Understood.

I would think that next season, playoffs would have to almost be a guarantee for Botterill to keep his job.
- buffalofan19

I hope, and think, he operates his business with this very idea in mind.

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

I'm being totally honest here, how do we know it was Pegula?

I can't absolve him of not getting more value out of that.

I will say his hands were (probably) pretty tied but what came back was not good enough. This is coming from someone that fully supported moving him as well.

I still think it was the right call, he wasn't what he was in Buffalo that he was in STL. Through a perfect storm of events though, that will go down as a horrible trade.

I mean who would've guessed:
1) They keep one piece in a role he wasn't ready for (Thompson)
2) The person they have pegged for 2C just flat out quits.
3) A decent team rides a really hot goalie to the SC (that's my uniformed take anyone feel free to correct me)
4) The piece from Buffalo has a great year.

That's just mind bending to me.

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

Being “in that discussion for playoffs” seems a little vague, and easily achieved.

November ‘18 Sabres were in that discussion but it didn’t turn out well. But I think JB is an optimist. He saw a lot of great things in last year’s team and relatively few bad things.

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

I think it's fair to think he took the best deal available at their deadline. It's possible he waited too long, but there's no reason to think he was getting blown away with offers and botched things.

Patrik Laine
@PatrikLaine29
·
1h
#NHL20 will be the only game you see me playin from now on 🤗🇫🇮 #EAathlete

Which means he will be playing all the time right?

I think it's fair to think he took the best deal available at their deadline. It's possible he waited too long, but there's no reason to think he was getting blown away with offers and botched things.
- Lunaion

They were talking to the coyotes at the draft. Bet Domi's name came up before that

I think it's fair to think he took the best deal available at their deadline. It's possible he waited too long, but there's no reason to think he was getting blown away with offers and botched things.
- Lunaion

Agreed, we (myself included) can only ASSUME what he could have gotten. If the entire NHL knows that ROR is out in Buffalo for sure, value does go down. Kind of hard to inflate an asset that everyone KNOWS you're selling.

It's just one thing to look at in considering the whole picture.

JB seems better than TM (by a country mile) but before I say he is, I need to see his moves translate to wins on the ice.

Agreed, we (myself included) can only ASSUME what he could have gotten. If the entire NHL knows that ROR is out in Buffalo for sure, value does go down. Kind of hard to inflate an asset that everyone KNOWS you're selling.

It's just one thing to look at in considering the whole picture.

JB seems better than TM (by a country mile) but before I say he is, I need to see his moves translate to wins on the ice.
- gcomella34

GMTM did pay a premium for an injured guy who everyone knew was on his way out of winnipeg.

Agreed, we (myself included) can only ASSUME what he could have gotten. If the entire NHL knows that ROR is out in Buffalo for sure, value does go down. Kind of hard to inflate an asset that everyone KNOWS you're selling.

It's just one thing to look at in considering the whole picture.

JB seems better than TM (by a country mile) but before I say he is, I need to see his moves translate to wins on the ice.
- gcomella34

I don't dismiss the idea that he may have waited too long and teams may have lost interest when other deals/UFA signings were made. It just always felt like demand was limited. I choose to think there wasn't a deal that would have made RoR fans happy and he made the best of a bad situation, and that deal lead to Skinner + Montour.

Patrik Laine
@PatrikLaine29
·
1h
#NHL20 will be the only game you see me playin from now on 🤗🇫🇮 #EAathlete

Which means he will be playing all the time right?
- Stripes77

He gave up Fortnite to be a professional NHL20 player.

GMTM did pay a premium for an injured guy who everyone knew was on his way out of winnipeg.
- TheHank

Results are in for GMTM. Results are not in for JB. But early polling looks good. I just want to be sure.

risto says hello

risto says hello
- homiedclown

Hyvää iltapäivää, Risto!

risto says hello
- homiedclown

Shouldn't he be posting pictures of flipping tractor tires?

Maybe he should try having the tractor with the tires on and moving, while Risto is practicing hitting the front tires with passes, with his head us up of course.

Shouldn't he be posting pictures of flipping tractor tires?

Maybe he should try having the tractor with the tires on and moving, while Risto is practicing hitting the front tires with passes, with his head us up of course.
- IonSabres

Or place the tires in front of a net and he's got to move them out of the way within 2 seconds

For all the hilarious takes that people think Singletary is roster bubble and McCoy will be beaten out by TJ (frank)ing Yeldon.

https://theathletic.com/1...in-the-running-back-room/

Or place the tires in front of a net and he's got to move them out of the way within 2 seconds
- Powerslave

For all the hilarious takes that people think Singletary is roster bubble and McCoy will be beaten out by TJ (frank)ing Yeldon.

https://theathletic.com/1...in-the-running-back-room/
- TheSabresTaco

I mean what are they going to say when asked about him "kids a bum, we hate him" ???

This is the worst time of year for football. There are beat reporters everywhere writing feel good stories about guys who will be cut in only a few weeks. Some may never play in the US again. But because they got 10 first team reps on a Thursday in early August when WR1 was out having his hamstring massaged, somebody had to write about him and his potential.

For all the hilarious takes that people think Singletary is roster bubble and McCoy will be beaten out by TJ (frank)ing Yeldon.

https://theathletic.com/1...in-the-running-back-room/
- TheSabresTaco

I said all along they are keeping 4 rb's


if gore doesn't retire

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

Way too much rationality, objectivity and common sense for this thread. Can't you here the people chanting "fire Botts" and "burn it down again"?

New coach, some excellent moves this summer, big growth in Dahlin/Eichel/Mitts/Reinhart will result in us being a competitive team through-out the 2019/2020 season. Next year with 10 clowns coming off the books is the year Botts' pushes the chips into the middle of the table.

Patrik Laine
@PatrikLaine29
·
1h
#NHL20 will be the only game you see me playin from now on 🤗🇫🇮 #EAathlete

Which means he will be playing all the time right?
- Stripes77

This can’t be real lol

This can’t be real lol
- gerbe75pts

It is 100% real

Teams that draft well win from now on. 2019 was a good draft, I’m happy we got Cozens. I never said to tank next year, but having multiple cracks at a draft deep on talent would be fantastic. Sooner or later the future becomes the present.
- Swedish_Jesus

Profound statement for a 22 year old.

The future is too far away from the present if we keep focusing on draft capital every year

They were talking to the coyotes at the draft. Bet Domi's name came up before that
- jcragcrumple

And we’d probably have him if AZ could afford the bonus

Profound statement for a 22 year old.

The future is too far away from the present if we keep focusing on draft capital every year
- Boss34

It makes sense to focus on every draft whether you're a playoff team or not. It may be the single biggest factor in determining a team's standing.