So, fans, which is it? In your responses to this thread, tell me why you're in that camp.

Me, I'm in the patient camp. Fifth division title and 3rd 100-point season in team history (all three 110-point seasons coming after the lockout, btw). They've got the world's best goalie, a future Norris (and current Calder) winner, and a dark horse for the 2010/2011 Calder. They've got the (statistically-proven) best pest in the game, a top 3 faceoff man, the best shot-tipper (former shot-tipping maven Dave Andreychuk says so himself), two of the best defensive forwards in the game, and a slew of young forwards and defensemen ready to make their marks. A tweak here and a move there over the next season and they'll be just fine, especially with guys like Kassian and Crawford ready to make a splash soon.

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mechaphil

Id say I'm in the middle, I realize we won the division with the guys we have now and a replacement is basically staying where we were but when we see so many opportunities to steadily improve then I dont see why he doesnt take them. Im not talking about signing Kovy to a 10 million dollar contract but go for one of the defense-men that were available and there were quite a few that were an upgrade over Lydman and Tallinder but instead all we got was Leopold which is basically another Tallinder.

I'm going to say this for the last fucking time - it doesn't matter how good Darcy's money or term is, or how good the trade package is, players don't want to come here and general managers don't like dealing with the Sabres.

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mechaphil

Everyone knows where I stand. I don't want to rely on just player development, but I don't over value UFAs either. I would've liked Paul Martin, but otherwise this FA class is weak, and there could be better players available through trade without a bloated UFA contract attached. There's cap room and I'm pretty sure Darcy has the green light to use it. Let's see what happens in the next two months.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Darcy has done a fine job given the assets and liabilities he has to work with.
In a salary cap world, patience is necessary.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Well, we DID have a lot of players coming here a few years ago... So players all of the sudden say fuck it?

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Right now, I am in the middle. Darcy has few options, but he could be a better GM. He's changed.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

You mean just before and after the lockout when guys like Drury, Briere, Grier, and Lydman were cast-offs and ill-though-of in their time with other teams, or when Spacek came here for a pay day because no one else would sign him, or when we got Bernier in a trade because Campbell had sky-high trade value and Darcy STILL got jobbed on that swap?

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mechaphil

I'm eating cereal with a fucking fork!

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Miller is an amazing goalie. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are. Our team is decent, but we need some more signings and trades. If he makes that happen, then he has done his job. Period. Miller needs some more help.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I voted for the first group; those of you that know me know that it doesn't really well define me, but I'm sick of waiting. I think that we're entirely too cautious; I'm not saying to wrap the roster in a hand grenade, but sometimes you have to overcome your doubt and pull the trigger. Everyone is always talking about how patience is key and that we've got great guys in the minors, which is true. We always have great players that will make an impact in a few years, but in my mind, that relegates us to becoming the farm team for the rest of the NHL. We can't afford to keep the products of our system (in 3-4, maybe 5 years, when we've dumped all the dead weight contracts and started signing guys for what they're worth at the beginning of their development, we'll come off smelling like roses).

I believe every year we've had a product that was missing one or two key pieces; and every year Darcy puts the safety back on. Our team doesn't have a star forward or a player that epitomizes character and grit.

Sure, we have gritty players, but we sure as shit don't have a Byfuglien, Pronger, Crosby, or Ovechkin. We have Miller, who, in comparison to those four is a monk, not a warrior.

We don't have players that take losing personally, IMO. All we need is one. One guy to stand up and get pissed off. We get shocked because Miller says something in a press conference, because that's not his personality. It shouldn't be his job.

Miller's not getting younger, Enroth ain't the answer, Myers, Ennis, Gerbe, and Kennedy still have that young'n drive and energy. Vanek works his ass off, Connolly is going into a contract year (right?), Kaleta is going to keep killdozering, and god forbid we bring Kassian up. Roy (as a person) pisses me off to no end, but like the little engine that could, he DOES produce. We're missing SOMETHING; that one piece that will get this group together.

Remember "never two in a row"? Yeah, it took 4 months for that team to actually lose 2 in a row, and it only happened 2 or 3 times that season. We need the catalyst to get them back in that mentality.

I don't know who that guy is, or if it will be just one player, but I know that the move needs to be made. Status quo gets us another 1st round 10-15 pick; if we go all in, maybe we win a cup, or maybe we show our asses. Neither of them are BAD options; eating shit a whole season puts us in good draft position, something we haven't had in, I don't know, forever?

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If we want a big name player in a few years without a trade or a free agent signing, we need to get rid of Miller. He's an amazing goaltender, but he can't get us an amazing draft pick OR a cup.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

You think it's his support staff who can't win it, maybe? When have the Sabres had a proper first line since the end of the Better Days era? Or how about a proper first pairing since the final year of the Goathead? Or a competent back-up since Marty got shipped to Philly?

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mechaphil

I've been very optimistic about Darcy making good moves this summer. We were one of the better teams in the league last year, but I'm honestly a little scared for a D-corps now that Toni and Hank have been replaced by a lesser defensemen in the same price range. Hopefully something is done to boost up the defense and at least to bring in an impact forward (center, please) to the roster.

I like how Darcy generally does things though. He only makes trades if he is in fact, winning it (at least at the time). I also like how he builds the team through nurturing prospects. Its a really smart way to build and solid team, but what he has to do now that we have a franchise goaltender, a future franchise d-man, and a decent core, is choose a 2 year block where he isn't in the game only for "next year." He needs to realize that next year isn't always the year. If he can designate a 2 year period where he just goes balls out(but not crazy), that is when we will win the Cup.

That being said, I can't choose an option because there is a right place and a right time for all actions made by a GM.

I'm with this guy. Darcy has become too stale with everything he does and feeds the media and fans the same line of shit the last couple of years. It also seems to me that he lowballs his own players and that's why they leave. He was forced to make a move yesterday for a d-man when Hank and Tony left and that's why I believe he had to make that pickup. I think he wanted to keep one and then just add a guy from Portland. I have been patient long enough like most fans but this team has management problems. Their has to be a reason why players don't want to come here and if this organization showed their players that they wanted to be a cup contender year in and year out maybe players would want to come here. After the Boston series it sounded like changes were finally gonna happen to this soft core that Darcy has fallin in love with. Then he changes his tune about Roy and Connolly saying they are 2 of the top 20 centers in the game are you fucking kidding me. They might be #1 and #2 soft centers in the game. I don't mind Roy but Connolly should have been moved a year ago when his trade value was it's highest in a long time and then Darcy or management gives mr. softee a nice pay raise. WTF. I know you can't build a winner super quickly in hockey but Miller isn't getting younger and the time is now to make moves to help this club. I would rather have a GM that makes moves and yes maybe they aren't always the right moves but a guy that see's a problem with the team and deals with it and when he's interested in a player try to go out of his way to acquire that guy. I want a proactive GM not a stale, boring, tell us the same excuse, do very little GM like Darcy. Be a fucking risk taker every once in a while.

I didn't mind Darcy years ago before the Briere, Drury and Vanek Situation but since then he has done shit. Yes everyone will say we have Myers and Miller but come on. I also think losing Tallinder and Lydman and bringing in Leopold isn't an upgrade of the defense at all but only lateral movement or a slight downgrade without a proven defenseman brought in. This team for many many years was all about building thru the draft and then he decides lets trade high draft picks away for a month rental garbage. This team can't afford to throw away high picks unless you have all the pieces in place for a long playoff run but come on Moore and Torres. Torres had one good playoff run and has been mediocre for how long and Moore was mediocre his whole career. I don't expect to win every trade but he shouldn't look at trades as I need to be the winner but more about I got the guy that I wanted even if I maybe had to give alittle more than we needed to. Teams get players they want not about being the winner of the trade. For me I don't expect much out of Darcy the rest of the off season but he really needs to start addressing the offense and with Mair, Ellis and McCormmik gone who are the teams tough guys? I guess I spoke to soon on Cody McCormick saying a deal done with Buffalo by Dreger.

I'm in the middle too. We just had a great season, but we definitely need some changes made. There are guys out there, and Darcy hasn't done much.

For the record, I do like the Leopold signing though.

I don't mind the Leopold signing but I don't think they should have given him as much as they did. They should have been alittle more cautious because he was just out at the end of the playoffs with a concussion after getting blasted by Andy Sutton. Which I believe is now his 3rd concussion. I thought they had a chance to bring in a solid number 2 or 3 defenseman and didn't.

Weighted poll, but I'll let it slide because it's an opinion I agree with.

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Wheelhouse