Fire Jason Botterill

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I just skimmed the whole thread and see that I have not posted in it.  

I think it was started and active during Ramadan.

Anyway, I think he is really doing a bangup job, as they say in Jolly Ol' England.

[IKnowPhysics]

I started the thread with the ***** title to fish out haters that were knee-jerking to the ROR trade.

As of July, Botts was never going to be fired this past summer or, likely, this year.  And that was solidified with the Skinner trade a month later.  And then poured into concrete with this streak.

At this particular moment, he's looking more like GM of the Year, with potential Jack Adams, President's, Calder, and Richard winners with him.

[Kruppstahl]

2 minutes ago, IKnowPhysics said:

I started the thread with the ***** title to fish out haters that were knee-jerking to the ROR trade.

As of July, Botts was never going to be fired this past summer or, likely, this year.  And that was solidified with the Skinner trade a month later.  And then poured into concrete with this streak.

At this particular moment, he's looking more like GM of the Year, with potential Jack Adams, President's, Calder, and Richard winners with him.

You can say the same things about Phil Housley.  There was a lot of sentiment among fans that he was not the right man for the job.  I said as much myself.  He didn't seem right at all last season, and I didn't like his response after games to a lot of our losses.

And yet now he seems like a high quality, competent coach, that has this team playing excellent hockey on a consistent level.

Last night's game against San Jose was a close to the vest affair, a real chess match, that was kind of boring at time...but it was played on a very high level IMO reminiscent of playoff hockey.

I was greatly impressed with how we consistently did the right things as though it was a playoff game.  The puck went out of the D zone when it should have, it got put in the O zone when it needed to, the forecheck was good, players were picking up Defensive assignments when a D man pinched, and most importantly, players were choosing the correct, safe play, ALL GAME LONG and not doing dumb ass stuff that results in a goal against.

That's why we went toe to toe with a very good team with a ton of experience all game long and even had a 2 goal lead at one point. 

This team has enough talent, even now (it's going to get much better) to hang with a LOT of good teams in this league.

This is why I'm so excited about a playoff appearance.  Get this team in the playoffs and see what happens.  They can go far IMO.

 

 

[Doohicksie]

32 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

He didn't seem right at all last season

I kept saying, hopefully, but not sure if I believed it, that HCPH's plan for last season was not to win, but to develop.  It was an 82 game training camp.  I said it, I hoped it, I doubted it was entirely accurate.  In retrospect I think I nailed it.

[Norcal]

Anyone still believe this? 

[PerreaultForever]

4 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I kept saying, hopefully, but not sure if I believed it, that HCPH's plan for last season was not to win, but to develop.  It was an 82 game training camp.  I said it, I hoped it, I doubted it was entirely accurate.  In retrospect I think I nailed it.

I think of it more as a quiet tank as I've said but I think likely it's both that and what you said. When the start of the season went south quickly and both Housley and JBot saw how disfunctional everything was they realized winning last year was not important. Better to focus on development, restructuring, and a good draft. More future thinking. 

Still, I'm sure they are as surprised as we all are at how fast this has turned.

[Doohicksie]

I think it was:

• Winning not important last year, but if it happens it happens
• Player development, system development
• Winning not happening, tank time.  But continue development

[GASabresIUFAN]

By the way, Jbot hired Johnson, Nolan, Tennyson, Josefson, Pouliot, Antipin, Griffith, kept Falk, Gorges, and Lehner was tanking without saying it.   

[Drunkard]

18 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

By the way, Jbot hired Johnson, Nolan, Tennyson, Josefson, Pouliot, Antipin, Griffith, kept Falk, Gorges, and Lehner was tanking without saying it.   

Who cares? We lost last night. Fire this bum now.

[North Buffalo]

Still think evals are going on and development is still happening... don't think the recent streak is indicative of the work still to be done... more scoring wingers... more depth and at least 1 one more potential top 4 D.  Retiring Pommer and Sobotka… finding some tougher 3rd liners that can still skate.  Keep developing goaltenders for the future.  Sabres don't have the depth or the core of Tampa and the East is tough... but with injuries/sicknesses starting to happen, probably due to all the games recently - depth and young guys are going to be tested to see where the young guns are at.  It is going to be good for down the road and PH and JBots will see what they have still to do both talent wise and teaching wise.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Really.  I mean, what has he done for us lately?

[North Buffalo]

2 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Really.  I mean, what has he done for us lately?

Patience my dear grasshopper... when the full moon shines brightly on a cold winter's day it will happen... in the mean time prepare... prepare...

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 minute ago, North Buffalo said:

Patience my dear grasshopper... when the full moon shines brightly on a cold winter's day it will happen... in the mean time prepare... prepare...

I think your sarcasm metre needs a tune-up.

(insert winkie-winkie thingie here)

[...]

50 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Still think evals are going on and development is still happening... don't think the recent streak is indicative of the work still to be done... more scoring wingers... more depth and at least 1 one more potential top 4 D.  Retiring Pommer and Sobotka… finding some tougher 3rd liners that can still skate.  Keep developing goaltenders for the future.  Sabres don't have the depth or the core of Tampa and the East is tough... but with injuries/sicknesses starting to happen, probably due to all the games recently - depth and young guys are going to be tested to see where the young guns are at.  It is going to be good for down the road and PH and JBots will see what they have still to do both talent wise and teaching wise.

That was my immediate reaction after the game.  I think this post-record-tying-stretch period will determine how JBots handles the trade deadline, too.  They learned a lot about their team over the past 11 games, but now the bows will be put on the packages.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I was think about Baloo and the 3rd we gave up to get him.  

I’m liking the deal more with each passing game.  Admittedly Baloo had trouble adjusting last season to the new system and losing team.  We didn’t exactly get our $2.4 mill worth out of him last season.  However he still was one of our top 6 last season based on his 59 games played. (1g 8a -19).

This season he has been a healthy scratch at times early in the year, but Scandella’s injury opened a slot for him and he has played pretty well. He has added the offense he showed in Montreal and had actually shown some physical game as well.  He also seems to be getting used to PH’s system.  His good skating has been a plus. In 17 games he has 3g 2a and a +5.  

So we have gotten 76 games so far in the NHL for a 3rd rd pick.  By seasons’ end he’ll easily be over 100 games for the Sabres.  Considering that about 18% of 3rd rd picks ever play 100 NHL games and it’s often 2-4 years before that 3rd actually plays in the NHL, I’d say Jbot got pretty good value for Baloo. He is also an RFA and if he continues to mature in this system, he may just earn a new deal.