2019 Off Season

[North Buffalo]

Have to agree that Botts may have missed his opportunity in free agency to find a 2C or 2C/3C though Johanssen is still out there.  Wingers can be found and Vesey at least gives an workable if not ideal option.  Mitts and Cozens are developing... betting Mitts the following year will hit his stride and Cozens in 2-3 years.  In the meantime tic toc tic toc though Botts is looking for the proper fit and Im not sure he has found it.  If he can sign Johannsen then he can take his time with Risto or whomever and it becomes about tweaking the line up.. not filling it with NHL players.

[North Buffalo]

12 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

Agree!  First, I need to see a lot more from Mittelstadt to convince me he is ever going to be a legitimate top 6 player.  Maybe eventually, but I also say maybe NOT suited for the NHL game.

Second, I am not convinced that Sam is our 2019-2020 2C.  Top 6 winger, yes...but have not seen enough evidence that he can transition to the center role at this level.

A viable 2C is not in our organization today and we need to trade for it.  That 2C would need to become our 1C if Jack gets knocked out of the lineup for injury.

How dare you doubt our Lord-and savior!  Seriously, Mitts will get there, that being said a 2/3C viable option is needed for this year.  2 borderline guys Mitts being one, I am fine with this year.

Edited July 2, 2019 by North Buffalo

[Drunkard]

15 hours ago, Tondas said:

JBOT has to have a nod from Pegula that this coming year is another struggle.  He's been too calm with all the crap that he still needs to shed.  Next year will be another struggle (suffering) year.  The year after that, the real accountability begins.  Oh well, I'll still watch every game.  GO <yawn> SABRES!

I can see the promos now. Sabres 21-22: This year the real accountability begins!*

 

 

*Unfortunately for us, Dahlin is now expensive and Skinner is almost 30 and already in decline but still eating tons of cap space. Sorry we wasted the ELC's of all those top picks but thank you to the fans for still paying full price for a substandard product. We couldn't have done it without you suckers ..... er, fans.

[spndnchz]

3 hours ago, Drunkard said:

I can see the promos now. Sabres 21-22: This year the real accountability begins!*

 

 

*Unfortunately for us, Dahlin is now expensive and Skinner is almost 30 and already in decline but still eating tons of cap space. Sorry we wasted the ELC's of all those top picks but thank you to the fans for still paying full price for a substandard product. We couldn't have done it without you suckers ..... er, fans.

I’m not sure how you think he’s declining ?

[Drunkard]

4 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

I’m not sure how you think he’s declining ?

That's the promo for the 2021-2022 season when Skinner will turn 29 and still have half a decade on his deal.

[North Buffalo]

29 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

That's the promo for the 2021-2022 season when Skinner will turn 29 and still have half a decade on his deal.

Mitts in his prime along with Cozens plus 3 more top 10 picks... Skinner would be a 2W or 3W so who cares.

[Drunkard]

15 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Mitts in his prime along with Cozens plus 3 more top 10 picks... Skinner would be a 2W or 3W so who cares.

I guess paying $9 million to a guy who will be on the 2rd or 3rd line is no big deal. I certainly enjoy watching Okposo skate on the 4th line for $6 million per year now, so watching Skinner do that in a few years should be even more satisfying.

However, if this team is still picking in the top 10 for the next 3 years, I'm pretty sure I'll just stop watching. I honestly can't decide if the idea of them sucking that much longer makes me want to laugh, cry, or just feel apathetic at this point, but it will definitely be apathy by that point.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

Interesting that there were no big signings today.

Ferland, Gardiner, Johansson, Hutton, Dzingel and others are still un-signed.

 

 

[WildCard]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Interesting that there were no big signings today.

Ferland, Gardiner, Johansson, Hutton, Dzingel and others are still un-signed.

I would bet teams are still waiting on the RFAs to work themselves out 

[GASabresIUFAN]

56 minutes ago, WildCard said:

I would bet teams are still waiting on the RFAs to work themselves out 

Just creates an opportunity for us if Jbot wants to take the chance.  

My guess is there will at least 3 other new faces on  this roster opening night they aren’t here now.

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Just creates an opportunity for us if Jbot wants to take the chance.  

My guess is there will at least 3 other new faces on  this roster opening night they aren’t here now.

At least 3 is probably high.  4 more new faces beyond Vesey & Miller seems high.  That would be the defensive D-man you've been clamoring for along with 3 forwards.  With giving Nylander, Thompson, & Asplund chances to get into (or for Thompson, back into) the top 13; just expect Botterill won't find that many opportunities to improve the top 6/ top 9 that he wants to pull the trigger on.

2-3 more, yes & would be shocked if less than that.

[triumph_communes]

The ‘hole’ at 2C is just a year or so until Mittelstadt’s strength and condition catches up and he takes it. It’s not a problem to be solved by FA where the deals are 4+ years and for top dollar. 

 

A trade involving Ristolainen I bet is still on the table, pending what shakes out with the Habs offersheeting players like Point and Tampa being forced then to make a move to make space. 

 

Some people pled need to calm the hell down. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Murray had this team in a bad bad place. Plus, a coach was the difference between last place in the league St Louis and Stanley cup champions St. Louis. We’ve got a good one coming, be patient. 

[nucci]

15 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

The ‘hole’ at 2C is just a year or so until Mittelstadt’s strength and condition catches up and he takes it. It’s not a problem to be solved by FA where the deals are 4+ years and for top dollar. 

 

A trade involving Ristolainen I bet is still on the table, pending what shakes out with the Habs offersheeting players like Point and Tampa being forced then to make a move to make space. 

 

Some people pled need to calm the hell down. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Murray had this team in a bad bad place. Plus, a coach was the difference between last place in the league St Louis and Stanley cup champions St. Louis. We’ve got a good one coming, be patient. 

Good one...

[Weave]

31 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

The ‘hole’ at 2C is just a year or so until Mittelstadt’s strength and condition catches up and he takes it. It’s not a problem to be solved by FA where the deals are 4+ years and for top dollar. 

 

A trade involving Ristolainen I bet is still on the table, pending what shakes out with the Habs offersheeting players like Point and Tampa being forced then to make a move to make space. 

 

Some people pled need to calm the hell down. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Murray had this team in a bad bad place. Plus, a coach was the difference between last place in the league St Louis and Stanley cup champions St. Louis. We’ve got a good one coming, be patient. 

3 offseasons since Murray. And Jack on his second contract.  The time for patience is past.

 

I am hopeful that Casey can become a 2C, but I think it is foolish for a GM to count on it.  Get a 2C in here and if Casey takes the job we’ll be deep at center.  Always a good thing.

[TrueBlueGED]

59 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

The ‘hole’ at 2C is just a year or so until Mittelstadt’s strength and condition catches up and he takes it. It’s not a problem to be solved by FA where the deals are 4+ years and for top dollar. 

 

A trade involving Ristolainen I bet is still on the table, pending what shakes out with the Habs offersheeting players like Point and Tampa being forced then to make a move to make space. 

 

Some people pled need to calm the hell down. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Murray had this team in a bad bad place. Plus, a coach was the difference between last place in the league St Louis and Stanley cup champions St. Louis. We’ve got a good one coming, be patient. 

Murray had his teams in such a bad place that they were better than the teams Botterill has iced. 

Edit: And for the record, I was no Murray lover by the end. But in a results-oriented business, his results were better than Botterill's have been. 

Edited July 2, 2019 by TrueBlueGED

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

The ‘hole’ at 2C is just a year or so until Mittelstadt’s strength and condition catches up and he takes it. It’s not a problem to be solved by FA where the deals are 4+ years and for top dollar. 

 

A trade involving Ristolainen I bet is still on the table, pending what shakes out with the Habs offersheeting players like Point and Tampa being forced then to make a move to make space. 

 

Some people pled need to calm the hell down. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Murray had this team in a bad bad place. Plus, a coach was the difference between last place in the league St Louis and Stanley cup champions St. Louis. We’ve got a good one coming, be patient. 

Intellectually, I can see your points.  However:

1. The Blues also changed goaltenders as well as coaches.

2. I said last year that Botterill would get a 2C if that turned out to be an issue.

3. I believed Botterill last year when he said the line-up would be a meritocracy.

4. Botterill's press conferences where he tried to justify his inertia showed an inflexibility to changing circumstances, a lack of imagination, and an ignorance of facts in the players' current mental and physical dispositions.

5. I believe that had Botterill done a minimally competent job last season, then the Sabres would have made the playoffs.  Period.  This is an exceptionally low standard.

Hence, my standard for this year is that the expectations for the Sabres should match any of the playoff locks AND that the quality of the roster post 7/1 should be comparable if slightly behind those who should be their peers, whence the following justify skepticism, distrust, and impatience:

A. The lack of a clear #2C from the standard of a playoff team.

B. The lack of a #3C who is capable of filling the #2C role for a team that wins a playoff series.

C. No proof that Tage Thompson will be in Rochester ALL season.

D. No proof that Vladimir Sobotka will not be in the organisation before training camp.

These are the absolute bare minimum I expect from the roster NOW.  I expect him to improve the roster from THAT level.  Anything less means the off-season has been a failure.  As of now, it is an abject failure.

[triumph_communes]

19 minutes ago, E4 ... Ke2 said:

Intellectually, I can see your points.  However:

1. The Blues also changed goaltenders as well as coaches.

2. I said last year that Botterill would get a 2C if that turned out to be an issue.

3. I believed Botterill last year when he said the line-up would be a meritocracy.

4. Botterill's press conferences where he tried to justify his inertia showed an inflexibility to changing circumstances, a lack of imagination, and an ignorance of facts in the players' current mental and physical dispositions.

5. I believe that had Botterill done a minimally competent job last season, then the Sabres would have made the playoffs.  Period.  This is an exceptionally low standard.

Hence, my standard for this year is that the expectations for the Sabres should match any of the playoff locks AND that the quality of the roster post 7/1 should be comparable if slightly behind those who should be their peers, whence the following justify skepticism, distrust, and impatience:

A. The lack of a clear #2C from the standard of a playoff team.

B. The lack of a #3C who is capable of filling the #2C role for a team that wins a playoff series.

C. No proof that Tage Thompson will be in Rochester ALL season.

D. No proof that Vladimir Sobotka will not be in the organisation before training camp.

These are the absolute bare minimum I expect from the roster NOW.  I expect him to improve the roster from THAT level.  Anything less means the off-season has been a failure.  As of now, it is an abject failure.

 

Theres 18 forwards who could easily take one of the 13 slots. There’s at least 12 defenders for 7-8 slots. If that’s not competition I’m not sure what is.  

 

If if you’re afraid Sobotka wasn’t pre-relegated, I don’t think you understand what meritocracy means. A lot of these guys will get new leashes under a new coach. 

[TrueBlueGED]

1 minute ago, triumph_communes said:

 

Theres 18 forwards who could easily take one of the 13 slots. There’s at least 12 defenders for 7-8 slots. If that’s not competition I’m not sure what is.  

 

If if you’re afraid Sobotka wasn’t pre-relegated, I don’t think you understand what meritocracy means. A lot of these guys will get new leashes under a new coach. 

A competition where the winner is merely the best of the worst isn't exactly something to be satisfied with. There's plenty of time left so I'm far from panicking, by as of right now this is the second straight offseason without Botterill clearly and meaningfully increasing the net forward talent on the team.

[triumph_communes]

Just now, TrueBlueGED said:

A competition where the winner is merely the best of the worst isn't exactly something to be satisfied with. There's plenty of time left so I'm far from panicking, by as of right now this is the second straight offseason without Botterill clearly and meaningfully increasing the net forward talent on the team.

 

Theres two options July 1st:

 

1. The Murray approach of signing Moulson and Okposo to huge contracts

2. Patience and building from within on a realistic timeline 

[TrueBlueGED]

Just now, triumph_communes said:

 

Theres two options July 1st:

 

1. The Murray approach of signing Moulson and Okposo to huge contracts

2. Patience and building from within on a realistic timeline 

So the only two choices are extremes? Very little in life is that way. GMs can be active without being stupid. 

[Taro T]

49 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Murray had his teams in such a bad place that they were better than the teams Botterill has iced. 

Edit: And for the record, I was no Murray lover by the end. But in a results-oriented business, his results were better than Botterill's have been. 

By no means am I happy this team has roughly treaded water back to where they were under Murray's direction after stepping back considerably the prior year.

But, considering Botterill has a significantly different plan for how to construct a team than Murray did and wants different skills to work within that plan; he (rightly or wrongly) got a pass on the 1st year (& maybe last year too. Grrrrr.). 

To use a football analogy, he took a D constructed for a 4-3 and converted it to a 3-4 (while also selling a guy that could have been the franchise NT for a possible nickle CB, pretty clearly with ownership 's blessing).

Really hoping he finds a 2C; 'cause otherwise this season will stink too.  (But at least there's hope for '21.  Grrrrr.)

[Weave]

17 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

So the only two choices are extremes? Very little in life is that way. GMs can be active without being stupid. 

He’s a sith.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

Theres 18 forwards who could easily take one of the 13 slots. There’s at least 12 defenders for 7-8 slots. If that’s not competition I’m not sure what is.  

If if you’re afraid Sobotka wasn’t pre-relegated, I don’t think you understand what meritocracy means. A lot of these guys will get new leashes under a new coach. 

I will accept your premise and analyse it.  You will find that I am strong believer in negative inference.

I. In a meritocracy, when you find out at the All-Star break, that the two guys on the roster that you acquired from an unpopular trade are literally the two worst players (not just forwards, but players) in the league in numerous statistical analyses, do you leave them around in the status quo,?

II. As a good manager, when your subordinates suddenly start wildly exceeding expectations, do you do nothing as they start to slide and justify it by saying that their good performance was a mirage?

III. In a meritocracy, when you have two lines in the NHL who regularly can not clear the zone for minutes on end, do you just tell your better performers in the AHL that there is no reason for them to think they could help in the NHL by doing nothing?

IV. As a good GM, when your coach is giving the worst player in the league -- whom you acquired -- the 4th most minutes, do you not do anything even when a flurry of news articles and blogs point out how badly he is playing at the expense of better performers?

V. As a good manager, do you blame your subordinates for all of the shortcomings your team had for the business year when you did nothing to help them when the situation was worsening?

Now, let us look at your line-up from another thread.  Because of what transpired and failed to transpire last season and so far this offseason, I will ice lines that reflect what I think is the reality.

• Forwards
  • Skinner-Eichel-Vesey
  • Rodrigues-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
  • Shear-Sobotka-Thompson
  • Girgensons-Larsson-Okposo
  • Olofsson-Ruotsalainen-Nylander
  • Elie-Smith-Wilson
• Defence
  • Dahlin-Montour
  • McCabe-Miller
  • Scandella-Ristolainen
  • Pilut-Nelson
  • Hunwick-Bogosian
  • Borgen-Fitzgerald

IMHO, it would be somewhere between intellectually dishonest and delusional to assume that Sobotka and Thompson will not be on the Sabres all year unless there is incontrovertible evidence otherwise.  Neither were good enough last year; yet everyone at training camp knew they would be here for the year.

If you think I am wrong, I suggest you take up the same challenge that several professional hockey people took up with my friends and relatives to defend Botterill: I expect a proof with the Paul Erdos level of accuracy to justify their places on the team last year using EXACTLY your arguments of a meritocracy with OBJECTIVE measurements -- no feelings, rationalisations, or anything subjective allowed.  If you have trouble writing proofs, I suggest you go the two-column, statement-reason format.  (Hint: they all lost and now argue my point of view.)

Yes, this is very arrogant of me.  I have a long track record debating this stuff in public that you might know about.  A few of the better known from which you can identify me with absolute certainty:

• Countering Viacom/Nickelodeon trolls defences of Dan Schneider and his production teams against rumoured accusations from the casts.
• Arguing that Rose Tyler is a Mary Sue / Gary Stu for Russell T. Davies from the crush he had on Tom Baker; based upon the wish-fulfilment-romance fiction he wrote for the fanzine The Annals of Sarah Jane Smith.
• Debating that Donald Trump's flaws are just Bill Clinton's writ large on numerous political fora.  ("Writ large" is what gives me away.)
• Being the only person in 1987 who argued that ST:TNG is inferior to the original Star Trek.
• Arguing that everyone who admits they are from Buffalo is not intrinsically a loser who deserves to be unemployed an homeless.
  • Several regulars got me kicked out of the Columbus (Ohio) Bridge Center for this.  And they wondered why I wouldn't go back after these people had allegedly calmed down.

If you want to debate, all I can say is, "come and get me."

[triumph_communes]

2 hours ago, E4 ... Ke2 said:

I will accept your premise and analyse it.  You will find that I am strong believer in negative inference.

I. In a meritocracy, when you find out at the All-Star break, that the two guys on the roster that you acquired from an unpopular trade are literally the two worst players (not just forwards, but players) in the league in numerous statistical analyses, do you leave them around in the status quo,?

II. As a good manager, when your subordinates suddenly start wildly exceeding expectations, do you do nothing as they start to slide and justify it by saying that their good performance was a mirage?

III. In a meritocracy, when you have two lines in the NHL who regularly can not clear the zone for minutes on end, do you just tell your better performers in the AHL that there is no reason for them to think they could help in the NHL by doing nothing?

IV. As a good GM, when your coach is giving the worst player in the league -- whom you acquired -- the 4th most minutes, do you not do anything even when a flurry of news articles and blogs point out how badly he is playing at the expense of better performers?

V. As a good manager, do you blame your subordinates for all of the shortcomings your team had for the business year when you did nothing to help them when the situation was worsening?

Now, let us look at your line-up from another thread.  Because of what transpired and failed to transpire last season and so far this offseason, I will ice lines that reflect what I think is the reality.

• Forwards
  • Skinner-Eichel-Vesey
  • Rodrigues-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
  • Shear-Sobotka-Thompson
  • Girgensons-Larsson-Okposo
  • Olofsson-Ruotsalainen-Nylander
  • Elie-Smith-Wilson
• Defence
  • Dahlin-Montour
  • McCabe-Miller
  • Scandella-Ristolainen
  • Pilut-Nelson
  • Hunwick-Bogosian
  • Borgen-Fitzgerald

IMHO, it would be somewhere between intellectually dishonest and delusional to assume that Sobotka and Thompson will not be on the Sabres all year unless there is incontrovertible evidence otherwise.  Neither were good enough last year; yet everyone at training camp knew they would be here for the year.

If you think I am wrong, I suggest you take up the same challenge that several professional hockey people took up with my friends and relatives to defend Botterill: I expect a proof with the Paul Erdos level of accuracy to justify their places on the team last year using EXACTLY your arguments of a meritocracy with OBJECTIVE measurements -- no feelings, rationalisations, or anything subjective allowed.  If you have trouble writing proofs, I suggest you go the two-column, statement-reason format.  (Hint: they all lost and now argue my point of view.)

Yes, this is very arrogant of me.  I have a long track record debating this stuff in public that you might know about.  A few of the better known from which you can identify me with absolute certainty:

• Countering Viacom/Nickelodeon trolls defences of Dan Schneider and his production teams against rumoured accusations from the casts.
• Arguing that Rose Tyler is a Mary Sue / Gary Stu for Russell T. Davies from the crush he had on Tom Baker; based upon the wish-fulfilment-romance fiction he wrote for the fanzine The Annals of Sarah Jane Smith.
• Debating that Donald Trump's flaws are just Bill Clinton's writ large on numerous political fora.  ("Writ large" is what gives me away.)
• Being the only person in 1987 who argued that ST:TNG is inferior to the original Star Trek.
• Arguing that everyone who admits they are from Buffalo is not intrinsically a loser who deserves to be unemployed an homeless.
  • Several regulars got me kicked out of the Columbus (Ohio) Bridge Center for this.  And they wondered why I wouldn't go back after these people had allegedly calmed down.

If you want to debate, all I can say is, "come and get me."

 

I work under the premise that Krueger was Botterill’s coaching target all along, and the only reason we didn’t get him instead of Housley originally is because he refused to abandon Southampton until his stint was naturally over. Botterill was operating under a premise that if Housley couldn’t motivate the boys then he was gone  

I also take Botterill’s words at face value that he has repeatedly stated that all roster decisions were the coach’s final decision to make. And that it was Housley, not Botterill’s doing that Sobotka had the time on the ice last year he did. Remember, even then Sobotka was eventually scratched in the end of last season beyond the injuries sustained 

The reason Botterill stood pat is that he saw the underlying analytics behind the ten game run and saw how it was cardiac kid luck, not sustainable success that was occurring. And it’s not like Botterill did nothing, he went out and acquired Montour without taking anything away from the current roster, yet Housley couldn’t inspire a fly to get out of the way of a slap back into reality. 

Tage has a chance, absolutely.  I also see what Botterill did to Moulson and know if the coach has no interest, Botterill has no problem making someone disappear. 

If you look at Krueger’s history as an NHL coach, he played rookies more often than not. He would set them up for success, something I don’t think Mittelstadt ever once was put in the situation of last year. Krueger made Yakupov look like a rising star— I am really excited to see what magic he can do here. 

 

 

I understand the Housley love of Sobotka, but I don’t think Krueger is that dumb. I think Mittelstadt can play the sheltered 2C type minutes as long as we have Erod holding down a 3rd line that maybe dos some more lifting that other teams do. But we have an amazing shutdown duo in Larsson and Girgensons (that honestly Vesey is a perfect compliment for, given Vesey likes to take the puck right to the net while the other two will cycle ad infinitum) and if they are used properly, can shelter Mittelstadt some. Sheary-Mittelstadt-Reinhart in their short time last year was dangerous, and as long as Kruger watches the tape from those games, I foresee him putting that forward next season. 

Plus Oloffson as a LH RW on Eichels side is what Eichel needs. We all wanted a better player there like Nyquist or Zucc, but those players chose not to sign here. Oloffson will be a gem to help spread the rest of the talent elsewhere in the line up. 

[Marvin]

30 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

I work under the premise that Krueger was Botterill’s coaching target all along, and the only reason we didn’t get him instead of Housley originally is because he refused to abandon Southampton until his stint was naturally over. Botterill was operating under a premise that if Housley couldn’t motivate the boys then he was gone  

FYI: I believe Krueger was contractually obligated to stay in Southampton.

I think there is strong evidence for this as well.

31 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

I also take Botterill’s words at face value that he has repeatedly stated that all roster decisions were the coach’s final decision to make. And that it was Housley, not Botterill’s doing that Sobotka had the time on the ice last year he did. Remember, even then Sobotka was eventually scratched in the end of last season beyond the injuries sustained 

Several things:

The final roster, who belongs in the NHL and who does not, is in the hands of the GM.  The game-to-game roster is in the hands of the coach.  They should communicate, but that is the traditional division of labour and I see no reason to believe Botterill and Housley were any different.

When the GM has incontrovertible proof that a player is underperforming or undermining the team, it is his job to move said player off the team, whether it be to the minors or the KHL.  And if Housley overplays Sobotka, it is Botterill's job to get him out of the locker room.  Period.  I view Sobotka's mere presence in the media guide at the start of training camp as rank incompetence, no if's, and's, or but's.  If Tage Thompson is the only person in the league whose analytics are in the same neighbourhood as Sobotka's, it is Botterill's job to send him down immediately.

Even when people were reporting that Sobotka was terrible in training camp, I read several reporters' articles that said that Sobotka, Thompson, and Berglund were staying here for the year, period.  I wish I could recall who listed all of them on the team while jokingly putting Eichel, Reinhart, and Skinner in Rochester just to make sure the point got across because I swore out loud at work when I read it.  Then I showed the article to everyone and then they swore together.  The inference we all drew was this was so that he could justify the O'Reilly trade; to whom is beyond me.

42 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

The reason Botterill stood pat is that he saw the underlying analytics behind the ten game run and saw how it was cardiac kid luck, not sustainable success that was occurring. And it’s not like Botterill did nothing, he went out and acquired Montour without taking anything away from the current roster, yet Housley couldn’t inspire a fly to get out of the way of a slap back into reality. 

Let us look at their records at various points in the season:

• 11/27/2018 (last game of streak): 17-6-2
• 12/22/2018 (last game before Christmas Break): 21-11-5
• 1/18/2019 (Last game before All-Star Break): 24-18-6
• 2/23/2019 (Last game before TDL; Montour acquired): 29-24-8
• 3/5/2019 (Day of Botterill's interview): 30-28-9
• 4/2/2019 (Before last 2 games): 31-39-10

You can see the team getting progressively worse as the season goes on.  Why can't Botterill's inertia take any of the blame?  I personally believe that, "good teams find a way to win; bad teams find a way to lose."  I don't believe that a team can have a 10 game regulation unbeaten streak by accident.  Blame the 1972-3 Sabres' October for that.

Montour was added, which I did like.  Why could we not have traded with a bottom feeder at the time, like St. Louis or Minnesota?  Why not trade a late 1st for 1 year of a clear 2C or even a high-end 3C before we fell out of 8th?  The message that sends your team is that you believe in them and maybe they keep it up; they certainly don't crash and burn like they did in March.  In St. Louis's case, their GM was ready to pack it in.  If we had offered that for someone like Tyler Bozak or even Alex Steen (clear overpayment), they might have folded even if they all sing "Gloria."

After JBot's terrible press conference, the team didn't quit on Housley - they quit on Botterill because Botterill had already quit on them.  They didn't believe in themselves anymore because Botterill never believed in them in the first place.  Exactly how the **** could any coach pull them out of the funk then?  That, bluntly, is bad management.

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

Tage has a chance, absolutely.  I also see what Botterill did to Moulson and know if the coach has no interest, Botterill has no problem making someone disappear. 

Then why didn't Tage disappear?  IMHO, because Tage is supposed to replace and surpass Ryan O'Reilly.

Why didn't Sobotka disappear?  IMHO, because Sobotka is supposed to replace and surpass Ryan O'Reilly until Tage is ready.

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

If you look at Krueger’s history as an NHL coach, he played rookies more often than not. He would set them up for success, something I don’t think Mittelstadt ever once was put in the situation of last year. Krueger made Yakupov look like a rising star— I am really excited to see what magic he can do here. 

I largely agree with you with Krueger.

IMHO, though, unless Mittlestadt's wingers were Skinner and Reinhart, he was necessarily going to be excessively sheltered because he really wasn't ready for that level of responsibility.  That would put Eichel with Rodrigues and either Sheary or Pominville.  (Please, God, Forgive me for typing this.)  Unless, of course, the best course was for Housley to have Eichel with Thompson and Sobotka to protect the rest of the team.

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

I understand the Housley love of Sobotka, but I don’t think Krueger is that dumb. I think Mittelstadt can play the sheltered 2C type minutes as long as we have Erod holding down a 3rd line that maybe dos some more lifting that other teams do. But we have an amazing shutdown duo in Larsson and Girgensons (that honestly Vesey is a perfect compliment for, given Vesey likes to take the puck right to the net while the other two will cycle ad infinitum) and if they are used properly, can shelter Mittelstadt some. Sheary-Mittelstadt-Reinhart in their short time last year was dangerous, and as long as Kruger watches the tape from those games, I foresee him putting that forward next season. 

Plus Oloffson as a LH RW on Eichels side is what Eichel needs. We all wanted a better player there like Nyquist or Zucc, but those players chose not to sign here. Oloffson will be a gem to help spread the rest of the talent elsewhere in the line up. 

Note: the "smoke signals" are based on my presumption that the WGR hosts and guests are softening us up for what JBot will do before training camp.

If I am reading the smoke signals properly, Vesey is here for Eichel's wing.  Assuming that Girgensons and Larsson are here, you need to have Okposo with them because that is the only line where he was truly effective last year and, frankly, we are stuck with him.  Honestly, if they don't need to have 80% DZS to protect the middle 6, I bet they total 40 goals.  (On the other hand, the smoke signals look like they are gone and Sobotka is staying.)

I agree with Oloffson with Eichel.  I think those two will have great chemistry.

I will assume you mean that Mittlestadt will be the #2 offencive centre because, IMHO, a centre who needs to be sheltered is not a #2.

In sum:

Housley earnt his firing.  Even if the GM saddles you with Thompson and Sobotka, you don't have to dress them if you have 8 defencemen available.  Even if you have to dress them, there is no excuse in the universe for Sobotka being 4th among the forwards in ice time until Bill Hoppe, John Vogl, and everyone else write those scathing analyses of Sobotka.  He should not have given hours of ice time to the Scandella-Ristolainen pairing.  In particular, I can't think of a good reason to play Scandella over Pilut.

We also learnt that to run Housley's system, you need either 6 Norris-calibre defencemen and/or a Vezina-calibre goaltender and/or 4 complete lines of quality depth (2005-6 Sabres level).  This killed Lindy Ruff in Dallas, Housley here, Toronto under Babcock, and Nashville in some of their playoff series over the years.  In fact, the more I have analysed their system, the more I lean towards "and".  And I LIKED the way the team looked when they executed his system well.

Even so, I put about 2/3 of the blame this year on Botterill.  IMHO, he was an incompetent manager by failing to help his subordinates when they clearly needed a psychological push.  He then undermined them with his press conference on 5 March.

Even if I forgive him the O'Reilly trade, he failed last off-season by gifting positions to Sobotka and Thompson.  He also failed last off-season by not having a back-up plan in case Mittlestadt was not ready for #2C.

He also failed in-season as a GM by failing to address clear personnel deficiencies in Thompson and Sobotka.  He failed as an overall GM by never getting a competent #2C and by never having 12 NHL-quality forwards available for Housley to dress the entire season.  IMHO, if he just does this, which is the bare minimum we should expect from him, the Sabres make the playoffs last season anyway.  I would have had patience if he had done either this or traded for a #2C and the Sabres still missed the playoffs.

But RHIP.  Assuming no disasters, the bare minimum I expect out of this team is the playoffs.  I believe that the expectations for this team this year should be like the Leafs 2 years ago.  Nothing less is acceptable.  Failing that, Botterill should be canned.