I listened to the interview and didn't hear that. If he did, I'm hoping it was a gaffe and he meant Johansson.
- buffalofan19

If he did I officially quit.

He really didn’t say that did he?
- ImThatGuy

He was answering a question about not putting Skinner with Eichel. He said they needed 2 lines, and pointed to the injuries to Johansson and Sobotka as a reason why the 5-on-5 play dried up.

I listened to the interview and didn't hear that. If he did, I'm hoping it was a gaffe and he meant Johansson.
- buffalofan19

He mentioned both by name

He was answering a question about not putting Skinner with Eichel. He said they needed 2 lines, and pointed to the injuries to Johansson and Sobotka as a reason why the 5-on-5 play dried up.
- jcragcrumple

The Mojo/Skinner/Sobotka line was their most productive, 5v5.

That's what he said.

He mentioned both by name
- jcragcrumple

That's not nearly as bad as you made it sound earlier.

It's refusing to throw a player under the bus, nothing more.

Major roster surgery.

Only two players who were on the disaster team last year are not here this year.

Pominville and Nylander.

Tell me again how this team has not had time to gel.

It’s the same team as last year. This is asinine.

Major roster surgery.

Only two players who were on the disaster team last year are not here this year.

Pominville and Nylander.

Tell me again how this team has not had time to gel.

It’s the same team as last year. This is asinine.
- ImThatGuy

Vesey
Joker
Miller
VO
Mojo
Gilmour

are all new, however.

The Mojo/Skinner/Sobotka line was their most productive, 5v5.

That's what he said.
- Powerslave

"We had two lines going, so Johansson and Sobotka being out have changed that mix"

Nevermind that he had finally separated Sobotka from that line the game before because it wasnt working anymore

That's not nearly as bad as you made it sound earlier.

It's refusing to throw a player under the bus, nothing more.
- buffalofan19

Name dropping a injured player with 3 points in 16 games while discussing the reasons that 5-on-5 scoring has dried up is asinine. He's protecting JB, I get it

player x stinks
#bringbacksabres89

Name dropping a injured player with 3 points in 16 games while discussing the reasons that 5-on-5 scoring has dried up is asinine. He's protecting JB, I get it
- jcragcrumple

who's protecting the fans that pay their hard earned money for this sh!t show?

"We had two lines going, so Johansson and Sobotka being out have changed that mix"

Nevermind that he had finally separated Sobotka from that line the game before because it wasnt working anymore
- jcragcrumple

Starting at 7:35...

"...prior to that (the line of 15/23/68 being the most productive the last 5 games) the Johansson, Skinner, Sobotka line was our most productive 5 on 5".

No thanks. Motivation only goes so far. Maybe a first in 21, but this year is bleak. Don't give that lotto ticket away.
- Angler

Motivation has to go further than before.

Motivate Botts to get a first in return. Lottery protect it if he absolutely has to, but for f#cks sake it's time to sh!t or get off the pot.

Jimmy Vesey on the top line.

Ugh.

Starting at 7:35...

"...prior to that (the line of 15/23/68 being the most productive the last 5 games) the Johansson, Skinner, Sobotka line was our most productive 5 on 5".
- Powerslave

When you're name dropping the loss of Sobotka with his 1 goal, the team is in trouble

For a supposedly smart executive who learned how to win "the right way" in the Penguins organization, this is where Botterill really screwed up:

- letting a 6 game trial of Mittlestadt at the end of the 17/18 season influence his decision to trade ROR.
- thus, he set this team up for failure by trading a potentially awesome Eichel/ROR/Mittlestadt centre group starting this year
- It is obvious now that Mitts was not ready for the NHL last season. He should have played another year in college. Maybe 2. At least spend sometime in Rochester if he could
- He compounded his lousy trade by keeping TT on the team all last year versus having him properly develop in Rochester.

Now we have guys like Sobotka playing 2RW and Mitts on the 4th line playing like crap. And not to mention Botts trading for a ridiculous # of defencemen while not addressing our complete lack of secondary scoring. And keeping the same retreads on the roster from last year. Lastly, he hired a coach with very little NHL experience. Based on what i can see and read, it seems like Ralph should have been brought in as the VP of Hockey Operations and Botterill should report into him.

I have been a huge Botterill supporter up until now. The moves (or lack of moves) he has made are on in, with the exception of the Okposo contract. If the Sabres aren't playing truly meaningful games and showing significant progress as a Team, then Botterill deserves to be fired in early April.

Out.

For a supposedly smart executive who learned how to win "the right way" in the Penguins organization, this is where Botterill really screwed up:

- letting a 6 game trial of Mittlestadt at the end of the 17/18 season influence his decision to trade ROR.
- thus, he set this team up for failure by trading a potentially awesome Eichel/ROR/Mittlestadt centre group starting this year
- It is obvious now that Mitts was not ready for the NHL last season. He should have played another year in college. Maybe 2. At least spend sometime in Rochester if he could
- He compounded his lousy trade by keeping TT on the team all last year versus having him properly develop in Rochester.

Now we have guys like Sobotka playing 2RW and Mitts on the 4th line playing like crap. And not to mention Botts trading for a ridiculous # of defencemen while not addressing our complete lack of secondary scoring. And keeping the same retreads on the roster from last year. Lastly, he hired a coach with very little NHL experience. Based on what i can see and read, it seems like Ralph should have been brought in as the VP of Hockey Operations and Botterill should report into him.

I have been a huge Botterill supporter up until now. The moves (or lack of moves) he has made are on him (fixed), with the exception of the Okposo contract. If the Sabres aren't playing truly meaningful games and showing significant progress as a Team, then Botterill deserves to be fired in early April.

Out.
- SabreWest

who's protecting the fans that pay their hard earned money for this sh!t show?
- homiedclown

Amen, and the $179 I fork over a year to watch the Sabres out of market. Pales in comparison but sucks too

They need to sell high (or while they still have value) on someone like Mitts or Olofsson or even Thompson if a one for one with a D man won’t bring in a top 6 forward.

They cannot just let these kids careers die here.
- sbroads24

Sure they can they do it all the time

If only they had a player to put with Eichel that is making big money who had a career high in goals last year that is one of the best 5 on 5 scorers.

Amen, and the $179 I fork over a year to watch the Sabres out of market. Pales in comparison but sucks too
- lulags

If it makes you feel any better, the NHL has revenue sharing. So technically, only $5.77 of that actually goes to the Buffalo Sabres.

For a supposedly smart executive who learned how to win "the right way" in the Penguins organization, this is where Botterill really screwed up:

- letting a 6 game trial of Mittlestadt at the end of the 17/18 season influence his decision to trade ROR.
- thus, he set this team up for failure by trading a potentially awesome Eichel/ROR/Mittlestadt centre group starting this year
- It is obvious now that Mitts was not ready for the NHL last season. He should have played another year in college. Maybe 2. At least spend sometime in Rochester if he could
- He compounded his lousy trade by keeping TT on the team all last year versus having him properly develop in Rochester.

Now we have guys like Sobotka playing 2RW and Mitts on the 4th line playing like crap. And not to mention Botts trading for a ridiculous # of defencemen while not addressing our complete lack of secondary scoring. And keeping the same retreads on the roster from last year. Lastly, he hired a coach with very little NHL experience. Based on what i can see and read, it seems like Ralph should have been brought in as the VP of Hockey Operations and Botterill should report into him.

I have been a huge Botterill supporter up until now. The moves (or lack of moves) he has made are on in, with the exception of the Okposo contract. If the Sabres aren't playing truly meaningful games and showing significant progress as a Team, then Botterill deserves to be fired in early April.

Out.
- SabreWest

That's a long post starting with a questionable assumption.

If only they had a player to put with Eichel that is making big money who had a career high in goals last year that is one of the best 5 on 5 scorers.
- ImThatGuy

Sobotka?

Rodrigues?

I can't imagine anyone else making sense.

Meh at least it's raining

@incarceratedbob on twitter said last night that Taylor Hall is officially on the trade market. Doubt the Sabres end up with him, but this dude is on point with his rumors.

Reinhart for Hall? (knowing that Hall will need to be resinged for a large cap hit)

Only if Hall is signed before the trade is completed.