Jbot Do Something Already Part 2

[Jsixspd]

The time to make changes was last off season.  If Botterill has written off the entire off season, and 2017-18 season, as an 'evaluation period' he's not the right GM for this team.   Maybe his best qualification for the job was fitting in with the Pegula culture of committee decisions?


IF any GM could legitimately use this excuse, it's McPhee with the Vegas Knights - brand new everything.  But wait.... they're too busy winning and being competitive, and entertaining their fans,  to 'evaluate'.  

Edited December 2, 2017 by Jsixspd

[Jacque Richard]

Seems like everything they do now isn’t the right moves. Used to be fun to go to games and cheer.. those days are so far removed now

Edited December 2, 2017 by Jacque Richard

[jahnyc]

What i find depressing is the lack of a pipeline of talent in Rochester after the tank.  Other than maybe Guhle, there do not seem to be many prospects that are sure things, which probably means that significant improvement by the Sabres may be years away. I also think the team misses the gritty play of Foligno, although it is hard for me to assess how well Scandella is playing to really make a judgment about this trade.  JBot's other acquisition on defense, Beaulieu, is not playing well.

[PalmTreeMafia]

Here's the way I see it. 29 Sabres have played at least a game this season.

 

13 may still have a future as a Buffalo Sabre: Lehner, Baptiste, Beaulieu, Girgensons, Bailey, Antipin, McCabe, Scandella, Ristolainen, Reinhart, Okposo, Eichel, O'Reilly. I would keep these players in the organization at least through January and give them each a chance to improve their game over the next two months. I don't like selling low, especially when so many of them are playing at a low right now. Re-evaluate in February.

 

Kane is a unique case. If he likes it in Buffalo so much and wants to be a part of our future, then tell him to consider signing here this summer, but trade him ASAP before he gets injured and becomes worthless.

 

The remaining 15 of them are not and should not be considered a part of the team's future beyond this season: Johnson, Criscuolo, Gorges, Moulson, Falk, Bogosian, Tennyson, Redmond, Fedun, Josefson, Griffith, Nolan, Larsson, Pouliot, Pominville. Any of these 15 losers can be sacrificed right now, if they haven't already been. JB needs to trade, cut, and demote from this group and send some sort of message. Yes, I included Pominville. He's having a decent season, but his  veteran leadership sucks - just like it did years ago here - and his $5 million a year contract also sucks.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Here's the way I see it. 29 Sabres have played at least a game this season.

 

13 may still have a future as a Buffalo Sabre: Lehner, Baptiste, Beaulieu, Girgensons, Bailey, Antipin, McCabe, Scandella, Ristolainen, Reinhart, Okposo, Eichel, O'Reilly. I would keep these players in the organization at least through January and give them each a chance to improve their game over the next two months. I don't like selling low, especially when so many of them are playing at a low right now. Re-evaluate in February.

 

Kane is a unique case. If he likes it in Buffalo so much and wants to be a part of our future, then tell him to consider signing here this summer, but trade him ASAP before he gets injured and becomes worthless.

 

The remaining 15 of them are not and should not be considered a part of the team's future beyond this season: Johnson, Criscuolo, Gorges, Moulson, Falk, Bogosian, Tennyson, Redmond, Fedun, Josefson, Griffith, Nolan, Larsson, Pouliot, Pominville. Any of these 15 losers can be sacrificed right now, if they haven't already been. JB needs to trade, cut, and demote from this group and send some sort of message. Yes, I included Pominville. He's having a decent season, but his veteran leadership sucks - just like it did years ago here - and his $5 million a year contract also sucks.

I agree on Kane. Trade him yesterday. It’s our best option for getting a decent return and it’s also the best message that no one is safe from being traded away. I’d demote Moulson tomorrow (I said demote him during training camp). As to most of your list, Tennyson, Griffith, Fedun and Redmond are already gone. They were only signed/acquired for AHL depth/injury callups anyway. Gorges, Josephson and Falk’s contracts expire at year’s end and they will be gone. (None of them played last night anyway).

 

Lehner and Bogo are also as good as gone. jbot can’t go forward with a D who plays just 60% of the time. He’ll be bought out. It saves $4 mill per year for the next two years. Lehner will also be traded by the deadline. Ullmark gets the job next season. Jbot isn’t paying $4 mill per season for mediocre goaltending. The guy can’t stop a breakaway.

 

Pommers also will be back for one more year and then his contract will be up and he’ll be gone.

Edited December 2, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[Sabre1974]

I agree on Kane. Trade him yesterday. It’s our best option for getting a decent return and it’s also the best message that no one is safe from being traded away. I’d demote Moulson tomorrow (I said demote him during training camp). As to most of your list, Tennyson, Griffith, Fedun and Redmond are already gone. They were only signed/acquired for AHL depth/injury callups anyway. Gorges, Josephson and Falk’s contracts expire at year’s end and they will be gone. (None of them played last night anyway).

 

Lehner and Bogo are also as good as gone. jbot can’t go forward with a D who plays just 60% of the time. He’ll be bought out. It saves $4 mill per year for the next two years. Lehner will also be traded by the deadline. Ullmark gets the job next season. Jbot isn’t paying $4 mill per season for mediocre goaltending. The guy can’t stop a breakaway.

 

Pommers also will be back for one more year and then his contract will be up and he’ll be gone.

Just wondering regarding botts and what his plan is for next year, does he hope that Nylander is ready to go into the top 6(although there is still much debate if he is that quality yet?) and the likes of CJ Smith, Rodrigues, Bailey, Fasching are slotted into the bottom 6. This would give our bottom 6 players who have had a full season in Rochester and hopefully if things continue as they have been then a winning one at that. This would hopefully give our 3rd/4th lines a much needed boost and added threat. Also draft time could be interesting if we lose the lottery(Again) do we take Svechnikov and will he be a NHL ready top 6 forward?? Or do we go D??  If we take a dman in the possible Kane trade and Guhle is ready do we go for a forward in the draft??

 

Thoughts??

[GASabresIUFAN]

The plan for next year is to continue to replace veteran overpaid players and hopefully replace sooner then later with young, cheaper, faster and hopefully better players.

 

We are looking at two waves of prospects right now.

Wave 1) Current Amerks: Ullmark, Guhle, Smith, Bailey, Fasching, Nylander and Baptiste. The only two I see for sure in Buffalo next season are Guhle and Ullmark. Nylander is going to have to really dominate for the rest of the season to get a leg up for next year.

Wave 2) Current top prospects: Mittelstud, Asplund, Pu, and Borgen. These guys will all likely be signed this off-season, except Pu who is already under contract. I think all of them start next year in Roch, but depending on their performance, the 3 forwards could all esrn callups or more.

[Rasmus_]

So this means we can waive Jordan Nolan, STAT!

[darksabre]

Why on Earth would they waive Nolan?

[Gramps]

Why on Earth would they waive Nolan?

 

Agreed, they'd be crazy to waive Nolan. At least he comes to play every shift and is a decent banger in the corners.

[Doohicksie]

The time to make changes was last off season.  If Botterill has written off the entire off season, and 2017-18 season, as an 'evaluation period' he's not the right GM for this team.   Maybe his best qualification for the job was fitting in with the Pegula culture of committee decisions?

 

 

IF any GM could legitimately use this excuse, it's McPhee with the Vegas Knights - brand new everything.  But wait.... they're too busy winning and being competitive, and entertaining their fans,  to 'evaluate'.  

 

He did make changes last off season.  The Sabres had 10 new players on the roster opening night.  That's the most change since the team's first season in 1970.

[LGR4GM]

I hear a rumor that JBOT might trade Lehner to an Eastern Conference team but it is unconfirmed at this point. Could be something or complete BS. 

[darksabre]

I hear a rumor that JBOT might trade Lehner to an Eastern Conference team but it is unconfirmed at this point. Could be something or complete BS. 

I posted it in the "anyone but Eichel" thread.

[Crusader1969]

Why on Earth would they waive Nolan?

 

 

I think the Sabres need an "energy" line. Nolan is ok in this role but they need to find 3 guys who will go out and play like their pants are on fire each shift they go out there. Maybe muck it up a bit and get everyone amped up. finding 3 guys who can actually play as well bring energy is not that easy.

 

The Sabres 4th line has been mainly 2 guys, if not all 3, who are sooo terrible that they can't play any further up the line-up.

[Gramps]

I hear a rumor that JBOT might trade Lehner to an Eastern Conference team but it is unconfirmed at this point. Could be something or complete BS. 

 

Maybe Lehner himself started the rumor to get out of town.

[LGR4GM]

Maybe Lehner himself started the rumor to get out of town.

Lol with this team, it somehow wouldn't surprise me

[GASabresIUFAN]

When does he actually do something? Isn’t it time to send another message?

[Thorner]

When does he actually do something? Isn’t it time to send another message?

I feel like 42 games is enough time for him to start making decisions on which players aren’t fitting the system.

[GASabresIUFAN]

20 games was enough with this all time crappy team. This is the worst team in Sabres history. Dean Wormer should have had them on double secret probation.

[bunomatic]

20 games was enough with this all time crappy team. This is the worst team in Sabres history. Dean Wormer should have had them on double secret probation.

Lol. I was just going to say it was apparent at 15 games that things were not good. But half a season is more than enough time for evaluations. Some teams use preseason and camp for that and then get to work.

[Thorner]

Lol. I was just going to say it was apparent at 15 games that things were not good. But half a season is more than enough time for evaluations. Some teams use preseason and camp for that and then get to work.

Winning isn’t important, though. It’s about the players liking each other and the coach. Wouldn’t want the expectation of performing to/for their contracts to be a distraction.

[LGR4GM]

20 games was enough with this all time crappy team. This is the worst team in Sabres history. Dean Wormer should have had them on double secret probation.

I'd blow it up. Just a shameful team with no heart.

[Thorner]

I'd blow it up. Just a shameful team with no heart.

There literally isn’t a single player other than Eichel I’d arduously advocate for keeping.

[Jacque Richard]

Who is gonna want this trash

I'd blow it up. Just a shameful team with no heart.

who is gonna take their salary.

[7+6=13]

There literally isn’t a single player other than Eichel I’d arduously advocate for keeping.

 

I tried to think of someone to talk about and I couldn't.  So disappointing.