It's pretty similar. He's pulling a reverse Murray. All D, no forwards
- jcragcrumple

What's the highest draft pick Botterill traded? He never traded a 1st for a goaltender, or 2 2nds for a guy drafted in the 4th round and a lunkhead.

it's frustrating when you see casey struggle as a center

switch it up

move casey to the wing
- homiedclown

Idk if u saw it,
but Casey’s parents were in town opening weekend
Got to talk with them quite a bit

And his dad flat out said that Mitts struggled quite a bit last year with all the responsibilities of playing center in the NHL, especially defensively
And how that took a toll on him offensively Bc his focus was constantly on not screwing up in his own end

He also said that Casey feels a lot more confident this year, but his focus is still on developing his 2way game


Personally, based on this comments
I think that’s why we aren’t seeing the offensive production out of him YET that we expected

So maybe a move to the wing will be good for him in that respect?
But it’s also possible that the Sabres think him developing while playing Center is best for him too
Here’s where we have to trust Kruger imo
If Casey’s confidence is still high,
keep him at Center
If he’s struggling with that though,
then get him on the wing so he can “think” a little less & just play hockey

I'm not questioning his source. I am only pointing out that no source knows everything unless it is the GM himself, and there could absolutely be validity to what Chad and Jeremy White posted on Twitter.
- kingcong39

Fair enough

What's the highest draft pick Botterill traded? He never traded a 1st for a goaltender, or 2 2nds for a guy drafted in the 4th round and a lunkhead.
- buffalofan19

1st for Montour

2nd for the guy in the press box tonight

3rd for the guy with no goals

Idk if u saw it,
but Casey’s parents were in town opening weekend
Got to talk with them quite a bit

And his dad flat out said that Mitts struggled quite a bit last year with all the responsibilities of playing center in the NHL, especially defensively
And how that took a toll on him offensively Bc his focus was constantly on not screwing up in his own end

He also said that Casey feels a lot more confident this year, but his focus is still on developing his 2way game


Personally, based on this comments
I think that’s why we aren’t seeing the offensive production out of him YET that we expected

So maybe a move to the wing will be good for him in that respect?
But it’s also possible that the Sabres think him developing while playing Center is best for him too
Here’s where we have to trust Kruger imo
If Casey’s confidence is still high,
keep him at Center
If he’s struggling with that though,
then get him on the wing so he can “think” a little less & just play hockey
- jdfitz77

See, if this is true, it's more than a bit of a problem. Guys with his talent should focus on what they do best, not try to become a type of player they never were in the first place.

And using the correlation that ROR is a good team player because he succeeded in StL despite being cantankerous to two managements is just as bad of an argument. It's fool hearty to suggest what would have happened had he stayed, and to unequivocally say we would be better off is disingenuous as the assets coming back haven't really played for us yet (being Johnson and Tage) compared to what happened in StL. They won, great, hopefully the trade works out well for both.

Bottom line with ROR, he's gone, and no one knows if we'd be better off with him, or if he'd just be another player to poke about only being a 55 pt guy that's good at faceoffs.
- SDSabre

Well that’s your view

I’m gonna stick with a Selke award winning, Conn Smythe winning, Stanley Cup Champ would’ve been an enormous help to us

Trying to say otherwise is just nuts imo

And i think it’s logical to assume we’d be better if we still had him

All day, every day, *and over a year later,
all i still see here is that we need a 2C

Welp... this is what u ROR haters get
- jdfitz77

His points we'd miss, absolutely.

I've stated that from the beginning. You can't trade that many points away and not get an equivalent back.

He produced as a 2C, that was never my problem with him.

1st for Montour

2nd for the guy in the press box tonight

3rd for the guy with no goals
- jcragcrumple

In all fairness, Montour looks good and Miller had been solid until recently as the team slid.

Vesey is the only trade I would juxtapose to Lehner or Fasching's acquisitions.

1st for Montour

2nd for the guy in the press box tonight

3rd for the guy with no goals
- jcragcrumple

Miller shouldn't be in the press box. I blame coaching for that, not Botterill. Vesey is a good point.

In all fairness, Montour looks good and Miller had been solid until recently as the team slid.

Vesey is the only trade I would juxtapose to Lehner or Fasching's acquisitions.
- RhinoFan

And even that isn't that high of a price.

Mitts also has WAY, WAY more talent than Tage

I think amity’s has looked better this year

He had a lot of trouble last year with all the responsibilities the Center position comes with,
especially defensively
I know the above for a fact

And i think that we aren’t seeing a huge boost in points yet bc he’s continuing to focus on developing his 2way game

He does look better offensively in spurts though
And i do think we will still see him develop into a good top6 guy
- jdfitz77

Put him with Skinner and Rhino, see what they can do. Eichel with ollie and Mojo. See if Erod can Center Vesey and Sheary.

Well that’s your view

I’m gonna stick with a Selke award winning, Conn Smythe winning, Stanley Cup Champ would’ve been an enormous help to us

Trying to say otherwise is just nuts imo
- jdfitz77

Yeah, I'll stick to the view of what I saw when he was here. A good player that didn't quite help as much as you're alluding to (again he didn't win any of those here. And of course being on a good team helps, and I'm not tryin to dog the player, I like what he does. Maybe we were 3 years to early for him)

Put him with Skinner and Rhino, see what they can do. Eichel with ollie and Mojo. See if Erod can Center Vesey and Sheary.
- Buff36

Johansson is out for at least 3 games per the Buffalo News.

I'd ship out mccabe for a prospect you can plug on the wing in the middle 6, yesterday

frees up the log jam on D short term and gives you a little salary cap relief and a lottery ticket
- homiedclown

1) is that trade available?

2) does BOTTS want a trade like that?

He already kind of did trades like that for Vesey & Miller, which haven’t worked out great yet

It’s reasonable to think he doesn’t wanna spend any more assets on “lottery tickets”
And is instead waiting to make a good deal,
that he has more confidence in that will help us

Well that’s your view

I’m gonna stick with a Selke award winning, Conn Smythe winning, Stanley Cup Champ would’ve been an enormous help to us

Trying to say otherwise is just nuts imo
- jdfitz77

If he were here, he would not be any of these.

In all fairness, Montour looks good and Miller had been solid until recently as the team slid.

Vesey is the only trade I would juxtapose to Lehner or Fasching's acquisitions.
- RhinoFan

I've actually liked Miller. My problem is that his roster construction has one of his 4 major off season acquisitions in the stands due to a numbers game. Now Krueger is mentioning going 7 d.

This thing is built all janky

Yeah, I'll stick to the view of what I saw when he was here. A good player that didn't quite help as much as you're alluding to (again he didn't win any of those here. And of course being on a good team helps, and I'm not tryin to dog the player, I like what he does. Maybe we were 3 years to early for him)
- SDSabre

I think that's a fair assessment.

At least if you mean he'd be in contention for the the awards he got last year.

Assuming there is a plan, there's a difference between having a plan, and having a good plan
- jcragcrumple

Just like there’s a difference between making a trade, vs making a GOOD one

Just like there’s a difference between making a trade, vs making a GOOD one
- jdfitz77

At the same time, though, he's partially right. Good GM's find good trades to make. He did that with Skinner. The rest have either been so-so or bad. Not finding one for Ristolainen could prove costly.

called more then yours, garth, ek, or the tsn know it alls
- homiedclown

out of curiosity does your source know you give out everything he/she says?

Just like there’s a difference between making a trade, vs making a GOOD one
- jdfitz77

Dont tell me that, I know that. Botterill has never met a defenseman trade he didn't like

if the goal is to ice the best team in buffalo, tage deserves a shot in our top 9 over okposo or lazar
- homiedclown

No,
the goal is to build a Stanley Cup Contender

And if that means taking more time to develop Tage or Cozens or whoever,
then that’s what you do 100% of the time

We've already moved a top ten pick natural center to wing, leave Mitts at center and let him develop into one of, if not the, most important positions on a team.

Johansson is out for at least 3 games per the Buffalo News.
- buffalofan19

Yeah I just read that. poop put Lazar there, see if are all world Captain is Capable of elevating his game.

Yeah I just read that. poop put Lazar there, see if are all world Captain is Capable of elevating his game.
- Buff36

For a span that short, that's exactly where I would put him. It's where you would get the most out of him.