Well that’s what you get for trading ROR
But sure, he’d be “easy to replace”
And Tage will be a 25 goal scorer (still waiting)

But but but ROR Is a guy u can’t win with
Yeah... right...

Good call all you fans who supposedly could’ve done a better job 🤣🤣🤣
Tell me more about replacing him with Turris,
and trading for overpriced declining Vets like
Subban & Kessel

This isn’t a shot at specifically you Homie
Just everyone on here that can’t stop b!tching & acts like they know better
- jdfitz77

We have drafted Mittelstadt and Cozens in back To back seasons. That was Botts going about finding his long term 2C. There is a chance we might even address it again this year depending on how the chips fall.

There is no excuse for not making a trade for a veteran though this offseason though.

well for that to happen you need to

A have a second line center
B have a second line RW
C have a third line center to go with johansson and kahun
D find that 3rd LD
E find a goalie to play 40 or so games at least, Ullmark is fine for a 1B
F figure out special teams


I still say the best thing right now, trade risto for picks/prospects
trade montour for picks/prospects
grab hoffman or craig smith and pietrangelo in free agent
if you can't get a LD in trade sign Dillion
sign markstrom or greiss

bury hutton if you cant move him
let girgens walk, keep larsson



Skinner-Eichel-Olofsson
Hoffman-Cozens-Reinhart
Kahun-Casey-Johansson
Asplund/CJ Smith-Larsson-Okposo
Lazar

or
Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Cozens-Smith
Kahun-Casey-Johansson
Asplund/CJ Smith-Larsson-Okposo
Lazar

Dahlin-Pietrangelo
Dillon-Joker
McCabe-Miller

Markstrm/Ullmark or Ullmark/Greiss
- homiedclown

Agreed with ALL of the bold
That’s the checklist

Some interesting ideas on how to fill the slots
Does the Cap work on those 2 lineups u suggest?

I've generally supported JB and his philosophy of slowly rebuilding the system. I haven't loved every move, but it's easy to see the direction. Now the real commitments start, at the worst time imaginable. If Montour + Skinner are the big additions from the last few years, he overpays Sam, Montour, VO, and Ullmark, and Risto is back logging #1 minutes, then I have a problem. It's just not a core that you win with. Many of them have padded stats from playing too high in the lineup, too many minutes, and PP time. We've been buying high and selling low at every turn.
- Lunaion

Anyone expecting much more than qualifying/extending RFAs, giving spots to Tage, Mitts and Cozens and adding a couple "middle 6" (read: third liners) this summer (fall) is asking for the same charlie brown pull-the-football treatment as last year when we assumed change had to come. When Botterill mentions Tage, Mitts and Cozens numerous times in his end of year conference: listen. That's his plan.

You can control killing yourself, you can’t control a virus killing you.

Suicide is selfish, all of the families have to live with that forever.
- Pegullaville

Yes, suicide also kills your friends and family.. but that is a very simple way of looking at it. Diseases of despair are real.

We will probably be seeing a lot of cancer patients passing, or have passed, as well, unable to get the treatment they needed because of this.

Agreed with ALL of the bold
That’s the checklist

Some interesting ideas on how to fill the slots
Does the Cap work on those 2 lineups u suggest?
- jdfitz77

There's no way in hell I can seriously tell myself I'm fielding a playoff ready, competitive team next season with Cozens and Mittelstadt as the 2nd and 3rd line centers. No way.

We have drafted Mittelstadt and Cozens in back To back seasons. That was Botts going about finding his long term 2C. There is a chance we might even address it again this year depending on how the chips fall.

There is no excuse for not making a trade for a veteran though this offseason though.
- Pegullaville

Have there been any developments on the compliance buyout? Is that happening?

Could very well be. NHLPA won't be happy
- Michael Pachla

They'll be too busy realizing they lost their escrow.

We have drafted Mittelstadt and Cozens in back To back seasons. That was Botts going about finding his long term 2C. There is a chance we might even address it again this year depending on how the chips fall.

There is no excuse for not making a trade for a veteran though this offseason though.
- Pegullaville

I’m not by any means saying Botts has done a
“great” job- HE HASN’T

He’s obviously on the hot seat here
I’ve seen ppl say they hope he doesn’t act drastically to try & save his job
I’ve seen ppl say the want him to act drastically for 2 years now

I think if Mitts finally breaks through this year, then this team is significantly better
Obviously a legit 2C is the elephant in the room sized hole that is really hurting us

Botts plan has been to stopgap till he was “ready”
Obviously didn’t think it would take this long...
NO ONE DID
Not fans, not experts that had him listed as the #2 prospect not in the NHL & a 1C caliber player,
No one expected this from Mitts
And now we are at the point where most don’t have any faith in Mitts ever being that 2C

The smart thing Botts did though,
was double down on the position by drafting Cozens
So if Mitts doesn’t work out, hopefully he does

But i agree (i think we all do) that Botts has run out of time to “fix” the position

The options are:
1- Mittelstadt finally being ready- big question
2- Cozens being ready- iffy proposition
3- Bringing in another “stop gap” type- ugh
4- Trading the assets needed to get a legit 2C

Botts plan all along was to wait for option 1 or 2,
but now that he’s on the hot seat...
can he afford to stick with his plan?
Or does he (very likely) overpay to get us a 2C?
He’s probably gonna have to move our 1st this year to do so
Idk if that’s the right move or not?
I suppose it depends on who he gets

There's no way in hell I can seriously tell myself I'm fielding a playoff ready, competitive team next season with Cozens and Mittelstadt as the 2nd and 3rd line centers. No way.
- kingcong39

There isn’t. I still think Cozens should start on the wing also but that’s just me.

Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner_____-Cozens
Mojo/___-Mojo/____-Kahun
____-Larsson-Okposo

We either need a 2C and 3C or a 2C and 3LW depending on where you see Mojo.

Only UFA I would bring back is Larsson. If he leaves you’ll need a 2/3 of a 4th line also.

"Buffalo has a bright future"

Anybody else sick of hearing that (frank)ing poop?

I’m not by any means saying Botts has done a
“great” job- HE HASN’T

He’s obviously on the hot seat here
I’ve seen ppl say they hope he doesn’t act drastically to try & save his job
I’ve seen ppl say the want him to act drastically for 2 years now

I think if Mitts finally breaks through this year, then this team is significantly better
Obviously a legit 2C is the elephant in the room sized hole that is really hurting us

Botts plan has been to stopgap till he was “ready”
Obviously didn’t think it would take this long...
NO ONE DID
Not fans, not experts that had him listed as the #2 prospect not in the NHL & a 1C caliber player,
No one expected this from Mitts
And now we are at the point where most don’t have any faith in Mitts ever being that 2C

The smart thing Botts did though,
was double down on the position by drafting Cozens
So if Mitts doesn’t work out, hopefully he does

But i agree (i think we all do) that Botts has run out of time to “fix” the position

The options are:
1- Mittelstadt finally being ready- big question
2- Cozens being ready- iffy proposition
3- Bringing in another “stop gap” type- ugh
4- Trading the assets needed to get a legit 2C

Botts plan all along was to wait for option 1 or 2,
but now that he’s on the hot seat...
can he afford to stick with his plan?
Or does he (very likely) overpay to get us a 2C?
He’s probably gonna have to move our 1st this year to do so
Idk if that’s the right move or not?
I suppose it depends on who he gets
- jdfitz77

I think Mittelstadt and Thompson will carve out middle 6 roles in the NHL eventually but if one or both need to be moved, now is the time to do it.

Mittelstadt, Thomson, Risto, Montour, 2021 first rounder should all be on the table right now to acquire a Center that can hold his own as a 2C and eventually shift to 3C or to the wing when/if Cozens is ready.

Anyone expecting much more than qualifying/extending RFAs, giving spots to Tage, Mitts and Cozens and adding a couple "middle 6" (read: third liners) this summer (fall) is asking for the same charlie brown pull-the-football treatment as last year when we assumed change had to come. When Botterill mentions Tage, Mitts and Cozens numerous times in his end of year conference: listen. That's his plan.
- jcragcrumple

That's basically what I'm fearing. I'm more concerned about the core of this team, and those contracts, than how the roster is filled out. Those are the moves that we're saddled with long term. Sam's situation has been beaten to death (not quite as bad as RoR, but getting close). Ullmark and Montour both have arb rights and are 1 year from UFA. Have fun with those deals!

I think Mittelstadt and Thompson will carve out middle 6 roles in the NHL eventually but if one or both need to be moved, now is the time to do it.

Mittelstadt, Thomson, Risto, Montour, 2021 first rounder should all be on the table right now to acquire a Center that can hold his own as a 2C and eventually shift to 3C or to the wing when/if Cozens is ready.
- Pegullaville

If the Sabres drop a spot or more in the 2020 draft, they should strongly consider using that as currency for the center their looking for.

That's basically what I'm fearing. I'm more concerned about the core of this team, and those contracts, than how the roster is filled out. Those are the moves that we're saddled with long term. Sam's situation has been beaten to death (not quite as bad as RoR, but getting close). Ullmark and Montour both have arb rights and are 1 year from UFA. Have fun with those deals!
- Lunaion

ROR at 7.5m is an excellent contract that gets better with every passing year

That's basically what I'm fearing. I'm more concerned about the core of this team, and those contracts, than how the roster is filled out. Those are the moves that we're saddled with long term. Sam's situation has been beaten to death (not quite as bad as RoR, but getting close). Ullmark and Montour both have arb rights and are 1 year from UFA. Have fun with those deals!
- Lunaion

What the hell do you do there with a 26 year old RFA after he spent time at literally every position except center this year?

ROR at 7.5m is an excellent contract that gets better with every passing year
- Michael Pachla

No, his back is shot and his out-of-wedlock son is named after a liquor.

The ROR flamewars were peak HB. Those were the salad days

What the hell do you do there with a 26 year old RFA after he spent time at literally every position except center this year?
- jcragcrumple

He has every reason to file for arb, play out the season, and hit UFA.

lol tampa sucks got to west palm beach that's where i live in the off season

tampa has weird weather it gets cold and it rains

edit : the times i went it was cold for like 3 days
- gerbe75pts

Really? No one touched this one yet?

Bro, your whole life is an offseason.

[quote=homiedclown]well for that to happen you need to

A have a second line center
B have a second line RW
C have a third line center to go with johansson and kahun
D find that 3rd LD
E find a goalie to play 40 or so games at least, Ullmark is fine for a 1B
F figure out special teams


I still say the best thing right now, trade risto for picks/prospects
trade montour for picks/prospects
grab hoffman or craig smith and pietrangelo in free agent
if you can't get a LD in trade sign Dillion
sign markstrom or greiss

bury hutton if you cant move him
let girgens walk, keep larsson



Skinner-Eichel-Olofsson
Hoffman-Cozens-Reinhart
Kahun-Casey-Johansson
Asplund/CJ Smith-Larsson-Okposo
Lazar

or
Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Cozens-Smith
Kahun-Casey-Johansson
Asplund/CJ Smith-Larsson-Okposo
Lazar

Dahlin-Pietrangelo
Dillon-Joker
McCabe-Miller

Pietrangelo won’t be in Buffalo cause ROR has filled his head with bad vibes. It won’t happen
Hutton may be traded cause there is a market for him. He won’t be buried.
The time is now for Ullmark. Sh!t or get off the pot for him. The plan was for him to be number one not a 1A. Or B. If he craps the bed they will trade for a number one not a 1B
A 2c with experience won’t be easy to bring in. All this talk about trading the overflow of good defence won’t happen unless the pot is sweetened with picks and/or prospects. Let’s face it, there is not exactly a line up of GMs trying to pry a defenceman away
Botts has made some good moves to this point and staying patient may be his only option and best move for a while. Some prospects need to be slotted in to see if they are in or out. There are a few that are in that position. It may be nothing happens until after the start of next season.

Agreed with ALL of the bold
That’s the checklist

Some interesting ideas on how to fill the slots
Does the Cap work on those 2 lineups u suggest?
- jdfitz77

if you got picks/prospects for players going out

and let girgs walk, and got larry on the cheap it would be close

a lot depends on what skunk, kahun and olofsson cost

Lot of Botts defenders on here. I make my point clear on how bad Botts is. Was one if the first and probably most vocal. Small group rush to his defense though so the “arguable” was just thrown in there to prevent the exhaustive responses
- Fattony1187

I was a Jason Botterill Defender.

Spot on Tony.

Hope he doesnt make any serious long term deals this offseason

I think I would do it, but it's not a certainty.

Eichel, Point, and Dahlin at $30M combined annually against the cap: is that a good enough core to win a cup? I'm not certain it is.

He plays with Kucherov. How much is Point and how much is Kucherov?

Also, Point could easily want $11M or even more on his next deal, based on where league finances will be after the next 2 years.
- kingcong39

I do think that’s a great 1-2-3 core
And if we sign Dahlin long term after next season,
idk that he’s costing $10mil
He’d have to take quite a leap forward to get into that territory

There's no way in hell I can seriously tell myself I'm fielding a playoff ready, competitive team next season with Cozens and Mittelstadt as the 2nd and 3rd line centers. No way.
- kingcong39

Would be good to (at the least) bring in a Bonino, Henrique, etc type

"Buffalo has a bright future"

Anybody else sick of hearing that (frank)ing poop?
- feetontheair22

Jets fans from what i hear 😂😂😂

There isn’t. I still think Cozens should start on the wing also but that’s just me.

Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner_____-Cozens
Mojo/___-Mojo/____-Kahun
____-Larsson-Okposo

We either need a 2C and 3C or a 2C and 3LW depending on where you see Mojo.

Only UFA I would bring back is Larsson. If he leaves you’ll need a 2/3 of a 4th line also.
- Pegullaville

Looks fairly accurate
I could also see a line3 with Cozens or Mitts (i know, i know) at Center