Who's Better New Jersey Or Buffalo ?

[Sabresbyswords104]

New jersey is a good team. I think they just need some more help from their bottom 6 this season. I still think sabres Will be the better team
This season (they been bad for so long) But i think their future is so good with quinn Peterka Benson cozens tage Tuch in the top 6 and with 1 add st deadline top 6 forward they could be really good

 

[Gorskyontario]

New jersey is a good team. I think they just need some more help from their bottom 6 this season. I still think sabres Will be the better team
This season (they been bad for so long) But i think their future is so good with quinn Peterka Benson cozens tage Tuch in the top 6 and with 1 add st deadline top 6 forward they could be really good

How long till Dahlin wants out, like Eichel did?

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

NJ has Jack Hughes. Sabres have no one near that top end offensively. Buffalo has a good d core but so does New Jersey. Jersey made the playoffs recently. NJ is and will be way better for the foreseeable future

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

How long till Dahlin wants out, like Eichel did?

That’s the fear, brother.

 

[Gorskyontario]

That’s the fear, brother.

The Sabres were usually my 2nd or 3rd favorite team. Because Hawerchuk went there, then later Peca and Briere. That being said watching Sabres management over the past 13 years has made me very resentful of the team.

 

[miscs75]

Both fully healthy? NJ is a playoff team and shot for top 3 in the metro. Buffalo is at best a bubble team again.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

The Sabres were usually my 2nd or 3rd favorite team. Because Hawerchuk went there, then later Peca and Briere. That being said watching Sabres management over the past 13 years has made me very resentful of the team.

Just remember Sabres fans aren’t management. Fans are in dismay. No one is pissed more than our fans and we have no impact as fans to what management does

 

[The Marquis]

I like this question and was sad there wasn’t much follow up to it.

In the current sense I can’t think of one.

Historically I see a lot of parallels to late 90s into early 00s Ottawa. Drafted two defensemen first overall not far apart (Berard-became-Redden, and Phillips; Dahlin and Power). Traded their once-cornerstone disgruntled second overall pick 1c for multiple parts. (Yashin, Eichel) .

Ottawa is a pretty good comparable for sure and they are pretty close in being expected to do better every year yet still failing to prevail. There’s a lot to talk about there.

 

[DKH]

Jersey not even close

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Another way to phrase this is apart from one oddball season NJ as been just as inept for just as long as Buffalo.

They were 110 point team with the now Sabres coach. Who I think is a very good coach in this league.

These are both fair points. The issue to me is that NJ has recently been successful at least once, and looked really good doing so. Might have been lucky, but BUF hasn't gotten lucky in a really long time.

Coaching is interesting. Keefe has a really, really good regular season record. Be interested to see how he does with a little less talent on the roster. Ruff is a good coach as well. BUF might have a slight edge in improvement in coaching, but I don't think it'll be as important as health and the rosters.

 

[dgibb10]

These are both fair points. The issue to me is that NJ has recently been successful at least once, and looked really good doing so. Might have been lucky, but BUF hasn't gotten lucky in a really long time.

Coaching is interesting. Keefe has a really, really good regular season record. Be interested to see how he does with a little less talent on the roster. Ruff is a good coach as well. BUF might have a slight edge in improvement in coaching, but I don't think it'll be as important as health and the rosters.

I question the statement that NJD has a worse roster.

This will be by far the most talented dcore keefe will have had to work with.

Much better bottom 6 too, which in toronto was mostly filled with the dregs of UFA due to a lack of cap space

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

I question the statement that NJD has a worse roster.

This will be by far the most talented dcore keefe will have had to work with.

Much better bottom 6 too, which in toronto was mostly filled with the dregs of UFA due to a lack of cap space

TML has made the PO's like 8 years in a row. NJ did improve the goaltending, but I don't think it is a stretch to say the current NJ roster isn't quiteb as good as those TML rosters.

 

[dgibb10]

TML has made the PO's like 8 years in a row. NJ did improve the goaltending, but I don't think it is a stretch to say the current NJ roster isn't quiteb as good as those TML rosters.

Pesce, Hamilton, Hughes, Dillon, Nemec, Siegenthaler.

What Dcore has keefe gotten to coach as good as this?

Like take 1 look at the dcore keefe had to work with.

Bottom 6 filled with PTOs and minimum contracts

 

[BurntToast]

I am Biased but I would take Jack Hughes (with a risky shoulder) over any player on Buffalo’s team. Ditto for Nico and Bratt. Nico out scored the Sabres and was concussed for a month. Timo would rank 4th in points, 2nd in goal scoring on the last years Sabres. The dude had a torn shoulder and sprained knees.

I would also argue a “healthy”Hamilton and Dahlin are a toss-up. After that the Devils have a better defense.

(Edit: Ruff is a good coach but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sabres took a step back this year. Ruff has some wild defensive schemes. It took the players a while to adjust to it. Maybe he changes it up)

 

[GOALOFSSON]

I am Biased but I would take Jack Hughes (with a risky shoulder) over any player on Buffalo’s team. Ditto for Nico and Bratt. Nico out scored the Sabres and was concussed for a month. Timo would rank 4th in points, 2nd in goal scoring on the last years Sabres. The dude had a torn shoulder and sprained knees.

I would also argue a “healthy”Hamilton and Dahlin are a toss-up. After that the Devils have a better defense.

(Edit: Ruff is a good coach but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sabres took a step back this year. Ruff has some wild defensive schemes. It took the players a while to adjust to it. Maybe he changes it up)

You're taking Hischier and Bratt over Dahlin?

How would you argue Dahlin and Hamilton being a toss-up?

 

[Lunatik]

Devils. Until the Sabres actually show something on the ice, I'm done picking them as a breakout team. The Devils are only a year removed from not just making the playoffs but winning a round and were 1 win away from capturing the division and they've addressed their biggest need IMO

 

[BurntToast]

You're taking Hischier and Bratt over Dahlin?

How would you argue Dahlin and Hamilton being a toss-up?

100%.

Dahlin is overrated.

I am not saying he is a bad defenseman. Plus, he has an opportunity to take another-step, and maybe Lindy will help.

I would take Dahlin over Hamilton because he is the younger version of him, without the injuries. If Hamilton is healthy they are interchangeable. They are offensive defenseman who can put up 50-60pts and score goals. Dahlin is closer to Hamilton, than he is to Makar.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Jersey not even close

I think Jersey is very close.

 

[DKH]

I think Jersey is very close.

Ok - the nuns would be on my ass

Jersey. As in better
The period was omitted

Jersey a playoff team

Buffalo missues

 

[BFLO]

Nico Hischier has played more hockey in each of the last 3 seasons than Dylan Cozens.

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They just aren't in the same stratosphere.

Hischer is the better player now, but he's also 2 years older than Cozens. You're comparing ages 23-25 of Hischer to 21-23 of Cozens.

Here's Nico at 21-23. Hard to compare given the vast disparity in TOI given the shortened covid seasons and Nico's injuries. But Cozens closes the gap a bit at EV offensively, passes Nico on the PP and still lags behind defensively and on the pk.

PP

Pk

 

[Hisch13r]

They were 110 point team with the now Sabres coach. Who I think is a very good coach in this league.

Brunette was the key to the 22-23 success. Not Lindy. Lindy’s one of the many mediocre coaches in the league. Last year was back to Lindy with no Brunette and they looked eerily similar to just being a more talent version of the 21-22 team. They were a f***ing mess.

 

[Hisch13r]

I read so many posts from Buffalo fans last year criticizing the compete and overall heart of the Sabres. I question whether the core of Buffalo has what it takes to ultimately win. Maybe guys like Power, Cozens, and Thompson learn that over time. I know the Devils played hard but poor goaltending and inexperienced blueline play held them back last season. To answer the question, right now it is NJ and it's not remotely close.

We were not held back by inexperienced blueline play. Luke and Nemec were our 2 best D and by a considerable margin. We were held back in large part because vet D like Siegs and Marino were absolutely f***ing awful. Lindy also had the team playing with no structure at all which lead to them being a complete mess defensively and compounded the goalie issues.

 

[Aurinko]

On paper Jersey is playoff team, Sabres is not.

Sabres do have ok core and few hidden gems like Greenway and McLeod, but that's about it.

 

[Hisch13r]

Buffalo will be better.

Why

You know why

 

[Jeremy2020]

How is this even a question?