That really has me thinking. Is is an immense failure as a GM if your most important players were also the previous GM's most important players AND your team is still bad.

In fairness, that’s on coaching too.

The two best D men on this roster are Jokiharju and Montour right now.

Dahlin will obviously be the best.

The sad thing is the best D man Murray acquired in his tenure here isn’t even a full timer with the Ducks yet
- sbroads24

Every coach does it. Every coach looks at how big Risto is and says "This guy is a minute munching defensive defenseman." Hes done pretty well to this point despite his usage. He absolutely will start to break down and the brain farts will increase.

Note to every (frank)ing Sabres coach: this is not his role. He is not a defensive defenseman

The top pair by ice time is left over from Darcy (frank)ing Regier
- jcragcrumple

If we could of drafted worth a poop from 2010 onwards that would of helped too.

Leon is elite. Watch more Edmonton games and you’ll see that. Living in Canada I always here about the Canadian teams more often then not and all they talk about is he would win the Hart over McDavid if they were handing it out today.

It’s a perfect match between McDavid and Leon.
- Swedish_Jesus

Fair enough I don’t really watch anyone else really other than the Sabres so more of a casual observation, I will say that draft I wouldn’t have been upset had they taken Leon over Sam.

That really has me thinking. Is is an immense failure as a GM if your most important players were also the previous GM's most important players AND your team is still bad.
- robz228

The Ristolainen thing baffles me considering he then got 10,33,62 within a year.

I don’t think Botterill himself planned on 55 still being here. He probably just got poop offers for him.

The Ristolainen thing baffles me considering he then got 10,33,62 within a year.

I don’t think Botterill himself planned on 55 still being here. He probably just got poop offers for him.
- sbroads24

We're on iteration 3 of Risto anchoring a defense. It still isn't working at all. Ultimately if the coaches arent using the player correctly that falls on the GM to get rid of him.

Were Darcy, TM, and now Botteril all lousy at their jobs that they couldn't build a viable supporting staff around Risto, or maybe HMMM THE PLAYER IS A PROBLEM???????

The Ristolainen thing baffles me considering he then got 10,33,62 within a year.

I don’t think Botterill himself planned on 55 still being here. He probably just got poop offers for him.
- sbroads24

After the OReilly deal, GMs might think they can torch JB.
But then again, he pulled of Joker for Al Ny...

If we could of drafted worth a poop from 2010 onwards that would of helped too.
- Swedish_Jesus

This will always be the key issue that doesn’t get enough attention and is the reason Botts has slack.

Look at every other teams depth in the NHL.

The Blues drafted Barbashev, Blais, Binnington and Dunn within 2014/15 draft after round 1.

Hell, Robert Thomas picked 20th has been light years better than Nylander picked 8th the year before.

Botts will have issues if guys like Cozens, Mitts, Davidsson, Bryson, UPL have little to no impact.

This will always be the key issue that doesn’t get enough attention and is the reason Botts has slack.

Look at every other teams depth in the NHL.

The Blues drafted Barbashev, Blais, Binnington and Dunn within 2014/15 draft after round 1.

Hell, Robert Thomas picked 20th has been light years better than Nylander picked 8th the year before.

Botts will have issues if guys like Cozens, Mitts, Davidsson, Bryson, UPL have little to no impact.
- sbroads24

Yea but it’s year 3.... all of his draft picks should be fully matured and playing prominent roles and the lack of assets and cap space he was left with should of produced a lot more then it has....

If Botts gets heat for the ROR deal, deservedly so.

If he gets heat for not moving Risto for a top 6
Forward, makes sense to me too.

Everything else he has done has been fantastic for what he has had to work with.

Yea but it’s year 3.... all of his draft picks should be fully matured and playing prominent roles and the lack of assets and cap space he was left with should of produced a lot more then it has....

If Botts gets heat for the ROR deal, deservedly so.

If he gets heat for not moving Risto for a top 6
Forward, makes sense to me too.

Everything else he has done has been fantastic for what he has had to work with.
- Swedish_Jesus

Botts giving Skinner 9m/8yrs was especially brilliant, right?

This will always be the key issue that doesn’t get enough attention and is the reason Botts has slack.

Look at every other teams depth in the NHL.

The Blues drafted Barbashev, Blais, Binnington and Dunn within 2014/15 draft after round 1.

Hell, Robert Thomas picked 20th has been light years better than Nylander picked 8th the year before.

Botts will have issues if guys like Cozens, Mitts, Davidsson, Bryson, UPL have little to no impact.
- sbroads24

We're going to have to deal with the fact that there's no forward prospect depth due to the trades for Beaulieu, Scandella/pominville, Sheary, Vesey, Skinner, Montour, Miller, Joker.

Everyone seems blind to the fact that the cupboards are bare of forward talent because of Botterill. If it works, he wins. If not...

We're going to have to deal with the fact that there's no forward prospect depth due to the trades for Beaulieu, Scandella/pominville, Sheary, Vesey, Skinner, Montour, Miller, Joker.

Everyone seems blind to the fact that the cupboards are bare of forward talent because of Botterill
- jcragcrumple

Our best prospect is a forward we just drafted 7th.

Ruostolainen and Davidsson are both projected to be solid bottom 6 players. Thompson is developing nicely. As is Asplund.

Yes, they need 2 immediate top 9 forwards. We all agree

Our best prospect is a forward we just drafted 7th.

Ruostolainen and Davidsson are both projected to be solid bottom 6 players. Thompson is developing nicely. As is Asplund.

Yes, they need 2 immediate top 9 forwards. We all agree
- sbroads24

Does Botts agree?

Our best prospect is a forward we just drafted 7th.

Ruostolainen and Davidsson are both projected to be solid bottom 6 players. Thompson is developing nicely. As is Asplund.

Yes, they need 2 immediate top 9 forwards. We all agree
- sbroads24

Hes the only top-end forward prospect. And that's his doing. Not Murray, not Pegula, not Regier. That's his doing. He has to find his way out

Hes the only top-end forward prospect. And that's his doing. Not Murray, not Pegula, not Regier. That's his doing. He has to find his way out
- jcragcrumple

You keep saying this, but excluding a guy drafted in the first round who isn’t even 22 and is over a PPG in the AHL.

But I know, he missed the net a few times playing with Sobotka

You keep saying this, but excluding a guy drafted in the first round who isn’t even 22 and is over a PPG in the AHL.

But I know, he missed the net a few times playing with Sobotka
- sbroads24

I'm not pinning any top-6 hope to Tage Thompson. 3rd line? Maybe

Does Botts agree?
- PrinceChill

According to Jeremy White and the guy Chad from
DBTB, he’s getting one by months end.

We will see.

I don’t agree with everything Botts has done. I also don’t believe he actually thinks this is a forward group he can win championships with

I'm not pinning any top-6 hope to Tage Thompson. 3rd line? Maybe
- jcragcrumple

Which is a large % of guys drafted outside of the top 10.

So then how exactly should he have another “high end” forward prospect? I’m genuinely curious.

Because pick 30 of this past draft is later than when Thompson was drafted, and around where Davidsson was, who you don’t consider one.

So what am I missing?

Hes the only top-end forward prospect. And that's his doing. Not Murray, not Pegula, not Regier. That's his doing. He has to find his way out
- jcragcrumple

You seem overly upset for not turning a bunch of 3rd's into a top end forward prospects.

Maybe he acquired 1 too many dmen, but does anyone really want that to prevent the Joker trade?

You seem overly upset for not turning a bunch of 3rd's into a top end forward prospects.

Maybe he acquired 1 too many dmen, but does anyone really want that to prevent the Joker trade?
- Lunaion

But the former first rounder who’s dominating the AHL isn’t one?

It’s complaining to complain

Botts giving Skinner 9m/8yrs was especially brilliant, right?
- PrinceChill

I don’t agree with the contract however he is a top 6 forward we got for nothing.

You seem overly upset for not turning a bunch of 3rd's into a top end forward prospects.

Maybe he acquired 1 too many dmen, but does anyone really want that to prevent the Joker trade?
- Lunaion

Botterill's forwards are mediocre at every level through his own doing. That's my point. Agree, disagree, idc

But the former first rounder who’s dominating the AHL isn’t one?

It’s complaining to complain
- sbroads24

I think there's some validity to it, just taken a bit too far. He's intentionally building around C + D. With high 1st round centers, it's a pretty solid strat.

According to Jeremy White and the guy Chad from
DBTB, he’s getting one by months end.

We will see.

I don’t agree with everything Botts has done. I also don’t believe he actually thinks this is a forward group he can win championships with
- sbroads24

Maybe this is a better question for Jeremy and Chad but, why wait?
Unless they’re not sure anything is actually gonna happen, so they wanted to give themselves a big stretch of time for something to shake out. Then they’d get to beat their chests and say how right they were.

Maybe this is a better question for Jeremy and Chad but, why wait?
Unless they’re not sure anything is actually gonna happen, so they wanted to give themselves a big stretch of time for something to shake out. Then they’d get to beat their chests and say how right they were.
- PrinceChill

We shall see. I can’t pretend to know what’s gonna happen