i don't expect any significant changes... no. i want them... badly. but i expect nothing of significant changes to happen
we will be sold the injuries story.
we will be sold the departure of boyes, hecht, and goose
we will be sold the youth coming up
i expect mostly the same roster and same coaching staff
AND I WILL ****ING HATE IT
I'd hate it too. We agree there.
That said, I expect changes to be made. More of the "Rochester core" will be phased out. It'll be a wonderful thing. This was the fifth season post-co-captains. Regier trading Goose was removing the first piece of the stupid puzzle with broken pieces.
Sorry but based on production, he's one of the most overpaid forwards in the NHL
I'm of the opinion that he'll produce more if he has an actual position and defined role.... But you're right. I can understand consistency being an issue when you're playing different position on different lines asked to do different things for a majority of the year.
Mostly I'm trying to stay optimistic about him since he's gonna be a Sabres for a while, haha
I like Ennis developing into a Giroux type of player.
Similarly, I was remarking how physically similar (except for the shot) Marcus Foligno is to Jarome Iginla.
And of course there's Tyler Myers, and Brayden McNabb starting to show that he belongs.
This is a core to build around. Pominville is a very nice player, but ultimately he's a Pavol Demitra, a complementary piece. Stafford can be a Fedotenko type guy on a Cup run. Many of the Sabres pieces for a Cup run are in place.
I don't think this is a time for pessimism. Our best pieces are our youngest pieces and they are growing. Let's add more young core, and when they are ready, add veteran seasoning for a REAL Cup run.
I agree. Regier has put this team in a position to succeed for many years with the roster moves he's made over the past ten months. If you eliminate the dead weight (I'm including Vanek and Roy in this group):
Pominville
Ennis
Hodgson
Stafford
Foligno
Tropp
McNabb
Myers
Ehrhoff
Sekera
Armia
Pysyk
2012 1st Round Pick (BUF), around pick 13
2012 1st Round Pick (NSH), around pick 20
2012 2nd Round Pick (CGY), around pick 40
2012 2nd Round Pick (BUF), around pick 43
I think they're a couple of solid veteran acquisitions (veterans that can play at a high level for a number of years. Not Neidermayers) from really being in fantastic shape. Based on the assets we have, parlaying them into veterans is possible.
Call me loony, call me whatever. You can even do blind quotes on my posts...
Record with Ennis: 27-13-7 (2.91 goals per game)
Record without Ennis: 12-19-3 (2.29 goals per game)
I will once again state without blinking, in my opinion, the primary reason we didn't make the playoffs is because when we missed Ennis for 34 games this season. Now, if Vanek and the other offensive dynamos stepped up in his absence, perhaps it wouldn't be such an issue, but they didn't.
The Flyers game where they were up 3-0 after one, with Tropp tuning Rinaldo, and they manage to lose... that one still sticks in my craw.
Watching Regier NOT make any sort of move when they were down 9 regulars in December, when there was competent NHL talent hitting the waiver wire and LTIR with Hecht...
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle
More then colorado?
or having 5 elimination shootout attempts vs Florida?
those 2 stand out the most to me..
Boston game where we ended up losing 3-2 after blowing a 2 goal lead at home and ruff basically said, "we're injured, so it's an acceptable ending." and i agree w/ chain, the philly game... freaking grags. and this team for going shell mode in the 2nd/3rd and thinking they could win.
Call me loony, call me whatever. You can even do blind quotes on my posts...
Record with Ennis: 27-13-7 (2.91 goals per game)
Record without Ennis: 12-19-3 (2.29 goals per game)
I will once again state without blinking, in my opinion, the primary reason we didn't make the playoffs is because when we missed Ennis for 34 games this season. Now, if Vanek and the other offensive dynamos stepped up in his absence, perhaps it wouldn't be such an issue, but they didn't.
We are no doubt a better team with Ennis in the lineup (he is probably my fav player) but how many points did Ennis have before his injury? 0-5? iircc
The Flyers game where they were up 3-0 after one, with Tropp tuning Rinaldo, and they manage to lose... that one still sticks in my craw.
Watching Regier NOT make any sort of move when they were down 9 regulars in December, when there was competent NHL talent hitting the waiver wire and LTIR with Hecht...
Pretty much this. Philly went down a few D men so they aquired Kubina and Grossman. Injuries hit, it sucks, still got to do something about it not just plug the team with Rookies/AHL players and hope it doesn't go badly. I'm not saying the callups were bad, infact they were some bright spots in these but the fact is Ruff brings them up then doesn't seem to trust them enough.
The Flyers game where they were up 3-0 after one, with Tropp tuning Rinaldo, and they manage to lose... that one still sticks in my craw.
Watching Regier NOT make any sort of move when they were down 9 regulars in December, when there was competent NHL talent hitting the waiver wire and LTIR with Hecht...
to go along with the "not making moves" idea...keeping luke adam up here when he was about as useful as a black hole after he stopped feeding off vanek and pominville's play. would have rather seen chewy or ellis get his spot once he got bounced into the bottom 6
We are no doubt a better team with Ennis in the lineup (he is probably my fav player) but how many points did Ennis have before his injury? 0-5? iircc
Ennis was pointless in his first 7 games of the season (October 7-22) before he was shut down until December 2nd. He came back and played 8 games from December 2-17 where he tallied 3 goals and 2 assists before being shut down again until January 31st. So when you add it up, he had 5 points in his first 15 games of the season but he missed a month and a half in the middle of it all.
to go along with the "not making moves" idea...keeping luke adam up here when he was about as useful as a black hole after he stopped feeding off vanek and pominville's play. would have rather seen chewy or ellis get his spot once he got bounced into the bottom 6
I was all over the Brule pickup when he hit recall waivers. Solid energy player at this level... would've given them the ability to put Adam back in Rochester earlier and get his head screwed back on again sooner. Nope. I don't want Regier back. And when he goes, the new GM gets to pick his own coach.
The Flyers game where they were up 3-0 after one, with Tropp tuning Rinaldo, and they manage to lose... that one still sticks in my craw.
Watching Regier NOT make any sort of move when they were down 9 regulars in December, when there was competent NHL talent hitting the waiver wire and LTIR with Hecht...
regier has never been willing to lose a trade on paper to improve the make up of a roster (unless it's throwing away a 2nd round pick at the deadline)
the depth on the blueline in rochester should've been put in play at that time... instead, a guy like Schiestel gets basically thrown away,
It can be core players, or coaching, or GM. It's gotta happen. My preference is players named Roy, Leopold, Vanek. They have value, but less value for winning a cup than winning their salaries.
still confused as to why vanek and pominville were never reunited in the last 2 months... maybe it was because of how consistent their lines were when separated
freaking grags. and this team for going shell mode in the 2nd/3rd and thinking they could win.
