Doesn't have to be Bobrovsky to shore up a really bad tandem. Varlamov would have been amazing, they could have got him instead of MoJo. Trades exist. The sabres weren't even linked to any goalie all off-season which means they didn't want to add a goalie. Why? Because Hutton is the long term backup and they see him and Ullmark as an acceptable stopgap UNTIL 2020 when they are actually going to try to win.

Whatever. You people live in fairyland. Swap Vesey for pominville and add a #4 defenseman and a third liner and we are going to go from 7th worst to competing. Okay.

A team that was determined to make the playoffs would have addressed a duo with a gaa of over 3. Even if the defense is to blame, we have all the same defensemen as last year except Miller who isn't great in his own zone. That's all I'm saying. Anyone who disagrees is just hoping and praying to get better through magic.
- matty12345

Or through the growth of our young stars & future stars

Jack, Dahlin, Mitts
All 3 should be better,
and Dahlin & Mitts could make huge jumps
That’s gonna give us a nice bump

Doesn't have to be Bobrovsky to shore up a really bad tandem. Varlamov would have been amazing, they could have got him instead of MoJo. Trades exist. The sabres weren't even linked to any goalie all off-season which means they didn't want to add a goalie. Why? Because Hutton is the long term backup and they see him and Ullmark as an acceptable stopgap UNTIL 2020 when they are actually going to try to win.

Whatever. You people live in fairyland. Swap Vesey for pominville and add a #4 defenseman and a third liner and we are going to go from 7th worst to competing. Okay.

A team that was determined to make the playoffs would have addressed a duo with a gaa of over 3. Even if the defense is to blame, we have all the same defensemen as last year except Miller who isn't great in his own zone. That's all I'm saying. Anyone who disagrees is just hoping and praying to get better through magic.
- matty12345

We're the ones that live in fairlyland because we don't believe Botterill is trying to lose despite the acquisitions he's made, despite the hiring of a new coach, despite the declared need to improve the defense (which in turn improves goaltending). That's not fairlyland bud. That sounds like a baseless opinion.

Let's not pretend teams with mediocre goaltending are really sooo much worse than teams with great or 'great' goaltending. I recall a few Stanley Cup winners that had no right to be in those games based on the performance of their goalie.

Imagine that taco

Someone has an opinion that you do not agree with.

Were still rebuilding thru the draft this season


Unfortunately
- Boss34

stool.gif/throwatboss

Stop it, cookies

The GM himself said they need to be in the conversation for playoffs

We're the ones that live in fairlyland because we don't believe Botterill is trying to lose despite the acquisitions he's made, despite the hiring of a new coach, despite the declared need to improve the defense (which in turn improves goaltending). That's not fairlyland bud. That sounds like a baseless opinion.

Let's not pretend teams with mediocre goaltending are really sooo much worse than teams with great or 'great' goaltending. I recall a few Stanley Cup winners that had no right to be in those games based on the performance of their goalie.
- TheSabresTaco

Doesn’t it feel like Botterill is getting the Darcy treatment? Like he’s been here for 10 years, when in reality it’s been two, and he’s done a 180 on the blue line and improved forward depth.

stool.gif/throwatboss

Stop it, cookies

The GM himself said they need to be in the conversation for playoffs
- jcragcrumple

Doesn’t it feel like Botterill is getting the Darcy treatment? Like he’s been here for 10 years, when in reality it’s been two, and he’s done a 180 on the blue line and improved forward depth.
- OneKaneOneCup

What it feels like is that there's different levels of skepticm, and some people deal with it rationally and simply question whether he's either done enough/needs to do more, and some people feel that not only has he not done enough, he hasn't done enough for the sole purpose of being in the draft lottery, for one reason or another.

There is no evidence that suggests that Botterill is trying to fail, despite player X still wearing a Sabres uniform.

Even IF he was trying to tank, he has about an 90% chance of getting a guy that won't even contribute in 20-21, if not 21-22. So, for (frank)all sakes... this poop needs to be put down like a rabid Lockportian.

Doesn't have to be Bobrovsky to shore up a really bad tandem. Varlamov would have been amazing, they could have got him instead of MoJo. Trades exist. The sabres weren't even linked to any goalie all off-season which means they didn't want to add a goalie. Why? Because Hutton is the long term backup and they see him and Ullmark as an acceptable stopgap UNTIL 2020 when they are actually going to try to win.

Whatever. You people live in fairyland. Swap Vesey for pominville and add a #4 defenseman and a third liner and we are going to go from 7th worst to competing. Okay.

A team that was determined to make the playoffs would have addressed a duo with a gaa of over 3. Even if the defense is to blame, we have all the same defensemen as last year except Miller who isn't great in his own zone. That's all I'm saying. Anyone who disagrees is just hoping and praying to get better through magic.
- matty12345

the fact that you think varlamov is a drastic improvement over hutton

Doesn't have to be Bobrovsky to shore up a really bad tandem. Varlamov would have been amazing, they could have got him instead of MoJo. Trades exist. The sabres weren't even linked to any goalie all off-season which means they didn't want to add a goalie. Why? Because Hutton is the long term backup and they see him and Ullmark as an acceptable stopgap UNTIL 2020 when they are actually going to try to win.

Whatever. You people live in fairyland. Swap Vesey for pominville and add a #4 defenseman and a third liner and we are going to go from 7th worst to competing. Okay.

A team that was determined to make the playoffs would have addressed a duo with a gaa of over 3. Even if the defense is to blame, we have all the same defensemen as last year except Miller who isn't great in his own zone. That's all I'm saying. Anyone who disagrees is just hoping and praying to get better through magic.
- matty12345

I started to bold everything that made little sense but then realized...

First off, goals against and to a lesser extent save percentage is a TEAM stat. They were not a horrible tendem, they were average. Average isn't good enough for giving up like the most shots and scoring chances from the slot in the league. We have Hutton for 2 more years and Ullmark deserves more time at his age to try to prove he can be an NHL starter. Loosing assets to get Varlarmov to then try and flip Hutton...that sir is Fairyland. What makes you think Varlarmov is so good? How long is his current deal? That's dumb.

Secondly, we had NO secondary scoring! That is a BIG problem!!! So signing Mojo to 2 years will far outweigh going after another goalie, especially one were not sure would be much, if any, better. We've been over this..Mojo is more than a third liner, I think everyone here agrees exept for you. Vesey has something called "potential" and can be an upgrade in scoring, size and age to Pomminville. I think most of us also agreed to that except you.

Third, no one said they are "determined" to make the playoffs. Being in a position to make a push is a realistic goal. Mortgaging future assets just to make the playoffs because they are "determined" would be stupid.

Lastly, "we have all the same defensemen as last year". WHAT? haha. Montour, Miller, Joker...that's 50% of our potential starting D lineup for the whole season.

Being skeptical is fine but skewing facts to purposefully have a bleaker outlook is self imposed torture.

Our defense in 2016-17

Risto-Gorges
Kulikov-Bogosian
Fedun-Franson
Falk

jesus (frank)ing savior christ.

Someone has an opinion that no one agrees with. I know you're commander of the stealth tank conspiracy boss, but there is literally zero evidence that Botterill is trying to lose.

Every team, every single year, is trying to build through the draft. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a draft.
- TheSabresTaco

I'm not %100 sure they have trying to draft early the past 2 years.

It's just a thought.

We did lock in dahlin/tkachuk/ by finishing last.

A couple guys who happened to be playing in a world tournament, in our building

Then last year, no trades after winning 10 straight.
Seems odd, like it was agaisnt the plan.
2019 draft top 10 was highly touted

We got a prime center . Our choice to some degree.


But your'e %100 sure, no room for a 2nd thought?

stool.gif/throwatboss

Stop it, cookies

The GM himself said they need to be in the conversation for playoffs
- jcragcrumple

😀

And now it has started. Remember who fired 1st

stool.gif/throwatboss

Stop it, cookies

The GM himself said they need to be in the conversation for playoffs
- jcragcrumple

Pretty much every GM says that EVERY season
What else is he gonna say???

😀

And now it has started. Remember who fired 1st
- Boss34

Han?

Pretty much every GM says that EVERY season
What else is he gonna say???
- jdfitz77

Ah yes, everyone remembers Darcy's famous "there's going to be some suffering, but we have compete for a playoff spot this year" speech

I'm not %100 sure they have trying to draft early the past 2 years.

It's just a thought.

We did lock in dahlin/tkachuk/ by finishing last.

A couple guys who happened to be playing in a world tournament, in our building

Then last year, no trades after winning 10 straight.
Seems odd, like it was agaisnt the plan.
2019 draft top 10 was highly touted

We got a prime center . Our choice to some degree.

But your'e %100 sure, no room for a 2nd thought?
- Boss34

"We did lock in dahlin/tkachuk/ by finishing last." - After trying to win, with a new coach and two high quality centers.

"A couple guys who happened to be playing in a world tournament, in our building" - I sincerely don't know what factor this has at the least bit. GMs can go anywhere in the world to see top prospects. And they will. And do.


"Then last year, no trades after winning 10 straight.
Seems odd, like it was agaisnt the plan.
2019 draft top 10 was highly touted" - Every draft class is a poop shoot. You know that. Most of them are touted as good or great or some version of that. 2014 was "weak", until you see Ekbad, Reinhart, Draisaitl, Nylander, Ehlers, Vrana, Larkin, Sanheim, Tuch, DeAngelo, Schmultz, Kapananen, Pastrnak and Montour all having degrees of high level success.

As for the '10 straight'.. I use Botterill's quote from around the TDL. Reporters asked why he didn't do anything. He essentially said "Because we weren't that good". COULD he have done more? Absolutely. Did he know that the team was weak and didn't really have what it takes to go deep in the playoffs? Yes, based on the quote. He reserved his resources and spent them in the offseason instead. He's, apparently, banking on CM to grow into that role. He "needs Casey to step up this year." If he can double his output, I'd say that's a pretty great season for him. Playing with Reinhart and possibly Mojo, he should be able to reach those heights.

Our prime center (Eichel) came from tanking. No ifs ands or buts about that. If you're referring to Cozens, he's a developmental piece with elite ability. Good for us. Will take a couple years to get impact out of him. Which is totally fine.

So when you ask me if I want to give a 2nd thought about Botterill not purposely losing.. I will definitively say no. Did he sell his soul to win a few extra games last year? Absolutely not. And based on our roster, I don't blame him. But, and this is my opinion I suppose, if you think he's trying to lose, last year, this year, I feel as though you are sorely mistaken.

Han?


- jcragcrumple

Rise of skywalker looks so Gooooooooooooooooooooood 😓

Pretty much every GM says that EVERY season
What else is he gonna say???
- jdfitz77

What was that Darcy Regier quote from 2013 again?

The joker is going to bring the DC back !!!!

You heard it here first

Ah yes, everyone remembers Darcy's famous "there's going to be some suffering, but we have compete for a playoff spot this year" speech
- jcragcrumple

I see we have crossed streams

The joker is going to bring the DC back !!!!

You heard it here first
- gerbe75pts

DC is hopeless, kid. However, I look forward to the flick, even for it's standalone value.

Ah yes, everyone remembers Darcy's famous "there's going to be some suffering, but we have compete for a playoff spot this year" speech
- jcragcrumple

Of course u can single a few out
Way to pick an extreme circumstance

Again...
What did u expect Botts to say??

The joker is going to bring the Sabres back to the playoffs!!!!

You heard it here first
- gerbe75pts

Of course u can single a few out
Way to pick an extreme circumstance

Again...
What did u expect Botts to say??
- jdfitz77

Teams not named the Senators should all be gunning for the playoffs. It's a non topic remark. Usually it should just go without saying.

What was that Darcy Regier quote from 2013 again?
- TheSabresTaco

What did the other 29 GMs say?

Maybe u missed the part where is said
“Pretty much every GM...”

That means, not ALL
Bc of course, there are some extreme circumstances

But great,
U brought up ONE example from SIX YEARS AGO
Congratulations

Also... reed moor

Of course u can single a few out
Way to pick an extreme circumstance

Again...
What did u expect Botts to say??
- jdfitz77

Exactly what he did.

3 drafts, 3 off-seasons, trades, FA signings, new coach

"We need to compete for a playoff spot"

My response to his comment is: "yes, that tracks"

My response is not: "I think this means subtle tank year, despite all evidence to the contrary"