They need to eradicate the culture of losing. IDK if that means firing the ENTIRE hockey department outside just below the owner? IDK...but what I DO see is that they are woefully behind in their rebuild. They need to, as an organization, STOP hiring re-treaded players to run their hockey operations. They need to hire people from the hockey world that have actually WON.

Blysma was a quick fix because they lost out on Babcock. Blysma should have never been hired, his Cup was a fluke. The only place that Bowman NEVER won was in Buffalo. If they keep hiring people who have NEVER won, they will NEVER win.
- mark19

Bylsma won a Cup in Pittsburgh

J Botts was the Assistant GM on back to back Cup winners

Wow...

im not sure why zero is capitalized here i would have seen it either way


Mittelstadt was the guy they wanted. They even wanted to trade up to make sure they got him. This years draft has a couple d-men at the top who look like can't miss guys.
- Sabresfan-365

For emphasis

Yeah, fine... they wanted Mittelstadt
What’s the excuse for not picking defensemen with either of the 2nd round picks?

Maybe we will finally take a defenseman or 2 in this draft
But it’s long overdue
I’ll believe it when i see it

And picking defensemen after the 2nd round are a crapshoot to even make the NHL
Those who do, generally need years of developing before they’re ready

For emphasis

Yeah, fine... they wanted Mittelstadt
What’s the excuse for not picking defensemen with either of the 2nd round picks?
- jdfitz77

Well I wasn't there but a quick look at their numbers doesnt inspire much confidence. the four d-men taken after our first 2nd rounder have 0 goals combined.

And as for the other 2nd rounder, our goaltending doesnt inspire much confidence either does it?

This is refreshing...

Im sure in two more years they will be winners......R.O'R. is a head case. I can see YET another TBN article with him saying "I have to be better". "They" love "Fans" like you. Two more years fella, two more years and they will be good......lolololololol (and since YOU namecalled...I got one for you, its IDIOT)
- mark19

39? Is that you?

Well I wasn't there but a quick look at their numbers doesnt inspire much confidence. the four d-men taken after our first 2nd rounder have 0 goals combined.

And as for the other 2nd rounder, our goaltending doesnt inspire much confidence either does it?
- Sabresfan-365

Defensemen picked outside the top of the draft generally need years of developing

I’m not even saying I dislike Mittelstadt or Luukkonen...
but the fact is, we J Botts continues to ignore defense again in the first 2 rounds

Defensemen picked outside the top of the draft generally need years of developing

I’m not even saying I dislike Mittelstadt or Luukkonen...
but the fact is, we J Botts continues to ignore defense again in the first 2 rounds
- jdfitz77

continues? hes been here for literally half a year. If he does it this summer too then maybe

continues? hes been here for literally half a year. If he does it this summer too then maybe
- Sabresfan-365

Yeah...
I think it’s fair to say “continues” bc it was an OBVIOUS position where we were lacking in the organization

Besides Guhle, we have Borgen...
and that’s it

Teams like Anaheim & Nashville have all these good young defensemen bc they draft them EVERY year in the top 2 rounds

Hoping guys picked in the 3rd round and beyond will make an impact just isn’t all that likely
And those who do make it,
are generally depth defensemen & it takes them years to get to the NHL

Bylsma won a Cup in Pittsburgh

J Botts was the Assistant GM on back to back Cup winners

Wow...
- jdfitz77

He won 1 cup filling in from Feb to June, he did ZILCH the next season and was fired shortly thereafter. "Jason Botterill" went along for the ride with Jim Rutherford and Ray Shero. YOU wow!~

Yeah...
I think it’s fair to say “continues” bc it was an OBVIOUS position where we were lacking in the organization

Besides Guhle, we have Borgen...
and that’s it

Teams like Anaheim & Nashville have all these good young defensemen bc they draft them EVERY year in the top 2 rounds

Hoping guys picked in the 3rd round and beyond will make an impact just isn’t all that likely
And those who do make it,
are generally depth defensemen & it takes them years to get to the NHL
- jdfitz77

The preds did not take a d-man till the third round in 2017

The ducks did not draft a d-man at all in 2017

[img]J Botts had 3 picks in the first 2 rounds last year...
chose ZERO defensemen
- jdfitz77

You sound like an absolute TOOLBAG saying "J BOTTS"......his name is Jason Botterill and his performance is equally as poor as his teams play right now. He will be as irrelevant in about 2 years from now, equally as irrelevant as your current, Pom-Pom cheering post, Sheepie.

You sound like an absolute TOOLBAG saying "J BOTTS"......his name is Jason Botterill and his performance is equally as poor as his teams play right now. He will be as irrelevant in about 2 years from now, same as your current post, Sheepie.
- mark19

Ahhhh, hindsight is always 20/20 with all of you people.

You sound like an absolute TOOLBAG saying "J BOTTS"......his name is Jason Botterill and his performance is equally as poor as his teams play right now. He will be as irrelevant in about 2 years from now, same as your current post, Sheepie.
- mark19

Wow. How informative. are you the pot or the kettle?

39? Is that you?
- Wetbandit1

Read my mind.

Wow. How informative. are you the pot or the kettle?
- TheHank

I am just past the point of waiting for them to win. They $uck, pretty damn bad. They $uck with most of the teams playing at an OCT/NOV level of game, and its equally annoying watching loyal, Sabres "Fans" cheerlead them.

Seriously? At what point do you start actually calling it for what it really is? Really consider how bad this team REALLY looks in FEB/MAR with the opponents in playoff mode and they are at this level? Make fun of my post, whatever....but there is the form of reality in my post.

I am just past the point of waiting for them to win and its equally annoying watching loyal, Sabres "Fans" cheerlead them. Seriously? At what point do you start actually calling it for what it really is?
- mark19

Everyone realizing that this is just a sport?? Loyal Sabres have have ZERO input how the Sabres build the team and how they play on the Ice. They only thing we can do is not go to the games and BOO when we are there. Does anyone really think that The coach, GM & players want to be this bad?

I am just past the point of waiting for them to win and its equally annoying watching loyal, Sabres "Fans" cheerlead them. Seriously? At what point do you start actually calling it for what it really is?
- mark19

So someone criticizing the drafting process calling for more defenseman to be drafted is "cheerleading" them? We all have now officially learned something new today.

from the Penguins writer:

When you’re struggling to earn victories one of the best remedies the last couple of seasons has been for your team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres to arrive. To this point in 2017-18 that should still hold true. Jason Botterill’s first year in Buffalo was never going to solve all the issues that have plagued the franchise from Tim Murray’s time with the time. I did think they would be better than they are, but they aren’t.

from the Penguins writer:

When you’re struggling to earn victories one of the best remedies the last couple of seasons has been for your team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres to arrive. To this point in 2017-18 that should still hold true. Jason Botterill’s first year in Buffalo was never going to solve all the issues that have plagued the franchise from Tim Murray’s time with the time. I did think they would be better than they are, but they aren’t.
- Shadman306

he is not wrong, we are Appalachian state, Slump busters....

So someone criticizing the drafting process calling for more defenseman to be drafted is "cheerleading" them? We all have now officially learned something new today.
- TheHank

I criticize the fans who defend the current collection of players as some elite team and I also criticize the fans who follow like complete sheep and lemmings who buy into whatever the organization puts out as a product. I don't criticize your comments, I think your comments are intelligent...they have neglected defense and their drafting has been absolutely atrocious.

I criticize the fans who defend the current collection of players as some elite team and I also criticize the fans who follow like complete sheep and lemmings who buy into whatever the organization puts out as a product. I don't criticize your comments, I think yours are actually intelligent. They have neglected defense and their drafting has been atrocious.
- mark19

So basically if you don't like what other fans opinions are, you criticize them for it? makes complete sense...

I criticize the fans who defend the current collection of players as some elite team and I also criticize the fans who follow like complete sheep and lemmings who buy into whatever the organization puts out as a product. I don't criticize your comments, I think your comments are intelligent...they have neglected defense and their drafting has been absolutely atrocious.
- mark19

Who really disagrees with any of those statements on this board?

I criticize the fans who defend the current collection of players as some elite team and I also criticize the fans who follow like complete sheep and lemmings who buy into whatever the organization puts out as a product. I don't criticize your comments, I think your comments are intelligent...they have neglected defense and their drafting has been absolutely atrocious.
- mark19

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/strawman

I criticize the fans who defend the current collection of players as some elite team and I also criticize the fans who follow like complete sheep and lemmings who buy into whatever the organization puts out as a product. I don't criticize your comments, I think your comments are intelligent...they have neglected defense and their drafting has been absolutely atrocious.
- mark19

Where exactly are these said fans? They surely arent anywhere near this room. The tone in here for quite some time has been along the lines of no one is safe, explore any and all options and make the team better. Right down to calling out eichel in the recent past. What are you reading here that gives you the impression anyone is defending them or buying into anything the sabres are selling right now?

Who really disagrees with any of those statements on this board?
- gcomella34

And, ^^^^ this.