I was on about this last night and 89 basically confirmed it: Botterill has done nothing since he became the GM. His good trade (Skinner) is negated by his bad trade (ROR), his other trades have been questionable (Pominville/Scandella for Ennis/Foligno is a wash and we somehow got worse on defense), his roster management is questionable and he hired the wrong coach.

He is halfway between Darcy and Murray with what he has shown me. Patience, but will make that big trade on a whim. I just wish the ROR trade happened in November or December, not July. We wouldn't have Sobotka, Thompson, Berglund taking up roster spots and causing issues, we might be seeing an AHL guy who deserves to be given a true shot in the NHL and we could have caught a team like Dallas right when the sh!t hit the fan there.

A lot of ifs, but no one is gonna say he didn't jump the gun on the ROR trade. Media/locker-room sh!t, who cares, these are grown men, if ROR couldn't deal with Eichel being captain, maybe he needed that gut-check? Either way the locker-room still sucked at the start of the year and we are still on about culture to the point even our GM is on about it.

Eichel has been very good, but not dominant. Dahlin has been dominant but not very good. Who knows if Eichel is going to be more than a .ppg player - Derek Roy was a .ppg player for a hot minute here and when he went down with an injury, the team played better. Will Eichel ever break 90-pts? If he does, will it even matter?

The past 4 years have all had the same glaring issue: A passive-style coach who doesn't get hot-headed and hasn't had enough experience to reward players who play good and punish players who play bad. He refuses to ride the hot hand and his system is not very good.

These are professional athletes. A good coach would be coaching them to some sort of consistency. This team has looked lost all season long even during the 10 game win streak they looked lost most of the time.
- BeadyEyedDouche

ror punched his own ticket out at locker room cleanout...no way the sabres could keep him around and i'm saying this as a ror fan...botts got what he could get and got out from under that contract...not sure what anyone was expecting

If JB’s plan all along was to tank this season, then there was no reason to do this. Except to have it leaked to the fans to make it seem like they care how the team does this year.
- PrinceChill

His plan for this season was not to tank, I can assure you of that. Even if last year was, there is no way we hired a guy with the same exact plan as the previous guy: Tank for 2 years, trade all our trade-able players, and hope it all goes to plan.

No. He really thought Sobotka and Berglund were going to solidify our middle-6 and he really thought Mittelstadt was ready for the NHL. He really thought Sheary would put up 20 goals and he really thinks Scandella is a good player. He thought Housely would coach this team up and he also thought Hutton would duplicate last season's numbers on a team where all of those things he thought were the complete opposite in reality.

He whiffed on this season, big time. He had a chance to shake things up after the Berglund situation and leading into the all-star game. He didn't. Now he is dealing with the consequences. I said last night, if he can offload some of these bad contracts at the TDL, it will save face.

I don’t think anyone was expecting Cup contention. After a good start, this team has been putrid. They’re moving in the wrong direction.
- PrinceChill

I would put this more on the players, did they forget how to play after the 10 game streak? Like I said everyone should share blame no body is innocent but I’m just not sure what players botts can bring in to fix this mess this season.

If you think simply having a 2C makes us a playoff team than may god have mercy on your soul.

We have two backup goalies, really bad defenseman, no good 3rd line center, and no second line wingers because Reinhart can’t play on his own line

This team is 3 good pieces away from the playoffs
- sbroads24

We are 3pts out of a playoff spot
Yes, a legit 2C gets us there imo

However, even if it didn’t...
there’s no denying that Botts’ plan at 2C this season has been an utter failure

And furthermore...
the player he brought in for depth haven’t done much to help us
Sheary- most are ready to ship him out
Berglund- sucked so bad he quit
Sobotka- 3rd/4th liner we could do without
Thompson- hasn’t been much production yet
Ellie- finally waived & sent down

Skinner was a great get
The rest haven’t helped much-
and that’s completely fair to say

do you really think he wanted to tank this year?
- Michael Pachla

I hope not. I want Botts to want to make the playoffs. I just wonder if folks here will retroactively give him credit as a genius, for yet another “stealth tank”. Whatever that is.

ror punched his own ticket out at locker room cleanout...no way the sabres could keep him around and i'm saying this as a ror fan...botts got what he could get and got out from under that contract...not sure what anyone was expecting
- Michael Pachla

I completely disagree. The ROR situation isn't new, be it for him or as a trend in this league. You don't let your employees dictate your decisions and I don't think the value would have taken a hit if he was traded mid-season. We hardly got anything of value for him anyway, a conditional 1st, a player who's contract got terminated, an overpaid 4th liner and a guy who tells fans to "Shut the (frank) up" when they tell him to do his job...

ROR would still have had the season he is having, this team wouldn't be any better or worse in the standings, and his value was perceived as low at the time of the trade because of the bonus he was supposed to receive when the new league year started. His value wasn't going to be any less now, in fact, you could argue it would be more, especially for a team trying to trade for a .ppg center signed to a very reasonable contract while trying to make a playoff push.

All a m00t point now.

Serious question, who are you bringing to play 2nd line centre and what are you giving up?
- Sabres1523

Now?
Or before the season started?

I was on about this last night and 89 basically confirmed it: Botterill has done nothing since he became the GM. His good trade (Skinner) is negated by his bad trade (ROR), his other trades have been questionable (Pominville/Scandella for Ennis/Foligno is a wash and we somehow got worse on defense), his roster management is questionable and he hired the wrong coach.

He is halfway between Darcy and Murray with what he has shown me. Patience, but will make that big trade on a whim. I just wish the ROR trade happened in November or December, not July. We wouldn't have Sobotka, Thompson, Berglund taking up roster spots and causing issues, we might be seeing an AHL guy who deserves to be given a true shot in the NHL and we could have caught a team like Dallas right when the sh!t hit the fan there.

A lot of ifs, but no one is gonna say he didn't jump the gun on the ROR trade. Media/locker-room sh!t, who cares, these are grown men, if ROR couldn't deal with Eichel being captain, maybe he needed that gut-check? Either way the locker-room still sucked at the start of the year and we are still on about culture to the point even our GM is on about it.

Eichel has been very good, but not dominant. Dahlin has been dominant but not very good. Who knows if Eichel is going to be more than a .ppg player - Derek Roy was a .ppg player for a hot minute here and when he went down with an injury, the team played better. Will Eichel ever break 90-pts? If he does, will it even matter?

The past 4 years have all had the same glaring issue: A passive-style coach who doesn't get hot-headed and hasn't had enough experience to reward players who play good and punish players who play bad. He refuses to ride the hot hand and his system is not very good.

These are professional athletes. A good coach would be coaching them to some sort of consistency. This team has looked lost all season long even during the 10 game win streak they looked lost most of the time.
- BeadyEyedDouche

TL;DR

Suck it, Beady.

I would put this more on the players, did they forget how to play after the 10 game streak? Like I said everyone should share blame no body is innocent but I’m just not sure what players botts can bring in to fix this mess this season.
- Sabres1523

THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY EVEN DURING THE 10-GAME STREAK WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND

Now?
Or before the season started?
- jdfitz77

Either one

THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY EVEN DURING THE 10-GAME STREAK WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND
- BeadyEyedDouche

Odd that they win ten in a row without knowing how to play

I was on about this last night and 89 basically confirmed it: Botterill has done nothing since he became the GM. His good trade (Skinner) is negated by his bad trade (ROR), his other trades have been questionable (Pominville/Scandella for Ennis/Foligno is a wash and we somehow got worse on defense), his roster management is questionable and he hired the wrong coach.

He is halfway between Darcy and Murray with what he has shown me. Patience, but will make that big trade on a whim. I just wish the ROR trade happened in November or December, not July. We wouldn't have Sobotka, Thompson, Berglund taking up roster spots and causing issues, we might be seeing an AHL guy who deserves to be given a true shot in the NHL and we could have caught a team like Dallas right when the sh!t hit the fan there.

A lot of ifs, but no one is gonna say he didn't jump the gun on the ROR trade. Media/locker-room sh!t, who cares, these are grown men, if ROR couldn't deal with Eichel being captain, maybe he needed that gut-check? Either way the locker-room still sucked at the start of the year and we are still on about culture to the point even our GM is on about it.

Eichel has been very good, but not dominant. Dahlin has been dominant but not very good. Who knows if Eichel is going to be more than a .ppg player - Derek Roy was a .ppg player for a hot minute here and when he went down with an injury, the team played better. Will Eichel ever break 90-pts? If he does, will it even matter?

The past 4 years have all had the same glaring issue: A passive-style coach who doesn't get hot-headed and hasn't had enough experience to reward players who play good and punish players who play bad. He refuses to ride the hot hand and his system is not very good.

These are professional athletes. A good coach would be coaching them to some sort of consistency. This team has looked lost all season long even during the 10 game win streak they looked lost most of the time.
- BeadyEyedDouche

2017-18 Sabres

Goals - Last
Goals against - 3rs most

PP -20th
PK 22nd

2018-19 Sabres

Goals -20th
Goals against - 19th

PP- 23rd
PK-8th


Are we seriously going to pretend we haven’t improved from the team that had Ryan O’Reilly, Evander Kane, Robin Lehner etc all playing key roles last year?

They weren’t fits here. Period. JB literally had to blow this thing up

Odd that they win ten in a row without knowing how to play
- Sabres1523

You're telling me!

I completely disagree. The ROR situation isn't new, be it for him or as a trend in this league. You don't let your employees dictate your decisions and I don't think the value would have taken a hit if he was traded mid-season. We hardly got anything of value for him anyway, a conditional 1st, a player who's contract got terminated, an overpaid 4th liner and a guy who tells fans to "Shut the (frank) up" when they tell him to do his job...

ROR would still have had the season he is having, this team wouldn't be any better or worse in the standings, and his value was perceived as low at the time of the trade because of the bonus he was supposed to receive when the new league year started. His value wasn't going to be any less now, in fact, you could argue it would be more, especially for a team trying to trade for a .ppg center signed to a very reasonable contract while trying to make a playoff push.

All a m00t point now.
- BeadyEyedDouche

you're talking about the same guy that said he "lost his love for the game" at times and wore an 'a' on his sweater...a guy that wanted to be a leader, that most think wanted to be the captain of this team...do you really think he'd be performing like that while jack is the captain?...if so, why?

ror punched his own ticket out at locker room cleanout...no way the sabres could keep him around and i'm saying this as a ror fan...botts got what he could get and got out from under that contract...not sure what anyone was expecting
- Michael Pachla

A better option than playing an “ok” winger at 2C until Mitts was ready

And if u can’t get the return you want,
then u wait

Sakic did it in Colorado w/ Duchene
Keeping that locker room cancer around didn’t hurt their growth as a franchise...
Did it?

Yzerman did it in Tampa with Drouin

For all the flak Mittelstadt is taking, who is the 4th best forward on this team right now?
- Lunaion

e-rod, pommer or sheary


pick a name out of the hat


casey and thompson fighting it out for the 7th spot

skinner gold
dahlin gold
pilut gold


I think housley will be the lamb sacrificed for this season, if it does not turn around

skinner gold
dahlin gold
pilut gold


I think housley will be the lamb sacrificed for this season, if it does not turn around
- homiedclown

The Sabres have score more goals this season with

Out -

Kane
O’Reilly
Pouliot

In

Sheary
Skinner
Mitts
Thompson

Are people seriously forgetting that our secondary scoring was awful last year too?

you're talking about the same guy that said he "lost his love for the game" at times and wore an 'a' on his sweater...a guy that wanted to be a leader, that most think wanted to be the captain of this team...do you really think he'd be performing like that while jack is the captain?...if so, why?
- Michael Pachla

If RoR were here, he'd be the go-to dzone C and doing exactly what he did every year he was here. We'd just be crying about how bad our wingers are instead of C's.

If RoR were here, he'd be the go-to dzone C and doing exactly what he did every year he was here. We'd just be crying about how bad our wingers are instead of C's.
- Lunaion

This. X100.

I can’t believe people are romanticizing the Sabres of last year because we had a 2C.

Holy (frank)

We are a better team now with more assets and cap flexibility for the future.

JB is doing just fine

Elie waived, thank god he was trash. What was Botts waiting for? My Guess is Wilson comes up. He is a capable 4th line player who is better than some on the roster

I've said this for years now, the Sabres need a coach Q or a Mike Keenan/ Torts type coach. A coach to teach and show players that this is how it goes and if not, you won't play. There is no accountability on this team and Eichel know's it but is trying to be very calm in this situation without making matters worse.

skinner gold
dahlin gold
pilut gold


I think housley will be the lamb sacrificed for this season, if it does not turn around
- homiedclown

Thank god someone posting with some intelligence. Tried explaining this to people last night but they didn't seem to get heads are going to roll if this team doesn't win.

Housley might get a part of next year and Botts will get another kick at the can with a coach but I don't see Botts lasting past next year if we miss the playoffs.

Botts better have a plan and the plan better not be-wait for the 3 1sts to mature to have a 3C.

Thank god someone posting with some intelligence. Tried explaining this to people last night but they didn't seem to get heads are going to roll if this team doesn't win.
- sabresfan69

go back and read what I posted earlier in the blog, the " come to Jesus" moment came to day from Botterill to all players and coaches.