I'm kinda torn on this....on the one hand I want Roch to kick some serious ass in the playoffs...but on the other, its kind of unfair to Erod, who has shown himself to be a legit NHL player, to reward him with a trip back down to the AHL.
- feetontheair22

I hear ya, and do agree.JBotts just needs to sit down with a few guys and have a talk...their best contribution to the organization is to push the Roch guys as far as they can go...get that experience making a run.

Oh, and he are two tickets each for a 3 week, all expenses paid vacation to destinationX ... thank you for your understanding.

barkov put up much lesser numbers than Jack in his first 3 years


ppg during this time is not even close


this conversation needs to happen 2 years from now IMO
- homiedclown

Doesnt need to happen at all. Jack has more Talent, is still developing, is younger and has pooptier line mates.
Barkov has taken hs game to the next level offensively this year and is the sexy pick/flavour of the week. Where was he last year when peeps were discussing Mathews, Eichel or even Draisaitl?

I don’t remember who everyone wanted...
but Mittelstadt was ranked between 6-8 by most
Even better by some
And rarely lower than 8th
Botts wasn’t exactly reaching

http://www.mynhldraft.com...t/2017-nhl-draft-rankings
- jdfitz77

No, Botts wasn't reaching since Mittelstadt was projected around #8, but Botts did have options to go with and it looks like he made the right choice. But on this website Mittelstadt was the least talked about top 10 prospect of last years draft. Almost no one said Botts should take him at #8 if he's still there.

Wasted years? They did win a stanley cup.
Tampas fan environment is really good, they have that going for them... And my last point.
- TheHank

The Panthers' wasted years, not the Lightning's

Doesnt need to happen at all. Jack has more Talent, is still developing, is younger and has pooptier line mates.
Barkov has taken hs game to the next level offensively this year and is the sexy pick/flavour of the week. Where was he last year when peeps were discussing Mathews, Eichel or even Draisaitl?
- Larsson_fan

When he wasn't hurt last year, he was quietly going about doing all of the brilliant things he does, unnoticed by most who don't follow the Panthers.

When he wasn't hurt last year, he was quietly going about doing all of the brilliant things he does, unnoticed by most who don't follow the Panthers.
- Ratsreign

He is very good but still not as talented as Jack.

Ottawa vs. Arizona tonight, lets hope for that OT.

He is very good but still not as talented as Jack.
- Larsson_fan

Eichel is my favorite player by a mile, but I don’t know, Barkov is super talented

Eichel is my favorite player by a mile, but I don’t know, Barkov is super talented
- sbroads24

He is and may end up being the better NHL player when looking back on their retrospective careers....but that is more of a development thing then a talent thing. If we were talking pure talent Jack has more natural tools and athleticism.
As for The other variables that mold an NHL player ( character, commitment, quality and culture of team, mentors, coaches, lifestyle, )....the edge probably goes to Barkov as Eichel has been dumped into a festering vat of poop And told to sink or swim.

No disrespect meant to Jack, but yeah, Barkov would be the right choice 100 times out of 100. Maybe this comes from me watching Barky since he was an 18 yr old rookie, but it's a no brainer.
- Ratsreign

I think Barkov is one of the most underrated players in the league. But I still take Eichel. I take him 60/100 times. This isn’t becuase I’m a Sabres fan but just watching both play and looking and the stats I side with Eichel not by a landslide

I should watch more Flames games, they drafted several 0,Ayers I wanted, including him.

As far as GMTM failing us, that is my point...yes and no is the answer to me.
Those trades aren’t turning out the way we hoped ... but the draft picks look strong, yes they need to prove it, but looking good so far.
- IonSabres

GMTM will get some credit for his picks that work out
But his legacy of failing to accelerate the rebuild will be what everyone remembers

He brought about his own demise

No, Botts wasn't reaching since Mittelstadt was projected around #8, but Botts did have options to go with and it looks like he made the right choice. But on this website Mittelstadt was the least talked about top 10 prospect of last years draft. Almost no one said Botts should take him at #8 if he's still there.
- sskkoo1

I think he wasn’t talked about here that much bc everyone assumed he’d be gone before we picked

If i remember right,
most ppl were pretty happy he was still there & that we got him

I'm kinda torn on this....on the one hand I want Roch to kick some serious ass in the playoffs...but on the other, its kind of unfair to Erod, who has shown himself to be a legit NHL player, to reward him with a trip back down to the AHL.
- feetontheair22

Yeah, I don't think that's fair to send him down. He's been so good for the sabres taking the 2C role instead of Reinhart, girgs, larsson, Josefson. He's earned his keep. At the end of the season, I could see them sending him to Rochester, but he's one of the good ones here.

GMTM will get some credit for his picks that work out
But his legacy of failing to accelerate the rebuild will be what everyone remembers

He brought about his own demise
- jdfitz77

I think he was correct in moving the assets required to get Kane and O’Reilly. I just believe he acquired the wrong players and a year too early. Myers + should have been moved for Hall not Kane.

I think he was correct in moving the assets required to get Kane and O’Reilly. I just believe he acquired the wrong players and a year too early. Myers + should have been moved for Hall not Kane.
- Pegullaville

I loved that we got Kane & O’Reilly
And i don’t mind the assets we gave up to get them
I don’t even think it was a year too early

The problem, was that GMTM totally failed at EVERYTHING he tried to do for the Sabres defense

If Bogosian & Kulikov & Gorges would’ve worked out, then we’d probably have made the playoffs & GMTM would still be here

But since they didn’t,
the timeline was totally thrown off
and acquiring ROR & Kane ended up being useless over the past few years

But did he score? Because I'm pretty sure that's the object.
- Wetbandit1

No, all he did was finesse his way past four guys. Bust, should trade the pick for a d-man that hits hard and scores exclusively on the power play.

Yeah, I don't think that's fair to send him down. He's been so good for the sabres taking the 2C role instead of Reinhart, girgs, larsson, Josefson. He's earned his keep. At the end of the season, I could see them sending him to Rochester, but he's one of the good ones here.
- jcragcrumple

Sure...
but we probably wanna get him back down there with enough games that he can get re-acclimated with the team too

Same with Nelson

We can just bring up the Vets like Paetsch who aren’t gonna end up playing during the playoffs
We would just have to sign him (and whoever else) to an NHL contract for the rest of the season
Pretty sure we have the room to do those types of moves

Mittelstadt may join either the Sabres or Rochester for the end of the season as well
Pretty sure Minny is a bubble team for the NCAA playoffs
They might not even make it

No, all he did was finesse his way past four guys. Bust, should trade the pick for a d-man that hits hard and scores exclusively on the power play.
- Sabresfan-365

If we won the lotto...
i wouldn’t trade Dahlin for Karlsson
Heck...
idk if I’d even do it for Karlsson +

Dahlin is like 10yrs younger
Getting him might even be more important to our team’s success than Eichel

If we won the lotto...
i wouldn’t trade Dahlin for Karlsson
Heck...
idk if I’d even do it for Karlsson +

Dahlin is like 10yrs younger
Getting him might even be more important to our team’s success than Eichel
- jdfitz77

yeah but dahlin didn't score on that one rush and that's the object of the game. it went right over my head at first.

I can’t decide if I’m starting a franchise, if I take Barkov or Eichel?

I think Barkov
- sbroads24

Barkov
Myers
Armia

No, all he did was finesse his way past four guys. Bust, should trade the pick for a d-man that hits hard and scores exclusively on the power play.
- Sabresfan-365

Your post remind me of Andrew Peters.
Always sarcastic, always with an edge, always intended to insult.