crown, I can get by with just beer if you don't post



- homiedclown

Understood. Nobody likes to face the truth. The hardest thing to do is often the right thing to do. Scroll through your twitter feed to get any new trade rumors from your little birdie? You are a clown.

I keep seeing this (the bolded part), and if that's true, it's stupid. "Hey, I don't want this very good player...he's not in my plans, so I'm going to give him away for nothing". If giving away a very good player was Botts' "plan", then that plan was just dumb - and inexcusable. What incredibly lame vision.
- kritter65

In a couple years, when that 1st round pick is in our system, people will have less issue.

AKA Ryan wasn't traded for nothing. Stop saying that.

what about the 20 or so quitters from the last 3 games?
- homiedclown

This cycle has been going since 2010. The players and coaching staff don't look like they have what it takes to get over the hump. The result is the players call bullpoop on the coaches and coaches pack it in and force managements hand to retool, then cycle starts over again.

Botts can continue to try to adjust the current system and hope he finds the right groove for them. This seems to be the most common approach for all GM's, or stay stubborn and be a captain who goes down with his ship and stands pat.

His hoarding of mediocre D is a desperate play to grab anything at the deadline IMO. I have no idea how they handle the coaching staff, but whatever it is, THAT is what needs to be addressed. I havent watched a full game lately, this team is so boring I gave up on them awhile ago.

Understood. Nobody likes to face the truth. The hardest thing to do is often the right thing to do. Scroll through your twitter feed to get any new trade rumors from your little birdie? You are a clown.
- Hatboro_Swords

can a clown be a butler?

can a clown be a butler?
- washedup20

They lost their love of the game
- jochfr

A+

that bearded ex player was right

Ror quit on the organization, moving on
- washedup20

I disagree. He said some words ... that's it, but still played well. It's not like he wasn't trying out there on the ice.

In a couple years, when that 1st round pick is in our system, people will have less issue.

AKA Ryan wasn't traded for nothing. Stop saying that.
- RhinoFan

I guess we shall see. That # 1 pick better be decent.

I guess we shall see. That # 1 pick better be decent.
- kritter65

There's no salary cap on scouting so it should be.

I disagree. He said some words ... that's it, but still played well. It's not like he wasn't trying out there on the ice.
- kritter65

IMO it was a calculated statement, knowing first hand the environment in the room and it was the most effective way to get him out of town. It was a good move and it worked out well for him. He was and is a talented player.

"I'm not looking for the best players Craig I'm looking for the right ones."

Understood. Nobody likes to face the truth. The hardest thing to do is often the right thing to do. Scroll through your twitter feed to get any new trade rumors from your little birdie? You are a clown.
- Hatboro_Swords

enjoy your pathetic life, tough guy

I guess we shall see. That # 1 pick better be decent.
- kritter65

No way to tell. Still, if I go back to the last 5 drafts, pick 3 players at random from the 15-25 range, I usually end up pretty happy.

Could it bust out? Sure.

Most likely that player will help us. Just depends on the total impact.

No way to tell. Still, if I go back to the last 5 drafts, pick 3 players at random from the 15-25 range, I usually end up pretty happy.

Could it bust out? Sure.

Most likely that player will help us. Just depends on the total impact.
- RhinoFan

2017 - Brannstrom, Valimaki, Liljegren, Vaakanainen, Norris, Thomas, Chytil, Yamamoto, P.O. Joseph, Vesalainen, Poheling

2016 - Kunin, Chychrun, Fabbro, Stanley, Bellows, Cholowski, Gauthier, Rubtsov, Borgstrom, Max Jones, Tufte

2015 - Senyshyn, Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Svechnikov, Ek, White, Samsonov, Boeser, Konecny, Roslovic


Even the most recent drafts where players haven't had time to develop, the products are pretty good. Imagine if we took 3 of those players in 2015. Imagine what this team would be looking like.

That's why I get angry when folks say we got nothing for Ryan. looking at the numbers, we probably got a middle6 forward or top4 defender as part of it via this 1st.

That doesn't count Tage. That doesn't count the 2nd rounder which is more of a lottery ticket.

Show me where ANYONE on this site said they got a "fantastic return".

I'll wait.

You keep judging this trade before two parts of it are either complete in their development or even IN THIS ORGANIZATION, and it's all because you have this hard-on for the gm.

(frank)ing guy is gone. Get over it, like I'm sure you told Sbroads a million times to get over Myers.
- Powerslave

No really, it sounds like you're the one that has "hard-on" (your words not mine) about the GM. and I'm sure I never told anyone to get over Myers...

Frankly its a little creepy how you love to comment on any comment I make about the crappy GM we have.
I don't like the guy, I think he's below average. Sorry that my opinion is different than yours.

I'm just happy to be here. Seems most feel differently.

I'm just happy to be here. Seems most feel differently.
- TheSabresTaco

Im happy.... Im not happy we keep loosing but I can't control that.

With respect to Botts, he did inherit a mess in terms of both financial and roster players. it takes time to clean out the mess no doubt, and he did state when hired that he didn't plan on making many moves in his first year, rather he would use that time for a thorough evaluation of the roster.

That said, he did make some moves which has contributed to the mess he now has to deal with:
-Beauliue @ $2.5M
-Scandella @ $4.00M
-Pommenville @ $5.6M
-Sheary @ $3.0M
-Hunwick @ $2.2M
-Sobotka @ $3.5M
-Berlund @ $3.?M
-Thompson @ $0.9M
-Skinner @ $5.7M

That mess is costing $38.6M against the Cap and for that he largely has acquired complete poop, save Skinner. The rest, for the money has been nothing but terrible.

So, I think the jury is out on him still.
The opportunity for him to turn the tide on this organizations is with FA, the Drafts and Hockey Trades. Does everyone trust him going forward?

Personally, I have my questions based on:
- Hockey Trades, to date I would rank his performance a D; the only good one was Skinner IMO

- FA's, he has had 2 seasons and I'll ignore the 1st season since he had little time. So largely Pilut and Hutton ... I'll give him a B

- Draft - his strong suit ... and early to tell, and anyone could have drafted Dahlin...but maybe it is an A/A+ so far. Samuelsson and Pekar I like from 2018; and he hit on nearly every pick in 2017 it looks like

If we are counting on FA and Trades this year to bolster the roster ... he has ALOT to prove.

Botterill won't keep all 3 1st rounders we have.

Botterill won't keep all 3 1st rounders we have.
- SABRES 89

He really, feasibly, can't.

Scouts listed to attend last night’s Stars-Predators game include the Buffalo Sabres (2), St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers.

He really, feasibly, can't.
- TheSabresTaco

He's willing to move 1 to get a good young player

With respect to Botts, he did inherit a mess in terms of both financial and roster players. it takes time to clean out the mess no doubt, and he did state when hired that he didn't plan on making many moves in his first year, rather he would use that time for a thorough evaluation of the roster.

That said, he did make some moves which has contributed to the mess he now has to deal with:
-Beauliue @ $2.5M
-Scandella @ $4.00M
-Pommenville @ $5.6M
-Sheary @ $3.0M
-Hunwick @ $2.2M
-Sobotka @ $3.5M
-Berlund @ $3.?M
-Thompson @ $0.9M
-Skinner @ $5.7M


- IonSabres

I'd like to offer some perspective on those moves. and not simply look at them in a vacuum that he believed "well, with these moves, we're Tampa now"

Defensive depth pre Botterill:
Risto, Bogo, McCabe, Kulikov, Franson, Falk, Fedun, Gorges

The bolded are not NHL defensemen, and Kulikov is.. bad.

It was imperative that Botterill started bringing in defensive depth. He traded Ennis (BO following year) and a bottom 6 LW for a middle 6 RW and a supposedly top 4 D. I'd make that trade again, today, if our defense was as bad as it was in 2016.

Beaulieu, still better than the bolded. For a pick that has a small chance of succeeding, I make that trade again.

Sheary & Hunwick, a middle 6 LW for a 4th? A 4th is usually nothing. A stipulation was even put on the trade for 40 points or 20 goals for Sheary. Expectations were clearly limited, and it seems like he might come close to hitting those. Our LW depth was abysmal. And we had to take on a depth D for a nothing pick. Still a good trade.

The ROR trade was to not only escape his long term cap number, but to also reset the room. The return was unfavorable the day it came in, and has become worse, besides being able to shed all of Berglund's cap. In order for this trade to become a wash or even good, that 1st must turn into a valuable asset, and/or Tage must become at least a 50 point player, plus that 1st turn into a top 4/top 6 player.

Kane, he had to go and the org had no interest in a long term deal. He got what we could, and hopefully that 1st helps us grab a good player either in trade or draft

Sorry, but that Skinner trade is an epic win, unless that 2nd, or one of the other picks, turns into Shea Weber.

He's willing to move 1 to get a good young player
- SABRES 89

I truly hope he puts something good together. This is what I was hoping for yesterday. Draft at most two, at least one, and trade at least 1 for a now player for long term.

Understood. Nobody likes to face the truth. The hardest thing to do is often the right thing to do. Scroll through your twitter feed to get any new trade rumors from your little birdie? You are a clown.
- Hatboro_Swords

Show me on the bear where the bad clown touched you.

I am sorry for what ever disaster has happened in your life lately that you take it out on a hockey blog. There is people out there to help you. It will be ok little guy.

I truly hope he puts something good together. This is what I was hoping for yesterday. Draft at most two, at least one, and trade at least 1 for a now player for long term.
- TheSabresTaco

I'm sure he will, IMO I think we see more in the off season.