Is this a playoff team?
Posted 9:02 PM ET | Comments 17
I recently read the article about the Sabres building the team they have to be competitive. The pieces are there, according the Darcy Regier. There is a comfort level of the roster. I don't deny that the team has talent. It's there. However, for the past two seasons, the team has missed the playoffs with these players. Could a piece be missing?
There is the ability to do serious damage on the Sabres roster. Vanek can always find the back of the net, and if he stays healthy, Buffalo has their first 50 goal scorer since Alexander Mogilny. Roy has been consistent in getting points each season. Connolly handles the puck well, and is able to score and set up his teammates as well. However, that depends on him staying healthy. Kaleta has the potential to go be a solid defensive forward who intimidates his opponents, and gets 10-15 goals per season. All while Ryan Miller continues to improve at goal, and show his dominance. I haven't even touched on the solid defense, and the rest of the offense, but the talent is there.
If this team is to get into the playoffs, a piece of the puzzle is still missing. The past two years, the team has just been on the cusp of sneaking into the playoffs. The prospects are very promising for the Sabres as well, but are they the answer? Will the play of Nathan Gerbe push Buffalo into the playoffs? Buffalo needs to evaluate what the team needs in order to stop sitting on the outside of the playoffs so that come April, the Sabres are in the playoffs.
Like every other Buffalo Sabres fan, I'm anxiously awaiting for the start of the season. Do i agree with what the management have done? No. Is the potential for this team to make the playoffs there? Yes, if they stay healthy. More importantly, is this a Stanley Cup team? right now, I'm just not seeing it. I can see it a few years down the road if the Sabres stay healthy and keep the young talent on the team. I love this team. I pray that they prove me wrong. However, as I watched the playoffs and the Cup Finals this past season, i thought it was a miracle that Buffalo had been able to compete with those teams. Buffalo did compete with them, including taking 3 of 4 from Pittsburgh this past season. I hope Buffalo is answering these questions, and are moving forward to make sure that come playoff time, Buffalo is lacing up their skates, instead of their golf shoes.
There is the ability to do serious damage on the Sabres roster. Vanek can always find the back of the net, and if he stays healthy, Buffalo has their first 50 goal scorer since Alexander Mogilny. Roy has been consistent in getting points each season. Connolly handles the puck well, and is able to score and set up his teammates as well. However, that depends on him staying healthy. Kaleta has the potential to go be a solid defensive forward who intimidates his opponents, and gets 10-15 goals per season. All while Ryan Miller continues to improve at goal, and show his dominance. I haven't even touched on the solid defense, and the rest of the offense, but the talent is there.
If this team is to get into the playoffs, a piece of the puzzle is still missing. The past two years, the team has just been on the cusp of sneaking into the playoffs. The prospects are very promising for the Sabres as well, but are they the answer? Will the play of Nathan Gerbe push Buffalo into the playoffs? Buffalo needs to evaluate what the team needs in order to stop sitting on the outside of the playoffs so that come April, the Sabres are in the playoffs.
Like every other Buffalo Sabres fan, I'm anxiously awaiting for the start of the season. Do i agree with what the management have done? No. Is the potential for this team to make the playoffs there? Yes, if they stay healthy. More importantly, is this a Stanley Cup team? right now, I'm just not seeing it. I can see it a few years down the road if the Sabres stay healthy and keep the young talent on the team. I love this team. I pray that they prove me wrong. However, as I watched the playoffs and the Cup Finals this past season, i thought it was a miracle that Buffalo had been able to compete with those teams. Buffalo did compete with them, including taking 3 of 4 from Pittsburgh this past season. I hope Buffalo is answering these questions, and are moving forward to make sure that come playoff time, Buffalo is lacing up their skates, instead of their golf shoes.
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Defensive consistency.Scoring goals isn't their problem; keeping the lead is.Rivet's acquisition last season and Montador's signing this season represent good steps taken toward rectifying the problem, but whether it's enough remains to be seen.
No
Right now can they make the playoffs? Yeah they arent the Islanders, can they really compete I dont think so. They are in a tough place right now and i see quite a few more years of transition ahead for this team. I think this year will be te last transition year and next year we will really start to see the vision that Darcy is assembling.
Next year IMO we will be looking at Lydman and Tallinder leaving the team making way for all the young talent that you will see developed from last year through this coming year. Are Gerbe/Kennedy/Mancari going to see 82 games, im not counting on it. I think this is going to be another developmental year for this team and the reason Darcy and Lindy are still around is because this is a long term plan that we will not start to truly see on the ice for at least another year or two.
I honestly think that barring any injuries, they should secure a spot in the bottom four seeds.Whether they'll make it too far is doubtful.
o yeah and Kaleta will never score 10-15 goals in a season.
Get a Tanguay or a Zherdev then maybe
why does everybody forget that the sabres had the 5th spot moving up around the allstar break, miller goes down, vanek goes down, and we still almost made it, without a full season of connely and pommer being a nonfactor. A full season from connely, and a rebound year for hecht and pommer, I can seriously see the sabres being a legitamate cup contendor.
Also rivet missed a good portion of the early season. And kaleta can definately get a 10 15 goal season.. Again...... It all depends on the health of our stars
We could make it this year the moves darcy made while small were what we needed and imo Gerbe will never play in the nhl full time
Kaleta had 9 pts. total last season he has 7 goals in 2 seasons and you think he can turn that into 15 goals are you delusional, and (Nickkcin) injury is part of the game Hect is over the hill and many teams around the Sabres got a lot better. How about pointing out that we have to replace the 45 pts. that Spacek had last season and Montador is not doing that.
If someone is going to say sign Tangay or Zherdev - please tell us how the sabres are supose to do that with 6 mill in cap sapce 10 forwards on their NHL roster and they still have to sign Stafford. Staff is going to make 2.5 - 3 mill now you are at 3 - 3.5. please explain to me how we are supose to sign Tangay who wants 4-5 mill or zherdev who got an arbitraion rulling for 4 mill? Not to mention Zherdev is Kotalik 7 yrs ago, im all set with that.
Kaleta doesn't intimidate; he cheap shots. Connolly staying healthy for an entire season would be a big help to the Sabres playoff chances. He fills out two decent scoring lines. Defensively they are a little soft. Montador is an upgrade over Spacek in that regard but not enough to make them more than a team competing for a lower playoff seed.
Please name the teams that got better around the sabres, IMO, mtl is going to take at least 20 games till they find some chemistry and form good line parings. Toronto isn't much better than last season,Boston hasn't done shit, the rangers still suck, as do the devils, and ottowa, well we can never beat Ottawa any way.. Well be fine
We have 1 scoring line in Vanek, Roy and Stafford. Pomanville and Connolly can produce but they have to find someone who can play with them, once they do that they will be in a better position, Hect is not going t cut it. And how is Montodor an upgrade over Spacek? Spacek was 4th in the East last year in pts for a D-man.
boston has done more then buffalo and are still trying to do some things. the devils will be better next year with there number 1, the leafs have gotten better, still no scoring ottawa will improve the moment heatley is gone and i think the rangers wwill do better next year with a few new faces and a couple dead weight guys gone