THEY have an abundance of players....just very few Middle Six guys...but a poop load of 4th liners.

Jack - no replacement, not even a 2C to ask to step up
Sam - no replacement, not even a 3RW, let alone a 2RW
Olo - Skinner jumps in
Skinner - Mojo jumps in
Mojo as 2C, - yup, no one ... must depend on a rookie who projects as an average 3C/4C
Sobotka/Shezry as 2RW, ya, stugotz, nothing

2 guys to step up in the top 6.
Pathetic.
- IonSabres

Lazar and asplund have played great in my opinion.
A cast off and a rookie

Jbotts was ready to plug into the line up, even wilson is a plug and go guy.

We lost our 7th overall picking mitts to sucking , tage t, 9 million $ guy. Rookie of the month and a crybaby 2 million $ guy.

Plus our 2nd line guy who was working well with skins and johannsson. Sobatka.

Pretty much decent or projected middle 6 wouldnt you say going into the season?

Kovalchuck for 700,000, I don't see the negative. We should have signed him.

Preds Fire Laviolette


Why couldn't they have done this sooner for the Sabres sake.
- SABRES 89

As a candidate for Head Coach...
Or
Other moves to come?

As a candidate for Head Coach...
Or
Other moves to come?
- IonSabres

Rather have him then Kruger.

I wondered the same until somebody told me the record number is much, MUCH higher than where this blog currently sits.
- kingcong39

The Epic thread blog is very large.

Lazar and asplund have played great in my opinion.
A cast off and a rookie

Jbotts was ready to plug into the line up, even wilson is a plug and go guy.

We lost our 7th overall picking mitts to sucking , tage t, 9 million $ guy. Rookie of the month and a crybaby 2 million $ guy.

Plus our 2nd line guy who was working well with skins and johannsson. Sobatka.

Pretty much decent or projected middle 6 wouldnt you say going into the season?
- Boss34

I'll be accused of 20/20 I'm sure, but honestly going into the season, my thoughts were...
- ERod's $2m Arb Award was a death knell for him here
- Tage is as close to a bust as Nylander was, can't get rid if him fast enough
- Sobotka was a 15th forward
- Mitts was a hopeful Top 9, hopefully he can reconstruct his game over the next 18 months

Mojo is a 3rd line LW, a really good one who can drive that line, not a 2C. I was open to him playing up, as I really hadn't focused on him..casually, I was very happy with the signing as a 3LW/RW

No matter which lense one looks through, JB failed miserably in building a roster to compete for a PO spot. 82-84 points is what I projected in Sept...that might be spot on or a wee bit strong.

The Epic thread blog is very large.
- dadeadhead

There are ones 10x bigger than the epic thread. Things I Hate for one is at 2081. Epic is 203.

Yeah ok
- Buff36

Thought so.

Rather have him then Kruger.
- SABRES 89

Meh
Botts supplied another coach a bottom 5 roster, so I can't fully blame Krueger for achieving it.
Nor can I defend his in-game decisions nor his roster utilization...so he takes a hit there for sure.

That said, he's coming back after substantial time away, so rustiness is expected. He does need to improve ther for sure, but I also believe he has turned over the reigns on the X's & O's to his AC's ....they are complicit in the players' failure to execute well...time should help.

If Botts gets a Mulligan for this year, damn straight I'm passing that down to the Coach who he dealt a compete poop show of a hand too, again.

Meh
Botts supplied another coach a bottom 5 roster, so I can't fully blame Krueger for achieving it.
Nor can I defend his in-game decisions nor his roster utilization...so he takes a hit there for sure.

That said, he's coming back after substantial time away, so rustiness is expected. He does need to improve ther for sure, but I also believe he has turned over the reigns on the X's & O's to his AC's ....they are complicit in the players' failure to execute well...time should help.

If Botts gets a Mulligan for this year, damn straight I'm passing that down to the Coach who he dealt a compete poop show of a hand too, again.
- IonSabres

Botts gets a mulligan every year.

Botts gets a mulligan every year.
- PrinceChill

It’s halfway through his 3rd season, which is pacing for 10 more points than the previous season. And with the weak second half schedule I bet we easily get to 88-90 points

Why do people talk like he’s been here for 5+ years already?

I'll be accused of 20/20 I'm sure, but honestly going into the season, my thoughts were...
- ERod's $2m Arb Award was a death knell for him here
- Tage is as close to a bust as Nylander was, can't get rid if him fast enough
- Sobotka was a 15th forward
- Mitts was a hopeful Top 9, hopefully he can reconstruct his game over the next 18 months

Mojo is a 3rd line LW, a really good one who can drive that line, not a 2C. I was open to him playing up, as I really hadn't focused on him..casually, I was very happy with the signing as a 3LW/RW

No matter which lense one looks through, JB failed miserably in building a roster to compete for a PO spot. 82-84 points is what I projected in Sept...that might be spot on or a wee bit strong.
- IonSabres

Ion - good post
-Erod - death blow or not - who expected less than 10 goals 30 points. I would have let him walk. He had 9 and 30 last year or close?
-Tage isnt near nylander territory. He played and struggled in the nhl not struggling in the ahl like nylander
-Sobatka is a top 12 nhl forward. Another proven 10 goal 30 point defensive forward
- I had top 9 Hope's for Casey. Definitely 3c- that's on me
-mojo- good veteran 6/7 type forward with experience and regular multi 40 point player.
Vesey - (3) 17 goal seasons. Who would expect less?

Add in some new coaching and injuries, I'm just not seeing the panic around here

It’s halfway through his 3rd season, which is pacing for 10 more points than the previous season. And with the weak second half schedule I bet we easily get to 88-90 points

Why do people talk like he’s been here for 5+ years already?
- sbroads24

Especially with the mess left behind.

We hit 90 points. That's a successful season. Bitts and krueger should be applauded.

Burned off bogo, sobatka and another year of okposo
Scandella - He gone

Preds Fire Laviolette


Why couldn't they have done this sooner for the Sabres sake.
- SABRES 89

Move Ralph upstairs. Hire Lavi...

Leafs looking good !!

It’s halfway through his 3rd season, which is pacing for 10 more points than the previous season. And with the weak second half schedule I bet we easily get to 88-90 points

Why do people talk like he’s been here for 5+ years already?
- sbroads24

Kaiser warning - rambling below, move along.-->

2016-2017 = 78 pts.
---------------------------------------------
2017-2018 = 62 pts, -20.5% compared to '16-'17
2018-2019 = 76 pts, -02.6% compared to '16-'17
2019-2020 = on pace for 86 pts, +10.3% compared to '16-'17

That doesn't exactly make anyone want to exclaim "Jason (frank)ING Botterill" lol.
I believe he tied his fortunes to the roster reconstruction he will do in the 2020 offseason, so the real work comes next and he should be able to build a serious playoff team/contender...we have to keep that in mind. Personally, I want to see him do it, and believe he can, yet I am somewhat nervous about him actually pulling it off.

That said, I also believe he should have and could have upgraded the 4- 7,8 spots much more than he did. Nobody has any proof on either side, but I have questions on his valuation of Sabres players, which holds him back from deals that could help long term (like it needs to be said, but who the F would go short-term with this roster), but it is my opinion.

I just don't fully trust him to nail it anymore.

Kaiser warning - rambling below, move along.-->

2016-2017 = 78 pts.
---------------------------------------------
2017-2018 = 62 pts, -20.5% compared to '16-'17
2018-2019 = 76 pts, -02.6% compared to '16-'17
2019-2020 = on pace for 86 pts, +10.3% compared to '16-'17

That doesn't exactly make anyone want to exclaim "Jason (frank)ING Botterill" lol.
I believe he tied his fortunes to the roster reconstruction he will do in the 2020 offseason, so the real work comes next and he should be able to build a serious playoff team/contender...we have to keep that in mind. Personally, I want to see him do it, and believe he can, yet I am somewhat nervous about him actually pulling it off.

That said, I also believe he should have and could have upgraded the 4- 7,8 spots much more than he did. Nobody has any proof on either side, but I have questions on his valuation of Sabres players, which holds him back from deals that could help long term (like it needs to be said, but who the F would go short-term with this roster), but it is my opinion.

I just don't fully trust him to nail it anymore.
- IonSabres

This performs the analysis I thought was more appropriate when I red Broads post. Its more proper to evaluate his performance across his entire tenure, not just a single year.

It is also not anywhere near your longest post in the last 3 or 4 days.

Your warning would have fit better on 5 or 6 other doozies

Thought so.
- joevthree

So you expected him to go 21 games before he scored a goal, and 43 games into the season to only have 5. Yeah Ok

Preds Fire Laviolette


Why couldn't they have done this sooner for the Sabres sake.
- SABRES 89

fire kruger now or promote him and hire laviolette

The Epic thread blog is very large.
- dadeadhead

There are ones 10x bigger than the epic thread. Things I Hate for one is at 2081. Epic is 203.
- Wetbandit1

so much better content in the epic blog

fire kruger now or promote him and hire laviolette
- homiedclown

#bookmarked

#bookmarked
- Der Kaiser

fire kruger now or promote him and hire laviolette
- homiedclown

Promote and hire... let Ralph run the show! Kim can play marketing... the only issue I have is... lavi has won a cup, hasn’t he?!?

- homiedclown

700,000 for Kovalchuck, guess Botterill was making popcorn.