I mean it's his watch


if your 4 year old child sneaks out of the house the babysitter gets part of the blame, right?

It's not all on the parents
- homiedclown

Comparing a four year olds behavior to an adults ability to produce in the NHL? I mean I know he looks like he's four but that's about as close as it gets.

Yikes. So a guy struggles, playing all over the lineup and it's half the coaches fault. Come on.
- TheSabresTaco

all over?


when did he play with sam, skinner, olofsson, eichel or johansson?

when did he get a chance for top time pp?


I mean he was literally buried on the bottom all season long and the coach did not make him any better 30 plus games, or 3 months later

Comparing a four year olds behavior to an adults ability to produce in the NHL? I mean I know he looks like he's four but that's about as close as it gets.
- TheSabresTaco

the blame goes both ways, which was my point

it's not like I compared it to spouse abuse

That's not very specific
- jcragcrumple

how much did casey improve under kruger's teaching the last 90 days as a sabre?



it was his watch



how was the results?

all over?


when did he play with sam, skinner, olofsson, eichel or johansson?

when did he get a chance for top time pp?


I mean he was literally buried on the bottom all season long and the coach did not make him any better 30 plus games, or 3 months later
- homiedclown

1st line was a no-fly zone. That was never going to happen. And you couldn't have him at 2C. Teams on the road tried to pick his line apart when they were on the ice. The other teams could smell blood.

They dont want him as a winger. Krueger said on the radio a couple weeks ago that the organization sees him long term as a center.

That left him as a 4C who cant play defense which is pretty much useless. The only thing that could have saved his job is if we had been in more shootouts and he kept scoring. But we weren't

1st line was a no-fly zone. That was never going to happen. And you couldn't have him at 2C. Teams on the road tried to pick his line apart when they were on the ice. The other teams could smell blood.

They dont want him as a winger. Krueger said on the radio a couple weeks ago that the organization sees him long term as a center.

That left him as a 4C who cant play defense which is pretty much useless. The only thing that could have saved his job is if we had been in more shootouts and he kept scoring. But we weren't
- jcragcrumple

and how much better was he 90 days later under kruger?

and how much better was he 90 days later under kruger?
- homiedclown

He was a little better defensively. He was on pace to be a -12 instead of a -19 from last year. He was also on pace for 22 points over 77 games instead of his 25 from last year. And that's what Krueger has said time and again. Guys have to buy in defensively and the offense will come. If he was still on pace for a -12, maybe he wasnt buying in defensively.

He might not have a translatable offensive skill that allows him to succeed at the NHL level. In high school and college, that was ragging the puck in the offensive zone.

He might not be skilled enough to do that against NHLers, and he's not going to have a career at all if he can't sort out his play in his own end. Ditto for Tage against the machine

He's a 20yr old kid who is having trouble adjusting, it isn't like it hasn't happened before, probably never had to play much defense cause he was always the best offensive player on the team. That's the unfortunate part about drafting these kids so young, you just never know.

- homiedclown

Now, when he says "ATM"....

*

The entire history of Casey Mittelstadt as a sabre was botched from day 1 by the GM. Krueger deserves 0 blame for that debacle
- jcragcrumple

How can you say 0% of mitts can be blamed on krueger?

That's inaccurate.

Maybe the management team rushed Casey the past 2 years, but he showed flashes. Under Krueger- nothing.

He is a fault for not getting more out of his player.
That's one of the coaches jobs. Motivation

How can you say 0% of mitts can be blamed on krueger?

That's inaccurate.

Maybe the management team rushed Casey the past 2 years, but he showed flashes. Under Krueger- nothing.

He is a fault for not getting more out of his player.
That's one of the coaches jobs. Motivation
- Boss34

finally someone gets it

Now, when he says "ATM"....
- Powerslave

- homiedclown

I'd like to make a deposit

You people are clueless, you don't put Skinner on the 2nd or 3rd line, he belongs on the top line .

I'd like to make a deposit
- Powerslave

low 80's all week next week down here

How can you say 0% of mitts can be blamed on krueger?

That's inaccurate.

Maybe the management team rushed Casey the past 2 years, but he showed flashes. Under Krueger- nothing.

He is a fault for not getting more out of his player.
That's one of the coaches jobs. Motivation
- Boss34

Some take longer to reach, motivate, whatever, though.

Some players just don't EVER get it.

I'm not absolving Ralph from all blame, but the kid should have been in the AHL at the start of the first full year.

The funny thing is, you watched him in college and at the world level, and he's confident and dogged on the puck. If he lost the puck, he'd stop on a dime and go try to get it back. Up here, I see NONE of that? Is that bad coaching? Somehow, I'm not laying all blame at Ralph's feet for that. Poor effort is not bad coaching.

You people are clueless, you don't put Skinner on the 2nd or 3rd line, he belongs on the top line .
- SABRES 89

How can you say 0% of mitts can be blamed on krueger?

That's inaccurate.

Maybe the management team rushed Casey the past 2 years, but he showed flashes. Under Krueger- nothing.

He is a fault for not getting more out of his player.
That's one of the coaches jobs. Motivation
- Boss34

I dont think motivation is the issue. I'd say it's an inability to transfer what made him successful at lower levels, coupled with below-average defensive acumen.

He has a lot of work to do to prove he's a legit NHLer, and ralph will have nothing to do with it for the foreseeable future in Rochester

Vesey is literally three goals below his best statistical season’s pace(last year). He has five now and could have been expected to have 8 instead. His assists are right where they are expected to be.

Three goals below expectations over forty games and people are using his drop in production as an excuse for Botts.

Give me a break.

You people are clueless, you don't put Skinner on the 2nd or 3rd line, he belongs on the top line .
- SABRES 89

Playing with eichel only increased his even strength production marginally. He has always been someone who has generated his own offence regardless of who he plays with.

He could have played with Eichel and have 20 goals instead of 12 but Eichel would have 10 goals instead of 26.

Vesey is literally three goals below his best statistical season’s pace(last year). He has five now and could have been expected to have 8 instead. His assists are right where they are expected to be.

Three goals below expectations over forty games and people are using his drop in production as an excuse for Botts.

Give me a break.
- Beethoven

He was brought in to score even strength goals in a depth role. We would not be talking about Vesey right now if we had a functioning 2nd line.

Eichel is ten goals ahead of expectations. Olofsson’s production is all bonus. But we all focus on the ten or so goals that Skinner and Vesey were expected to score.

Some players play above expectations, some play below. Injuries happen and are to be expected.

Stop using this as an excuse. It’s Botts roster. He built it and is ultimately responsible for its success or lack there of. It’s his team, he is responsible.

He should be able to see ahead that wingers playing with poor centers aren’t going to produce at the same rate they did with competent centers.

Eichel is ten goals ahead of expectations. Olofsson’s production is all bonus. But we all focus on the ten or so goals that Skinner and Vesey were expected to score.

Some players play above expectations, some play below. Injuries happen and are to be expected.

Stop using this as an excuse. It’s Botts roster. He built it and is ultimately responsible for its success or lack there of. It’s his team, he is responsible.

He should be able to see ahead that wingers playing with poor centers aren’t going to produce at the same rate they did with competent centers.
- Beethoven

He should, but only if you believe Botterill is a good evaluator of forward talent, which is highly debatable

He should, but only if you believe Botterill is a good evaluator of forward talent, which is highly debatable
- jcragcrumple