Do you because I don’t see it
- IndianaSabresFan

8. Buffalo Sabres
Last Year: 14th



“I don’t think GMKA gets the respect he deserves outside of Buffalo for his rebuild of the entire organization. I considered the Sabres the worst-managed professional sports team in North America (maybe the world) in 2020. The three-year turnaround is nothing short of remarkable in my opinion.”

“I’ll admit to having been extremely skeptical of Kevyn Adams when he got the GM job, but honestly, he’s been making some really solid decisions and I feel like he has both a good vision and an understanding of how long it needs to take to get there.”

The Buffalo Sabres are hockey’s new “it” team, everyone’s second favorite club. So it should come as no surprise that they enter the top 10 in the front-office confidence rankings on the back of stronger relative support from the public rather than their own fan base.

This is Buffalo’s first foray into the league’s top 10 and it comes from the franchise finally doing things the right way. No rushing the rebuild, no quick fixes, no band-aid solutions — just patience and development toward finding the right pieces. The Sabres get top marks for their drafting and development and it’s what will make this franchise a future powerhouse. On the development front, the Tage Thompson story is one of the biggest wins in that realm in recent memory — one that’s worthy of a lot of cachet in that category. It’s hard not to have complete faith in a team’s development practices after seeing what they turned Tage into.

The other thing that really helps Buffalo is the team’s cap management. The Sabres haven’t been afraid to lock up their young players early to reasonable deals and it’s already paying dividends with how those players are evolving past those pay structures. It’s similar to how the Devils have operated and it’s paid off big time for them. The Sabres are looking to follow in those footsteps, right down to last year’s major breakout.

To get there, Buffalo will need to do a better job of finding strong, external solutions the way New Jersey has. Strong drafting and developing only goes so far and the Sabres’ work in trades and on the free-agency front does leave a bit to be desired at the moment. Maybe it’s the team being patient, but for now, it’s the difference between ranking eighth and somewhere in the top five.

Are you one of the people that complain about opposing fans during Maple Laff day?
- TheSabresTaco

Nope

I'll sell most of my tickets to whomever on stu hub and keep a pair on the Sabres shoot twice end.

Love the leafs games, and we've dominated over the years at home.

Are you gonna be the guy complaining about the resale market after season tickets holders sold for $6 a game?

“I don’t think GMKA gets the respect he deserves outside of Buffalo for his rebuild of the entire organization. I considered the Sabres the worst-managed professional sports team in North America (maybe the world) in 2020. The three-year turnaround is nothing short of remarkable in my opinion.”

All built on hope still, they were 1 point out of the playoffs 4 years ago.

"To get there, Buffalo will need to do a better job of finding strong, external solutions the way New Jersey has. Strong drafting and developing only goes so far and the Sabres’ work in trades and on the free-agency front does leave a bit to be desired at the moment. Maybe it’s the team being patient, but for now, it’s the difference between ranking eighth and somewhere in the top five."

Fair

The paragraph calling the Sabres the it team of the league is ridiculous.

Also hilarious that Botts is ranked right behind him at 9th - Adams owes Botts a beer.
- washedup20

Its kinda true though... lotta fans of other teams wanting this team to keep rising. Just so fun to watch.

17. Ottawa Senators
Last Year: 8th



“It’s infuriating that this far into a rebuild, Dorion decides to mortgage the future, deplete the prospect pool by trading all of our picks, yet we still haven’t made the playoffs. Meanwhile, Buffalo and New Jersey had the patience to stick with the plan and are starting to reap the rewards.”
.
- DirtyDan

that's funny

one team addressed their needs


the other team was playing bryson, comrie, fitzgerald, 6k, stillman, clague, etc

Its kinda true though... lotta fans of other teams wanting this team to keep rising. Just so fun to watch.
- DirtyDan

Good post

Our own "fans" hate this team more then general hockey fans.

Who doesnt like the 3rd highest scoring team in the league with a dozen very likeable players..

“I don’t think GMKA gets the respect he deserves outside of Buffalo for his rebuild of the entire organization. I considered the Sabres the worst-managed professional sports team in North America (maybe the world) in 2020. The three-year turnaround is nothing short of remarkable in my opinion.”

All built on hope still, they were 1 point out of the playoffs 4 years ago.

"To get there, Buffalo will need to do a better job of finding strong, external solutions the way New Jersey has. Strong drafting and developing only goes so far and the Sabres’ work in trades and on the free-agency front does leave a bit to be desired at the moment. Maybe it’s the team being patient, but for now, it’s the difference between ranking eighth and somewhere in the top five."

Fair

The paragraph calling the Sabres the it team of the league is ridiculous.

Also hilarious that Botts is ranked right behind him at 9th - Adams owes Botts a beer.
- washedup20

I don't think it is, the Sabres had a lot of hockey media fans this past season. Outside people want us to win.

Its kinda true though... lotta fans of other teams wanting this team to keep rising. Just so fun to watch.
- DirtyDan

they had nowhere to go but up

Good post

Our own "fans" hate this team more then general hockey fans.

Who doesnt like the 3rd highest scoring team in the league with a dozen very likeable players..
- Boss34

playoff games don't matter much

Nope

I'll sell most of my tickets to whomever on stu hub and keep a pair on the Sabres shoot twice end.

Love the leafs games, and we've dominated over the years at home.

Are you gonna be the guy complaining about the resale market after season tickets holders sold for $6 a game?
- Boss34

have you ever seen me talk about tickets ever before right now

I don't think it is, the Sabres had a lot of hockey media fans this past season. Outside people want us to win.
- TheSabresTaco

that's great that outside people want us to win


seems the inexperienced nhl gm is still slow playing this team closing the gap to being a cup contender


he makes moves to try to get us to 8th place instead of moves to compete for a cup

that's funny

one team addressed their needs


the other team was playing bryson, comrie, fitzgerald, 6k, stillman, clague, etc
- homiedclown

Ottawa addressed their needs too.. didn't go so well for them

that's funny

one team addressed their needs


the other team was playing bryson, comrie, fitzgerald, 6k, stillman, clague, etc
- homiedclown

Are you one of the people that complain about opposing fans during Maple Laff day?
- TheSabresTaco

Sure is

Ottawa addressed their needs too.. didn't go so well for them
- DirtyDan

the narrative that some team buys players and they don't do Richard like ottawa and detroit makes them somehow better than buffalo because they 'filled holes' is twisted.

Ottawa addressed their needs too.. didn't go so well for them
- DirtyDan

chicken man is an upgrade over clifton

korpisalo is an upgrade over 6k and comrie

tarasenko is an upgrade over bring back girgens and jost, esp with quinn out for extended time

I'm all for filling holes. Giggity.

But if you're going to say 'well at least they tried' and still ended up worse, I mean, what are we even doing here

- TheSabresTaco

what does this have to do with the devils?

I'm all for filling holes. Giggity.

But if you're going to say 'well at least they tried' and still ended up worse, I mean, what are we even doing here
- TheSabresTaco

you think the sabres did as good as the devils this past season?


seriously?



one team kept the foot on the gas and one gm held the team back

what does this have to do with the devils?
- homiedclown

The quote I highlighted was from the Ottawa section of the article...

what does this have to do with the devils?
- homiedclown

This has to do with the Ottawa Senators

you think the sabres did as good as the devils this past season?


seriously?



one team kept the foot on the gas and one gm held the team back
- homiedclown

The Ottawa Senators. And the Red Wings to boot.

Never mentioned the Devils.

The quote I highlighted was from the Ottawa section of the article...
- DirtyDan

but my quote from that was laughing at comparing the sabres to the devils

apples and oranges

but my quote from that was laughing at comparing the sabres to the devils

apples and oranges
- homiedclown

I didn't compare them, I simply highlighted a quote from the article.

I don't think it is, the Sabres had a lot of hockey media fans this past season. Outside people want us to win.
- TheSabresTaco

The #8 ranked GM didn't.

that's great that outside people want us to win


seems the inexperienced nhl gm is still slow playing this team closing the gap to being a cup contender


he makes moves to try to get us to 8th place instead of moves to compete for a cup
- homiedclown

The reason I made the comment was because people on the outside think he's doing better than the people on the inside, as in us.

Why do you suppose that is?