You were happy with the vesey - pommer switch
You liked the Johansson signing
Olofsson looks great


Easy to look back now and criticize

Sometimes things dont work out
- Boss34

I'm going to be fair here, and say most of us liked it, but also had the assumption that a defenseman for a forward trade was coming down the line. It never happened.

That said, they are still 2-4 points out of a playoff spot at Thanksgiving. That's still a spot you can recover from.

next coach will use risto properly

Wait until it goes public that Skinner is pissed playing with a 5th line center.
- SABRES 89

As he should be! This teams needed help at center for over a year and they keep trying to force Casey there and he just isn’t ready.

Mojo filed in ok until the injury. But he hasn’t played center in 7 years.

So here we are, your $9 Million dollar center playing with scrap centers. 12 d men having to put a d Man on the wing in 3 games.

Interesting everyone saw this coming and Botts over played his hand... I hope he does something. And no. Carter isn’t something. As Hommie said, that’s a desperation move.

Always appreciate the info by the way! Good to see you pop in!

We can go around and around on this, but adding 2 forwards wasnt enough, especially when one of them is Vesey, who came at the expense of probably a better option in pominville. You can throw Olofsson in there too if you want, even though he played late last year.

He replaced Berglund, Tage and Pominville with Mojo, Olofsson and Vesey.

Sure, it was something. It wasnt nearly enough
- jcragcrumple

And if he brings back Pominville, you'd b!tch that he didn't turn over the roster enough.

Pick a lane.

At least the guy tried something (frank)ing different.

Vesey has scored no less than 16 goals in each of his 3 years in the league.

Did you, in your infinite wisdom as a soothsayer, predict that Vesey would have 1 goal at this stage?

No, you didn't.

next coach will use risto properly
- robz228

The next coach will see why Hutton was a backup goalie his whole career because he is looking like one now. So much for those big saves or even average saves.

As he should be! This teams needed help at center for over a year and they keep trying to force Casey there and he just isn’t ready.

Mojo filed in ok until the injury. But he hasn’t played center in 7 years.

So here we are, your $9 Million dollar center playing with scrap centers. 12 d men having to put a d Man on the wing in 3 games.

Interesting everyone saw this coming and Botts over played his hand... I hope he does something. And no. Carter isn’t something. As Hommie said, that’s a desperation move.

Always appreciate the info by the way! Good to see you pop in!
- Gr8daygo

Skinner & MoJo seemed to play well together
No way we could know MoJo would get hurt

The next coach will see why Hutton was a backup goalie his whole career because he is looking like one now. So much for those big saves or even average saves.
- GilPerreault11

both things can be true

risto has had 5 head coaches and maybe like 15 different starting goalies behind him

next goalie and coach will be the one that risto thrives with

Skinner & MoJo seemed to play well together
No way we could know MoJo would get hurt
- jdfitz77

He's got quite an injury history.

No poop.
But the Dreamers all believe with ~$37m in Cap Space on 7/1/20 Thaf Bitts is going to fix the roster presto.
Dreamin'
- IonSabres

That's why I believe theres some truth to trading for jamie benn. Were gonna have space, and botts talks about trades over free agency.

Probably overpay a few guys.

both things can be true

risto has had 5 head coaches and maybe like 15 different starting goalies behind him

next goalie and coach will be the one that risto thrives with
- robz228

Oh my god were on blaming the goalies for his poor play now.

Hutton failed to make a simple play and handed the puck to Kucherov.

As if he saves it, it still wouldn't have been a ridiculously bad play

And if he brings back Pominville, you'd b!tch that he didn't turn over the roster enough.

Pick a lane.

At least the guy tried something (frank)ing different.

Vesey has scored no less than 16 goals in each of his 3 years in the league.

Did you, in your infinite wisdom as a soothsayer, predict that Vesey would have 1 goal at this stage?

No, you didn't.
- Powerslave

He literally said “do anything” earlier too

I’m sure Botts could make more Vesey type moves, but why bother?
When they come in and only give a modest amount of help,
he’ll still be b!tching

I'm going to be fair here, and say most of us liked it, but also had the assumption that a defenseman for a forward trade was coming down the line. It never happened.

That said, they are still 2-4 points out of a playoff spot at Thanksgiving. That's still a spot you can recover from.
- buffalofan19

Good post

I've liked most of botts moves, now I'm a defender

I actually still like girgs and to some degree larsson.

I blamed phail lousley

Maybe its denial on my part.

I still think were gonna make a run

For the record, i'm the one that sent a PM to Homie telling him that Botts made a call regarding Carter. So people need to lay off him.
- SABRES 89

Good to see you

He's got quite an injury history.
- buffalofan19

I don’t remember ppl on here talking about him being injury prone when we signed him

Good to see you
- SyrSabreFan

Seconded

The problem is he had two choices.

Overpay for mediocre middle 6 talent, which would take long term or overpriced deals to get guys to come here

Or

Start from scratch and use band aids until some draft picks were ready to contribute

People act like he can just sign a bunch of UFA’s and fix the middle six of the lineup.

Asplund has been here for 10 games now. How much better than Larsson is he? Any?

Olofsson was a prize add to the roster and it took him 20 games to look like an actual forward 5 on 5.

I agree on having Sobotka here, and I think his biggest mistake was not trading Ristolainen a while ago.

But pretending a guy who’s added Skinner, Mojo, Miller, Jokiharju, Montour, Vesey all in the past year has “kept everything the same” is total nonsense.

He needed another forward. It didn’t happen yet
He needed Mittelstadt to be better, it hasn’t happened yet
- sbroads24

Good post.

He has made mistakes, but he also used what was available to him to bring players in, it's not like are system was stacked that he could use as trade chips. Everybody wants a move, but be a good move, he's not the only GM with a team that is struggling, and most important he has no cap room, as does half the NHL, and the other half is using LTIR to stay under the cap. I could be wrong but after Black Friday you could see some moves because teams only have to pick up what's left on the contract for the year.
- Buff36

Good post.

You were happy with the vesey - pommer switch
You liked the Johansson signing
Olofsson looks great


Easy to look back now and criticize

Sometimes things dont work out
- Boss34

Not true, boss. I wanted Pominville back and I was luke warm at best on Vesey. What I said was that Vesey should replace Pominville's 15 goals. Based on past history it seemed plausible

I loved the Mojo signing. Still do

What do you really expect to get with 3rd and 5th rnd picks. And could you tell me that Vesey would only have 1 goal right now. Miller hasn't been great but hasn't been horrible either. And I said mistakes have been made. Are system was bare when Botts got here, players that should have been taking spots over the last few years were traded away for a quick fix and well that didn't work out so well.
- Buff36

Another quality post sir.

I'm officially declaring it time to Fire Botts. I've seen enough. Montour playing forward. Sobotka on the second line. Eichel punches someone's head into orbit and the team admits they don't even get fired up in the slightest. Mittelstadt is a bust for the second year in a row. Whether that's because he's a bust draft pick, or a good draft pick ruined by being rushed, both would be on Botts. Larsson, Girgensons, Erod, all given raises after one of the most embarrassing seasons in sabres history.

All this pooping on the blue and gold during the 50th season has reached a breaking point. Enough. Fire the incompetent GM. Fire his coach who thinks dumping the puck on every shift to the other team is a good thing.

Terry needs to clean (frank)ing house and bring someone in to cull this (frank)ing roster of lazy, dead weight, untalented players. Too many guys on this team who don't score and don't hit. It's really that simple, if you can't score you better be mean. Larsson has no value. Girgensons has no value. Sobotka has no value. Bogosian is a giant who can't even push someone.

After the fool of a GM assembled the product he did in 2018-2019, his only salvation would rightly have been to have culled 6-7 of the dead weight players from that team. Instead he showed his bold faced disregard for the consumers who pay to watch his filth product by spitefully returning every single player except Pominville. He had his chance to show he was willing to do what it takes to win, and he didn't. Now we watch as the blue and gold Crest is disgraced again this season by the same players.

Until the day this fool is fired, there is little else to say. Fire Botts.

Wait until it goes public that Skinner is pissed playing with a 5th line center.
- SABRES 89

I can see in a contract year but he got paid. I'd be frustrated too, but not with my paycheck. Best he keep his complaints to himself.

And if he brings back Pominville, you'd b!tch that he didn't turn over the roster enough.

Pick a lane.

At least the guy tried something (frank)ing different.

Vesey has scored no less than 16 goals in each of his 3 years in the league.

Did you, in your infinite wisdom as a soothsayer, predict that Vesey would have 1 goal at this stage?

No, you didn't.
- Powerslave

I said many times something to the effect of "I cant believe he's only letting one guy go, and that one guy was probably our 5th best forward last year"


I did pick a lane. A lot of poopty players should have been tossed. Pominville was not poopty

And if he brings back Pominville, you'd b!tch that he didn't turn over the roster enough.

Pick a lane.

At least the guy tried something (frank)ing different.

Vesey has scored no less than 16 goals in each of his 3 years in the league.

Did you, in your infinite wisdom as a soothsayer, predict that Vesey would have 1 goal at this stage?

No, you didn't.
- Powerslave

A+ post

We are all frustrated
But this team isn’t becoming a contender till Dahlin & Mitts & Cozens develop into studs
- jdfitz77

Some quality posts today gentleman.

Not true, boss. I wanted Pominville back and I was luke warm at best on Vesey. What I said was that Vesey should replace Pominville's 15 goals. Based on past history it seemed plausible

I loved the Mojo signing. Still do
- jcragcrumple

Fair enough.

I remembered the pommer - vesey part.

My apologies for misquoting