Jbot So Far

[GASabresIUFAN]

Jbot has now been our GM through almost one full cycle.

 

He has experienced one off-season, one expansion draft, one amateur draft, one deadline and almost a complete season.

 

He hired new scouts, new managers(Sexton) and new coaches. Had a 10 player roster turnover to start the season, including a significant hockey trade and then demoted a former star, traded away a key piece of the TM rebuild plan, found a cheap roster player, and made headway at creating a winning culture in Roch. Unfortunately all these moves have failed to improve the NHL team, in fact the team has further regressed to tank level performance.

 

So are we still behind him? What do we think of his efforts to date? Is the team moving in the right direction? Is he the right man to fix this failing franchise?

[Weave]

Something like 40% of the roster has his fingerprints on it.  I need to see better next season.

[pi2000]

I like that he's not trading away prospects and picks for middling NHL players.   That will pay off down the road.

[Brawndo]

He was asked if he got into the Karlsson/Pacioretty Sweepstakes, he admits he poked around by he was not willing to move the prospects and picks necessary to acquire them. He mentioned he needs those pieces to build the team properly.

 

I have a feeling if there wasn’t a recent change in the position, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Guhle And the Sabres next two Firsts would be Ottawa Property right now.

[Scottysabres]

Well, we all know Doug Wilson was beh8nd him Monday.

[Ho-Chi-Sock]

When he was hired/at his first presser, the impression I got of Botterill is that he is an accountability-driven exec with high expectations for himself and his colleagues, yet is relatively even-keeled and always willing not to gamble away the long term greater good for a shorter gain. I haven't seen anything since then to make me think otherwise, and for that I'm thankful especially after the tirefire this last administration ended up being.

 

Let's face it, we didn't realize it at the time, but he got a job about as desirable as GM of the Detroit Lions after Matt Millen, or GM of the Cleveland Browns anytime after 1996. Sure he can shape the team according to his vision, but he has to first clean up the other guy's mess first. And this team wasn't the fixer upper most of us thought....this is a HUD gut job in a slowly gentrifying neighborhood. I apologize for the metaphor abuse, but what I'm trying to say is that we're not going to know how good of a talent evaluator he is for a couple of years out. I believe in his vision of draft and develop from within, the trouble is that in the NHL that means the farm teams are going to benefit first, hopefully some trickle up into the big club along with acquiring some productive JAGs. It's going to require a lot of patience, just hope it's worth it in the long run.

 

TL;DR get back to me in 3-5 years.

[WildCard]

He was asked if he got into the Karlsson/Pacioretty Sweepstakes, he admits he poked around by he was not willing to move the prospects and picks necessary to acquire them. He mentioned he needs those pieces to build the team properly.

 

I have a feeling if there wasn’t a recent change in the position, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Guhle And the Sabres next two Firsts would be Ottawa Property right now.

Interesting, didn't know that, thanks for posting this. When did he say that?

 

And I have a feeling you'd be right

[Brawndo]

He was on with the Instigators from 11:00 to 11:25 today.

[dudacek]

His coaching hire is TBD.

Scouting overhaul TBD

First draft TBD.

First trade early mild fail

First expansion draft mild success

Second trade early success

First UFA season mild fail

First RFA season TBD

Rochester overhaul mild success

In season tinkering (basically Wilson and Nolan for Moulson and DLo) mild success

First trade deadline TBD

First season results failure

Salary cap management TBD

Culture change TBD

 

Pretty hard to judge a guy after 10 months. I think we all knew his style was going to be about incremental improvement

Edited February 28, 2018 by Mick O’Manly

[PerreaultForever]

Something like 40% of the roster has his fingerprints on it.  I need to see better next season.

I agree it has to be better next season but the upper end of the team isn't his. Most of his changes (except for Scandella) are 3rd and 4th liners. It's only now that we realize fully how bad Murray's drafting was. We will have to wait a few years to really know on Botterill. If he moves some so called core guys like O'Reilly maybe we can then judge him on what he gets back for that along with the results. Until then, too soon to say.

[GASabresIUFAN]

His coaching hire is TBD.

Scouting overhaul TBD

First draft TBD.

First trade early mild fail

First expansion draft mild success

Second trade early success

First UFA season mild fail

First RFA season TBD

Rochester overhaul mild success

In season tinkering (basically Wilson and Nolan for Moulson and DLo) mild success

First trade deadline TBD

First season results failure

Salary cap management TBD

Culture change TBD

 

Pretty hard to judge a guy after 10 months. I think we all knew his style was going to be about incremental improvement

I don't think I'm going to be as kind as you are and give as many incomplete grades, although I understand the reason behind them.  Also let me emphasize that I am still a supporter of Jbot and believe in his plan for the Sabres. 

 

Grades:  First Off-season  

1) Coaching:  I'm not going to say Wowie is a failure, but so far the returns aren't very good.  60+ games into the season and the team is only marginally better and still miles worse then the team we fielded last year.  Goals against are up significantly while scoring remains at the same lousy level as last season.  yes the roster has major holes, but the coaching hasn't really made a positive impact anywhere.  Grade D (NHL only)

 

First 20 games 5-11-4 = 14 pts

next 20 games 5-10-5 = 15 pts

3rd 20 games 7-11-2 = 16 pts

 

I was hoping for a steeper improvement curve as the season went along

 

2) The Draft:  Mittelstadt was a gift of a lifetime, Davidsson looks like a future player and the rest. Meh! Grade C;  

3) Front office signings:  Sexton has had a positive impact on the Amerks and we probably won't see the full impact of the new scouts until the next draft.  Grade A for Sexton, incomplete for everyone else.

4) NHL player acquisition: The Baloo deal looks like a fail (but it was worth the try, the Scandella deal looks mostly positive.  FAs/waiver pickups like Josefson and Nolan have made very little positive impact. Johnson has been mostly lousy.  Pouliot has been the best of the summer UFAs and he has often found himself in the Wowie doghouse.  Jbot and Sexton did a very good job of adding decent depth to the organization with the signing of guys like Tennyson, Griffith, Criscuolo and adding Percy and Redmond.  Again a C+

5) Expansion draft:  Losing Carrier to insure we keep Ullmark after losing out on Peterson was well played by Jbot.  B because of Baloo trade isn't exactly working.

6) Roster construction and cap:  His roster construction, heavily weighted with TM ballast has been a failure of the bottom 6 and mediocre D play by all players including Risto and Scandella.  We are still getting out from under TM's $80 mill lousy team, but Jbot has created cap space for next season despite re-signing Jack to his huge deal.  However, we still have to find away out from under Moulson and Bogo's contracts.

 

In season moves

Dumping Moulson and adding Wilson for a 5th was an excellent decision that paid immediate dividend and now with injuries to Jack, Wilson is blossoming.  I think more work should have been done, but I like what was done.  B-

The Trade Deadline:  Kane deal on paper right now is an F.  That said if we somehow get lucky with the the 3 assets it may work out in the end, but don't anyone hold your breath.

 

Overall I grade the Sabres first year under Jbot a "D"  The team is substantially worse then last year and the on ice failure is to much to overcome to even get a passing grade.

Edited February 28, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[GoPuckYourself]

With only 10 months on the job it's not enough for me to go by, I'd like to see what he can do next season but you can tell he's really got an eye for our AHL team which is a great start, fixing up the prospects mess down there and adding guys that will be able to transition, weed out the ones who can't. I loved the Scandella pick, I'm really hoping we land either Dahlin or Svechnikov in the draft, anything other than those 2 after this season would be total BS but Bettman already makes a shitload off the Buffalo area regardless if we blow or not so I'm sure we'll get over in the rigged lottery. I think we should go after D Alexei Emelin (Nashville) and LW James Van Reimsdyk both are FA. JVR speed would be much welcomed, Emelin has familiarity in Housley's system. Resign G Chad Johnson, F C.J Smith and Wilson, Trade Lehner at the draft to free up cap space.

[LTS]

I’m totally fine with things right now. Mostly it’s far too soon to expect more. He came in and said Murray did no favors for the team.

 

The Kane situation aside, I think if the right draft picks were there he might have moved some of the RFA/UFA players. But if you weigh keeping them versus pulling up all the Rochester players that would be required it’s probably preferable to keep them in Rochester and keep the UFAs.

 

I would have liked more winning this year, but the team has improved even if it doesn’t show in the scoring and win column.

 

Lately they’ve shown that even with clearly inferior talent they can play a competitive game against some of the best teams in the NHL. I look forward to the improved talent slotting in.

[PerreaultForever]

I’m totally fine with things right now. Mostly it’s far too soon to expect more. He came in and said Murray did no favors for the team.

 

I don't disagree, but that Murray critique (which might be true) is the thing to say to make sure the bar is set low for yourself. It's just smart politics. 

[LTS]

I don't disagree, but that Murray critique (which might be true) is the thing to say to make sure the bar is set low for yourself. It's just smart politics. 

 

Of course.  One of the other things is that Murray was technically hired by LaFontaine and that entire situation went stupid fast.  It might have been that Murray was tasked by his owner to try and win NOW and in which case he made the moves to try and make that happen.  It's really hard to say how much he enjoyed the entire ownership situation with the Sabres as the whole environment changed around him as soon as he was hired.  That said, he had a GM job so it's not like he wanted to just up and walk away from that either right?  

 

In some way I think we can pin two years of crap on the entire mishandling of the LaFontaine situation.  It was clear Pegula was (and still is) learning how to operate a professional franchise (in multiple sports).  It does appear that he might be starting to get it with both organizations but one year with each is hardly enough to say for certain.

[Swedesessed]

Incomplete grade, but based on what his vision is, I still approve of JBot.

 

I really think we have a great GM in the making here, patience is going to be key for us fans and the Pegulas.

Of course.  One of the other things is that Murray was technically hired by LaFontaine and that entire situation went stupid fast.  It might have been that Murray was tasked by his owner to try and win NOW and in which case he made the moves to try and make that happen.  It's really hard to say how much he enjoyed the entire ownership situation with the Sabres as the whole environment changed around him as soon as he was hired.  That said, he had a GM job so it's not like he wanted to just up and walk away from that either right?  

 

In some way I think we can pin two years of crap on the entire mishandling of the LaFontaine situation.  It was clear Pegula was (and still is) learning how to operate a professional franchise (in multiple sports).  It does appear that he might be starting to get it with both organizations but one year with each is hardly enough to say for certain.

 

 

I do agree, the last two hires by the Pegulas do suggest that maybe they are starting to get it, and maybe keep weasels like Russ Brandon out of these decisions and have him stick with financials.

 

Biggest mistake that was made: When we drafted Eichel, we needed to tank AGAIN. Sadly. Imagine if this team would have landed Laine or Matthews.

[Jsixspd]

IF he is good, we need to give him a chance.  The worst thing would be Pegula pulling the plug too soon (thinking of Haslam canning the Browns GM Sashi Brown in a widely ridiculed and criticized move) 

I don't like it - but I can (grudgingly) accept  Housley and Botterill writing off the entire 2017-18 season as part of their plan, although I think more could have been done to put a better (maybe not playoff grade, but BETTER) product on ice this season than last.   I worry the complacency, and "we've got time" attitude in the front office could further reinforce the losing culture that's clearly present in this team.   

However grading needs to start THIS fall on both those guys.  If the on ice product isn't GREATLY improved in October/November of  this year (90-92 pt season)   Botterill needs to face some hard questions.   C'mon - decent teams have been built from scratch in 2 years -  another cellar-dweller Sabres season will have me thinking "Great - another Pegula hiring failure".