This is what I’m kind of talking about though. The second you say Skinner shares a majority of the blame in his performance this year, you get all the excuses. (Not directed street you)

Skinner has been bad this year. He needs to be better, he needs to go out a show the coach that he deserves top time.

I don’t know if it’s mental or physical. If he’s playing hurt maybe he needs to sit a game or two to let him rest.
- ImThatGuy

I would agree with the bolded if others are showing they deserve that ice time. Outside of the Eichel, Reinhart and Olofsson line, nobody really has. I get his struggles, but nobody else outside of maybe the 4th line, which plays a specific role, has been that much better. When you're struggling, the benefit of the doubt should go to the guy who has done it before, and the only one that fits that description outside of Eichel and Reinhart is Skinner.

That being said, you're right. For $9 million, it's on himself to produce first and foremost.

I would agree with the bolded if others are showing they deserve that ice time. Outside of the Eichel, Reinhart and Olofsson line, nobody really has. I get his struggles, but nobody else outside of maybe the 4th line, which plays a specific role, has been that much better. When you're struggling, the benefit of the doubt should go to the guy who has done it before, and the only one that fits that description outside of Eichel and Reinhart is Skinner.

That being said, you're right. For $9 million, it's on himself to produce first and foremost.
- buffalofan19

Okposo-Larsson-Girgensons prove it every night, IMO.

How many times this year have you said, I really liked Skinners game tonight. Last year he was involved, he was getting players off of their game.

Now how many games have gone by where you really have not noticed him.

He’s 313 in total points this year, I’m sorry that is just unacceptable.

I’m hard on Skinner and rightfully so, IMO

When asked about Skinner's execution, Ralph said "I'm all for it"
- jcragcrumple

synergy

Okposo-Larsson-Girgensons prove it every night, IMO.

How many times this year have you said, I really liked Skinners game tonight. Last year he was involved, he was getting players off of their game.

Now how many games have gone by where you really have not noticed him.

He’s 313 in total points this year, I’m sorry that is just unacceptable.

I’m hard on Skinner and rightfully so, IMO
- ImThatGuy

I'm not saying you shouldn't be hard on Skinner. I'm just saying that while I understand he's struggling, nothing about Johansson's, Vesey's, Lazar's, and before the trade, Sheary's and Rodrigues's games said "they deserve more icetime than Skinner" either.

Because the Sabres have never had a true #1 Dman, so Rusto became it by default.
Nit his fault either, but don't use that as an argument why he us good...kind of like using the fact Johansson played 2C fir awhile to say he is obviously a good 2C.
- IonSabres

This goes both Ways as well.

No body has been able to unseat risto as the #1.
Injuries, trading nor drafting.

Johansson is 2c for 40 games, not 7 years.
And is 2c because sobotka is injured and our 2c ror was traded at the beginning of last year.

Big differences

VO-Eichel-Kahun
Skinner-Reinhart-Johansson
Girgs-Larsson-Okposo
Vesey-Lazar-Simmonds


This is what I want to see.

He's just an easy target that's all it is, if he made 4 mill a year you would hear nothing about it.
- SABRES 89

The $9m price tag is a large factor, no doubt.
Yet, even at $3m, we would still complain, I bring you Connor Sheary as exhibit #1.
And it is not wrong to expect more, even with substandard linemates.
Back in Dec with 11cgoals was probably a bit early to start yelling and screaming, as the data shows the quality of Shots, those Medium and High Danger variety were way, way down and his shooting percentage was consistent with his 9 year average.
The shooting percentage has fallen to very low now some 2 -1/2 months later.

Not sure the right way to fix it is play him at 4th line minute rates though.

Hmmm,
I wonder if adding Mitts to the mix of players offered up for Trocheck and acquiring him jmight have helped him get back on track.
So glad they hung onto Mitts, cause he is obviously critical to line 2 success so far. Tage too, Asplund as well.

synergy
- TheSabresTaco

Jeff skinner = 12 goals
Zemgus girgensons = 12 goals


This kinda makes skinner "irrelevant " this season


I agree with 89, its just a down year. But, man it's really ugly after signing the big $ deal

The $9m price tag is a large factor, no doubt.
Yet, even at $3m, we would still complain, I bring you Connor Sheary as exhibit #1.
And it is not wrong to expect more, even with substandard linemates.
Back in Dec with 11cgoals was probably a bit early to start yelling and screaming, as the data shows the quality of Shots, those Medium and High Danger variety were way, way down and his shooting percentage was consistent with his 9 year average.
The shooting percentage has fallen to very low now some 2 -1/2 months later.

Not sure the right way to fix it is play him at 4th line minute rates though.

Hmmm,
I wonder if adding Mitts to the mix of players offered up for Trocheck and acquiring him jmight have helped him get back on track.
So glad they hung onto Mitts, cause he is obviously critical to line 2 success so far. Tage too, Asplund as well.
- IonSabres

Buffalo was believed to have a better offer in the table. Who really knows though.

Buffalo was believed to have a better offer in the table. Who really knows though.
- ImThatGuy

Initial ask from Florida on Trocheck from the Canes was Martin Necas, so who knows what they asked Buffalo for.

Jeff skinner = 12 goals
Zemgus girgensons = 12 goals


This kinda makes skinner "irrelevant " this season


I agree with 89, its just a down year. But, man it's really ugly after signing the big $ deal
- Boss34

no pp time
no extra attacker ice time

5 on 5 playing time is down, with a worse center then larsson

Initial ask from Florida on Trocheck from the Canes was Martin Necas, so who knows what they asked Buffalo for.
- BINGO!

blue chip d prospect, asplund, pilut and a second rd pick

The $9m price tag is a large factor, no doubt.
Yet, even at $3m, we would still complain, I bring you Connor Sheary as exhibit #1.
And it is not wrong to expect more, even with substandard linemates.
Back in Dec with 11cgoals was probably a bit early to start yelling and screaming, as the data shows the quality of Shots, those Medium and High Danger variety were way, way down and his shooting percentage was consistent with his 9 year average.
The shooting percentage has fallen to very low now some 2 -1/2 months later.

Not sure the right way to fix it is play him at 4th line minute rates though.

Hmmm,
I wonder if adding Mitts to the mix of players offered up for Trocheck and acquiring him jmight have helped him get back on track.
So glad they hung onto Mitts, cause he is obviously critical to line 2 success so far. Tage too, Asplund as well.
- IonSabres

This offseason will be a really big sign as to what Botterill is going to due with this team.

This goes both Ways as well.

No body has been able to unseat risto as the #1.
Injuries, trading nor drafting.

Johansson is 2c for 40 games, not 7 years.
And is 2c because sobotka is injured and our 2c ror was traded at the beginning of last year.

Big differences
- Boss34

Here's the similarity, plain and simple...
The Sabres don't have a 2C
The Sabres do not have a 1D (yet, hopefully)
They are playing guys there who are just not it at both positions
Also, Sobitka played LW when on that li e, he us a far cry from a 2C...barely a 4C, lol.

Believe what you want about Risto...I think you said it well before, Risto lovers don't see his downfalls in the Dzone and in Transition game...and Risto haters discount his physicality.
Personally, I like his physicality, but his actual Dgame is just not good.

Btw, I LOVE him upfront on the PP

Buffalo was believed to have a better offer in the table. Who really knows though.
- ImThatGuy

Nobody really knows what was offered.

One version was Risto +
Another was Blue Chip Prospect, 2 B prospects (excludes Mitts, so probably Pilut?)

If the primary objective from Florida was to shed $10m in cost and Trocheck earned $5.25 this season, why would anyone offer a $5.4m Dman? For that reason, I tend to believe the 2nd version more, myself.

VO-Eichel-Kahun
Skinner-Reinhart-Johansson
Girgs-Larsson-Okposo
Vesey-Lazar-Simmonds


This is what I want to see.
- ImThatGuy

Especially Sam at 2C

Hmmm,
I wonder if adding Mitts to the mix of players offered up for Trocheck and acquiring him jmight have helped him get back on track.
So glad they hung onto Mitts, cause he is obviously critical to line 2 success so far. Tage too, Asplund as well.
- IonSabres

People keep complaining about not getting Trocheck, but three days later and I have yet to see one Florida fan that was sad to see him go. None even upset with the return they got for him, with the exception of not getting an NHL dman back.
Sabres made an offer, which they felt was a better offer than Carolina's, and the deal doesn't get done. So be it. I never thought of Trocheck as the player you want to overpay for.
Sure he would be fine on the 2nd line playing with Skinner, but he hasn't done much this year or last year playing with good players (this year most common linemates Hoffman, Connolly and Acciari and Huberdeau, Hoffman and Vatrano last year).
I think that there will be better options this summer to trade for that may cost less to acquire. Also, cap flexibility in the offseason could provide a bigger trade that teams could not have made at the TDL.
I for one am A) Glad JBotts recognizes we need a center and attempted to grab one with term which shows he's not counting on Mitts or Cozens for next year and B) Glad he didn't overpay for a center that's regressed the last two seasons and who's own fans weren't sad to see traded.

People keep complaining about not getting Trocheck, but three days later and I have yet to see one Florida fan that was sad to see him go. None even upset with the return they got for him, with the exception of not getting an NHL dman back.
Sabres made an offer, which they felt was a better offer than Carolina's, and the deal doesn't get done. So be it. I never thought of Trocheck as the player you want to overpay for.
Sure he would be fine on the 2nd line playing with Skinner, but he hasn't done much this year or last year playing with good players (this year most common linemates Hoffman, Connolly and Acciari and Huberdeau, Hoffman and Vatrano last year).
I think that there will be better options this summer to trade for that may cost less to acquire. Also, cap flexibility in the offseason could provide a bigger trade that teams could not have made at the TDL.
I for one am A) Glad JBotts recognizes we need a center and attempted to grab one with term which shows he's not counting on Mitts or Cozens for next year and B) Glad he didn't overpay for a center that's regressed the last two seasons and who's own fans weren't sad to see traded.
- adambuffalo

Oh, come on! That's because in the past three days you haven't seen one Florida fan at all!

The $9m price tag is a large factor, no doubt.
Yet, even at $3m, we would still complain, I bring you Connor Sheary as exhibit #1.
And it is not wrong to expect more, even with substandard linemates.
Back in Dec with 11cgoals was probably a bit early to start yelling and screaming, as the data shows the quality of Shots, those Medium and High Danger variety were way, way down and his shooting percentage was consistent with his 9 year average.
The shooting percentage has fallen to very low now some 2 -1/2 months later.

Not sure the right way to fix it is play him at 4th line minute rates though.

Hmmm,
I wonder if adding Mitts to the mix of players offered up for Trocheck and acquiring him jmight have helped him get back on track.
So glad they hung onto Mitts, cause he is obviously critical to line 2 success so far. Tage too, Asplund as well.
- IonSabres

Cozens too then, right? And UPL, and Samuelsson, and every other prospect....
Just trade them all
We shouldn’t even bother drafting anymore

Just trade for this year’s PK Subban or Kessel,
right?!

Come on man

no pp time
no extra attacker ice time

5 on 5 playing time is down, with a worse center then larsson
- navinrjohnson

Yep, good post

I like skinner and for some reason over looking his terrible season. He's an exciting player, just not really doing anything

Skinner needs to produce more but unless Botterill figures out the 2nd line center, he's going to be wasting $9m a year

Maybe when Cozens is done for the season in the W we'll get a look at him here in that position

Reinhart is never going to be a center again. Theres no point talking about it

Jeff skinner = 12 goals
Zemgus girgensons = 12 goals


This kinda makes skinner "irrelevant " this season


I agree with 89, its just a down year. But, man it's really ugly after signing the big $ deal
- Boss34

It’s really weird that they haven’t tried to put him back with Jack at all to get him going again

I get spreading out the scoring...
But when it’s not working, why continue to do the thing that’s NOT getting results?
Especially when putting him with Jack was crazy successful
Weird

It’s really weird that they haven’t tried to put him back with Jack at all to get him going again

I get spreading out the scoring...
But when it’s not working, why continue to do the thing that’s NOT getting results?
Especially when putting him with Jack was crazy successful
Weird
- jdfitz77

Kruger overheard Skinner tell some teammates in November that soccer was for wussies. He's held a grudge ever since.

People keep complaining about not getting Trocheck, but three days later and I have yet to see one Florida fan that was sad to see him go. None even upset with the return they got for him, with the exception of not getting an NHL dman back.
Sabres made an offer, which they felt was a better offer than Carolina's, and the deal doesn't get done. So be it. I never thought of Trocheck as the player you want to overpay for.
Sure he would be fine on the 2nd line playing with Skinner, but he hasn't done much this year or last year playing with good players (this year most common linemates Hoffman, Connolly and Acciari and Huberdeau, Hoffman and Vatrano last year).
I think that there will be better options this summer to trade for that may cost less to acquire. Also, cap flexibility in the offseason could provide a bigger trade that teams could not have made at the TDL.
I for one am A) Glad JBotts recognizes we need a center and attempted to grab one with term which shows he's not counting on Mitts or Cozens for next year and B) Glad he didn't overpay for a center that's regressed the last two seasons and who's own fans weren't sad to see traded.
- adambuffalo

Curious.
Who you thinking?
The FA pool looks Grimm, so would need to be a trade.

Btw - are there any Florida Fans really. I looked at the TDL HB Blog...28 messages, primarily an exchange between the blogger and 1 or 2 posters, lol.

Kruger overheard Skinner tell some teammates in November that soccer was for wussies. He's held a grudge ever since.
- buffalofan19

Lol