And that team would more than likely be a very bad team.

He isn’t seeing top pairing or #1 PP time on any contender

I also don’t care about his super unimpressive secondary PP assists.

For someone who’s undoubtedly great on the PP he has 2 freaking pp goals the last two seasons
- sbroads24

First it's +/- is somehow relevant again and now we're holding not scoring goals, something that's literally not his job, on the PP against a defenseman? JFC.

For all the talk of a PP QB, we already have one, his name is Jack.

He played a ton for a future HOF coach, and then when he was fired, fell out of favor with the next one after going to the WJC.

Even if Joker's not the right guy for that role, we all have seen enough to know risto isn't a 1st pair guy. He's just not. Montour performs the same role on the 2nd pair as risto would. I think risto could occupy that role, but realistically, only one can. Long term, what's his place here?

I like the guy, always have, I just don't see the fit
- jcragcrumple

I'm not talking about long term. We all thought Mittelstadt would just step in, he obviously didn't, so let's make absolutely sure this time.

Hype train? As a rookie 18/19 yr old?

Rookie of the year? After Pettersson went off like he did the first 30 games?

As a long time, season ticket holder, in person, evaluator of elite talent, cmon man.
- TheHank

@hank

Wasn't dahlin "the best defenseman possibly in the modern draft?" That's pretty big hype.

Since 1971 / Bobby orr

9 goals, you didnt expect more?

He was awesome, but didnt live up to my expectations or the swedish jesus ect.

Connor McDavid of defenseman ect.

Not that I disagree, but how was Dahlin able to have a historic rookie season, and Skinner and Reinhart have career years under him?

Some players just kinda suck
- sbroads24

Oh, FFS, you REALLY need to stop with that, especially when you call other people out for bad comps. The most hyped defenseman in 40 years vs some schmuck drafted 8th overall. Seriously. Stop.

Skinner's an easy one, it's the first time he played significant time with an elite center. Reinhart's just progressing normally with little pressure on him.

To be fair he got 6 mil, and is better than Risto
- sbroads24

😂😂😂😂

Homie logic:

I live in Jacksonville, I read the paper. The paper writes nice things about tj yeldon.

4 NFL years and 12 tds is hardly someone who is gonna beat out our 3rd round pick ( who we traded up for) for a roster spot or even playing time.

Singletary is electric. The Bill's brass wanted him badly.

The NFL is full of young legs at rb.
Cant believe you haven't noticed the trend
- Boss34

Yeldon is a 3rd down pass catcher and always has been. And he excels in the position. He had one less reception than the leading Bills player (Jones) last year. 21 more than #2, McCoy, and more than twice #3, Foster. And he averaged a solid 4 YPC on 104 carries too.

why is risto done here?

because they have 3 other RD in miller, montour, and joker?

many teams dress and play 4 RD and 2 LD with 1 of the RD playing LD

in the short term, bogo is not viable after this season

nelson is not a viable every day starter

borgen is not nhl ready

joker is still very flawed



best thing for the sabres is a focused risto in the line up short term and long term, not moving him for pennies on the dollar like the ror trade worked out
- homiedclown

Like who???

Vegas

Vegas
- gerbe75pts

My man

Dahlin could have had a more historic season with good coaching .

Dahlin did not match his hype train

Didnt win rookie of the year either
- Boss34

This is ridiculous, as an 18 year old his entire rookie season I would say he exceeded expectations if anything

Dahlin could have had a more historic season with good coaching .

Dahlin did not match his hype train

Didnt win rookie of the year either
- Boss34

Why does an 18 year old defenseman need to be completely developed at 18? Why isn't there time for him to exceed the... hype train? Why is it simply "he needed to be THAT good his first season and he wasn't." What is that?

Why does an 18 year old defenseman need to be completely developed at 18? Why isn't there time for him to exceed the... hype train? Why is it simply "he needed to be THAT good his first season and he wasn't." What is that?
- TheSabresTaco

It was more an indictment of Phil as a poor coach that evolved into Dahlin could have been better...probably went a little too far.

I do love the Risto sucks cause he has had Phil as a coach, oh, and Dan Bylsma, and, and.
Then crickets when Skinner and Jack and Sam having the best season to date.
Even better the Who is going to take Rist's big minutes, when they now have 894 RhDs and moreso that Risto has proven he can't play those big minutes effectively either.

It was more an indictment of Phil as a poor coach that evolved into Dahlin could have been better...probably went a little too far.

I do love the Risto sucks cause he has had Phil as a coach, oh, and Dan Bylsma, and, and.
Then crickets when Skinner and Jack and Sam having the best season to date.
Even better the Who is going to take Rist's big minutes, when they now have 894 RhDs and moreso that Risto has proven he can't play those big minutes effectively either.
- IonSabres

Sounds like cancer. Think you forgot to tell me how good Yeldon is too.

Risto's big minutes. LOL. It should have been committee years ago. And now we're in much better shape for committee minutes.

I'm not talking about long term. We all thought Mittelstadt would just step in, he obviously didn't, so let's make absolutely sure this time.
- Wetbandit1

I don't think Risto is playing at a high enough level defensively for it to make an appreciable difference

This is ridiculous, as an 18 year old his entire rookie season I would say he exceeded expectations if anything
- turbo044

If Pettersson didn't go off, I think Dahlin wins the Calder.

Plus, the last time we had a Calder winning defenseman, it didn't turn out very well.

Sounds like cancer. Think you forgot to tell me how good Yeldon is too.

Risto's big minutes. LOL. It should have been committee years ago. And now we're in much better shape for committee minutes.
- TheSabresTaco

I am hoping that we don't have anyone not named Dahlin playing more than 20 minutes a night on defense. Until someone can prove that they can play those kinds of minutes, it should be a defense-by-committee.

Sounds like cancer. Think you forgot to tell me how good Yeldon is too.

Risto's big minutes. LOL. It should have been committee years ago. And now we're in much better shape for committee minutes.
- TheSabresTaco

But who’s going to replace Risto’s lack of defensive awareness?
Now that’s not an easy thing to do

Why does an 18 year old defenseman need to be completely developed at 18? Why isn't there time for him to exceed the... hype train? Why is it simply "he needed to be THAT good his first season and he wasn't." What is that?
- TheSabresTaco

I would much rather Dahlin not peak in his first NHL season at 18. Was he below expectations? He played every game and had the most points for an 18 rookie in the NHL, I don't think you can say he under achieved.

He will improve (second year is typically the largest jump) and I can't wait to see it. Now if only we could improve our bottom 6, he (and the rest of the team) can really improve.

Side note: So ROR wanted to be "the top center" and so he asked me move, does Risto want to be "the top defenseman" and is asking to move?

I'm not insisting that the pegulas hired phail. But they may have?

Are you insisting they didnt hire him?

No question: Kruger is a jbotts hire, they have a history.

No cute stories about botts watching his sister play Olympic hockey or their paths ever crossing.(phil)
- Boss34

Botterill hired Housley and Botterill fired Housley. It's getting absurd how the Pegulas are getting the heat for everything this board doesn't like and Botterill is getting credit for everything people do like

Thank God for the Oakland Raiders. They can make you laugh on the most miserable of days.

https://www.cbssports.com...oys-need-ezekiel-elliott/

Jon Gruden was right about Nate Peterman?!
Early in training camp, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden raised some eyebrows on embattled quarterback Nathan Peterman.

"This Nate Peterman is growing on me," Gruden said. "He's athletic. I know he's got some nightmare performances in the NFL, but when you watch the film you can see why. It's not all his fault, but he's got some talent, he's got some athleticism, he's got some experience."

Perhaps Gruden, who once coached an offense led by Ty Detmer to fourth in the league, does know a thing or two about quarterbacks. Peterman flashed that athleticism for the Raiders Saturday night with a 50-yard run that set him up for a touchdown pass later in the drive of Oakland's 14-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Peterman led the Raiders with 56 yards rushing on three carries and finished 9 of 12 for 66 yards and a touchdown, entering the game in the third quarter.

Peterman is battling for the No. 2 quarterback job against Mike Glennon, who finished 17 of 25 for 200 yards with two interceptions. After Week 1, the Raiders may give Peterman the second-team snaps going forward.

Thank God for the Oakland Raiders. They can make you laugh on the most miserable of days.

https://www.cbssports.com...oys-need-ezekiel-elliott/

Jon Gruden was right about Nate Peterman?!
Early in training camp, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden raised some eyebrows on embattled quarterback Nathan Peterman.

"This Nate Peterman is growing on me," Gruden said. "He's athletic. I know he's got some nightmare performances in the NFL, but when you watch the film you can see why. It's not all his fault, but he's got some talent, he's got some athleticism, he's got some experience."

Perhaps Gruden, who once coached an offense led by Ty Detmer to fourth in the league, does know a thing or two about quarterbacks. Peterman flashed that athleticism for the Raiders Saturday night with a 50-yard run that set him up for a touchdown pass later in the drive of Oakland's 14-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Peterman led the Raiders with 56 yards rushing on three carries and finished 9 of 12 for 66 yards and a touchdown, entering the game in the third quarter.

Peterman is battling for the No. 2 quarterback job against Mike Glennon, who finished 17 of 25 for 200 yards with two interceptions. After Week 1, the Raiders may give Peterman the second-team snaps going forward.
- buffalofan19

I'd dare Gruden to start Peterman over Carr.

Botterill hired Housley and Botterill fired Housley. It's getting absurd how the Pegulas are getting the heat for everything this board doesn't like and Botterill is getting credit for everything people do like
- jcragcrumple

There were two "top" candidates for head coaching jobs the year Housley was hired: Housley and Rick Tocchet. Housely seemed to have the nod because Tocchet had been a head coach before and it wasn't anything spectacular.

There is speculation that the Pegulas were wary of Tocchet because of his past gambling history, but we have no idea how much that was really a factor. Regardless, Botterill picked what seemed to be the consensus candidate, and it turned out to be the wrong one (not that Tocchet is doing amazing things in Arizona either).

There were two "top" candidates for head coaching jobs the year Housley was hired: Housley and Rick Tocchet. Housely seemed to have the nod because Tocchet had been a head coach before and it wasn't anything spectacular.

There is speculation that the Pegulas were wary of Tocchet because of his past gambling history, but we have no idea how much that was really a factor. Regardless, Botterill picked what seemed to be the consensus candidate, and it turned out to be the wrong one (not that Tocchet is doing amazing things in Arizona either).
- buffalofan19

I don't blame Botterill for wanting to hire Housley. He was seen as a rising star after what he did with Nashville's defense, although in retrospect it looks like Nashville's defense made Housley look good. But this blaming everyone but Botterill really is getting absurd. He takes the L on that one, point blank

Botterill hired Housley and Botterill fired Housley. It's getting absurd how the Pegulas are getting the heat for everything this board doesn't like and Botterill is getting credit for everything people do like
- jcragcrumple

Don't screw with JB!

Pegula's insisted on a Taco Buffet in the Box just once...we all know how that ended.

I don't blame Botterill for wanting to hire Housley. He was seen as a rising star after what he did with Nashville's defense, although in retrospect it looks like Nashville's defense made Housley look good. But this blaming everyone but Botterill really is getting absurd. He takes the L on that one, point blank
- jcragcrumple

He does, but there were also reports that the league was very involved in the Sabres' coaching and GM searches. In a span of five years, the Sabres had simultaneously fired both their GM and coach twice (Rolston/Regier and Murray/Bylsma), and had a President fiasco at the top (LaFontaine). I'm not saying Botterill had his hands tied, but I also don't think the league would have looked too kindly on him making an "out of the box" hire given what had just happened. Housely was the consensus top candidate, and he deserved to be, as you said, due to his success in Nashville. If Botterill went in another direction, he was on his own and it seems like he knew it.