I'm scared that someone might feel pressured into moving the pick to speed things up. I think that would be foolish.
- Lunaion

The logical thing would be to make the pick and develop him properly. If the player needs two years, he needs two years however we are better for it long term.

There is a way to speed up this process without harming the development of our prospects and that includes making sound hockey trades and filling the gaps in UFA and spending to the cap.

I don’t think Cozens necessarily needs another year in the WHL but if the decision makers think that’s what’s best who am I to judge.

I honestly think this team has the talent to explode on to the scene next year but we are going to need goaltending that brings us up not pulls us down and we need to add forwards that can at least produce at an average level in our middle 6 so is not a complete crater of nothingness.

Well, they have all the money and resources they want and need - plus

Eichel and Dahlin - Plus

Cozens, Mitts could make the middle strong - plus

The D has a lot of depth - plus

Ukko might be a good goalie of the future, - Plus

Another top draft pick this year - Plus

Lack of top 9 quality forwards - Minus

Forward prospect pipeline lite- Minus

City (some players don't want to play here) - Minus

Not a lot of trade capital - Minus

Last two GM's were fired rather quick - Minus

There are more to add just some things I thought of
- GilPerreault11

Solid post

I would maybe keep (city) part on the down low. I mentioned the city, this morning and have been looking over my shoulder all day for taco.

I agree buffalo is a negative. Although if we were a good team, veterans would be interested in the family positives of wny.

Young guys - beaches and year round golf
Or
Being near your parents in Toronto and good schools

Solid post

I would maybe keep (city) part on the down low. I mentioned the city, this morning and have been looking over my shoulder all day for taco.

I agree buffalo is a negative. Although if we were a good team, veterans would be interested in the family positives of wny.

Young guys - beaches and year round golf
Or
Being near your parents in Toronto and good schools
- Boss34

Well Buffalo seems to be on almost every NTC so we aren't writing fiction

The logical thing would be to make the pick and develop him properly. If the player needs two years, he needs two years however we are better for it long term.

There is a way to speed up this process without harming the development of our prospects and that includes making sound hockey trades and filling the gaps in UFA and spending to the cap.

I don’t think Cozens necessarily needs another year in the WHL but if the decision makers think that’s what’s best who am I to judge.

I honestly think this team has the talent to explode on to the scene next year but we are going to need goaltending that brings us up not pulls us down and we need to add forwards that can at least produce at an average level in our middle 6 so is not a complete crater of nothingness.
- Pegullaville

It doesn't take much of explosion for us to become a version of the Stars.

It doesn't take much of explosion for us to become a version of the Stars.
- Lunaion

I don’t know how Larry feels about being here but it would be smart to resign him. He is one of the best bottom 6 forwards in the entire NHL and I’m not being the least bit sarcastic.

I don’t know how Larry feels about being here but it would be smart to resign him. He is one of the best bottom 6 forwards in the entire NHL and I’m not being the least bit sarcastic.
- Pegullaville

If you want to protect your young C's, you want him back for a couple years. He's tough to project though. He should want to hit UFA, it's in his best interest. It's hard to imagine him just taking a team friendly deal, coming off a 1 year deal that walked him straight to UFA.

Everyone is free to have their own opinion and I completely understand the pessimism and negative energy because we aren’t in a good place right now.

I still think the future is bright, I don’t know if Botts is the guy to lead us out of the abyss but I’m not going to sit here and complain about adding a Dylan Cozens last year and another appealing prospect this year.

We may look back on Botts’ tenure and be appreciative of the fact that although he wasn’t able to get it right, we were hopefully able to build a long term core.

It’s all in the hands of the amateur scouting department and our pro development staff at this point.
- Pegullaville

Good post

If you want to protect your young C's, you want him back for a couple years. He's tough to project though. He should want to hit UFA, it's in his best interest. It's hard to imagine him just taking a team friendly deal, coming off a 1 year deal that walked him straight to UFA.
- Lunaion

Idk who your comparables are,
but i don’t think taking closer to 2mil than the 3mil you bring up is “team friendly”
Not for a guy that’s gonna score less than 25pts

Somewhere around 2mil per seems like fair market value to me

Idk who your comparables are,
but i don’t think taking closer to 2mil than the 3mil you bring up is “team friendly”
Not for a guy that’s gonna score less than 25pts

Somewhere around 2mil per seems like fair market value to me
- jdfitz77

If the Sabres offered him a 2-3yr deal in the $1.8ish per year, it’d probably be in his best interest to take it.

He’s @ 1.55 now, he’s not getting much more than that. He’ll be 28 when the season starts. He is what he is at this point. A pretty good 4th liner that’s probably getting more playing time on a bad team.

Idk who your comparables are,
but i don’t think taking closer to 2mil than the 3mil you bring up is “team friendly”
Not for a guy that’s gonna score less than 25pts

Somewhere around 2mil per seems like fair market value to me
- jdfitz77

Did this with you a few days ago and you're misstating what I said. Not interested in doing it again.

I don't subscribe to the theory that Jason realistically thought he could win. Kahun was a smart play for a pair of walks. He's worth much more than the picks he could have gotten.

Simmonds is a presence that is required for this team, that basically came for free w/ a 20 game tryout.

He did absolutely nothing to suggest that he was 'serious'. These were team building moves, bringing in another middle 6 scorer for the future and a physical, leader presence. The Frolik move was bizarre. The pick is worth more than the player.

All in all, Jason Botterill, over his entire tenure, has failed this franchise. And if our owners had a sack, they'd can him immediately following the season.
- TheSabresTaco

Why wait?

Tage's injury essentially causes a 700k cap hit next year. It's painful to look at.
- Lunaion

Out of curiosity, why?

Did this with you a few days ago and you're misstating what I said. Not interested in doing it again.
- Lunaion

What am i misstating?

U keep bringing up that you don’t think Larsson will take a team friendly deal

U put the $3mil number out there, not me
When i said around $2mil, you said to “say goodbye”

If the Sabres offered him a 2-3yr deal in the $1.8ish per year, it’d probably be in his best interest to take it.

He’s @ 1.55 now, he’s not getting much more than that. He’ll be 28 when the season starts. He is what he is at this point. A pretty good 4th liner that’s probably getting more playing time on a bad team.
- dadeadhead

Makes sense to me
Same with Girgs

I would think it would be a pretty attractive opening.
- Pegullaville

That’s what she said.

Well, they have all the money and resources they want and need - plus

Eichel and Dahlin - Plus

Cozens, Mitts could make the middle strong - plus

The D has a lot of depth - plus

Ukko might be a good goalie of the future, - Plus

Another top draft pick this year - Plus

Lack of top 9 quality forwards - Minus

Forward prospect pipeline lite- Minus

City (some players don't want to play here) - Minus

Not a lot of trade capital - Minus

Last two GM's were fired rather quick - Minus

There are more to add just some things I thought of
- GilPerreault11

There's enough trade Capital to get 2 decent trades done. Go spend a little money on a good 2 or 3 year stop gap goalie.

I don’t know how Larry feels about being here but it would be smart to resign him. He is one of the best bottom 6 forwards in the entire NHL and I’m not being the least bit sarcastic.
- Pegullaville

You gotta bring him back, he is a good piece of the puzzle.

That’s what she said.
- Der Kaiser

Well played

I don't know what to think, does Botts make it through the offseason or not. We can all say what we want and Botts has failed in a few places, 2C, G, but I will say we are finally gonna see what kind of talent evaluator, we are gonna start seeing some of the prospects hitting the system year by year, that will help a lot, won't have to go out and trade for so many stop gaps, it will help money wise to with players on there ELC. I still think this team can be good with 3 or 4 good players added.

they liked murray, housley, whaley nd rex ryan as well
- homiedclown

I don’t know how Larry feels about being here but it would be smart to resign him. He is one of the best bottom 6 forwards in the entire NHL and I’m not being the least bit sarcastic.
- Pegullaville

-opinions are allowed to change-


but here's a guy we all wanted shot into the sun exactly two years ago today.

Someone said earlier that Risto WAS being shopped..


Never was being shopped and isn't being shopped now.
- SABRES 89

Then Botts needs to get fired, if Krueger goes with him fine

Off season plan needs to be hire one of Gallant or Boudreau, trade Risto find an actual center capable of playing on the second line.
Don't trade Eichel or Dahlin
Resign Larsson

-opinions are allowed to change-


but here's a guy we all wanted shot into the sun exactly two years ago today.
- TheSabresTaco

If Okposo wasn't making so much, that's a perfect GLO line to keep.

the lack of effort from this team the last 3 games, does not bold well for Ralph

Then Botts needs to get fired, if Krueger goes with him fine

Off season plan needs to be hire one of Gallant or Boudreau, trade Risto find an actual center capable of playing on the second line.
Don't trade Eichel or Dahlin
Resign Larsson
- mattmoulson

Need to find a good 2 or 3 year stop gap option at goalie, goaltending hurt us this year.