Botterill backs coaches, cites "progress"

[Stoner]

Surprised there's no thread about this. Probably in the NHL thread somewhere.

[...]

I think a lot of the response to JBott is in the Fire Housley thread.  Where has Jame gone?  That interview was purpose-made for him.

[Scottysabres]

Sad, just sad. Beyond frustrating, just no hope at all. It's a situation where it's a situation.

[LGR4GM]

I have the distinct impression that Botterill views this team very differently than the general public. 

Link to the video

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-practice-tampa-jason-botterill/c-305033048

  Quote

"We're putting players in roles that they're not used to," Botterill said. "Some nights they're going to succeed in those roles, sometimes they're not. I think you've seen our blueprint. You've seen when we played well, when we've played assertive in the offensive zone, we've gotten to the front of the net in the offensive zone, we've played good defensive hockey, we've received results. … We haven't done that enough on a consistent basis." - Jason Botterill 

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Edited February 21, 2019 by LGR4GM

[LTS]

I agree.  He's a seasoned front office hockey guy.  I trust his opinion more.

As I mentioned elsewhere, the public lives with years of failure, Botterill only has his history to live with and the team has been improving since he's taken over. Fans want a quick fix, but quick fixes don't happen all that often, especially when your best chance at a quick fix is being questioned about his dedication to the game without the puck and might be injured.

I agree with him. Fans can choose to hate on it all they want, but it won't change anything. I'd rather just go with the flow and look for the improvement.

[...]

Paul Hamilton was saying yesterday on Schooop and Bulldog that he thought JBott handled the interview that same as he handled all of them.  I completely disagree, I think from the get-go he sounds way more tense and erratic-speaking than he normally does.

[LGR4GM]

I thought he sounded frustrated but erratic-speaking would be another way to take that. 

[Jacque Richard]

Get your season tickets for next year folks, when does eichel request a trade

[Stoner]

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:48 PM, ... said:

Paul Hamilton was saying yesterday on Schooop and Bulldog that he thought JBott handled the interview that same as he handled all of them.  I completely disagree, I think from the get-go he sounds way more tense and erratic-speaking than he normally does.

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He's not a good speaker. There might even be some speech impediment issues. I don't think it means anything.

[Doohicksie]

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:46 PM, LTS said:

and the team has been improving since he's taken over.

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I would disagree.  The team has regressed mightily since November.

 

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:46 PM, LTS said:

I'd rather just go with the flow and look for the improvement.

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This I can agree with though.

[Georgia Blizzard]

Let's wait and see what happens in April.  

 

 

[Taro T]

The team is far better than last season.  But in season improvement isn't there teamwise.  12-14-12-10-8-7 (possibly 9).  That series should be trending the other direction.

And, haven't been paying as close attention the last 10 as had to the 1st 40, but not seeing as much individual growth as hoped either.  Seems more like most guys are stagnating.  Hopefully that's simply an incorrect impression due to not looking as closely at all the lines & pairings.  

These individuals, for the most part, will be better next season simply by being 1 year older.  Was hoping for more in season growth this year.

[Stoner]

  On 2/21/2019 at 3:15 PM, Taro T said:

The team is far better than last season.  But in season improvement isn't there teamwise.  12-14-12-10-8-7 (possibly 9).  That series should be trending the other direction.

And, haven't been paying as close attention the last 10 as had to the 1st 40, but not seeing as much individual growth as hoped either.  Seems more like most guys are stagnating.  Hopefully that's simply an incorrect impression due to not looking as closely at all the lines & pairings.  

These individuals, for the most part, will be better next season simply by being 1 year older.  Was hoping for more in season growth this year.

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Maybe some young guys hit a wall around the holidays? Dahlin seemed to hit it, but has seemed to bounce back. Mittelstadt might be a better illustration of it.

[Sabre Dance]

Ah, yes...the future.  At some point (not yet reached of course), the future must become the now. 

[Taro T]

  On 2/21/2019 at 3:17 PM, PASabreFan said:

Maybe some young guys hit a wall around the holidays? Dahlin seemed to hit it, but has seemed to bounce back. Mittelstadt might be a better illustration of it.

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Absolutely.  But was hoping/expecting for better after a week & a half break.  And wasn't only referring to the rookies.

[JJFIVEOH]

  On 2/21/2019 at 3:17 PM, PASabreFan said:

Maybe some young guys hit a wall around the holidays? Dahlin seemed to hit it, but has seemed to bounce back. Mittelstadt might be a better illustration of it.

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I think Mittlestadt hit the wall around November and has been dagging it with him ever since. 

He shouldn't be up here. 

[Eleven]

  On 2/21/2019 at 3:20 PM, Taro T said:

Absolutely.  But was hoping/expecting for better after a week & a half break.  And wasn't only referring to the rookies.

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This is the really frustrating thing, in my view.  They had a LONG time to reset.

I'm not too worried about rookies being rookies.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:21 PM, ... said:

I think a lot of the response to JBott is in the Fire Housley thread.  Where has Jame gone?  That interview was purpose-made for him.

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I think he is / was in timeout for a while.

+++++

JBOT is not wrong.  There certainly has been progress and a lot of it.  The problem is that the Sabres went on that 10 game win streak and everyone thought they had really turned a corner.  Someone posted here (sorry, I can't remember who) that it would have been better had the 10 wins had been more spread out and not in a row.  If they had been we would all feel better about the progress made this season.  I agree with that.

I think is is the correct move not to fire the HC at this point.

[dudacek]

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:48 PM, ... said:

Paul Hamilton was saying yesterday on Schooop and Bulldog that he thought JBott handled the interview that same as he handled all of them.  I completely disagree, I think from the get-go he sounds way more tense and erratic-speaking than he normally does.

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I agree. That entire interview was set up by the team's PR department to reassure the fan base and I don't think Jason did a good job of it.

I think he's a capable hockey man, but at times he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

  On 2/21/2019 at 2:01 PM, PASabreFan said:

He's not a good speaker.

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True, but it's the first time he sounded uncomfortable and not self-assured. That said, it was probably also the first time he's really been "attacked."

  On 2/21/2019 at 3:15 PM, Taro T said:

The team is far better than last season.  But in season improvement isn't there teamwise.  12-14-12-10-8-7 (possibly 9).  That series should be trending the other direction.

And, haven't been paying as close attention the last 10 as had to the 1st 40, but not seeing as much individual growth as hoped either.  Seems more like most guys are stagnating.  Hopefully that's simply an incorrect impression due to not looking as closely at all the lines & pairings.  

These individuals, for the most part, will be better next season simply by being 1 year older.  Was hoping for more in season growth this year.

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This. As a whole the season is moving as expected and players have progressed compared to last year.

But over the last 30 games, and particularly since the break, both have moved backwards and to the fan base and the media it is highly reminiscent of Tim Murray's final stretch drive two years ago where the team was in disarray and Murray was at a loss for answers.

Edited February 21, 2019 by dudacek

[...]

  On 2/21/2019 at 5:43 PM, dudacek said:

I agree. That entire interview was set up by the team's PR department to reassure the fan base and I don't think Jason did a god job of it.

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Brian Kozial was calling out the Pegulas in the postgame in Florida.  He was saying they wasted an opportunity to talk to the fans after the game.  I'm willing to bet the JBott PC was due in large part to that.

[LTS]

  On 2/21/2019 at 2:11 PM, Doohickie said:

I would disagree.  The team has regressed mightily since November.

 

This I can agree with though.

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I think the team can be improved and still not be playing well.  I think his moves have improved the team both now and for the future.  This team CAN play better, but that's on the players right now.

The coaches are coaching the right thing. The players have to believe in themselves again.  They might have easily slipped back into the "Oh no, we suck again." mentality and are having a hard time getting out of it.  It's like telling someone who suffers from depression, "Just cheer up!" It's not that easy.

 

[...]

This all might correlate with the idea that the Sabres' internal stats, metrics, and analyses are nowhere in the same neighborhood as the rest of the world-at-large.

Edited February 21, 2019 by ...
I buried Paul

[Stoner]

  On 2/21/2019 at 5:43 PM, dudacek said:

True, but it's the first time he sounded uncomfortable and not self-assured. That said, it was probably also the first time he's really been "attacked.

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I didn't hear it. Now I have to track it down. Maybe there's something there after all!

[Sabre1974]

  On 2/21/2019 at 4:06 PM, New Scotland (NS) said:

I think he is / was in timeout for a while.

+++++

JBOT is not wrong.  There certainly has been progress and a lot of it.  The problem is that the Sabres went on that 10 game win streak and everyone thought they had really turned a corner.  Someone posted here (sorry, I can't remember who) that it would have been better had the 10 wins had been more spread out and not in a row.  If they had been we would all feel better about the progress made this season.  I agree with that.

I think is is the correct move not to fire the HC at this point.

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Sure I mentioned that a few weeks back. Spread the wins over the season and feelings might be different towards the team. 

[PerreaultForever]

  On 2/21/2019 at 1:44 PM, LGR4GM said:

I have the distinct impression that Botterill views this team very differently than the general public. 

Link to the video

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-practice-tampa-jason-botterill/c-305033048

 

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I think he views it differently than the fan base because for him the view starts when he got here. That's years zero for him. He starts at the bottom with a broken farm system, an empty prospect cupboard, a slow dysfunctional team on the ice led by players with off ice and character issues. A total freakin' mess.

So from his perspective, he now has a small prospect pool, a solid farm team, a style of hockey more suited to the new nhl, a cleaned out locker room that has, at least on the surface, a better team attitude and unity. Plus he has the future best defenseman in the nhl on his roster at the age of 18. If I was in his shoes I'd be feeling pretty good about the progress too.

As a fan though, of course I want it all to happen faster. 

The Skinner comment causes me a little concern though. Not sure we'd have any success attracting FA's if we can't sign him first.Could all fall backwards there.