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Originally Posted by mile
Just curious, what are the Sabres foregoing to get picks? They are stockpiling picks, but is it really coming at the expense of anything else?
If it's development/culture you are referring to, they hired Ted Nolan early this season with the intention of improving their team. While their regular season was poor, I haven't heard of anything troubling regarding players habits/losing culture. Hodgson, Ennis, and Girgensons are solid young forwards - and from what I've read Myers is slowly gaining his confidence back under Nolan (and got invited to the World Championships). I think given a full training camp and season to establish himself, I think they will take steps forward just as Calgary has done this season.
As far as drafting is concerned, their defense core is stacked, and they will likely get the top forwards they need this year and next year as well. They've done everything Edmonton hasn't as far as draft picks go.
As a Flames fan, I'm looking at Buffalo as a huge threat as a rebuilding team.
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The risk is for the sabres, these quality players on the NHL roster will be such losers, that when it comes time to win, they won't know how to. With no vets to show them that they need to throw a body in front of a puck, or bust ass on a back check, they will only learn to score, and assume that when better defenseman arrive, everything will be ok. Maybe Nolan is a good enough coach to overcome this, because he was there while guys like miller were there to pound the point home, but the oilers nurchered their young scorers, and they have no idea what to do right now. Nobody showed them at the start. More recently, it looks like they don't want to hear it.
What I like most about the flames year 1 rebuild is that they enjoyed some moderate success. Most of it by playing the coach's style. The biggest reason why it worked (IMO) is that leaders and veterans like Giordano and Cammy and Backlund and Wideman and Brodie and McGrattan Stajan drove it home.
You can hear it from the coach all you want, but if the vets don't care, it ain't gonna happen.
Ask Pat Quinn and Tom Renney. Dallas Eakins might be a genious, but do the kids care?