To be fair, GMTM and Botts are polar opposites when it comes to building teams... a good GM is right in the middle of both of their extremes. Hopefully someone’s got that figured out
- SDSabre

Not really. Botterill traded more picks than Murray. He just did it in smaller deals more often. It was like the proverbial frog in the pot. He raised the temperature slowly. The result was a lot of wasted assets and some very mediocre players. They both sucked.

Murray went supernova with his poopty deals and Botterill was death by a thousand cuts

They haven't though. Botts/Murray were polar opposites. They made two extremely different mistakes.

Basically, hiring a good GM seems like a crapshoot, and they didn't hit twice.
- robz228

Good companines also put people in charge who are capable of making those decisions, if they continuously have a revolving door of people....

my thoughts exactly.

Never a good sign if there isnt an interview process.

I was really angry when LaFontaine came and left. Now I see why.
- Mentalorgasm5

Lafontaine had his own issues, including not wanting to rebuild/tank, and he quit on more than one team.

Good companines also put people in charge who are capable of making those decisions, if they continuously have a revolving door of people....
- ImThatGuy

I've never been on board with this argument. If we can't trust the Pegula's to hire a good GM why do we trust them to hire a good POHO? Whats the difference? LaFontaine was here and then he bolted.

So he decided to play the middle, in gambling parlance, which is not a good idea.

Putting depth in place was drafting Kaliyev instead of Johnson last year, and keeping picks instead of sending them out the door for mediocre garbage returns.

If you want to put depth in place, keep your picks and sign low level, short term 1 or 2 year UFA's.
- kingcong39

Well he doesn't make those trades if are prospect pool had anything in it. Botts should have been using Murray's picks to fill out the roster, unfortunately there weren't many to use.

Lafontaine had his own issues, including not wanting to rebuild/tank, and he quit on more than one team.
- kingcong39

since the tank ended with the drafting of Eichel, the sabres have the second-worst points-percentage in the league (Detroit)...and after churning through two team presidents, two gm's and two coaches in five years since jack's draft, the reason for their extreme 2015 tank is frustrated to the point where rumors are beginning to float around that he wants out...

maybe not wanting to tank wasn't such a bad idea

Wow......what the heck happened?

I thought they said Botterill was safe. I didn't understand why, so this makes sense.

since the tank ended with the drafting of Eichel, the sabres have the second-worst points-percentage in the league (Detroit)...and after churning through two team presidents, two gm's and two coaches in five years since jack's draft, the reason for their extreme 2015 tank is frustrated to the point where rumors are beginning to float around that he wants out...

maybe not wanting to tank wasn't such a bad idea
- Michael Pachla

Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA and their combined 8 cups say hi.

Heck even the Canes fans are running around this thread right now, seems it took them all of 10 minutes to forget about their 9 year drought now looking at the roster they have built.

Just use this years pick, make the few moves needed to get more help up front, and I don’t believe this team is as far off as people think.

Well he doesn't make those trades if are prospect pool had anything in it. Botts should have been using Murray's picks to fill out the roster, unfortunately there weren't many to use.
- Buff36

If he had ponied up sufficiently for Trochek at the TDL instead of doing his cheapo moves, they probably would have won one more game. Then they'd be in the tournament and he'd have a job. All of this was his doing. He dug his own grave through chronic procrastination combined with baffling panic moves and flat-out unnecessary trades while simultaneously neglecting the 2C position for 2 years

New Blurg

Wow......what the heck happened?

I thought they said Botterill was safe. I didn't understand why, so this makes sense.
- gcomella34

Eichels end of the year press conference happened and pilut left for the KHL


I still think we pulled the plug too early on botts and Murray. I know all you female dogs complain.

But Kevyn freaking Adams is the Gm. He literally has 0 Gming experience. I don’t care if he has player, coaching, and some front office experience

No way in hell, should he be an NHL gm. No freaking way

The Sabres are a joke


So congrats. To everyone that wanted botts gone.

Kevyn freaking Adams is your gm. I hope you are happy.

And as I said before. No veteran gm or coach wants to come or even interview here

So jokes on the Sabres.

He is? Based on what?

Arthur Kaliyev's stats during his draft year and D+1 (Kaliyev was wanted by a lot of Sabres fans with the late 1st round pick):

18-19 67 Games Played 51 Goals 51 Assists 102 Points
19-20 57 Games Played 44 Goals 54 Assists 98 Points
- kingcong39

That’s awesome, didn’t say he was better then a particular player. Just that the Sabres D isn’t nearly as good as everyone shouted from the top of the mountain when the pick was made. He had a good year at UoM, showed a ton of growth. I’m high on him, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have been happy with Kaliyev

Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA and their combined 8 cups say hi.

Heck even the Canes fans are running around this thread right now, seems it took them all of 10 minutes to forget about their 9 year drought now looking at the roster they have built.

Just use this years pick, make the few moves needed to get more help up front, and I don’t believe this team is as far off as people think.
- Pegullaville

It's literally just me. The Canes only began tearing it apart intentionally in 2015. Everything leading up to that was Botterill's mentor blinding trying to squeeze points out of a dead team.

Francis did a great job of a slow build, but it took someone else taking he reigns to really push the team to be competitive.

That’s awesome, didn’t say he was better then a particular player. Just that the Sabres D isn’t nearly as good as everyone shouted from the top of the mountain when the pick was made. He had a good year at UoM, showed a ton of growth. I’m high on him, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have been happy with Kaliyev
- SDSabre

Most scouts I read said the opposite of how his year went, and they weren't high on his 8 total points nor his play overall.

Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA and their combined 8 cups say hi.

Heck even the Canes fans are running around this thread right now, seems it took them all of 10 minutes to forget about their 9 year drought now looking at the roster they have built.

Just use this years pick, make the few moves needed to get more help up front, and I don’t believe this team is as far off as people think.
- Pegullaville

Carolina didn't necessarily tank although they had a lot of high picks and built through the draft

and since you brought it up, Detroit never tanked, neither did boston or new jersey

as of now it hasn't worked out for the sabres

Most scouts I read said the opposite of how his year went, and they weren't high on his 8 total points nor his play overall.
- kingcong39

I’m sure you’ll find some that lean one way or the other. Did you actually watch any gopher games? I did. He looked way better at the end of the season then beginning. Everyone knows defense takes longer to develop, so I still have high hopes for the kid. Feel free to disagree. As for Buffalo, I’m sure you’ll agree that both the offense and defense wasn’t great and we need better from both.

Carolina didn't necessarily tank although they had a lot of high picks and built through the draft

and since you brought it up, Detroit never tanked, neither did boston or new jersey

as of now it hasn't worked out for the sabres
- Michael Pachla

Yeah they didn't tank so much as just be mediocre at best for a long time then let it slowly fall apart.

Carolina didn't necessarily tank although they had a lot of high picks and built through the draft

and since you brought it up, Detroit never tanked, neither did boston or new jersey

as of now it hasn't worked out for the sabres
- Michael Pachla

The only time a legit tank for a player has worked was in 84 when Pittsburgh completely tanked for Lemieux. Back when 1 player could win games single handedly

Pittsburgh got Crosby, also had Malkin and then Flower and oh Mario was still there Sids first year to ease him into things.

They also had a team of veterans around those guys.

The Sabres literally traded away anything of value (and still almost didn't get Jack)

The concept behind tanking makes sense but pulling it off and rebuilding is much more difficult

What's the point of having jack if the franchise does nothing to help him ?

The things they're doing right now are just making us look like Ottawa
- gerbe75pts

Ottawa looks a lot better

If he had ponied up sufficiently for Trochek at the TDL instead of doing his cheapo moves, they probably would have won one more game. Then they'd be in the tournament and he'd have a job. All of this was his doing. He dug his own grave through chronic procrastination combined with baffling panic moves and flat-out unnecessary trades while simultaneously neglecting the 2C position for 2 years
- jcragcrumple

Fwiw, Buffalo didn't have what Tallon was looking for in return for Vinny. FL wanted a nhl center to immediately fill the hole in the lineup trading vinny would leave.

kym
eichel
hutton
pilut
early winter collapse
24 teams in playoffs, sabres not one


take your pick
- homiedclown

I'd say the scandella trade, where our arch rivals picked up a 2nd and 4th a week later.

We got frolic.

If he’s not using it as an excuse then why worry about it. He’s an excellent back up goalie and if Buffalo gives him the major boot he will definitely land on his feet somewhere. Case closed.
He did what all teams want from a backup. 12/14 and 4. How these certain guys keep saying he cost them the playoffs is ridiculous. Maybe could have won a few more but there were games he was super in and they probably should have lost. Same could be said for Ullmark, Price, Bob and many others. With the Sabres the list is a mile long when it comes to who cost the team the game.
- Camel

Another win or 2 would have got them in the "playoffs "
24th anyways

Hutton lost games for the Sabres. Single handedly.

Aside from Sam's lack of a back check, I cant really point to another individual loss.

Another win or 2 would have got them in the "playoffs "
24th anyways

Hutton lost games for the Sabres. Single handedly.

Aside from Sam's lack of a back check, I cant really point to another individual loss.
- Boss34

I guess that’s your opinion. I have mine and I say hutton is far from the problem on this team. Even if he lost one or two games on his own that’s what happens to goalies on every team in the world. Goalies get pulled constantly but blaming them or him for losing a season isn’t even a close call. Rumour has Jones coming in and that is laughable as he’s blown more games for Sam Jose than the hooker down the street has blown my buddies. I hope the new GM isn’t that dumb.

Well he was are best Faceoff C so he was gonna get more dzone starts.
- Buff36

He was also StLs best face off guy