talent with their own picks.

Brad Malone, aaron palushaj, Kevin Porters, Cody McLeods, etc were filling up their bottom 6. can't keep all the core togehre forever, so when good players have to move on for other reasons, they had really no help internally to help replace them.

Teams in the Divisions were getting better and the Avs roster couldn't keep up since they were forced to fill in the gaps with UFAs and off casts of other teams.

Thats when Roy and Sakic said no more of that, need a proper development pipeline if you want to succeed in this league. Lottery picks won't win you games alone....it happened to the Avs, and its the reason why the Oilers are having issues too.
- DDM-Coga

sabres figured that out too...after Regier and Rolston were canned, the organization sent every rookie back to their respective developmental leagues, save for one player, for that very purpose...even Ristolainen went to the ahl and it was the best thing for him...he hated it, but he came into camp the following year cut to the point where it said, "you ain't sending me back to Rochester"

Haven't heard anything yet, but given the smash hit it was last year, and as long as they don't (frank) it up this year it will be.
- Wetbandit1

Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not ................ I believe in this 100%.

am of the opinion that more goals will come simply because a majority of the team will be acquainted with bylsma's system...adding stamkos would be great, especially in that department
- Michael Pachla

Yes to this ..............

Darcy never drafted poorly .............. they were on point with taking the best player available in their slots. I don't recall any "reaches".

Looking back on many of the failures ............. I'd blame the Sabres in their development of said players than I would on Darcy actually drafting the wrong ones.
- fastek

bennings drafts under darcy were brutal for the most part...there was a time just recently when they had only one or two homegrown young-vets...

that said, I agree, their development of those picks has left much to be desired

I don't think its untrue about Nolan, he wanted to win but he didn't want to develop talent so he was worrying about how to win games like I said, trying not to lose, not spending the time developing a very young roster.

Like I said, both Grigo and Zads said it last year, could be just guys giving little jabs back at the Sabres, but they both said they were happy to hear that the Avs had a development plan for them and a vision for them, something they didn't have in Buffalo. I know you have to take it with a grain of salt when it comes to young guys who just got traded with chips on their shoulders but it can't be all un true
- DDM-Coga

A coaches job is not to develop talent actually ............ his job is to win games with the talent he is provided. Developing is for others in the organization to succeed at.

bennings drafts under darcy were brutal for the most part...there was a time just recently when they had only one or two homegrown young-vets...

that said, I agree, their development of those picks has left much to be desired
- Michael Pachla

Yeah but can you recall any "reaches" ? Because those to me are signs of really bad vision. I just can't recall any. They basically took the guy that was supposed to go at that point pretty much ............

Look, let's put it this way .............. if Kane is sucking he is bringing down the entire team. I think the guy breaks out next year and everyone will be screaming for Murray to give him an extension. I think he likes it here and would do it.

I just don't get the hate for this guy.... maybe it's a Black thing I don't know.
- fastek

No hate for him at all. I want him to do well but I also don't really want to give him a contract extension that includes a pay increase when we have to worry about Eichel, Reinhart, Risto (hopefully Stamkos )

I have a feeling we do most of our trading on the 2nd day. With all those 3rd round picks I can see some being shipped out for players. Not sure what kind of player a 3rd gets you though..

Yeah but can you recall any "reaches" ? Because those to me are signs of really bad vision. I just can't recall any. They basically took the guy that was supposed to go at that point pretty much ............
- fastek

whether they were reaches or not, from 2005-2007 they drafted two first round picks who never made it to the nhl and traded away their other one...mike weber and jhonas enroth were the only players to have a sustained nhl career...that's three years of veritable nothingness for the club...


did a piece on that back in October, 2013, the year darcy and co. got canned:

http://buffalosabresnow.b...t-woes-can-be-traced.html

who's the second piece?
- Michael Pachla

Draft a goal scorer trade for young stud LHD.

A coaches job is not to develop talent actually ............ his job is to win games with the talent he is provided. Developing is for others in the organization to succeed at.
- fastek

Perfect attitude, when you have 18-19 year olds on your team, let them just figure it out for themselves. Screw em

I'm glad the team improved, but it would definitely be nice drafting in the top 4 for one more year
- sbroads24

Don't see how we get there.

sabres figured that out too...after Regier and Rolston were canned, the organization sent every rookie back to their respective developmental leagues, save for one player, for that very purpose...even Ristolainen went to the ahl and it was the best thing for him...he hated it, but he came into camp the following year cut to the point where it said, "you ain't sending me back to Rochester"
- Michael Pachla

Have to invest in your top draft picks, rushing talent to sell tickets, or whatever dumb reason mgmt might have is the worst thing possible.

Its so crucial now to have you top picks pan out or else you could find yourself in a world of hurt over paying in cap or in trades for players to fill depth roles bc the cupboards are bare with NHL level talent

Man I'm squeezing so hard for those two pieces - and I think we need to find them at the right prices.
- Der Kaiser

I'd like to be squeezing 2 pieces...


Also, don't do that, you'll break something.

The draft being in buffalo there has to be fireworks at the draft

Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not ................ I believe in this 100%.
- fastek

100% serious.

Yeah but can you recall any "reaches" ? Because those to me are signs of really bad vision. I just can't recall any. They basically took the guy that was supposed to go at that point pretty much ............
- fastek

Zagrapan

Have to invest in your top draft picks, rushing talent to sell tickets, or whatever dumb reason mgmt might have is the worst thing possible.

Its so crucial now to have you top picks pan out or else you could find yourself in a world of hurt over paying in cap or in trades for players to fill depth roles bc the cupboards are bare with NHL level talent
- DDM-Coga

totally agree

Zagrapan
- Wetbandit1

Peters. I win