Serious question. O'Reilly has obvious skills, but where does he fit in, in this league? Is he a true #1 anywhere? It he a worthwhile #2 at 7.5 mil? Can he carry a team to even the second round of the playoffs?
- Buffalo--Sabres

he is a good #2 Center. Best Face off guy in the league. Does not take dumb penalties, plays PP and PK. However Never has been or never will be a take over the game player. If healthy and had some help, I bet he could be a 70+ point guy... I never look at Money... The player always gets crapped on for money they make and that is wrong...They don't sign themselves to contracts, blame all money on the GM no the player....

Beaulieu was a low risk move that didn’t pan out but allowed for Guhle to further develop his game on the farm rather then rush his progress. Chad Johnson was a respectable back-up signing which gave us the production that we essentially paid for. If anything Botterill is a genius for this season, not a failure. Long term > short term. No moves made this past offseason were winning us a cup. Better to pick top 5 then force mediocrity.
- Pegullaville

Genius? C'mon man. He did not so good and it happened to have a side benefit of a high pick. Why does ever GM in this town either have to be considered a GOD or a scapegoat?

he is a good #2 Center. Best Face off guy in the league. Does not take dumb penalties, plays PP and PK. However Never has been or never will be a take over the game player. If healthy and had some help, I bet he could be a 70+ point guy... I never look at Money... The player always gets crapped on for money they make and that is wrong...They don't sign themselves to contracts, blame all money on the GM no the player....
- hehateme

But the money is a part of the reality due to the cap. It can't be ignored.

But the money is a part of the reality due to the cap. It can't be ignored.
- Buffalo--Sabres

that is on the GM not the player...

ROR is emotionally tired with hockey but he’s going to worlds lol

This guy is all talk

Go enjoy your “A” at worlds

I asked this on here weeks ago and then threw this out there to this guy on Twitter and this is what I got:

Buffalo Sabres Stats
@SabresStats

If my math is right, BUF has a 48.9% chance of losing all 3 of these first picks. Or, if said the other way.. a 51.1% chance of winning one of them.

ROR is not the problem people... The lack of real NHL talent on this team is. WE SUCK.. Could you imagine if we took another 60+ points off this team.. What are you going to replace it with? 60 point guys don't grow on trees. Plus this player does not take dumb penalties and is the NHL's best face off guy..

I could see how his comments were taking. I get that. however try to walk a mile in his shoes. You come to work every night and you know that you don't have the talent to compete. You are almost sure that your are going to get boo'd in front of your home crowd. All the National media outlets rag on your team...I'm depressed just thinking about what these players have to go through.. They play for the laughing stock of the league... Good lord its a miracle they still have their sanity...
- hehateme

No ones calling him “the problem”

He just certainly isn’t a solution to anything

ROR: “Excited to go play for something in worlds”

They ended the season with 6.1m of cap space, with 6.3m of potential bonuses to pay out. When it's all said and done, this is essentially a team at the salary cap.

If you think they should have made bigger moves last summer, please let that sink in. GMTM's spending did long term damage to this team that isn't easy to dig out from under.

No ones calling him “the problem”

He just certainly isn’t a solution to anything
- sbroads24

winning helps fix a lot of bad attitudes.

ROR: “Excited to go play for something in worlds”
- gerbe75pts

Factor. Remember he won that one faceoff during that home game we won? I was getting popcorn so I missed it, but I heard it was EPIC!

They ended the season with 6.1m of cap space, with 6.3m of potential bonuses to pay out. When it's all said and done, this is essentially a team at the salary cap.

If you think they should have made bigger moves last summer, please let that sink in. GMTM's spending did long term damage to this team that isn't easy to dig out from under.
- Lunaion

Don't the bonuses count towards the cap for the following season?

No ones calling him “the problem”

He just certainly isn’t a solution to anything
- sbroads24

Faceoffs, eats up minutes, consistency, keeps strength down the middle, two way center, versatility - can play center and wing.

Don't the bonuses count towards the cap for the following season?
- kingcong39

No. They count towards the current season, and any overage is applied to the following season.

He loses his love of the game when things get tough..

Your leader the young guys need to join

Man if Jack Eichel said these things some of you would roast him but ROR nope all fine and good

John Vogl
✔
@BuffNewsVogl
RFA Victor Antipin, who says he made quick recovery, has not decided on NHL or KHL for next season.

Casey Mittlestadt in today's Buffalo News article about him: "Faceoffs are such a big part of playing center"

ROR has that, 20 + goals and 60 pts nailed down. Now, he needs vacation to Rio after the Worlds and all will be right in his head unless and until they lose for the 4th straight year with a team full of misfits he is surrounded by.

He loses his love of the game when things get tough..

Your leader the young guys need to join

Man if Jack Eichel said these things some of you would roast him but ROR nope all fine and good
- gerbe75pts

Guess you missed this...

Eichel acts like a baby, and his antics are getting old in the locker room and on the ice and 90% of that is due to LOSING, I was told HOWEVER, there is another side to that story. These guys want to win but the guidance isn't there, Housley is trying but it seems the losing and how the team is losing is keeping them from focusing. This has to stop and stop quick, once Botterill has set this team up and start it right direction, it's time for these players or new players to focus and move forward.

Beaulieu was a low risk move that didn’t pan out but allowed for Guhle to further develop his game on the farm rather then rush his progress. Chad Johnson was a respectable back-up signing which gave us the production that we essentially paid for. If anything Botterill is a genius for this season, not a failure. Long term > short term. No moves made this past offseason were winning us a cup. Better to pick top 5 then force mediocrity.
- Pegullaville

The Scandella trade and drafting Mittelstadt look like good moves but all his low risk moves provided nothing Josefson, Pouliot, Griffith, Beauleiu, Nolan, the Matt Tennyson experiment, Chad Johnson all nothing

that is on the GM not the player...
- hehateme

But it's a factor. That contract affects how many good players you can afford to put around him, therefor affecting how good player "A" under contract needs to perform in order to get a desired result. Unless results don't matter.

McKinnon- 41.9
Couture- 45.8
Karlsson- 48.0
Malkin- 43.7

These guys all suck as they can't even win 50% of their faceoffs. O'reilly wins 60%, and he has that beard! You know who I want for $7.5 mil? A difference maker, not a faceoff winner.

But it's a factor. That contract affects how many good players you can afford to put around him, therefor affecting how good player "A" under contract needs to perform in order to get a desired result. Unless results don't matter.
- Buffalo--Sabres

Do you think the NHL would accept Groupon's when signing players?

McKinnon- 41.9
Couture- 45.8
Karlsson- 48.0
Malkin- 43.7

These guys all suck as they can't even win 50% of their faceoffs. O'reilly wins 60%, and he has that beard! You know who I want for $7.5 mil? A difference maker, not a faceoff winner.
- Khmylev

Seriously. And it's almost as if simple math can't even be considered.

The BEST faceoff man in the league, wins 1 more out of 10 than someone who's right at the average.

1 more out of 10

Seriously. And it's almost as if simple math can't even be considered.

The BEST faceoff man in the league, wins 1 more out of 10 than someone who's right at the average.

1 more out of 10
- sbroads24

Couture looks very similar to O'Reilly, and I never saw this season coming from William Karlsson. I still don't know where it came from.

Seriously. And it's almost as if simple math can't even be considered.

The BEST faceoff man in the league, wins 1 more out of 10 than someone who's right at the average.

1 more out of 10
- sbroads24

It's a non-factor when considering elite players. Is it nice to have? Sure, but I do NOT consider it a must have skill for one of my (supposedly) best players.