But he and Okposo are top 6 forwards apparently and we should trade Tage according to someone
- Pegullaville

I heard they aren’t NHLers and wouldn’t even be top6 players for Rochester

Good. Two top 15 picks helps this team more then getting swept in the first round by Tampa or Washington. What move do you want Botts to makethis year to even have a sniff of winning a playoff series ? Lets mortgage the future and bring in Kane and ROR and rush everything again....
- Pegullaville

Grigorenko (12th overall)
Girgensons (14th overall)

“Top15 picks” are not sure things by any means

We could end up with 2 more Girgs . crap shoot any way you spin it .Makin the playoffs after being 31st is a good feel good for the city,fans,TEAM.
- cabin

And a step we need to take to continue to get better

Logical fanbase?

Bahahahahaha!!!

Trade em all, Murray, junior. Set us back another 3 years.

Yet another moronic post.
- Powerslave

Nice hyperbole. Why trade em all when we just need a competent 2nd/3rd line center. We have 4 1sts in the next two years. Trading one+ for a young center isn't your definition of trade em all is it?

At this moment we have no 2nd/3rd line center in this organization. Let's assume Mitts fills one spot.

We still need a center. If you want to draft one at 15 we are waiting 3-4 years for that player to make an impact.

1st+Nylander+Guhle
For
Signed Duchene

Got to think Ottawa is listening and Duchene is from Ontario so maybe he would sign here. Anyone who thinks that is sacrificing the future by adding a top center that is 26 years old is just pushing an agenda.

At this moment we have no 2nd/3rd line center in this organization. Let's assume Mitts fills one spot.

We still need a center. If you want to draft one at 15 we are waiting 3-4 years for that player to make an impact.

1st+Nylander+Guhle
For
Signed Duchene

Got to think Ottawa is listening and Duchene is from Ontario so maybe he would sign here. Anyone who thinks that is sacrificing the future by adding a top center that is 26 years old is just pushing an agenda.
- sabresfan69

I am ok with this trade.

That last penalty on Pilut was just as bad as the one on Eichel. Very unfortunate to not be given the opportunity to at least have a chance of winning the game at the end. That being said, the Sabres had their chances earlier to do more damage. Sheary, Sobotka, Okposo, and plenty more have to stop shooting the puck into the goalies logo. It's like they aren't even trying to pick out a spot and are just hoping.

“Barely a 4”
- jdfitz77

He is a second pair guy, and on many nights looks much worse than that.

45 games in and botts hasn’t done poop.... must be nice to take months off at a time.

Do something asshat.....

At this moment we have no 2nd/3rd line center in this organization. Let's assume Mitts fills one spot.

We still need a center. If you want to draft one at 15 we are waiting 3-4 years for that player to make an impact.

1st+Nylander+Guhle
For
Signed Duchene

Got to think Ottawa is listening and Duchene is from Ontario so maybe he would sign here. Anyone who thinks that is sacrificing the future by adding a top center that is 26 years old is just pushing an agenda.
- sabresfan69

You're assuming they'll trade within the division and that this will be the best offer. Odds on either aren't great.

At this moment we have no 2nd/3rd line center in this organization. Let's assume Mitts fills one spot.

We still need a center. If you want to draft one at 15 we are waiting 3-4 years for that player to make an impact.

1st+Nylander+Guhle
For
Signed Duchene

Got to think Ottawa is listening and Duchene is from Ontario so maybe he would sign here. Anyone who thinks that is sacrificing the future by adding a top center that is 26 years old is just pushing an agenda.
- sabresfan69

Big if on mitts.... probably the most disappointing player this year, even though I knew he would struggle he has not shown a whole lot. Hope he hits the weight room hard in the off season, and works on his speed.

If we are depending on mid first round picks we will be out of the playoffs for years still.

45 games in and botts hasn’t done poop.... must be nice to take months off at a time.

Do something asshat.....
- gordong

neither has 2/3 of the league lol

I heard they aren’t NHLers and wouldn’t even be top6 players for Rochester
- jdfitz77

The only thing keeping Okposo in the NHL is the fact he has 4 years remaining on a contract paying him $6M a year. I doubt any NHL team would take Okposo even a $2M a year the way he’s played this year. Sheary is a replaceable 3rd liner at best.

neither has 2/3 of the league lol
- Sabresfan-365

oh, well that makes it okay then...

seeing as about 45% of the league now has a better record.

I thought HardHat made a good point with his observations about picks and prospects.

I also think the fanbase should push for playoff opotunities now.

The rest of the thread was a mess.

Grigorenko (12th overall)
Girgensons (14th overall)

“Top15 picks” are not sure things by any means
- jdfitz77

Rantenen, Barzal, Domi, McAvoy, Jost, Vrana, Larkin, Debrusk, Morissey, Brannstrom (who Toronto would of had if they didn’t make the playoff in 2016) were all picked 10-15 in the last 5 years. Martin necas who is widely considered the best prospect outside the NHL was picked 12th overall by Carolina in 2017. Having a competent amateur staff solves a lot of problems. The Sabres have been possibly the worst drafting NHL franchise in the entire league but under Botts we have made some sneaky good selections and I have faith he can make this work.

And a step we need to take to continue to get better
- jdfitz77

Yea making the playoffs has really helped New Jersey this year, Colorado is 1-7-2 in their last 10 and fading fast. Both teams could have drafted 5 slots higher instead of being Cinderella stories and gotten a much better player. How did making the playoffs help the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo bills this year ? Draft high, accumulate talent, surround the said talent in free agency, make a trade to get that final piece to put you over the top. Ask Chicago and Pittsburgh how being a joke of a franchise for 5+ years in the early 2000’s worked out for them.

You're assuming they'll trade within the division and that this will be the best offer. Odds on either aren't great.
- Sabresfan-365

Then you up the offer. You are also assuming it isn't the best offer or the offer can't be changed. Its a message board, why do you take the trade so literally? Ottawa will trade a UFA in the division if it is the best offer. I have seen what people are saying Duchene is worth and what I offered is very similar to the best but of course it is up to Ottawa not me.

Its like you want misery so you look for reasons to fail.

neither has 2/3 of the league lol
- Sabresfan-365

You - Other teams aren't making moves so Botts gets a pass? lol. Sad.

You base whether or not Botts is doing a good job or gets to keep his job based on the other 2/3s of the league?

Yea making the playoffs has really helped New Jersey this year, Colorado is 1-7-2 in their last 10 and fading fast. Both teams could have drafted 5 slots higher instead of being Cinderella stories and gotten a much better player. How did making the playoffs help the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo bills this year ? Draft high, accumulate talent, surround the said talent in free agency, make a trade to get that final piece to put you over the top. Ask Chicago and Pittsburgh how being a joke of a franchise for 5+ years in the early 2000’s worked out for them.
- Pegullaville

Making the playoff was the best thing to happen to the bills in 17 years. You can't blame making the playoffs for the bills when they lost the offensive lineman they did, and trade away their starting QB. that's a far reach

Yea making the playoffs has really helped New Jersey this year, Colorado is 1-7-2 in their last 10 and fading fast. Both teams could have drafted 5 slots higher instead of being Cinderella stories and gotten a much better player. How did making the playoffs help the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo bills this year ? Draft high, accumulate talent, surround the said talent in free agency, make a trade to get that final piece to put you over the top. Ask Chicago and Pittsburgh how being a joke of a franchise for 5+ years in the early 2000’s worked out for them.
- Pegullaville

This post is complete nonsense. You make the playoffs then you try to make the playoffs next again.

You - Other teams made the playoffs then were out so Botts should do nothing. Making the playoffs does help if you are a team that is on the rise and looking to improve. Trying to say we are the same mold as NJD or Colorado is just nonsense.

Forget other teams, forget other analogies this is about our team. You try to make the playoffs, you try to improve your team and next your you build on that. If you are not doing that then GTFO.

You - Other teams aren't making moves so Botts gets a pass? lol. Sad.

You base whether or not Botts is doing a good job or gets to keep his job based on the other 2/3s of the league?
- sabresfan69

Botts, Better get skinner signed or this season he gets an F. Getting Skinner signed is getting harder with each loss.

Botts, Better get skinner signed or this season he gets an F. Getting Skinner signed is getting harder with each loss.
- gordong

We need a center. Anyone who says otherwise or thinks waiting for one of our draft picks this year to mature just doesn't watch enough hockey and pay attention to the cap. Its a minimum 3 years before that draft pick is here contributing. The next 3 years will be our window. Probably 2 years from now we should be looking to be a contender or Botts and Housley are gone and we start over?

Sobotka again next year as our 2nd/3rd? Moves have to happen. The only choice is trade or shoot for UFA and hope someone signs here and a massive overpayment or cross your fingers Mitts is good to go in the number 2 spot and we don't need a 3rd line center next year.

If we are looking at Sobotka as our 3rd line center next year or fingers crossed Mitts steps up into that number two spot thats a lot of hoping.

This post is complete nonsense. You make the playoffs then you try to make the playoffs next again.

You - Other teams made the playoffs then were out so Botts should do nothing. Making the playoffs does help if you are a team that is on the rise and looking to improve. Trying to say we are the same mold as NJD or Colorado is just nonsense.

Forget other teams, forget other analogies this is about our team. You try to make the playoffs, you try to improve your team and next your you build on that. If you are not doing that then GTFO.
- sabresfan69

I want to win a cup. Not make the playoffs. Hurray we get to play an extra 4-5 games this year if we make the playoffs. Why do you think Botts is sitting on his hands doing nothing ? I’m sure he feels the same way and he’s won 3 cups using the method I’m suggesting.

St.Louis and San Jose have really benefitted from making the playoffs year after year too right ? How about Vancouver when they had the Sedin twins ? How many cups does Montreal have in the last 15 years ? How about the Minnesota Wild ?

Tank On.

Stay the course.
We are not one player away
Bad asset management to deal away multiple assets when there are so many holes to fill. It serves to deplete any depth the team has, on depth-poor team.

In the Year of Transition,
Sell at the TDL to unload players who don't fit here long-term and can generate additional capital that can be used to secure better players...Scandella, Sobotka, Hunwick, Pommer, Sheary, Beauleau, etc.
Buy at the TDL very selectively. LW, 2C, RhD. No rentals. Probably not any suitable players, that's ok this year.
In the Offseason
Buy FA's selectively. See position list above. Soon, Cap pressures will present themselves. Be smart.
Draft well, of course. Conservative up top, swing for fences a time or two in later rounds.
Add to your Coaching Staff with an Offensive and PP guru.

Stay the course.