Go look at the 1st round picks by Pitt when Botts was the AsstGM there

EVERY team has misses in the 1st
- jdfitz77

Thats what really annoyed me about that poster. He was preaching Pittsburgh system and drafting then he switched over to the kings.

I don't really believe in any system from another team. There are too many variables.

Sure you can kind of look at them as a rule of what to do or not to do but every team is different.

You gotta actually read my posts my man. If nobody is willing to give up what we want that leaves only the Tim Murray approach to getting that player. Is that what we need right now?
- Sabresfan-365

I read your post and I don't believe that.

GMs get fired with that approach. How long can you sit on your hands for saying the prices are too high before you are fired?

Got to swindle some times. Skinner is a perfect example. Do it again.

Ok, I get it. You are preaching patience at the expense of this season.

Sure I see that. I disagree with it. I will agree if Botts comes out and tells us the prices were to high to sacrifice our future. That I can get behind.

I am more you control your own destiny kind of person. You got to go out and get it done.
- sabresfan69

So am I, but I also know you can't control other people's actions.

So am I, but I also know you can't control other people's actions.
- Sabresfan-365

They are irrelevant to me.

Cheat, steal, lie, do what it takes to win. I used to think otherwise but these days you got to get it done any way you can. You got to find that hidden gem, that Karlsson or Schenn, take some chances.

We can preach patience if there was centers in rochester waiting to come up. A move has to be made.

Wait until the off season? If that is the plan then Botts has the off season. If Sobotka is our center next year we will see spitting mad fans.

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

But unles we get an extremely unlikely lotto win,
then we won’t be drafting high

There’s usually very little difference between drafting 14th to 18th

U act like we’ll be drafting top5 with your Pitt & Chicago references,
but that’s just not the case

We’re done tanking

Its funny when you said this was Pittsburgh's system and I showed you that it wasn't you switched to the Kings. You are talking about 3 draft picks on the Penguins out of the last 15 years. Every team wins with drafting, trading and UFA. You say it like it is magical.

The sabres have been drafting, trading and making UFA signings too since the beginning of time.

So you are now switching to LA from Pittsbugh who made trades to win their cup. It was a different team than Puttsgurgh but we can switch.

The kings traded for Richards and Carter and the Kings where not cup contenders until they made that trade.

Everyone you argue with you are preaching patience now you are talking about trading for a 2nd line center like the Kings did.

Are you preaching patience or trading for a 2nd line center like LA Kings did?



No that would be the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last 10 years. The team you are talking about using the same system.
- sabresfan69

The kings don’t make those trades without top 5 prospects.... so that would require us bottoming out again this year or trading one of Reinhart/ Mittelstadt plus another first. Or you can just use the picks and draft. Use the cap space and bring in guys in free agency and surround the guys already drafted while hopefully hitting on picks.

We can either try to win now, or win from now on. If you want to rush the process then by all means, Botts isn’t. Botts is going to sit pretty in a damn good draft and use his picks and shed the deadweight off the roster as he should. There is no quick fix for this year that will amount to anything other then hurting our future to win a possible couple playoff games this year.

I read your post and I don't believe that.

GMs get fired with that approach. How long can you sit on your hands for saying the prices are too high before you are fired?

Got to swindle some times. Skinner is a perfect example. Do it again.
- sabresfan69

You're misunderstanding me. They get fired with that approach when the team fails to meet expectations and the GM has run out of time. Neither is true about Botts at the moment.

This team is currently on pace to meet most people's expectations and Botterill is in what year 2 of his deal? If there's a deal to be made, great. Go after it. If there's not, it doesn't make much sense for him to start overpaying for pending ufa's. Nobody ever swindled someone when they were desperate.

If Botterill was in the final year of his deal and the team had come up way short on expectations, Im guessing he'd make a string of deals because the equation would be different. He'd have nothing to lose because he'd already be on his way out, so he'll do whatever he can to keep his job. But he's not there right now.

But unles we get an extremely unlikely lotto win,
then we won’t be drafting high

There’s usually very little difference between drafting 14th to 18th

U act like we’ll be drafting top5 with your Pitt & Chicago references,
but that’s just not the case

We’re done tanking
- jdfitz77

I agree with you. All the examples that poster used we have...

We have Dahlin, Eichel, Ullmark(If he keeps progressing) we have those star players. We need to start building with trades and to a lesser extent UFA.

I realize Botts isn't going to come out and tell us what he was doing but it would be nice if he was a little more transparent to the fans.

You got GMTM who was an open book to an extent it hurt the team or Botts who holds all the cards close to the vest. One extreme to the next.

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.
- Pegullaville

Or....

We miss the playoffs
Most likely by a slim margin

And pick a few spots higher where we get a player of similar talent to who we’d have gotten if we made the playoffs

And then in a FEW YEARS (maybe longer),
we will find out IF that player picked will actually end up being a difference maker or not for us

And the odds of that happening are roughly the same if we pick in the early teens, or the late teens, or somewhere in between

You're misunderstanding me. They get fired with that approach when the team fails to meet expectations and the GM has run out of time. Neither is true about Botts at the moment.

This team is currently on pace to meet most people's expectations and Botterill is in what year 2 of his deal? If there's a deal to be made, great. Go after it. If there's not, it doesn't make much sense for him to start overpaying for pending ufa's. Nobody ever swindled someone when they were desperate.

If Botterill was in the final year of his deal and the team had come up way short on expectations, Im guessing he'd make a string of deals because the equation would be different. He'd have nothing to lose because he'd already be on his way out, so he'll do whatever he can to keep his job. But he's not there right now.
- Sabresfan-365

You first paragraph, what are the expectations?

I believe the management expectations are to make the playoffs this year.

Either way a trade has to happen. I will give Botts until the end of this season and UFA but if Sobotka and Mitts are our centers again Botts will be in the hot seat.

They are irrelevant to me.

Cheat, steal, lie, do what it takes to win. I used to think otherwise but these days you got to get it done any way you can. You got to find that hidden gem, that Karlsson or Schenn, take some chances.

We can preach patience if there was centers in rochester waiting to come up. A move has to be made.

Wait until the off season? If that is the plan then Botts has the off season. If Sobotka is our center next year we will see spitting mad fans.
- sabresfan69

If it's the same group of centres then yeah absolutely. I don't think it will be though.

You first paragraph, what are the expectations?

I believe the management expectations are to make the playoffs this year.
- sabresfan69

I don't believe that for a second. They were throwing a rookie into the 2C spot and were carrying a ton of dead weight on the blue line. not to mention the fact that Botts is sticking to his "slow cook in the AHL" approach with some of the younger guys.

I think they iced a team that, if things went right, could make it but likely wouldn't. I still put there odds at 50/50.

The Sabres need to hit on a draft pick that will contribute and be cheap for a few years.

This isn’t hard to understand.

Every team has guys like that. We don’t

It doesn’t have to be a 1st rounder but odds are much better.

Brayden Point
Arvidsson
Kyle Connor
DeBrusk
McAvoy

Who is our example of this?

If it's the same group of centres then yeah absolutely. I don't think it will be though.
- Sabresfan-365

I almost agree with you if we were fighting from behind instead of free falling.

The Sabres need to hit on a draft pick that will contribute and be cheap for a few years.

This isn’t hard to understand.

Every team has guys like that. We don’t

It doesn’t have to be a 1st rounder but odds are much better.

Brayden Point
Arvidsson
Kyle Connor
DeBrusk
McAvoy

Who is our example of this?
- sbroads24

Samuelsson, Pekar, UPL, Laaksonen, Olofsson and Nylander(You hope)

Don't forget we have Risto, McCabe, Eichel, Reinhart and Dahlin. Its not like our draft picks aren't contributing. They are our biggest its the late rounds we are missing out on.

The Sabres need to hit on a draft pick that will contribute and be cheap for a few years.

This isn’t hard to understand.

Every team has guys like that. We don’t

It doesn’t have to be a 1st rounder but odds are much better.

Brayden Point
Arvidsson
Kyle Connor
DeBrusk
McAvoy

Who is our example of this?
- sbroads24

Maybe Pekar

I don't believe that for a second. They were throwing a rookie into the 2C spot and were carrying a ton of dead weight on the blue line. not to mention the fact that Botts is sticking to his "slow cook in the AHL" approach with some of the younger guys.

I think they iced a team that, if things went right, could make it but likely wouldn't. I still put there odds at 50/50.
- Sabresfan-365

Then the sabres lie to us. That is what they said at the beginning of the year.

Olofsson and Nylander(You hope)

Don't forget we have Risto, McCabe, Eichel, Reinhart and Dahlin. Its not like our draft picks aren't contributing. They are our biggest its the late rounds we are missing out on.
- sabresfan69

The first two bring far less than most think. Although in McCabe's case he's more or less bringing what most 2nd rounders do.

The first two bring far less than most think. Although in McCabe's case he's more or less bringing what most 2nd rounders do.
- Sabresfan-365

Also Samuelsson, Pekar, UPL and Laaksonen look pretty solid. I will throw Guhle in there too even though he is having a down season.

Maybe Pekar
- Sabresfan-365

Sure. Maybe.

I thought Guhle was this.

The more whacks you take the higher the chances are of landing one.

I just cannot believe how (frank)ed up TM made our 2015 draft. It’s so unreal to think about

Sure. Maybe.

I thought Guhle was this.

The more whacks you take the higher the chances are of landing one.

I just cannot believe how (frank)ed up TM made our 2015 draft. It’s so unreal to think about
- sbroads24

2014 was worse with Cornel and Karabacek in the 2nd round with some really solid prospects still on the board.

I will always be bitter about the Lehner trade so many solid players still on the board.

Looking back sucks

Sure. Maybe.

I thought Guhle was this.

The more whacks you take the higher the chances are of landing one.

I just cannot believe how (frank)ed up TM made our 2015 draft. It’s so unreal to think about
- sbroads24

Hence my desire for him to hold onto all 3 firsts. Ideal play would be to address certain needs and hedge the risk with the draft picks.

Honestly even if you liked Risto, dealing him while his perceived value is still high (I think) would solve a ton of problems without much collateral damage.

Some commentators during the world juniors felt Laaksonen will be a top 2 defender.

Finally a steal in the later rounds.

2014 was worse with Cornel and Karabacek in the 2nd round with some really solid prospects still on the board.

I will always be bitter about the Lehner trade so many solid players still on the board.

Looking back sucks
- sabresfan69

Ppl are gonna think we are the same person
Lol

Hence my desire for him to hold onto all 3 firsts. Ideal play would be to address certain needs and hedge the risk with the draft picks.

Honestly even if you liked Risto, dealing him while his perceived value is still high (I think) would solve a ton of problems without much collateral damage.
- Sabresfan-365

Yeah IMO regardless of opinion on him it’s a no brainer.

He could legitimately solve the 2C/Top 6 wing need by himself.