I don't blame Botterill for wanting to hire Housley. He was seen as a rising star after what he did with Nashville's defense, although in retrospect it looks like Nashville's defense made Housley look good. But this blaming everyone but Botterill really is getting absurd. He takes the L on that one, point blank
- jcragcrumple

Pegula 's 1 for 5?....

Patty Lala
JB hire
Kane Trade forced
Housley hire
ROR Trade deadline before Bonus Payment due

@hank

Wasn't dahlin "the best defenseman possibly in the modern draft?" That's pretty big hype.

Since 1971 / Bobby orr

9 goals, you didnt expect more?

He was awesome, but didnt live up to my expectations or the swedish jesus ect.

Connor McDavid of defenseman ect.
- Boss34

What more could you have possibly wanted? He showed that he will be a bonafide #1 D man in the next couple seasons for a decade, if not, longer. Isn't that our expectation? 9 goals, 15 goals, 20 goals....who cares. It's much more difficult for a D man to just step into the league than it is a forward.

He does, but there were also reports that the league was very involved in the Sabres' coaching and GM searches. In a span of five years, the Sabres had simultaneously fired both their GM and coach twice (Rolston/Regier and Murray/Bylsma), and had a President fiasco at the top (LaFontaine). I'm not saying Botterill had his hands tied, but I also don't think the league would have looked too kindly on him making an "out of the box" hire given what had just happened. Housely was the consensus top candidate, and he deserved to be, as you said, due to his success in Nashville. If Botterill went in another direction, he was on his own and it seems like he knew it.
- buffalofan19

Now the league picked Housley for JB?

We're one step away from "the illuminati made JB do it"

Now the league picked Housley for JB?

We're one step away from "the illuminati made JB do it"
- jcragcrumple

Hmmmm, Dahlin picked 1st, hmmmmm,
This could be true.

Now the league picked Housley for JB?

We're one step away from "the illuminati made JB do it"
- jcragcrumple

That's not what I am saying and you know it. The Buffalo News was all over this when the search was ongoing in 2017. The Sabres as an organization were on a short leash. Botterill was a top GM candidate, and Housley was probably THE top coaching candidate. They were both safe hires given the Sabres' position. Were they forced to make those hires? No, but influence can be exerted in ways other than force.

Botterill could have ignored it, and went with a sort of "out of the box" hire, but I am guessing that, had he done that, and it failed, he might have been fired this summer as well.

But who’s going to replace Risto’s lack of defensive awareness?
Now that’s not an easy thing to do
- sbroads24

Homie logic:

I live in Jacksonville, I read the paper. The paper writes nice things about tj yeldon.

4 NFL years and 12 tds is hardly someone who is gonna beat out our 3rd round pick ( who we traded up for) for a roster spot or even playing time.

Singletary is electric. The Bill's brass wanted him badly.

The NFL is full of young legs at rb.
Cant believe you haven't noticed the trend
- Boss34

1. who reads the paper anymore?

2. where did I say yeldon was better then singletary , NEVER DID


shady won't be here next year
gore won't be here next year


if you think they are going with singletary and rb's not on the roster in 2020, it's your opinion

2 snaps in preseason does not trump a month worth of training camp, and yeldon was brought in to be a 3rd down back and 2 minute rb

nothing more, nothing less

This is ridiculous, as an 18 year old his entire rookie season I would say he exceeded expectations if anything
- turbo044

Great, he exceeded YOUR expectations.

Were you hoping he had at least 8 goals?

Like who???
- jdfitz77

look it up yourself if you don't believe me

Now the league picked Housley for JB?

We're one step away from "the illuminati made JB do it"
- jcragcrumple

British royalty whacked Jeffrey Epstein just like they got princess Diana.

Yeldon is a 3rd down pass catcher and always has been. And he excels in the position. He had one less reception than the leading Bills player (Jones) last year. 21 more than #2, McCoy, and more than twice #3, Foster. And he averaged a solid 4 YPC on 104 carries too.
- Wetbandit1

this


and their o line might have been worse then ours

this


and their o line might have been worse then ours
- homiedclown

This is all well and good, but his usage in camp and the first preseason game don't seem to indicate that they have any sort of big plans for him.

If they do carry four running backs, at least one of them has to play special teams.

McCoy definitely isn't going to do that, and neither is Gore. Yeldon doesn't. Singletary hasn't been used there either. Perry and Murphy do.

One of Perry/Murphy are gone. Unless McCoy gets cut or traded, and it doesn't look like he will be as of now, Yeldon appears to be the odd man out.

This is all well and good, but his usage in camp and the first preseason game don't seem to indicate that they have any sort of big plans for him.

If they do carry four running backs, at least one of them has to play special teams.

McCoy definitely isn't going to do that, and neither is Gore. Yeldon doesn't. Singletary hasn't been used there either. Perry and Murphy do.

One of Perry/Murphy are gone. Unless McCoy gets cut or traded, and it doesn't look like he will be as of now, Yeldon appears to be the odd man out.
- buffalofan19

better chance they cut the full back and use a te as a full back role and keep 5 rb's

That's not what I am saying and you know it. The Buffalo News was all over this when the search was ongoing in 2017. The Sabres as an organization were on a short leash. Botterill was a top GM candidate, and Housley was probably THE top coaching candidate. They were both safe hires given the Sabres' position. Were they forced to make those hires? No, but influence can be exerted in ways other than force.

Botterill could have ignored it, and went with a sort of "out of the box" hire, but I am guessing that, had he done that, and it failed, he might have been fired this summer as well.
- buffalofan19

If he had hired a better coach, the coach would still have a job too

This theory is way too far out.

Occam's razor: Housley was the perceived best candidate, so JB picked him. There's no conspiracy here

1. who reads the paper anymore?

2. where did I say yeldon was better then singletary , NEVER DID


shady won't be here next year
gore won't be here next year


if you think they are going with singletary and rb's not on the roster in 2020, it's your opinion

2 snaps in preseason does not trump a month worth of training camp, and yeldon was brought in to be a 3rd down back and 2 minute rb

nothing more, nothing less
- homiedclown

I'm more or less awaiting the results for our bet, but Yeldon was signed prior to the draft to be the third guy at a very inexpensive contract with 250K dead cap if he's cut. The Bills, nor likely the league, were very high on him. Gore's not getting cut, McCoy's not getting cut, Singletary's not getting cut, Senorise Perry's not getting cut, Marcus Murphy is a much better STer than Yeldon, who doesn't do it at all. The top 3 can all run and pass catch.

Yeldon's on the outside man. Of course, that's my opinion. But the Bills won't be carrying 4 purely offensive RBs. It's unheard of.

better chance they cut the full back and use a te as a full back role and keep 5 rb's
- homiedclown

They need healthy TE's first. Right now, they only have two of them.

better chance they cut the full back and use a te as a full back role and keep 5 rb's
- homiedclown

Sean doesn't cut FBs.

Would anyone do this deal?

Two chances at a forward and a 2nd round pick for Risto.

I might do this and take the risk. Although I understand that Puljujarvi might not help this year and seems to be a large risk at this point.

https://www.capfriendly.c.../armchair-gm/team/1382155

BUF
Puljujärvi, Jesse [RFA Rights]
Lavoie, Raphael [Reserve List]
2020 2nd round pick (EDM)

EDM
Ristolainen, Rasmus

I'm more or less awaiting the results for our bet, but Yeldon was signed prior to the draft to be the third guy at a very inexpensive contract with 250K dead cap if he's cut. The Bills, nor likely the league, were very high on him. Gore's not getting cut, McCoy's not getting cut, Singletary's not getting cut, Senorise Perry's not getting cut, Marcus Murphy is a much better STer than Yeldon, who doesn't do it at all. The top 3 can all run and pass catch.

Yeldon's on the outside man. Of course, that's my opinion. But the Bills won't be carrying 4 purely offensive RBs. It's unheard of.
- TheSabresTaco

My man taco,

Good post.

Homie is gonna have to sell his Bill's yeldon Jersey.

Jesus Christ.

Would anyone do this deal?

Two chances at a forward and a 2nd round pick for Risto.

I might do this and take the risk. Although I understand that Puljujarvi might not help this year and seems to be a large risk at this point.

https://www.capfriendly.c.../armchair-gm/team/1382155

BUF
Puljujärvi, Jesse
- Lilroot9[RFA Rights]
Lavoie, Raphael [Reserve List]
2020 2nd round pick (EDM)

EDM
Ristolainen, Rasmus

I'm in the "Risto is highly overrated" camp, but I think services rendered are probably still a better value than this.

Would anyone do this deal?

Two chances at a forward and a 2nd round pick for Risto.

I might do this and take the risk. Although I understand that Puljujarvi might not help this year and seems to be a large risk at this point.

https://www.capfriendly.c.../armchair-gm/team/1382155

BUF
Puljujärvi, Jesse
- Lilroot9[RFA Rights]
Lavoie, Raphael [Reserve List]
2020 2nd round pick (EDM)

EDM
Ristolainen, Rasmus

The value is average. But it's not what the Sabres need. So, no.

My man taco,

Good post.

Homie is gonna have to sell his Bill's yeldon Jersey.
- Boss34

I don't really understand the love-fest, but I intend on profiting off of it.

Would anyone do this deal?

Two chances at a forward and a 2nd round pick for Risto.

I might do this and take the risk. Although I understand that Puljujarvi might not help this year and seems to be a large risk at this point.

https://www.capfriendly.c.../armchair-gm/team/1382155

BUF
Puljujärvi, Jesse
- Lilroot9[RFA Rights]
Lavoie, Raphael [Reserve List]
2020 2nd round pick (EDM)

EDM
Ristolainen, Rasmus

A scrub a 2nd and an unknown who will most likely be a scrub. Why would anyone do this?

I'm in the "Risto is highly overrated" camp, but I think services rendered are probably still a better value than this.
- buffalofan19

I understand, but at times I think Risto is a huge risk to have on the ice, so removing that could help our goals against, so trading him and removing his salary could be worth it.

Maybe we somehow trade our 2nd rounder and ask for their 1st in the deal. Doubt they do that with the needs they have right now, though.

I think we would also have to take back salary to make this work, so maybe a cap dump? Not sure who that would be at this point (hopefully his deal would be up after this year, if we do).