Why do you keep saying this? All people said about last night is Skinner should have been on the Johansson - Mittelstadt line instead of having Larsson be his center. How can that be an arguable point?
- kingcong39

Why is it an arguable point that a $9M player should be able to drive his own line and produce regardless of who he is playing with ?

I know it’s a crazy concept to understand but did you know that Shorthanded goals and Power play goals count the same as Even strength goals ?
- Pegullaville

Pegs- you were at the game. Skinner played good.

Sure - he didnt score, but he could/should of despite 0 sh/pp/ot time with larrson as his center.

Would you have let him walk at 8 million? Instead of 9?

You were too young to remember july 1st 2007. Drury and briere left.

They had to sign skinner. Imagine selling tickets and letting him go.

More goes into signing players then short handed goals, without even having the opportunity to play short handed

They broke me. I've finally come to the realization that we're never going to be good...and I'm OK with that. I'm just going to enjoy the fact that we still have an NHL team in this little city, and just be happy with that. While I'm viewing the DVR'd games (no way in hell i'm watching this sh!t-show live), I'm just happy when we actually score a goal (by the way, I fast-forward through our power play because that's 2 minutes of us not scoring, guaranteed). I realize that no matter who coaches, no matter who the GM is, no matter who plays for us, we'll never be good. I honestly think it's a culture thing...and that will never change. This isn't a huge, awesome, exciting city. It's boring and horrible and according to players survey's, Buffalo is always near the bottom of places that NHL-ers want to play in. That will never change. You get drafted here or traded here, and your attitude shifts. You still play, but you don't play hard. You're playing for the paycheck when you play for Buffalo and that's it. Nobody wants to be here, thus the effort is sub-standard. I have finally come to that conclusion. It can be no other reason. It's not coaching, it's not talent ... it's living and playing here that makes this team suck year after year. And that will never change (unless there's some sort of shift in the Earth's axis and Buffalo suddenly becomes warm and nice).

Happy Thanksgiving.

Why is it an arguable point that a $9M player should be able to drive his own line and produce regardless of who he is playing with ?
- Pegullaville

Because he did drive the line? They were good.

65% shots 70% scoring chances.

They controlled play

I know it’s a crazy concept to understand but did you know that Shorthanded goals and Power play goals count the same as Even strength goals ?
- Pegullaville

When evaluating a player they absolutely never count the same. Ever. Ever, ever and please for your sake stop trying to argue otherwise

I rather overpay skinner / 40 goal scorer by 1 million than overpay Girgs Larry. Okposo Sobotka or any 4th liner we have.

Overpay your good player ...... don’t overpay your average to bad players. Same goes with trades
- Sabretooth9

Thank you Sabretooth9

B+
- Boss34

I’ve been told.

Never been there myself.

They broke me. I've finally come to the realization that we're never going to be good...and I'm OK with that. I'm just going to enjoy the fact that we still have an NHL team in this little city, and just be happy with that. While I'm viewing the DVR'd games (no way in hell i'm watching this sh!t-show live), I'm just happy when we actually score a goal (by the way, I fast-forward through our power play because that's 2 minutes of us not scoring, guaranteed). I realize that no matter who coaches, no matter who the GM is, no matter who plays for us, we'll never be good. I honestly think it's a culture thing...and that will never change. This isn't a huge, awesome, exciting city. It's boring and horrible and according to players survey's, Buffalo is always near the bottom of places that NHL-ers want to play in. That will never change. You get drafted here or traded here, and your attitude shifts. You still play, but you don't play hard. You're playing for the paycheck when you play for Buffalo and that's it. Nobody wants to be here, thus the effort is sub-standard. I have finally come to that conclusion. It can be no other reason. It's not coaching, it's not talent ... it's living and playing here that makes this team suck year after year. And that will never change (unless there's some sort of shift in the Earth's axis and Buffalo suddenly becomes warm and nice).

Happy Thanksgiving.
- kritter65

Wny and the city if buffalo has had a renaissance since the hasek Stanley cup , and is a much better place to live since the 90's Bill's.

It's not just about the city, it's about winning too.

Good post, but it's not just living in buffalo that the players avoid. They want to win , live somewhere warm with alot of chicks I would imagine?

Pegs- you were at the game. Skinner played good.

Sure - he didnt score, but he could/should of despite 0 sh/pp/ot time with larrson as his center.

Would you have let him walk at 8 million? Instead of 9?

You were too young to remember july 1st 2007. Drury and briere left.

They had to sign skinner. Imagine selling tickets and letting him go.

More goes into signing players then short handed goals, without even having the opportunity to play short handed
- Boss34

Imagine letting Skinner go for poop and making the ECF.

If we didn’t have Jeff what would our record be right now ? 9-12-4 instead of 11-10-4 ?

Jeff is a good player, easy to root for, not worth the term or the money and we will pay the price for that in a few years.

Imagine letting Skinner go for poop and making the ECF.

If we didn’t have Jeff what would our record be right now ? 9-12-4 instead of 11-10-4 ?

Jeff is a good player, easy to root for, not worth the term or the money and we will pay the price for that in a few years.
- Pegullaville

So jeff is worth 4 points per 25 games?
I'd take him and his 10/11 extra points per season

What contract would make you comfortable?

You have to realize he was an unrestricted free agent and were buffalo.

7 x 7.5 ideally, but not realistic ????

So jeff is worth 4 points per 25 games?
I'd take him and his 10/11 extra points per season

What contract would make you comfortable?

You have to realize he was an unrestricted free agent and were buffalo.

7 x 7.5 ideally, but not realistic ????
- Boss34

Which is what superstar players are usually worth, 8-10 standings points

So jeff is worth 4 points per 25 games?
I'd take him and his 10/11 extra points per season

What contract would make you comfortable?

You have to realize he was an unrestricted free agent and were buffalo.

7 x 7.5 ideally, but not realistic ????
- Boss34

Now imagine adding another guy worth 8-10 standing points?

Why do you keep saying this? All people said about last night is Skinner should have been on the Johansson - Mittelstadt line instead of having Larsson be his center. How can that be an arguable point?
- kingcong39

What am I arguing, everyone on here says he should be playing with Eichel or Mojo. I don't really care who he plays with, he is paid to score goals, he is getting chances to score goals, be it with Erod or Larsson or Sheary, he is getting chance's, he is not burying those chances. For everyone complaining about him playing with Larsson last night, that line drove possession, and Skinner had scoring chances. God forbid he has to work a little harder to score on those chances he gets away from Eichel, you now he only getting 9mill a year

What am I arguing, everyone on here says he should be playing with Eichel or Mojo. I don't really care who he plays with, he is paid to score goals, he is getting chances to score goals, be it with Erod or Larsson or Sheary, he is getting chance's, he is not burying those chances. For everyone complaining about him playing with Larsson last night, that line drove possession, and Skinner had scoring chances. God forbid he has to work a little harder to score on those chances he gets away from Eichel, you now he only getting 9mill a year
- Buff36

And they will go in. And sometimes they won’t. And then sometimes they will 3 games in a row, then won’t for 5 games.

It’s the NHL. Not a beer league. No one is scoring every game.

And they will go in. And sometimes they won’t. And then sometimes they will 3 games in a row, then won’t for 5 games.

It’s the NHL. Not a beer league. No one is scoring every game.
- sbroads24

I totally understand that boards, I just think it's ridiculous to complain about who he plays with when he has had scoring chances with those said players. He is in a slump right now. If he was burying some of those chances he's had over the last 6 or so games nobody would be saying anything.

Why is it an arguable point that a $9M player should be able to drive his own line and produce regardless of who he is playing with ?
- Pegullaville

Okposo is a $6 million player. Should he be able to drive a line with Larsson and Girgensons?

We get it. You don't like the contract.

He should be with Johansson. If for no other reason than they had good chemistry earlier in the year.

They broke me. I've finally come to the realization that we're never going to be good...and I'm OK with that. I'm just going to enjoy the fact that we still have an NHL team in this little city, and just be happy with that. While I'm viewing the DVR'd games (no way in hell i'm watching this sh!t-show live), I'm just happy when we actually score a goal (by the way, I fast-forward through our power play because that's 2 minutes of us not scoring, guaranteed). I realize that no matter who coaches, no matter who the GM is, no matter who plays for us, we'll never be good. I honestly think it's a culture thing...and that will never change. This isn't a huge, awesome, exciting city. It's boring and horrible and according to players survey's, Buffalo is always near the bottom of places that NHL-ers want to play in. That will never change. You get drafted here or traded here, and your attitude shifts. You still play, but you don't play hard. You're playing for the paycheck when you play for Buffalo and that's it. Nobody wants to be here, thus the effort is sub-standard. I have finally come to that conclusion. It can be no other reason. It's not coaching, it's not talent ... it's living and playing here that makes this team suck year after year. And that will never change (unless there's some sort of shift in the Earth's axis and Buffalo suddenly becomes warm and nice).

Happy Thanksgiving.
- kritter65

Many, many players that come through here end up staying or coming back here to live after they're done.

Players who don't live here are ignorant to what this region offers (and there are too many things to list).

It has its sh!tty parts, but so does every other city in the world.

Draft players with huge work ethic, heart, and guys that have some (frank)ing PRIDE, and things will turn around. (They really need to find the next Peca or Drury)

I think Jack has pride. We have other players with pride. I think Dahlin has it.

Winning cures EVERYTHING.

Happy BILLSgiving!

Blough!!!!!

Lol another name for cowboys is cowpokes

That interview was embarrassing

On a more pleasant note, happy Thanksgiving e'rbody
- jcragcrumple

Meh.
It was alot of nothing, as usual from Botts...not sure why anybody actually bothers to interview him.

But, Happy Thanksgiving!

Many, many players that come through here end up staying or coming back here to live after they're done.

Players who don't live here are ignorant to what this region offers (and there are too many things to list).

It has its sh!tty parts, but so does every other city in the world.

Draft players with huge work ethic, heart, and guys that have some (frank)ing PRIDE, and things will turn around. (They really need to find the next Peca or Drury)

I think Jack has pride. We have other players with pride. I think Dahlin has it.

Winning cures EVERYTHING.
- Powerslave

This is s a good post.
It sounds silly, but I heard this on a interview several years ago..can't remember who though..in essence he said that as a player from another team coming into Buffalo, they stayed at hotels downtown, and the way to them from the airport was either the expressways or the 190 from the 90...all they saw was poop...1920 homes that were dilapidated from neglect...that was their impression of Buffalo.
Who the hell would want to live there if that is all they really knew or saw?...add to that the friggin snow .
It would take me about 2 second to decide between Buffalo and Tampa, Sunrise, California, Etc...even Chicago, Toronto, Boston as far as weather being the same...those destination would interest me more as a player. Now if they were perceived to be true cup contenders...

You have to be there more than a night in and then out to get to really know it.