zenthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
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Do they make the playoffs this season?
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I want to believe. I don’t believe, but I want to.
The Devils have made significant improvements in net *finally* and are coming in healthy. So much talent there.
The Caps have made a couple of improve now moves but they also lost 2/3rds of their possession flipping line. I guess we find out if it was all Dowd or not.
The Islanders finished strong and still have a ton of veterans.
Pittsburgh will still be in the hunt due to Sid and Geno.
Ottawa/Detroit are still hanging around and might be better. If Ullmark is close to Buffalo production (him behind a less structured team), the Sens are going to be close. The Wings have enough vets to still be around.
Columbus got a lot better behind the bench.
——————
The Rangers are still going to be good.
Tampa reshuffled but still has Kuch and Vasi and Cooper and they know how to win on off nights.
Boston is Boston.
Toronto is Toronto.
Florida might be a smidge worse but Zito has such ability with his staff to find cheap acquisition or cap hit role fillers.
Carolina will be good, might take a step back but not out of the playoffs.
Who knows what comes out of Philly with Michkov now in the fold. Similarly for Montreal, what does Demisov bring?
Feels like most of the East got better while some of the good teams have shuffled some. I can’t say “yes” to Buffalo being clearly better than they were last year positionally since their most frequent opponents look like they mostly got better.
The Devils have made significant improvements in net *finally* and are coming in healthy. So much talent there.
The Caps have made a couple of improve now moves but they also lost 2/3rds of their possession flipping line. I guess we find out if it was all Dowd or not.
The Islanders finished strong and still have a ton of veterans.
Pittsburgh will still be in the hunt due to Sid and Geno.
Ottawa/Detroit are still hanging around and might be better. If Ullmark is close to Buffalo production (him behind a less structured team), the Sens are going to be close. The Wings have enough vets to still be around.
Columbus got a lot better behind the bench.
——————
The Rangers are still going to be good.
Tampa reshuffled but still has Kuch and Vasi and Cooper and they know how to win on off nights.
Boston is Boston.
Toronto is Toronto.
Florida might be a smidge worse but Zito has such ability with his staff to find cheap acquisition or cap hit role fillers.
Carolina will be good, might take a step back but not out of the playoffs.
Who knows what comes out of Philly with Michkov now in the fold. Similarly for Montreal, what does Demisov bring?
Feels like most of the East got better while some of the good teams have shuffled some. I can’t say “yes” to Buffalo being clearly better than they were last year positionally since their most frequent opponents look like they mostly got better.
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
I went with yes.
2 years ago, they almost made it playing run and gun with poor goaltending and an overall poor team structure. They ended a point out with a rookie goalie coming in straight out of college.
This year, you've still got the bulk of the players that made the run and gun style go, who saw a lot of success on the power play. UPL emerged and the team has a legit back up goalie. The McLeod and Lafferty lines have defined roles and the skill set to execute those roles. No rookies or young players are being rushed into roles. And Ruff will be able to coach this team into an NHL structure.
Barring injuries, they'll be competitive for the wildcard spots and I think they get in.
2 years ago, they almost made it playing run and gun with poor goaltending and an overall poor team structure. They ended a point out with a rookie goalie coming in straight out of college.
This year, you've still got the bulk of the players that made the run and gun style go, who saw a lot of success on the power play. UPL emerged and the team has a legit back up goalie. The McLeod and Lafferty lines have defined roles and the skill set to execute those roles. No rookies or young players are being rushed into roles. And Ruff will be able to coach this team into an NHL structure.
Barring injuries, they'll be competitive for the wildcard spots and I think they get in.
- Jul 25, 2016
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Do not see where they closed the gap on the top 4 in the division and the conference is still competitive in top 12. I see them in a similar position to last year.
OkimLom
Registered User
- May 3, 2010
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They have a roster of talent that COULD make the playoffs, if healthy. But I think injuries, and the lack of depth from within and from the prospects, to be able to make up for those injuries, will be Buffalo's undoing.
I think there will be a learning curve that will once again lead to inconsistent hockey for this roster. I don't fully trust in UPL or the goaltending yet. UPL had a great 2 month in the middle of the season last year, but outside of that time, he was very inconsistent.
I think there will be a learning curve that will once again lead to inconsistent hockey for this roster. I don't fully trust in UPL or the goaltending yet. UPL had a great 2 month in the middle of the season last year, but outside of that time, he was very inconsistent.
50/50. Tough division. I slightly prefer our roster to last year with an additional year of development. Think it mostly depends on our top forwards. If all of Thompson/Cozens/Tuch have good seasons we'll make it - if they struggle we won't.
I say no, division is too tough. However, there were so many changes this off-season that they certainly could make the playoffs. The changes that Ruff implements will be the biggest factor.
Even last year just having more consistency and a middle of the road powerplay would have probably gotten them the final seed.
Even last year just having more consistency and a middle of the road powerplay would have probably gotten them the final seed.
Selanne00008
Registered User
No, because my concern is still, who are they elevating above? We'd need a lot of things to go right to truly jump other Eastern contenders:
Tage 50 G
Cozens 70 Points
6K is studly
D is producing and limit the gafs
Tuch and others stop the terrible D zone and neutral zone give away
Kids (Benson, Kulich or whoever produce).
Tage 50 G
Cozens 70 Points
6K is studly
D is producing and limit the gafs
Tuch and others stop the terrible D zone and neutral zone give away
Kids (Benson, Kulich or whoever produce).
WiHockeyGuy
Registered User
I think they'll be close and very competitive all year. But I think they fall short.
I'd gladly be wrong, of course.
I'd gladly be wrong, of course.
Capitals, Lightning, and Islanders could miss next year and it wouldn't surprise me. But I could see the Red Wings, Devils and Senators improving. Wild card race will probably be fairly congested just like this past season.
If all those things happen we’d be at or near the top of the conference. I think we just need a few of those to happen to make the playoffs.
Cozens/Tage return to form, Quinn/benson/Peterka producing, and UPL providing decent goaltending should get you in the playoffs
TheMistyStranger
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- May 21, 2005
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Zman5778
Moderator
I want to say yes. I really really really want to say yes. I think we CAN......
But I think we finish 9th. Unless there's some sort of unexpected falloff, we're not likely getting past Toronto, Boston, Tampa or Florida. So we're competing for the 2nd WC spot in my mind.
In the Metro, the Rangers and Devils should be 1-2 in some fashion with Carolina likely lagging a bit behind.
So that leaves us fighting with the refreshed Caps, Pens, Isles, Wings and maybe Senators. And who knows what Philly looks like.
But I think we finish 9th. Unless there's some sort of unexpected falloff, we're not likely getting past Toronto, Boston, Tampa or Florida. So we're competing for the 2nd WC spot in my mind.
In the Metro, the Rangers and Devils should be 1-2 in some fashion with Carolina likely lagging a bit behind.
So that leaves us fighting with the refreshed Caps, Pens, Isles, Wings and maybe Senators. And who knows what Philly looks like.
sabremike
#1 Tageaholic
This organization has constantly ignored opportunities when they came knocking and are now facing the horrible consequences for their foolishness. I don't think people really grasp what an outright catastrophe not getting over the line in 2023 was, the single biggest failure in Sabres history. Now there's even more pressure and our competition has all gotten much MUCH tougher.
Dreakon13
Registered User
Yeah. I think actual coaching and a real bottom 6 capable of taking some of the defensive heavy lifting, will do more than we realize. A lot of it hinges on Tage and co getting closer to 2022-23 form but IMO there's plenty of reason to think they can.
Then again, with this team I'm the eternal optimist for some reason. Maybe it keeps me from going insane, maybe it's its own kind of insanity.
Then again, with this team I'm the eternal optimist for some reason. Maybe it keeps me from going insane, maybe it's its own kind of insanity.
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
I can think of a lot bigger failures than not making the playoffs in 2023.
- The Briere / Drury re-signing fiasco
- John Rigas going to jail
- The Peca contract
- Hasek's exit and the return
- Not trading for a defenseman at the 2006 trade deadline
- Who the team elected to rebuild around after 2007
- Trading for Kane and Bogosian
- Tim Murray acting like a baby after losing the 2015 draft lottery
- Drafting Alex Nylander with Sergachev and McAvoy on the board (and the scouting staff pounding the table for McAvoy)
- Hiring Krueger
etc.........
sabremike
#1 Tageaholic
The team somehow managed to survive all of those. If the historic failure that should've been broken continues for much longer they are a solid bet to be relocated after the next round of expansion is completed. Did you happen to see the breakdown of league revenue? Now take a wild guess who (of the US based teams) brings in the lowest amount of gate revenue.
Yup.
MarkusKetterer
Shoulda got one game in
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
What's the mechanism in the NHL to tell and owner his team is being relocated?
zenthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
- 18,869
- 6,406
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
Nice!
On a serious note, if Pegula doesn't want to relocate, what's the mechanism that allows the NHL to relocate a team? I don't know if one exists.
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