Penciling in rookies at 2C is pretty dumb as well. Show me a successful team that has one.
- Larsson_fan

It would be great if he could, but you're right it's unrealistic. If he makes the team next year, judging by his play he should, I'd be happy with 35 - 40 points out of him. Heck, I'd be VERY happy. He's going to need to adjust but he did look pretty good for the few games he played this season.

IF he could push ROR to the 3C or Wing, that would mean the Sabres are pretty dang good, so I'd like that.

Penciling in rookies at 2C is pretty dumb as well. Show me a successful team that has one.
- Larsson_fan

there's no combination of moves that makes this team good next year. My mittelstadt comment was for a post ROR era where this team is good, likely after the next lockout.

In the meantime you can put a stop gap there.

Some of you guys are nuts, wanting to trade this guy and that. How many of you Ding Dongs wanted Reinhart gone 7 months ago? Now I’m reading that you guys want ROR gone? With the depth you have now? Come on, be reasonable. You will have a playoff team once you have all the key positions filled by solid,qualified NHL players.

Here’s what you need ( fill in the blanks).

1. #1 Center: Jack Eichel
2. #2 center : Ryan O Reilly
3. #3 Center : __________
4-5. Scoring Wingers : Sam Reinhardt - Kyle Okposo
6. Top line quality 2-way winger __________
7. Quality Utility forward who can play offence and defence on all 4 lines________
8. #1 D _________
9. #2 D Rasmus Ristolainen
10. # 3 D ___________
11. #4 D Marco Scandela
12. Starting Goaltender ___________

That’s 6 pieces I couldn’t find on your roster. The above players listed are all keepers but in no way shape or form are they good enough to make up for the blanks in such key positions. You probably have enough players on your roster to fill up the unlisted spots on the roster. A nice smattering of veterans and rookies AHL graduates are all you need there, but the key position should are hard to fill.
Best course of action is to be patient, let the young players like Ghule and Middlestat graduate Into those positions in a few years and you’ll be fine.
Also, you guys should draft one of the defenders this year, tho you have enough holes that’s BPa isn’t a bad idea either.
- Larsson_fan

That's because you can't spell or count

This, that's the entire point. A steady and consistent 60 - 70 points is a great thing. Just not at this price.

What gets me aggravated is the idea that the Sabres paid this price because he'd be a great locker room guy, there was the value. I've got no window into the locker room but it sounds like he's not rubbing off on people.

Whomever the leader is needs to have the coaches ear when people are clearly mailing it in. Everyone has stated that we don't know who is or is not mailing it in, that's accurate. But the guy we pay a premium for his leadership should and be handling where he can.

This isn't just about talent, it seems many of Murray's players were just as lazy as he was it appears. I do hope ROR comes around, I'd love to see him not just produce his level of points (which are great) but drag some of the under achievers with him next year. Or get to stepping...
- gcomella34

for me, simply put


Assets from trade+cap space+stop gap till Casey is ready > ROR at 7.5 mil

Edit: Hatty

Do you not see the problem with that though?
- Sabresfan-365

What i see is that you’re not being realistic

A player’s skill set doesn’t change bc he makes a certain amount of $$$

I’m making an assumption here, so my bad if it’s off base...
but it sounds like you would only sign high point producers to that type of $$$

Which is fine, i guess...
except 2 things

1) we are still gonna have to overpay
Example: Stamkos signed for what, 9mil?
We offered 12 & he still turned it down
Those skilled guys aren’t coming here at a deal dude
We are gonna have to overpay Mittelstadt at some point to keep him here too

2) if we don’t keep these guys who are just “good” the we have a huge gap in talent on our roster
How many 1st line players did we have this year?
Go ahead & take ROR & Okposo & Sam off our team
Those guys are just “good”
Then show me what our lineup looks like...
Bailey-Eichel-Baptiste
Cj Smith-Mittelstadt-E Rod
Pouliot-(Pouliot-like guy)-Nylander
Wilson-Josefson-Fasching

And how does that look?
Like 31st again, with no chance of climbing outta the basement anytime soon

We are gonna have to overpay those mid-tier guys dude
They might not be studs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t contribute

Some of you guys are nuts, wanting to trade this guy and that. How many of you Ding Dongs wanted Reinhart gone 7 months ago? Now I’m reading that you guys want ROR gone? With the depth you have now? Come on, be reasonable. You will have a playoff team once you have all the key positions filled by solid,qualified NHL players.

Here’s what you need ( fill in the blanks).

1. #1 Center: Jack Eichel
2. #2 center : Ryan O Reilly
3. #3 Center : __________
4-5. Scoring Wingers : Sam Reinhardt - Kyle Okposo
6. Top line quality 2-way winger __________
7. Quality Utility forward who can play offence and defence on all 4 lines________
8. #1 D _________
9. #2 D Rasmus Ristolainen
10. # 3 D ___________
11. #4 D Marco Scandela
12. Starting Goaltender ___________

That’s 6 pieces I couldn’t find on your roster. The above players listed are all keepers but in no way shape or form are they good enough to make up for the blanks in such key positions. You probably have enough players on your roster to fill up the unlisted spots on the roster. A nice smattering of veterans and rookies AHL graduates are all you need there, but the key position should are hard to fill.
Best course of action is to be patient, let the young players like Ghule and Middlestat graduate Into those positions in a few years and you’ll be fine.
Also, you guys should draft one of the defenders this year, tho you have enough holes that’s BPa isn’t a bad idea either.
- Larsson_fan

Very reasonable post

What i see is that you’re not being realistic

A player’s skill set doesn’t change bc he makes a certain amount of $$$

I’m making an assumption here, so my bad if it’s off base...
but it sounds like you would only sign high point producers to that type of $$$

Which is fine, i guess...
except 2 things

1) we are still gonna have to overpay
Example: Stamkos signed for what, 9mil?
We offered 12 & he still turned it down
Those skilled guys aren’t coming here at a deal dude
We are gonna have to overpay Mittelstadt at some point to keep him here too

2) if we don’t keep these guys who are just “good” the we have a huge gap in talent on our roster
How many 1st line players did we have this year?
Go ahead & take ROR & Okposo & Sam off our team
Those guys are just “good”
Then show me what our lineup looks like...
Bailey-Eichel-Baptiste
Cj Smith-Mittelstadt-E Rod
Pouliot-(Pouliot-like guy)-Nylander
Wilson-Josefson-Fasching

And how does that look?
Like 31st again, with no chance of climbing outta the basement anytime soon

We are gonna have to overpay those mid-tier guys dude
They might not be studs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t contribute
- jdfitz77

It's off base

"I think the problem here is that your expectations for him are based on the salary he’s making and not his actual skill set"

The problem here is we paid him to do things he is incapable of doing. That doesn't make him a bad player, but it means a role we thought was covered, isn't.

That's because you can't spell or count
- Sabresfan-365

That’s kind o of a dink thing to say. Why don’t you help me out?

That’s kind o of a dink thing to say. Why don’t you help me out?
- Larsson_fan

Oilers blog is dink central, just making you feel at home

Oilers blog is dink central, just making you feel at home
- Sabresfan-365

More like Derp central. 90% of the posters that are Oilers fans on this site are (frank)ing retards...I’m not even kidding.
Oilers making the playoffs a year ago exposed them for being blinded by a fluke season. Read the comments now and you’ll be shocked to beleive how many of those guys were lining up to give Chiarelli a sloppy BJ.

More like Derp central. 90% of the posters that are Oilers fans on this site are (frank)ing retards...I’m not even kidding.
Oilers making the playoffs a year ago exposed them for being blinded by a fluke season. Read the comments now and you’ll be shocked to beleive how many of those guys were lining up to give Chiarelli a sloppy BJ.
- Larsson_fan

true, dink central was more like when cloutier was in charge. That was a fun group though, loved hanging there

Penciling in rookies at 2C is pretty dumb as well. Show me a successful team that has one.
- Larsson_fan

Common sense is often lacking in these parts

I get being upset
It sucks that we suck

Doesn’t mean we should trade our “Eberle” type players for a “Strome” or two
Obviously you know how that works out

Better to overpay a couple “good” players,
than to trade them for futures & insert mediocre guys like Pouliot

What i see is that you’re not being realistic

A player’s skill set doesn’t change bc he makes a certain amount of $$$

I’m making an assumption here, so my bad if it’s off base...
but it sounds like you would only sign high point producers to that type of $$$

Which is fine, i guess...
except 2 things

1) we are still gonna have to overpay
Example: Stamkos signed for what, 9mil?
We offered 12 & he still turned it down
Those skilled guys aren’t coming here at a deal dude
We are gonna have to overpay Mittelstadt at some point to keep him here too

2) if we don’t keep these guys who are just “good” the we have a huge gap in talent on our roster
How many 1st line players did we have this year?
Go ahead & take ROR & Okposo & Sam off our team
Those guys are just “good”
Then show me what our lineup looks like...
Bailey-Eichel-Baptiste
Cj Smith-Mittelstadt-E Rod
Pouliot-(Pouliot-like guy)-Nylander
Wilson-Josefson-Fasching

And how does that look?
Like 31st again, with no chance of climbing outta the basement anytime soon

We are gonna have to overpay those mid-tier guys dude
They might not be studs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t contribute
- jdfitz77

At what point does Jason Botterill make a move just to get a guy off the roster because he's a net drain even though there is production? He was pretty torqued in the LA game, I'm pretty sure it wasn't just at the bottom 6.

I think we're all going at ROR because of his comments today, I'll say it, when I heard that, I was pissed. It's one thing to say it's not fun, but I have to be more mentally tough, we just went out there hoping to not make a mistake, etc.

Wow. Yeah, that set me off. That's not out of context at all, that's what he said. That does translate to I gave up, he had 60 points. Imagine if he played the whole time?

All is forgiven if he comes in here and does what his claim to fame was. I know you say it's unfair to think he'll produce in a way he didn't, and that's a fair statement. But there are some caveats here:

1) He felt buried down the depth chart.
2) He felt unwanted in Colorado.
3) If the above changed, he'd be a star. That hasn't happened.
4) He's a leader - he's a leader that said he mailed it in, like it or not, that's what his comments indicated.

Some of you guys are nuts, wanting to trade this guy and that. How many of you Ding Dongs wanted Reinhart gone 7 months ago? Now I’m reading that you guys want ROR gone? With the depth you have now? Come on, be reasonable. You will have a playoff team once you have all the key positions filled by solid,qualified NHL players.

Here’s what you need ( fill in the blanks).

1. #1 Center: Jack Eichel
2. #2 center : Ryan O Reilly
3. #3 Center : __________
4-5. Scoring Wingers : Sam Reinhardt - Kyle Okposo
6. Top line quality 2-way winger __________
7. Quality Utility forward who can play offence and defence on all 4 lines________
8. #1 D _________
9. #2 D Rasmus Ristolainen
10. # 3 D ___________
11. #4 D Marco Scandela
12. Starting Goaltender ___________

That’s 6 pieces I couldn’t find on your roster. The above players listed are all keepers but in no way shape or form are they good enough to make up for the blanks in such key positions. You probably have enough players on your roster to fill up the unlisted spots on the roster. A nice smattering of veterans and rookies AHL graduates are all you need there, but the key position should are hard to fill.
Best course of action is to be patient, let the young players like Ghule and Middlestat graduate Into those positions in a few years and you’ll be fine.
Also, you guys should draft one of the defenders this year, tho you have enough holes that’s BPa isn’t a bad idea either.
- Larsson_fan

Every once in a while you make some sense, you know, for a potato.

Edit: Though, I'm not sure ROR is a long term 2C. And Scandella as a 2nd pairing guy might be a tad generous depending on ice time.

13 pages about how people think ROR is a bad player. Still won't beat the pages about Kane.

Some of you guys are nuts, wanting to trade this guy and that. How many of you Ding Dongs wanted Reinhart gone 7 months ago? Now I’m reading that you guys want ROR gone? With the depth you have now? Come on, be reasonable. You will have a playoff team once you have all the key positions filled by solid,qualified NHL players.

Here’s what you need ( fill in the blanks).

1. #1 Center: Jack Eichel
2. #2 center : Ryan O Reilly
3. #3 Center : __________
4-5. Scoring Wingers : Sam Reinhardt - Kyle Okposo
6. Top line quality 2-way winger __________
7. Quality Utility forward who can play offence and defence on all 4 lines________
8. #1 D _________
9. #2 D Rasmus Ristolainen
10. # 3 D ___________
11. #4 D Marco Scandela
12. Starting Goaltender ___________

That’s 6 pieces I couldn’t find on your roster. The above players listed are all keepers but in no way shape or form are they good enough to make up for the blanks in such key positions. You probably have enough players on your roster to fill up the unlisted spots on the roster. A nice smattering of veterans and rookies AHL graduates are all you need there, but the key position should are hard to fill.
Best course of action is to be patient, let the young players like Ghule and Middlestat graduate Into those positions in a few years and you’ll be fine.
Also, you guys should draft one of the defenders this year, tho you have enough holes that’s BPa isn’t a bad idea either.
- Larsson_fan

Stop trying to figure this group out, it won't work.

Some of you guys are nuts, wanting to trade this guy and that. How many of you Ding Dongs wanted Reinhart gone 7 months ago? Now I’m reading that you guys want ROR gone? With the depth you have now? Come on, be reasonable. You will have a playoff team once you have all the key positions filled by solid,qualified NHL players.

Here’s what you need ( fill in the blanks).

1. #1 Center: Jack Eichel
2. #2 center : Ryan O Reilly
3. #3 Center : __________
4-5. Scoring Wingers : Sam Reinhardt - Kyle Okposo
6. Top line quality 2-way winger __________
7. Quality Utility forward who can play offence and defence on all 4 lines________
8. #1 D _________
9. #2 D Rasmus Ristolainen
10. # 3 D ___________
11. #4 D Marco Scandela
12. Starting Goaltender ___________

That’s 6 pieces I couldn’t find on your roster. The above players listed are all keepers but in no way shape or form are they good enough to make up for the blanks in such key positions. You probably have enough players on your roster to fill up the unlisted spots on the roster. A nice smattering of veterans and rookies AHL graduates are all you need there, but the key position should are hard to fill.
Best course of action is to be patient, let the young players like Ghule and Middlestat graduate Into those positions in a few years and you’ll be fine.
Also, you guys should draft one of the defenders this year, tho you have enough holes that’s BPa isn’t a bad idea either.
- Larsson_fan

I would put Mittelstadt as center #3 and Evan Rodriguez as the quality utility forward

It's off base

"I think the problem here is that your expectations for him are based on the salary he’s making and not his actual skill set"

The problem here is we paid him to do things he is incapable of doing. That doesn't make him a bad player, but it means a role we thought was covered, isn't.
- Sabresfan-365

What role is that?
He’s doing what he did in Colorado

If u thought he was gonna be MORE than that...
then that’s on you sir

Stop trying to figure this group out, it won't work.
- SABRES 89

I've got no problem admitting I'm wrong, was about what we'd get for Myers, same goes for Bylsma, probably will be about ROR.

Given that the M.O. of this team is to give up, and your knowledge of the team, who is the problem?

What role is that?
He’s doing what he did in Colorado

If u thought he was gonna be MORE than that...
then that’s on you sir
- jdfitz77

Not entirely. His camp made it very clear the only reason his production was only that level was because he was unfairly buried down the depth chart, if that changed he'd be better.

And you are absolutely right, he is playing just like he did for the Avs, and that is a problem.

I've got no problem admitting I'm wrong, was about what we'd get for Myers, same goes for Bylsma, probably will be about ROR.

Given that the M.O. of this team is to give up, and your knowledge of the team, who is the problem?
- gcomella34

Losing continuously year after year will take a toll on players plus new coach and GM and system yet again, will take a toll on players. Winning changes a lot.

What role is that?
He’s doing what he did in Colorado

If u thought he was gonna be MORE than that...
then that’s on you sir
- jdfitz77

How the (frank) is that on me? did I trade for him and give him that contract?


Neither did new management btw so wouldn't surprise me if they looked at the deal and said "blekh"

At what point does Jason Botterill make a move just to get a guy off the roster because he's a net drain even though there is production? He was pretty torqued in the LA game, I'm pretty sure it wasn't just at the bottom 6.

I think we're all going at ROR because of his comments today, I'll say it, when I heard that, I was pissed. It's one thing to say it's not fun, but I have to be more mentally tough, we just went out there hoping to not make a mistake, etc.

Wow. Yeah, that set me off. That's not out of context at all, that's what he said. That does translate to I gave up, he had 60 points. Imagine if he played the whole time?

All is forgiven if he comes in here and does what his claim to fame was. I know you say it's unfair to think he'll produce in a way he didn't, and that's a fair statement. But there are some caveats here:

1) He felt buried down the depth chart.
2) He felt unwanted in Colorado.
3) If the above changed, he'd be a star. That hasn't happened.
4) He's a leader - he's a leader that said he mailed it in, like it or not, that's what his comments indicated.
- gcomella34

I haven’t heard these comments from today

But there’s a group on here that have been going at ROR since last season
This didn’t start today

I’ll take a listen & get back to ya

Every once in a while you make some sense, you know, for a potato.

Edit: Though, I'm not sure ROR is a long term 2C. And Scandella as a 2nd pairing guy might be a tad generous depending on ice time.
- Wetbandit1

Guys, I’ve been on your side since day 1. When your fan base and the other 29 all said it was disgraceful for the Oilers to be 5 years rebuilding and no playoff I thought they were out to lunch.

13 Key Players.
You start with 1 or 2 as rookies. Where do the other 11 come from? How do you draft AND develop that many players that fast?
How do you sign good free agents?
How do trade when you need your draft picks and your roster sucks?

Most fans need to go through real hard times before they realize how tough a rebuild is, especially if you don’t have an abundance of luck.

Common sense is often lacking in these parts

I get being upset
It sucks that we suck

Doesn’t mean we should trade our “Eberle” type players for a “Strome” or two
Obviously you know how that works out

Better to overpay a couple “good” players,
than to trade them for futures & insert mediocre guys like Pouliot
- jdfitz77

why does it have to be either or?

Why does the ROR trade have to be for a strome type return? I obviously wouldn't want him gone if that's all that was being offered.

A mid 1st, good prospect and decent roster player is not the same as moving eberle for strome.

or they could flip him for a d-man

or they could move him for a younger C and other futures.


Why is it always keep him or move him for nothing? this isn't pending ufa kane, ROR's false reputation will actually help us if we chose to move him.