Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2018-19: Sabres picking 7th overall (6/21/19). Ralph Krueger hire as new head coach!

[plenzmd1]

 

[BillsFan4]

Quote

What is the worst city to visit on the road?

 

“The 2019 NHL Poll: Best player? Most overrated? Players weigh in on the best (and worst) in the game”  (subscription required)

 

https://theathletic.com/840226/2019/02/28/the-2019-nhl-poll-best-player-most-overrated-players-weigh-in-on-the-best-and-worst-in-the-game/?source=dailyemail

 

 

Sucks to see buffalo as #2 least desirable city to visit, but it’s not at all surprising. 

 

Hey, on a positive note, Mike Babcock was voted the #3 coach that players least like playing for. Tortorella was #1 and Hitchcock was #2. 

 

Interestingly, Tortorella was also tied for 4th with Paul Maurice for coach that players most wanted to play for (with 6% of the vote). Gerard Gallant and Jon Cooper ran away with that one, both receiving roughly 1/4 of the votes each. 

[K-9]

So I was doing some end of the month stat checking and I see that Hunwick, Scandella, and Sobotka (with one each) all put up more points than Tage Thompson, who managed to post a Blutarsky. 

 

With the Berglund situation and the pure suckitude of Sobotka, this trade keeps looking worse and worse for JBotts. And I have to wonder, why no time in Rochester? 

 

EDIT: I forgot to add Hutton as another player who outscored Thompson during February. I didn’t remember his assist on Reinhart’s empty netter vs. the Caps. Wow.

Edited February 28, 2019 by K-9

[Boca BIlls]

8 hours ago, K-9 said:

I guess there’s meeting expectations and then actually showing affirmative signs of progress. In other years with other teams, an 18 point improvement over the previous season might point to an upward trajectory but not this year. Not when the vast majority of the season has been played at the .394 clip we’ve seen the last three months. Not when a team can’t win two in a row since December 13th. Not when the same defensive lapses keep costing us games. 

 

There have been been some positives like Skinner, the continued development of Eichel and Reinhart, and the promising play of Dahlin to name a few. And the streak, fools gold that it turned out to be, was a blast and fun to rally around. 

 

 

So funny people re happy with failure.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

“The 2019 NHL Poll: Best player? Most overrated? Players weigh in on the best (and worst) in the game”  (subscription required)

 

https://theathletic.com/840226/2019/02/28/the-2019-nhl-poll-best-player-most-overrated-players-weigh-in-on-the-best-and-worst-in-the-game/?source=dailyemail

 

 

Sucks to see buffalo as #2 least desirable city to visit, but it’s not at all surprising. 

 

Hey, on a positive note, Mike Babcock was voted the #3 coach that players least like playing for. Tortorella was #1 and Hitchcock was #2. 

 

Interestingly, Tortorella was also tied for 4th with Paul Maurice for coach that players most wanted to play for (with 6% of the vote). Gerard Gallant and Jon Cooper ran away with that one, both receiving roughly 1/4 of the votes each. 

I wonder if a “Worst Place to be Traded” poll would score similarly. We’ve seen a number of players over the years who were flat out upset about coming here in years past. And with the Berglund situation, one has to wonder. 

8 minutes ago, Boca BIlls said:

So funny people re happy with failure.

I seriously doubt anyone is happy with failure, but there is a reluctance to see lack of progress for what it is. 

[BillsFan4]

53 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I wonder if a “Worst Place to be Traded” poll would score similarly. We’ve seen a number of players over the years who were flat out upset about coming here in years past. And with the Berglund situation, one has to wonder. 

I seriously doubt anyone is happy with failure, but there is a reluctance to see lack of progress for what it is. 

My guess would be yes. Especially with how bad the Sabres have been the last 5 years. I don’t think buffalo, the city, will ever be a destination among players. It’s a definite disadvantage in free agency. But it seems like a lot of players end up liking it once they spend some time here. 

 

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

So I was doing some end of the month stat checking and I see that Hunwick, Scandella, and Sobotka (with one each) all put up more points than Tage Thompson, who managed to post a Blutarsky. 

 

With the Berglund situation and the pure suckitude of Sobotka, this trade keeps looking worse and worse for JBotts. And I have to wonder, why no time in Rochester? 

 

It’s by far his worst trade. 

 

But it’s still salvageable. It’s looking like we could give Anaheim the St. Louis pick if everything holds the way it is now. 

 

So, essentially it’ll then be ROR and Guhle for Montour, Thompson and whatever that 2nd turns into. (Plus Sobotka if you want to count him...lol). 

 

If Montour turns into a good, long term top 4 RHD for Buffalo and Thompson develops into a top 6 F, the trade could look ok.

 

At least we got more of a sure thing with Montour though. 

 

 

The rest of Botterill’s trades have been better though. It makes me hopeful that the ROR trade was just an aberration. There were some extenuating circumstances there. 

But still, it sucks to give away our biggest trade chip for what buffalo did. 

Too bas they weren’t willing to eat that $7.5M bonus... (easy for me to say, right? lol). I think that would have changed things and even opened up more teams to trade him to (Carolina, NYI etc). 

[K-9]

17 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

My guess would be yes. Especially with how bad the Sabres have been the last 5 years. I don’t think buffalo, the city, will ever be a destination among players. It’s a definite disadvantage in free agency. But it seems like a lot of players end up liking it once they spend some time here. 

 

 

It’s by far his worst trade. 

 

But it’s still salvageable. It’s looking like we could give Anaheim the St. Louis pick if everything holds the way it is now. 

 

So, essentially it’ll then be ROR and Guhle for Montour, Thompson and whatever that 2nd turns into. (Plus Sobotka if you want to count him...lol). 

 

If Montour turns into a good, long term top 4 RHD for Buffalo and Thompson develops into a top 6 F, the trade could look ok.

 

At least we got more of a sure thing with Montour though. 

 

 

The rest of Botterill’s trades have been better though. It makes me hopeful that the ROR trade was just an aberration. There were some extenuating circumstances there. 

But still, it sucks to give away our biggest trade chip for what buffalo did. 

Too bas they weren’t willing to eat that $7.5M bonus... (easy for me to say, right? lol). I think that would have changed things and even opened up more teams to trade him to (Carolina, NYI etc). 

Great point about paying the 7.5m to attract more potential trading partners. That’s pocket change to the Pegulas, too. 

 

In keeping with the theme of the poor trade, I fully expect that pick to Anaheim, if it ends up being St. Louis’s, will becomes the next Wayne Gretzky.

[BillsFan4]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

 

In keeping with the theme of the poor trade, I fully expect that pick to Anaheim, if it ends up being St. Louis’s, will becomes the next Wayne Gretzky.

Sounds about right...  ? 

[BillsFan4]

 

 

 

 

Not a warm reception, to say the least. 

 

 

 

Edit -  Isles win 6 - 1

 

love it for islander fans.

They are every bit as die hard as Sabres fans are. 

 

Edited March 1, 2019 by BillsFan4

[Nextmanup]

This is a thread for discussing Sabres hockey, not a general NHL or hockey thread.

 

 

[K-9]

19 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

This is a thread for discussing Sabres hockey, not a general NHL or hockey thread.

 

 

This thread had a predecessor made by 26CornerBlitz for years and it always included NHL talk in general as well as Sabres discussion. When he left TBD, BillsFan4 started this newer thread to keep the tradition alive as a place for us Bills fans to also have a dedicated thread for hockey discussion. While it’s predominantly a Sabres discussion thread, it has always been open to other hockey discussion. 

 

If you want a place for more Sabres only threads, you may want to check out The Aud Club at SabresSpace, SDR’s sister site to TBD and TSW.

[Q-baby!]

10 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

This is a thread for discussing Sabres hockey, not a general NHL or hockey thread.

 

 

Read the thread title. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

As it stands now, playoffstatus.com calculates a 93% probability of Sabres not making the playoffs.

[Turk71]

1 minute ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

As it stands now, playoffstatus.com calculates a 93% probability of Sabres not making the playoffs.

So there is a chance? Right? I am gonna read this that there is at least a 7% chance the Sabres make the playoffs!!! Playoffs!!!

[shrader]

18 hours ago, K-9 said:

I wonder if a “Worst Place to be Traded” poll would score similarly. We’ve seen a number of players over the years who were flat out upset about coming here in years past. And with the Berglund situation, one has to wonder.

 

Berglund's still not playing anywhere in the world, right?  I think that's more telling about his situation to where very little of it was about Buffalo.

[plenzmd1]

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

As it stands now, playoffstatus.com calculates a 93% probability of Sabres not making the playoffs.

well, the only positive is this

 

On December 16th, the Sabres had a 92% chance of MAKING the playoffs...so , maybe this is wrong too.

 

I mean think about that, in a little over two months they have completed reversed this graph...that is really freaking hard to do!

 

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Atlantic/Buffalo_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html

[Q-baby!]

7 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

well, the only positive is this

 

On December 16th, the Sabres had a 92% chance of MAKING the playoffs...so , maybe this is wrong too.

 

I mean think about that, in a little over two months they have completed reversed this graph...that is really freaking hard to do!

 

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Atlantic/Buffalo_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html

And coach was talked about for coach of the year award. 

[K-9]

7 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

Berglund's still not playing anywhere in the world, right?  I think that's more telling about his situation to where very little of it was about Buffalo.

Perhaps, but that doesn’t explain past players who didn’t like getting traded here.

9 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

well, the only positive is this

 

On December 16th, the Sabres had a 92% chance of MAKING the playoffs...so , maybe this is wrong too.

 

I mean think about that, in a little over two months they have completed reversed this graph...that is really freaking hard to do!

 

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Atlantic/Buffalo_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html

Not only is it hard to do, my guess is that it’s history making. If not in the league, then certainly in franchise history.

[BillsFan4]

25 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Perhaps, but that doesn’t explain past players who didn’t like getting traded here.

Not only is it hard to do, my guess is that it’s history making. If not in the league, then certainly in franchise history.

I think buffalo will be the 3rd NHL team to miss the playoffs after a 10 game win streak. 

 

I know Philly did it in recent years (one of their annual win streaks...) and I can’t remember who the other team was (it may have been Philly too (lol, kidding)). 

 

But yeah, pretty rare. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by BillsFan4

[K-9]

1 minute ago, BillsFan4 said:

I think buffalo will be the 3rd NHL team to miss the playoffs after a 10 game win streak. 

 

I know Philly did it in recent years (one of their annual win streaks..... lol) and I can’t remember who the other team was (it may have been Philly too (lol, kidding)). 

 

But yeah, pretty rare. 

Definitely 10 game streak history.

 

But I was referring to the 92% chance of making the playoffs in mid-December to the 93% chance of not making them less than theee months later.

[bbb]

 

1 hour ago, shrader said:

 

Berglund's still not playing anywhere in the world, right?  I think that's more telling about his situation to where very little of it was about Buffalo.

 

God, Buffalo really ruined him!

 

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

well, the only positive is this

 

On December 16th, the Sabres had a 92% chance of MAKING the playoffs...so , maybe this is wrong too.

 

I mean think about that, in a little over two months they have completed reversed this graph...that is really freaking hard to do!

 

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Atlantic/Buffalo_ChanceWillMakePlayoffs.html

 

I'm pretty sure we had a 100% chance of making the playoffs at Halloween, too. 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Perhaps, but that doesn’t explain past players who didn’t like getting traded here.

 

Most of us are only familiar with the stories within our own market.  I'd be curious to see how often it happens with other teams.  I feel like we have plenty of stories of the exact opposite as well.  My guess is our rate isn't any different than what is typical around the league.

[K-9]

13 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

Most of us are only familiar with the stories within our own market.  I'd be curious to see how often it happens with other teams.  I feel like we have plenty of stories of the exact opposite as well.  My guess is our rate isn't any different than what is typical around the league.

I agree. 

 

It’s funny how NHL players, most of whom are from Podunk, Whatever would complain about playing in any city. 

[plenzmd1]

Boos tonight?

 

Just for the record, I am not a booer..but i would not think lesser of folks who do if the Sabres are not in this game either.

 

Good thing is its Friday night, and I have zero intention of watching this game. It will auto record, and if it interesting maybe will watch 3rd on a recorded basis...but stress free night!

[shrader]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

I agree. 

 

It’s funny how NHL players, most of whom are from Podunk, Whatever would complain about playing in any city. 

 

That was pretty much my exact thought when I was typing my post.  The demographics of NHL players is so vastly different than the other leagues.  Those three are pretty much completely american while the NHL is going to be what, 20%?

 

edit: I should walk back the "completely American" part a bit, particularly for baseball.

Edited March 1, 2019 by shrader

[BringBackFergy]

***** blind leading the blind. I can script these games: play hard, get lead, play cute, lose brain, press, lose game. 

[Q-baby!]

1 hour ago, BringBackFergy said:

***** blind leading the blind. I can script these games: play hard, get lead, play cute, lose brain, press, lose game. 

Apparently you can’t. 

[shrader]

I turned it on at the start of overtime. That last music was some fun hockey. And then the ref slightly trolling the crowd with the call on the replay was pretty funny. 

[K-9]

I’ll take it. We are not a good team and we are still Crosby’s b—ch, but we showed some heart in the third. 

[suorangefan4]

Of course the Sabres are going to win games now that I want them to lose for a higher draft pick. There's almost no shot at making up 8 points on Carolina and 7 points on Pittsburgh (we have to pass them both) not to mention they both own the tiebreaker over us. 

 

I want one of those centers projected to go from 6 to 10 but we'll win ourselves out of getting one of them.

[JohnC]

A win is a win. I'll take it. The Penguins obviously have more firepower but the Sabres competed. The Sabres are far from being a complete team but I expect them to be at least twenty points better than last year. Maybe not to many but to me that's progress. I expect Dahlin and Mitts to be much better next year. I'm aware that I'm in the minority in this room but I'm upbeat about the near future. 

 

The takeaway from this game is that Montour can skate and he is feisty. He was a terrific pickup. I thought Sheary and Ullmark played well. 

 

Crosby's quickdraw scoring shot was magnificent. 

 

The overtime was exciting. The fans got their money's worth in the extended play. 

[Turk71]

10 hours ago, shrader said:

 

That was pretty much my exact thought when I was typing my post.  The demographics of NHL players is so vastly different than the other leagues.  Those three are pretty much completely american while the NHL is going to be what, 20%?

 

edit: I should walk back the "completely American" part a bit, particularly for baseball.

The NBA is over 20% foreigners. Baseball over 25%. NFL only 2.5%. Last season 45% of NHL from Canada, 29% from USA. Closer than I thought.

[BillsPride12]

8 hours ago, JohnC said:

A win is a win. I'll take it. The Penguins obviously have more firepower but the Sabres competed. The Sabres are far from being a complete team but I expect them to be at least twenty points better than last year. Maybe not to many but to me that's progress. I expect Dahlin and Mitts to be much better next year. I'm aware that I'm in the minority in this room but I'm upbeat about the near future. 

 

The takeaway from this game is that Montour can skate and he is feisty. He was a terrific pickup. I thought Sheary and Ullmark played well. 

 

Crosby's quickdraw scoring shot was magnificent. 

 

The overtime was exciting. The fans got their money's worth in the extended play. 

Even though it's not showing up on the scoresheet I have seen Mittelstadt make alot of progess as the season has went on, and there's still a ton of room for growth in his game.  I believe he is a legit NHL player.  Dahlin will start cleaning up his mistakes as time goes on.  Montour is a beast, I didn't know much about him when we made the trade but now I am absolutely loving it. 

[JohnC]

56 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

Even though it's not showing up on the scoresheet I have seen Mittelstadt make alot of progess as the season has went on, and there's still a ton of room for growth in his game.  I believe he is a legit NHL player.  Dahlin will start cleaning up his mistakes as time goes on.  Montour is a beast, I didn't know much about him when we made the trade but now I am absolutely loving it. 

I am a Mittelstadt fan. As you noted he has steadily gotten better. Although from a stat standpoint his production has not been impressive I have rarely felt that he was out of his depth as a NHL player. It has to be remembered that two years ago he was playing HS hockey, and last year college hockey. And it has to be considered that for the most part he has been a second-line center facing skilled second-line players. Usually, young and developing players are gradually eased in by playing against lesser players on the third and fourth line. 

 

And as you noted Montour was a terrific pickup for a reasonable price. The Sabres gave up one of their three first round  picks, one of which came from the ROR deal. And, although Guhle was a good prospect his spot was replaced by Pilut who was an even better prospect. So when the cost is calculated for that deal we got a legitimate second pairing defenseman whose skill set fits in with what the coach is trying to establish for little cost. If you add up what was given up for Skinner and Montour it is fair to say that our GM did an outstanding job.  

[K-9]

Agree with everybody about Mitts and his NHL potential. He’s going to be a star eventually. I see his biggest issue, at both ends of the ice, as one of patience. He rushes too much. When he slows it down a half tick and lets the play develop and come to him more, he’s going to be a force. Like Eichel when he first came in, he needs a competent winger to open up some ice and who is able to finish. He made a few nice plays in the O zone last night that could have been converted. 

 

Will be interesting to see what’s left in their tank tonight. Would rather have an infusion of speed with Smith and O’Regan vs. the Leafs than seeing a tired Pommers and Okposo. 

[snafu]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

Agree with everybody about Mitts and his NHL potential. He’s going to be a star eventually. I see his biggest issue, at both ends of the ice, as one of patience. He rushes too much. When he slows it down a half tick and lets the play develop and come to him more, he’s going to be a force. Like Eichel when he first came in, he needs a competent winger to open up some ice and who is able to finish. He made a few nice plays in the O zone last night that could have been converted. 

 

Will be interesting to see what’s left in their tank tonight. Would rather have an infusion of speed with Smith and O’Regan vs. the Leafs than seeing a tired Pommers and Okposo. 

 

The team needs two wingers (emphasis on “able to finish”) and a goaltending upgrade and they’d be good to go.  Stock up Rochester to get ready replacements for the future and they won’t have too many more Pomminstein, Okposo, Sobotka, Scandella headaches. 

 

[Dr. Who]

7 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

The team needs two wingers (emphasis on “able to finish”) and a goaltending upgrade and they’d be good to go.  Stock up Rochester to get ready replacements for the future and they won’t have too many more Pomminstein, Okposo, Sobotka, Scandella headaches. 

 

Are those wingers among the youth that is maturing, free agent targets, or via trade over the summer? Can Ullmark improve to the point where he's an "upgrade." If not, who is likely available to fill that role? 

[Lurker]

52 minutes ago, snafu said:

a goaltending upgrade and they’d be good to go. 

 

 

The goaltending is fine, especially with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen coming along nicely in juniors and with the Amerks next year.    Ullmark is only 25 and this is his first full year in the NHL.   He's a good developing prospect who needs time to hone his game.   He's slowly taking the starter role from Hutton and will continue to emerge as he gains confidence and consistency...

[K-9]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

Are those wingers among the youth that is maturing, free agent targets, or via trade over the summer? Can Ullmark improve to the point where he's an "upgrade." If not, who is likely available to fill that role? 

We better hope that winger is in the pipeline already because it’s not realistic to think we are gonna get one in the draft to help right away, or that one will become available in FAgency, or that a trade for another Skinner will be in the offing. And that doesn’t consider the help we need on the back end on D. 

 

As for for the goalies, it’s gotta be Ullmark and Hutton until 6K is ready to take the reins in a few years. 

Edited March 2, 2019 by K-9

[BillsPride12]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

I am a Mittelstadt fan. As you noted he has steadily gotten better. Although from a stat standpoint his production has not been impressive I have rarely felt that he was out of his depth as a NHL player. It has to be remembered that two years ago he was playing HS hockey, and last year college hockey. And it has to be considered that for the most part he has been a second-line center facing skilled second-line players. Usually, young and developing players are gradually eased in by playing against lesser players on the third and fourth line. 

 

And as you noted Montour was a terrific pickup for a reasonable price. The Sabres gave up one of their three first round  picks, one of which came from the ROR deal. And, although Guhle was a good prospect his spot was replaced by Pilut who was an even better prospect. So when the cost is calculated for that deal we got a legitimate second pairing defenseman whose skill set fits in with what the coach is trying to establish for little cost. If you add up what was given up for Skinner and Montour it is fair to say that our GM did an outstanding job.  

I'm a Mittelstadt fan too.  He was absolutely thrown into a very tough situation for his true rookie season in the NHL.  The things I love hearing about Mitts is how high his compete level is, how bad he wants to be good in the NHL, how hard he works and practices off the ice.  You can see flashes of his skill level here and there and over time once the speed of playing NHL level hockey "slows" down for him and his body grows from that of a kid into a man you will see his production take off.  It helps he has a Center as talented as Jack to show him the ropes and mentor him.  We just need to find him a competent winger to play alongside.  I am hoping Tage can fill that role but I am not as convinced he will be a legit top 6 forward as I am with Casey yet.