.

My qualm is this: He has wasted picks on numerous players who amounted to nothing - we all know the names - Beaulieu, Scandella, Vesey, Frolik, Simmonds, Miller, even Montour at the moment due to the poopty roster construction.

- jcragcrumple

To be fair, which one's were wasted picks? Consider the timing of each one and the scenario the team was in. Remember there were only two 3rd round picks that have had any impact in the league in the last 6 years.

Sorry, saw that was the last post in the last blog and moved to the new one.
Am I worried about him getting poached? No. However, when he was hired I believe he had a plan and that it would take 3 years to come to fruition. Many here have complained about TPegs forcing Murray to make trades to get to the playoffs, when I believe 100% the opposite. I would almost guarantee that Murray got hired because he convinced the Pegs that he could make the team a playoff contender immediately. This is why I feel Botts came in and said 'Hey there's no quick fix for this and it will take time to build a contender '.
Besides Skinner's new deal, has Botts handcuffed the team in any way? We've got prospects with a lot of potential, and not one person with hockey knowledge thinks we missed on any of our picks.
He didn't address the 2C like most have wanted, but he also hasn't made any horrendous trades to try to get one. How would anyone feel if he came right out and said 'We are not going to make the playoffs for the next 3 years' knowing that the team needed to build from the bottom up when he got here?
I can understand people not seeing the big picture after having been through so many bad seasons, bad coaches and bad GMing, but at some time you have to trust the guys in charge. They didn't get hired because they were incompetent. They got hired because they were highly sought after.
- adambuffalo

Well thought out post, I respect your opinion

I felt exactly this way, until casey and tage couldn't stick around on this roster. 2 key botts guys.

The last season (again) after a great start, the sabres played bottom 3 hockey.
Skinner is overpaid. I wanted to resign him, but ouch.
Burgland flat out quit
Ror won the cup
Ek9 for a late contingent 1st rounder
Erod, bogo demanding trades
Scandella for a 4th, then scandella for a 2nd and 4th

Getting to be too many negatives too very few real positives

Some of this circus is on botts.
Zero team toughness or real heart

To be fair, which one's were wasted picks? Consider the timing of each one and the scenario the team was in. Remember there were only two 3rd round picks that have had any impact in the league in the last 6 years.
- adambuffalo

They're all wasted at this point. The team is the 6th worst in hockey and hes spent a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and two 5ths on those guys since last January.

At this point it's mostly garbage returns for all of them in a 12 month span

For whatever reasons, he'll have a chance to redeem himself and stop sucking. Godspeed to him. I mean that.

They're all wasted at this point. The team is the 6th worst in hockey and hes spent a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and two 5ths on those guys since last January.

At this point it's mostly garbage returns for all of them in a 12 month span

For whatever reasons, he'll have a chance to redeem himself and stop sucking. Godspeed to him. I mean that.
- jcragcrumple

For how bad Murray was Botts has been worse. How does he still have a job?

Skinner is overpaid. I wanted to resign him, but ouch.
Burgland flat out quit
Ror won the cup
Ek9 for a late contingent 1st rounder
Erod, bogo demanding trades
Scandella for a 4th, then scandella for a 2nd and 4th.

Some of this circus is on botts.
Zero team toughness or real heart
- Boss34

Skinner, I'm on the same page but would have been happy trading him at the TDL as well. Going back years and I've never been a big fan
Berglund got screwed by St Louis and you can't place that blame on Botts
If Botts had more experience, authority he may have been able to get a better deal for ROR. I think if it happens a year later then he could maximize the return. ROR is still one of my favorite players and wish he was still here. (I'm a Drury over Briere guy too)
EK9 trade doesn't bother me either. St Louis got the same basic return for Stastny.
ERod and Bogo. Neither had any weight to command trades.
Scandella trade was fine, and if Bouwmeester didn't almost die Montreal wouldn't have had been able to get that.

I 100% agree that we need more toughness and I'm sure Botts does too. That's why I would go for Brenden Dillon, Borowiecki, Zadorov or Maroon. Everyone wants to get rid of the only guy that hits anyone. I would even take a guy like Kris Russell to pair with one of the offensive dmen.

Chris Drury told management to go get Mike Grier and that they would run the room. That's what I want now. Botts played with them and hopefully learned from them as well.

For how bad Murray was Botts has been worse. How does he still have a job?
- Fattony1187

Murray was handed the keys to Fort Knox and Botts came into Fort Courage.

Skinner, I'm on the same page but would have been happy trading him at the TDL as well. Going back years and I've never been a big fan
Berglund got screwed by St Louis and you can't place that blame on Botts
If Botts had more experience, authority he may have been able to get a better deal for ROR. I think if it happens a year later then he could maximize the return. ROR is still one of my favorite players and wish he was still here. (I'm a Drury over Briere guy too)
EK9 trade doesn't bother me either. St Louis got the same basic return for Stastny.
ERod and Bogo. Neither had any weight to command trades.
Scandella trade was fine, and if Bouwmeester didn't almost die Montreal wouldn't have had been able to get that.

I 100% agree that we need more toughness and I'm sure Botts does too. That's why I would go for Brenden Dillon, Borowiecki, Zadorov or Maroon. Everyone wants to get rid of the only guy that hits anyone. I would even take a guy like Kris Russell to pair with one of the offensive dmen.

Chris Drury told management to go get Mike Grier and that they would run the room. That's what I want now. Botts played with them and hopefully learned from them as well.
- adambuffalo

My friend at the Sabres games is a huge ror fan. First jersey he purchased ever, I believe. 😉

I'm just not seeing the "extend" part and botts.

I would consider giving him this year to see his "3 or 4" year proposal, have an ample opportunity to succeed.

He was stuck with the stench of moulson, bogo and okposo taking up huge cap.

Just seems like there are tons of important decisions this off season.
Mostly be design. He can f' this up. Bigtime.

I like your idea of Gilles helping from above

My friend at the Sabres games is a huge ror fan. First jersey he purchased ever, I believe. 😉

- Boss34

Yes, indeed ROR was his first jersey bought (I did get him an autographed Team USA Ramsey for his 50th though).
He was a little upset when they won the season ticket holder deal and my aunt picked a Reinhart jersey.

Allegiant Stadium in Vegas looks so badass. That black hole is REALLY going to be a circus now. What a schedule for the Bills. Uneffinbelievable. It hasta be back to normal by September. It hasta

they have shown nothing to prove they will be a fast upbeat north south team

team speed has not gotten any better

d men are not playing the fast breakout pass system we were promised

our 40 goal scorer is not on the top pp, nor with our all star center

so many bodies turned over on this roster and nothing

montour, blah
johansson, blah
sheary was blah
miller, blah
vesey, blah
hutton, blah


he lost most trades he made, aside from hopefully the joker trade and hopefully the kahun trade


why sign skinner to a 8 year deal if the coach you hand pick is not going to put him in a position to score?



when it's time to make trades in november,dec he sits on his hands

when we are out of contention, he brings in a simmonds and frolik


honestly, I do not see a game plan other then hope cozens, casey and tage become top 6 guys in the fall
- navinrjohnson

I had high hopes for this post and thought you might have found some sense and were on your way to saying "Why pay Skinner to a 8 year (9 mil) contract if the coach" he previously played for with Carolina wanted nothing to do with him. But, you went typical Sabres lap dog fan.

Sorry, saw that was the last post in the last blog and moved to the new one.
Am I worried about him getting poached? No. However, when he was hired I believe he had a plan and that it would take 3 years to come to fruition. Many here have complained about TPegs forcing Murray to make trades to get to the playoffs, when I believe 100% the opposite. I would almost guarantee that Murray got hired because he convinced the Pegs that he could make the team a playoff contender immediately. This is why I feel Botts came in and said 'Hey there's no quick fix for this and it will take time to build a contender '.
Besides Skinner's new deal, has Botts handcuffed the team in any way? We've got prospects with a lot of potential, and not one person with hockey knowledge thinks we missed on any of our picks.
He didn't address the 2C like most have wanted, but he also hasn't made any horrendous trades to try to get one. How would anyone feel if he came right out and said 'We are not going to make the playoffs for the next 3 years' knowing that the team needed to build from the bottom up when he got here?
I can understand people not seeing the big picture after having been through so many bad seasons, bad coaches and bad GMing, but at some time you have to trust the guys in charge. They didn't get hired because they were incompetent. They got hired because they were highly sought after.
- adambuffalo

The bolded is not close to being true.

They're all wasted at this point. The team is the 6th worst in hockey and hes spent a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and two 5ths on those guys since last January.

At this point it's mostly garbage returns for all of them in a 12 month span

For whatever reasons, he'll have a chance to redeem himself and stop sucking. Godspeed to him. I mean that.
- jcragcrumple

18 picks sent out, only 8 brought back, for a negative 10 differential...?

To be fair, which one's were wasted picks? Consider the timing of each one and the scenario the team was in. Remember there were only two 3rd round picks that have had any impact in the league in the last 6 years.
- adambuffalo

You've said this multiple times and I feel that it's an incomplete thought.

Using the draft years 2018 and 2019 to make a point about 3rd round picks not panning out is totally ignoring how long it takes picks to make an impact.

I'd even debate using 2017 being too early to know, but ok if you want to, fine.

I found 4 impact players from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 3rd round picks. You only mention Cirelli and Point, but Adam Fox had a nice season this past year and Foegel for Carolina also played well.

In 2013, you have 5 from the 3rd round. In 2012, you have 4 from the 3rd round. Another 4 in the 2011 3rd round.

I guess I totally disagree with your assertion.

https://nypost.com/2020/0...anley-cup-tournament/amp/

https://nypost.com/2020/05/07/nhl-restart-would-go-directly-into-24-team-stanley-cup-tournament/amp/
- kingcong39

Just go 1-24 and do a live World Cup like draw where the 4 division winners get the #1 seed in their group. Maybe go up to the 2nd place team gets a guaranteed 2nd seed and then draw from the remaining 16 teams. That would be very entertaining. Plus it would mix up the normal matchups, maybe the Leafs would have a chance at getting past the first round.

Just go 1-24 and do a live World Cup like draw where the 4 division winners get the #1 seed in their group. Maybe go up to the 2nd place team gets a guaranteed 2nd seed and then draw from the remaining 16 teams. That would be very entertaining. Plus it would mix up the normal matchups, maybe the Leafs would have a chance at getting past the first round.
- Wetbandit1

How are you playing series for every matchup in the soccer World Cup format?

If your reply is doing a round robin within the group first, that's a big (frank) no from me, and the NHL as well.

How are you playing series for every matchup in the soccer World Cup format?

If your reply is doing a round robin within the group first, that's a big (frank) no from me, and the NHL as well.
- kingcong39

It's worked for the World Cup for 90 years.

It's worked for the World Cup for 90 years.
- Wetbandit1

I'm gonna need a few more years from them before I know it works for sure.

It's worked for the World Cup for 90 years.
- Wetbandit1

Soccer is not the NHL, and that is a once every 4 years short tournament format.

This also isn't the Olympics.

To determine a champion after most of the season was played, you must play series, even if they are best of 3 and best of 5 formats in the early rounds.

I'm gonna need a few more years from them before I know it works for sure.
- BeadyEyedDouche

It works for a once ever 4 years short format soccer tournament.

How does that apply to the NHL?

11-5

three seed

Minimum of 3 Primetime games is huge.

I am not counting the SNF game against Pittsburgh yet because that could very well be flexed out. Remember, the game last year was flexed in. I could see the league flexing that game out in favor of moving the Bills-Denver game to Saturday.

For how bad Murray was Botts has been worse. How does he still have a job?
- Fattony1187

That is just not true, TM was bad, he came into treasure trove of picks. What he did handcuffed the guy that followed him. Botts has made mistakes, but 1/2 trades were made to fill spots in the line-up because there was nobody in the system to take those spots.

That is just not true, TM was bad, he came into treasure trove of picks. What he did handcuffed the guy that followed him. Botts has made mistakes, but 1/2 trades were made to fill spots in the line-up because there was nobody in the system to take those spots.
- Buff36

Botterill came into a less than desirable spot. Murray wasted assets. However, GM's have got teams out of bigger messes. At some point, the crutch that is Tim Murray needs to go away.

Botterill came into a less than desirable spot. Murray wasted assets. However, GM's have got teams out of bigger messes. At some point, the crutch that is Tim Murray needs to go away.
- buffalofan19

I would say 3 years is more then enough time to stop blaming Murray for the current situation

we are a cap strapped team with a bunch of crap on the roster