May Day 10

Tgey are saving whaley for the 2017 season scapegoat

That wasnt a screw up. They did all they could, including acquiring a few other potential lottery picks to increase the odds. They got Eichel, which is great.' The screw up was when Pegula cut LaFontaine (and Craig Patrick) loose, allowing this green, socially awkward GM to assume full control. He had a glut of assets and almost full cap room, and squandered most of it with little to show right now. The organization was net-healthier when he took over (believe it or not).

I thought he did a good job. How embarrassing was the taking semantics argument? What a waste of time. Thet cry pegula isnt always available, then waste time with that garbage... for what end? Anyways, his identification of an experienced gm who will build an organization from the top down hits the spot, and frankly, is what both franchises sorely need

Need to hire a team President to bring in credibility and structure to the organization and build a winner from the top down. The Sabres can use that too.

I dont "blame" Eichel. He is/was terrific and seems to have a pretty good drive and work ethic. However, there is very little doubt that he got drawn down into worrying too much about the head coach, and likely some sort of locker-room rift. It quite tangibly cost him $2 Million. I am hoping it is a lesson learned and he comes out of it for the better.

Modrak was the guy they threw under the bus for Levy and Brandon, while Buddy Nix could buy them more time.

He was outwardly sulking the last handful of games. Hopefully his loss of the bonus gets him to internalize things a little more. Today is d day for bylsma, as murray has his pc

Eichel was due a $2 million bonus if he finished top 10 in points per game. He was right there until late in the Edmonton game, the last game, when McDavid set up Draisaitl for a goal, which moved Draisaitl .01 points per game better, knocking Eichel to 11th

If belichick takes him, he wont make it to september

Further than 20 minutes. The 90 toll at williamsville would be a horrific bottleneck. I said it in the other thread, but a bills game is an all day event for most fans. 20 minutes of drive time isnt going to make a big difference... especially since ticket sales are not a current problem. The only real possibilities are very likely downtown, adjacent to new era field, or a full renovation. Everything is right there in op. I dont believe there is enough benefit to building full infrastructure and campus anywhere else unless they are set on a downtown stadium.

I know I say it in every UB thread.... But that stadium is completely dismal. I like the MAC and cannot bring myself to attend games there. Can you possibly move potential fans any farther away from the game?

In that case, why not keep it in Orchard Park if the goal is to 'keep it the way its always been'?

The idea was out there, and the stadium study quashed it. It wont happen. Im sure Pegula would like the downtown stadium if possible. If it moves, its going to the city. If not in the city, it will be on site in Orchard Park. There isn't a problem with getting enough people to games. Making it a few minutes more convenient to people in Rochester, while making it more inconvenient for a larger/dense population does not make sense.

Yeah, made me happy to see those two there. As far as this season goes.... to be honest, I think it is kind of a transition year. They could always surprise us, but it feels like they are destined for a 4-6 win season.... Its fine though. McDermott seems focused on long term, sustained success.

Not saying that his moves are failures yet, more of an incomplete still.... I more-wanted to make the point that he wasnt coming in to a bare cupboard. He had a ton of currency when he came in, along with the promise of multiple top draft selections and a real shot at 2 of Ekblad, Reinhart, McDavid, and Eichel. Not having anything to work with cannot be an excuse if the team remains stuck in the mud another season (as well as the Amerks)

Well, if they cant extend/re-sign Kane, or if he gets into hot water this Summer, that is a huge waste. Hopefully he wants to stay. Kulikov too. He walks and that Pysyk and a 3rd is basically for zilch. The master plan IMO was to draft top end players as well as a cupboard full of developing prospects, to create a strong, deep organization. Murray spent a lot of assets to 'speed the rebuild' and got various guys in who he personally coveted/scouted for Ottawa (Carrier, Fasching, Lehner, Kane, Kulikov, probably Bogosian, OReilly). Also signing Okposo. The step back this season was a big failure. They are going to need to show progress next year, and also start to bear fruit in Rochester, or Murray's seat could get really warm. He really needs to shore up the blue line. Really needs to sign Peterson and have him and Johansson from Sweden backstop the Amerks, with Lehner and Ullmark with the Sabres. Pu and Estephan need to keep progressing, as do Nylander and Guhle in Rochester. Hopefully Fasching works hard this Summer and shows something in camp. We will see. With a new coach and a few changes on the blue line, it isnt difficult to imagine this team solidly up there with the top few in the Division. That along with some of the above named prospects starting to bear fruit in Rochester, Kane signs on a somewhat reasonable deal and things start to look rosey. Definitely a huge offseason for Murray and the franchise

I disagree they were bare. Many publications and blogs had the Sabres' prospect pool in the top 3-5 in the league. They had a glut of upcoming 1st-3rd round picks. Plus the promise of trading a few more pending UFAs in Miller and Ott, as well as having a highly coveted piece in Tyler Myers Just the trade of Brayden McNabb is a microcosm of the consistent bleeding of assets. McNabb AND (2) 2nd round picks for Fasching and Deslauriers. Other high end prospects/picks they have gotten rid of are Armia, Zadorov, Pysyk, Grigorenko, Brendan Lemieux (who was a recent 1st pick in round 2), Compher, and previously mentioned Myers. I know now in hindsight, some of those prospects arent as valuable, but a few years ago they had real value. Traded a 2nd rounder for Gorges, a 1st in the Kane trade (along with Myers who was rumored to be bringing back a high end return)., a 1st for Lehner, 1st pick in the second round in the OReilly trade, burned a 3rd for Vesey, burned a 3rd in the Pysyk trade, and a 4th getting Nilsson. And now, there isnt much to show for it. It was exciting, the Sabres holding all those picks with an incoming GM who supposedly was a drafting expert. The Sabres do not have much depth, and Rochester is bare. Some of these picks really need to pan out.

Murray blew through a ton of capital in the way of donking off draft picks. And they dont seem to have much to show for it. Outside of the no-brainer picks of Eichel and Reinhart... and Kane who is kind of a time bomb and is also approaching UFA... we all like OReilly, but there isnt much else to show for it. No depth, and Rochester is pretty much a wasteland. A couple guys in the pipeline look promising, but us/Murray really need to start seeing some returns.

yeah. These little PR actions mean nothing. Many were falling over themselves praising Rex Ryan for doing these sort of things and pushing everyone's buttons. I am cautiously optimistic for McDermott. Seems like a young, hungry, no-nonsense head coach ready and willing to put the work in. It reminds me how I felt about Gregg Williams though They are the Chrones of the Dosh Khaleen

2-0 Tribe

Yes, title IX sucks. I understand the premise of it... but more times than not (most times) all it does is restrict opportunity. UB Baseball was kind of a joke. I play on their field sometimes in the Summer and it is a disgrace. Our DIII field was 50x better than that. The coach treated it like his baby, and players' responsibilities included routine grounds maintenance. Not sure if UB would ever be competitive in the MAC. They are at a huge recruiting disadvantage

Yes.... typically this happens. In the past, I believe the Bills have been careful to employ GMs and Coaches who are agreeable to leaving as much in place as possible. You want the coach with staff he is comfortable with and shares a vision. Mcdermott, whether he will succeed or not, has a grand vision for his career. If he succeeds, we all will benefit.

The NFL could potentially create rules to suffocate the one team that refuses to get with the times, and are sucking in way more than they contribute.

I think we will have a good pile of details and plans revealed in 2020... stadium opens in 2024. Hopefully the bills find "success" by then but im not holding my breath