But it totally is still.

Tim Murray failed to hit on any draft picks that should be providing secondary scoring, goaltending or playing middle-bottom pairing D min for this team.

The 14-16 drafts for him were complete disasters

Nylander
2014 second round
Trading 4 2015 picks

Unfortunately Botterill has to fill those voids by moving for guys like Montour (should have been drafted by Murray) Jokiharju, Miller etc

It’s jusr hard to make 10 of those moves in 1-2 offseason.

I’ll guarantee that JB has better returns on his post 1st round picks
- sbroads24

Well said.

Some can't see the forest for the trees.

But it totally is still.

Tim Murray failed to hit on any draft picks that should be providing secondary scoring, goaltending or playing middle-bottom pairing D min for this team.

The 14-16 drafts for him were complete disasters

Nylander
2014 second round
Trading 4 2015 picks

Unfortunately Botterill has to fill those voids by moving for guys like Montour (should have been drafted by Murray) Jokiharju, Miller etc

It’s jusr hard to make 10 of those moves in 1-2 offseason.

I’ll guarantee that JB has better returns on his post 1st round picks
- sbroads24

Certainly looks that way right now. Wasn't a huge fan of this last draft, what they did, but I said the same about Laaksonen, so willing to wait.

But it totally is still.

Tim Murray failed to hit on any draft picks that should be providing secondary scoring, goaltending or playing middle-bottom pairing D min for this team.

The 14-16 drafts for him were complete disasters

Nylander
2014 second round
Trading 4 2015 picks

Unfortunately Botterill has to fill those voids by moving for guys like Montour (should have been drafted by Murray) Jokiharju, Miller etc

It’s jusr hard to make 10 of those moves in 1-2 offseason.

I’ll guarantee that JB has better returns on his post 1st round picks
- sbroads24

although this looks to be true... it needs to translate to the NHL not just on prospect projections and WJC games

I think it was a wash. Ennis might have been bought out by us, either way the cap hit would've counted up until now. Foligno had basically the same stat line as Angry Larry, so not sure I'm worried about that. Pommer was the most impactful of the bunch.
- RhinoFan

Has Botterill bought anyone out in the 3 years he's been here?

He's supposedly dead set against buyouts, which is why I think Sobotka ends up being loaned to a European team and not bought out.

Well said.

Some can't see the forest for the trees.
- Powerslave

People are having trouble remembering how badly Tim Murray (frank)ed us

When he left

Bottom 5 prospect pool

Bottom 10 roster

No cap room

Rochester blew

Legit 2-3 trade pieces to work with

Unfortunately, this season will be more about the past and future than the present.

Fans will be asked to forgive another non-playoff season and focus on the 50 years of Sabres hockey this city has enjoyed/endured.

Meanwhile the young kids will get more seasoning and the clock will run down on many of the bad contracts handicapping this team.

2020/21 will hold more promise of a playoff appearance, and 2021/22 will be Botterill's make or break season.
- Losman

As the clock runs down on bad contracts, it also runs down on the youngest players’ ELCs. Mitts and Dahlin’s ELC will have been burned by the time this team tries to compete for the playoffs.
I currently don’t see Botts as having a make or break season. I don’t think he’s under any kind of pressure whatsoever, internal or external.

But it totally is still.

Tim Murray failed to hit on any draft picks that should be providing secondary scoring, goaltending or playing middle-bottom pairing D min for this team.

The 14-16 drafts for him were complete disasters

Nylander
2014 second round
Trading 4 2015 picks

Unfortunately Botterill has to fill those voids by moving for guys like Montour (should have been drafted by Murray) Jokiharju, Miller etc

It’s jusr hard to make 10 of those moves in 1-2 offseason.

I’ll guarantee that JB has better returns on his post 1st round picks
- sbroads24

Not to mention Okposo's contract which is going to be a problem for this team unless they get a compliance buyout in the next CBA.

Botts had to tear down even more before they could start getting better

Sure he has the one ROR trade over his head but not one of us knows for sure whose call that was to trade him when he did.

If Risto is moved he absolutely has to get equal value or win that trade.

He is being very calculated with his moves and the contracts he handed out (minus Skinner)

On paper he has improved this team over last year but they are still 2-3 key parts away from being anything more than an 85-90 point team.

They still need a 2C and a top 6 RWer and a top 4 D

There is progress being made but it's not like he had a team that needed one or two pieces when he got here.

I won't say he is completely safe but his seat is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

i will agree but we need to see forward progress this season.. if we are picking bottom 10 again i think they really need to think about what he is doing and it is working
- SabresFaninIndiana

Listening to him now. He said he knows they have to be in playoff discussion, so that's good

Not to mention Okposo's contract which is going to be a problem for this team unless they get a compliance buyout in the next CBA.

Botts had to tear down even more before they could start getting better

Sure he has the one ROR trade over his head but not one of us knows for sure whose call that was to trade him when he did.

If Risto is moved he absolutely has to get equal value or win that trade.

He is being very calculated with his moves and the contracts he handed out (minus Skinner)

On paper he has improved this team over last year but they are still 2-3 key parts away from being anything more than an 85-90 point team.

They still need a 2C and a top 6 RWer and a top 4 D

There is progress being made but it's not like he had a team that needed one or two pieces when he got here.

I won't say he is completely safe but his seat is as cool as the other side of the pillow.
- Stripes77

Lets be honest, we all know who’s responsible (Pegula) it’s just whether people want to accept that or not

Lets be honest, we all know who’s responsible (Pegula) it’s just whether people want to accept that or not
- sbroads24

It's crazy how many people and sites have their head in the sand on that one.

Lets be honest, we all know who’s responsible (Pegula) it’s just whether people want to accept that or not
- sbroads24

I don’t think it was Pegula’s insistence that the Sabres get Berglund and Sobotka though.

I don’t think it was Pegula’s insistence that the Sabres get Berglund and Sobotka though.
- PrinceChill

If Pegula said, I don't want ROR on July 1st on this team. Botts has to take the best offer and if that's the only way to make it work, he had very little choice on some of the other players he took back. Botts was focused on the former 1st round prospect and the picks. Yes, he had to take a couple "bad" contracts, but he was also hoping they would stabilize the bottom 6 and help in the room. That does not seem to have happened for one reason or another.

I don’t think it was Pegula’s insistence that the Sabres get Berglund and Sobotka though.
- PrinceChill

Do you think think he had a better alternative?

Not to mention Okposo's contract which is going to be a problem for this team unless they get a compliance buyout in the next CBA.


- Stripes77

I'm not so sure that Okposo can't get back to close to 20g 50pts. He seems very committed to getting back to where he was and playing with better players, whether it be with Vesey or Johansson or even Olofsson, may help him get back there. I wouldn't be so quick to right him off.

I matched with a midget on tinder last night.
- washedup20

Fitz?

I think Alanis Morrissette wrote a song about that

Do you think think he had a better alternative?
- Lunaion

I don’t think it’s possible to know exactly what all the trade options were for ROR.

Fitz?

I think Alanis Morrissette wrote a song about that
- brettsully

https://twitter.com/willi...28072627075330050?lang=en

People are having trouble remembering how badly Tim Murray (frank)ed us

When he left

Bottom 5 prospect pool

Bottom 10 roster

No cap room

Rochester blew

Legit 2-3 trade pieces to work with
- sbroads24

its amazing anyone really ever stood up for him.. He always got his man but does it matter if you over pay for them? *he didn't overpay for everyone but i am not going to name the one i feel like he didn't

Has Botterill bought anyone out in the 3 years he's been here?

He's supposedly dead set against buyouts, which is why I think Sobotka ends up being loaned to a European team and not bought out.
- buffalofan19

He said a couple things regarding Sobotka in the interview. The first thing he said is that they like that he can play center or wing. The second was more indirect, but he said they don't have to make a trade to be cap compliant because they can LTIR/waive guys, and that itll be a competition.

So he'll have a shot to make the team, but it sounds like they won't be against waiving him either

Edit: IR, not LTIR. Also sounds like that will be where bogo starts, and he mentioned maybe Hunwick too

I'm not so sure that Okposo can't get back to close to 20g 50pts. He seems very committed to getting back to where he was and playing with better players, whether it be with Vesey or Johansson or even Olofsson, may help him get back there. I wouldn't be so quick to right him off.
- adambuffalo

Idk I think that's wishful thinking

I dont see Okposo in a top 6 role

If he isn't in a top 6 role there isn't a chance he puts up 50 points

I think Mojo and Reinhart end up being the top 2 RWers with a 3rd line of

Vesey Erod and either Sheary or Okposo

I think his point is (I may be wrong) that the whole This is still Tim Murray’s mess narrative is not really true.

This is Botts team he has been building for now 3 years. If it sucks it is 100% on him.
- ImThatGuy

Our prospect pool has been dead for years. It's finally filling up thanks to PUTZ. So the NHL may not still be Murray's mess entirely, but this organization is still fumigating the stench.

I'm just saying there are two arguments for Botterill that negate each other:

The fact that he has to wait till next year to clean up the cap problem that he helped create

And

These expiring UFAs that we're happy to see go cost two 3rds, a 4th, a 5th. That's without Beaulieu.

So we're waiting for the contracts to expire that he acquired using Garth's premium murrancy. I'm not enamored with this plan.
- jcragcrumple

One thing that's worth pointing out is, do you notice how almost all of these contracts are up at the same time? That's not a coincidence.

One thing that's worth pointing out is, do you notice how almost all of these contracts are up at the same time? That's not a coincidence.
- TheSabresTaco

Sure. Let's see if his plan works, that's it.

He will get plenty of kudos from me if/when the team he is assembling is good

It was an evaluation, but I don't think he planned on having the league's worst record in 2018 either. Going out and acquiring Pominville and Scandella, who I can't imagine anyone thinking he would be this bad, tells me he wanted to get at least somewhat better right away. My guess is that the "four year plan" included playoffs by this season. The question is whether or not it's a deal-breaker.
- buffalofan19

"you have to be in that discussion for playoffs, that's what we have to do as an organization"

"you have to be in that discussion for playoffs, that's what we have to do as an organization"
- TheSabresTaco

Understood.

I would think that next season, playoffs would have to almost be a guarantee for Botterill to keep his job.