Botterill Interview with NHL.com

[Brawndo]

https://www.nhl.com/news/sabres-general-manager-jason-botterill-shares-vision/c-305495260

 

 

 

[Jacque Richard]

Blah, blah blah. Good luck Jason filling the seats for the rest of the year and next year if this crap continues. So sign a bunch of free agents and don’t improve then what.

[SDS]

Quote

"We can understand a fan's perspective," Botterill said. "But it can't impact our decisions, our vision of how our team needs to eventually look."

I wish the fan base would listen to what Jason has been telling them how the team is moving forward. You don't have to like it, but it should at least set your expectations of how this team intends to operate in the future.

[Drunkard]

2 minutes ago, SDS said:

I wish the fan base would listen to what Jason has been telling them how the team is moving forward. You don't have to like it, but it should at least set your expectations of how this team intends to operate in the future.

I wonder if he intends to bring in more awesome depth players like Sobotka. We need more of them like Walken needs more cowbell.

[R_Dudley]

22 minutes ago, SDS said:

I wish the fan base would listen to what Jason has been telling them how the team is moving forward. You don't have to like it, but it should at least set your expectations of how this team intends to operate in the future.

Listen sure, most of have heard this story for years. Heck its even easy to understand its a solid approach and the right path.

But not so easy after so long to trust its all the right people making the right choices and will produce the perennial playoff juggernaut Hockey Heaven promised so long ago.    

Nothing wrong with some here that would be happy with a perennial hard working, smart playing Hockey Purgatory playoff team. 

That's a lot closer to heaven then we have been.. 

[dudacek]

Fans might be approaching a decade of frustration, but Botterill has been on the job for less than two years, as have most of his scouts and coaches.

[SDS]

15 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

Listen sure, most of have heard this story for years. Heck its even easy to understand its a solid approach and the right path.

But not so easy after so long to trust its all the right people making the right choices and will produce the perennial playoff juggernaut Hockey Heaven promised so long ago.    

Nothing wrong with some here that would be happy with a perennial hard working, smart playing Hockey Purgatory playoff team. 

That's a lot closer to heaven then we have been.. 

Trust? 

It's a game meant to entertain. I'm not sure "trust" is actually warranted in this situation. What does not trusting get you? A better experience? Greater happiness? How much say do you have in the owner, the GM and the coach of the Buffalo Sabres? Does your trust affect these decisions?

The past is gone. It is a sunk cost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost

It doesn't matter if they made the playoffs every year or missed the last 20. Decisions made by other people in past years have no bearing on the decisions made today nor in the future. You can wish for the playoffs in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

The Sabres are not going to get better just because the fans really, really, really, really want a good team and are mad about their history.

P.S. I vehemently disagree that people will be happy with a perennial playoff team. Fans don't work that way. They always want more. Heck, during our 2006-2007 season, our resident contrarian pissed and moaned the entire time because he didn't like the way they were winning. People are never satisfied.

[7+6=13]

13 minutes ago, R_Dudley said:

Listen sure, most of have heard this story for years. Heck its even easy to understand its a solid approach and the right path.

But not so easy after so long to trust its all the right people making the right choices and will produce the perennial playoff juggernaut Hockey Heaven promised so long ago.    

Nothing wrong with some here that would be happy with a perennial hard working, smart playing Hockey Purgatory playoff team. 

That's a lot closer to heaven then we have been.. 

I will never understand these type of comments.  There's new people making the decisions, so they're not responsible for how long its been and all the other promises.  

So a portion of the fanbase (not necessarily you) that wants JBot to do what we want, or we won't go to games.  Then we're just as fragile as the team itself.  They are a reflection of us and then we get upset.  

He's not going to pander to the fans just to get them to come to games and he shouldn't.  Build the team how you want JBot and those knuckleheads will come back when we're winning.  

[jsb]

15 hours ago, Jacque Richard said:

Blah, blah blah. Good luck Jason filling the seats for the rest of the year and next year if this crap continues. So sign a bunch of free agents and don’t improve then what.

 

42 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

I wonder if he intends to bring in more awesome depth players like Sobotka. We need more of them like Walken needs more cowbell.

You guys need to form a duet,,,, Here's a song for you, should be a hit with your ilk

"Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

And on his team he had some suck  EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

With a suck suck here and a suck suck there, here a suck, there a suck everywhere a suck suck

Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooooooooooooh"

That's what you sound like most of the time, add something to the discussion or just sit back and sing.

 

[SwampD]

4 minutes ago, jsb said:

 

You guys need to form a duet,,,, Here's a song for you, should be a hit with your ilk

"Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

And on his team he had some suck  EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

With a suck suck here and a suck suck there, here a suck, there a suck everywhere a suck suck

Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooooooooooooh"

That's what you sound like most of the time, add something to the discussion or just sit back and sing.

 

They're not wrong.

[Claude Balls]

1 hour ago, SDS said:

"We can understand a fan's perspective," Botterill said. "But it can't impact our decisions, our vision of how our team needs to eventually look."

I woulda rather him phrase this as - how our team needs to look in the near future - rather than "eventually". Kinda makes it sound like they don't care how long it takes. Of course he may not be here after another year of failure. Although I think the Pegula's would give JBot another shot at finding a new head coach before kicking him to the curb. 

Edited March 6, 2019 by Claude Balls

[Drunkard]

30 minutes ago, jsb said:

 

You guys need to form a duet,,,, Here's a song for you, should be a hit with your ilk

"Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

And on his team he had some suck  EE Aay EE Aay ooooh

With a suck suck here and a suck suck there, here a suck, there a suck everywhere a suck suck

Oh Boterill had a team   EE Aay EE Aay ooooooooooooooh"

That's what you sound like most of the time, add something to the discussion or just sit back and sing.

 

Yes, I should provide valuable insight like your Old MacDonald sold. I will strive to live up to your impeccable posting standards going forward.

[Jacque Richard]

43 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Fans might be approaching a decade of frustration, but Botterill has been on the job for less than two years, as have most of his scouts and coaches.

Barry trotz, he has turn them around. One stinking year. The franchise thinks the fan base is patient enough and waiting for them. What eichel has four full years already in the league or is it five already.  

Edited March 6, 2019 by Jacque Richard

[Sabre Dance]

JBot and the rest of the front office are trying to build the team like they're building a house.  Lay the foundation, put up the framing, then the outside sheathing, a roof, drywall, mechanicals and then paint and carpets.  That's fine, but you're not going to be moving into your new home for quite a while.  Maybe they need to try prefab. 

[Stoner]

3 hours ago, SDS said:

Trust? 

It's a game meant to entertain. I'm not sure "trust" is actually warranted in this situation. What does not trusting get you? A better experience? Greater happiness? How much say do you have in the owner, the GM and the coach of the Buffalo Sabres? Does your trust affect these decisions?

The past is gone. It is a sunk cost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost

It doesn't matter if they made the playoffs every year or missed the last 20. Decisions made by other people in past years have no bearing on the decisions made today nor in the future. You can wish for the playoffs in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

The Sabres are not going to get better just because the fans really, really, really, really want a good team and are mad about their history.

P.S. I vehemently disagree that people will be happy with a perennial playoff team. Fans don't work that way. They always want more. Heck, during our 2006-2007 season, our resident contrarian pissed and moaned the entire time because he didn't like the way they were winning. People are never satisfied.

I miss DeLuca — and others who were consistently right about the Sabres' direction. They're always ahead of the curve. They saw Pegula as a hockey lightweight when he went to the News editorial board on Day One and blamed the sports department for the quit in the team. They certainly weren't wrong to be concerned that the Presidents' Trophy team was very flawed. A slightly better Isles team would have knocked them out in the first round, they were lucky to escape the Rangers and the Senators quickly finished them off.

Why should anyone be happy (edit: satisfied) that a team that came so close to the Cup in 05-06 was not built upon for the follow-up season?

I think you are wrong that the customers have no say over the product. The problem is that Sabres fans are enablers. But what else are you gonna do in Buffalo, NY, on a Tuesday night in wintertime, I guess.

Edited March 6, 2019 by PASabreFan

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, R_Dudley said:

Listen sure, most of have heard this story for years. Heck its even easy to understand its a solid approach and the right path.

But not so easy after so long to trust its all the right people making the right choices and will produce the perennial playoff juggernaut Hockey Heaven promised so long ago.    

Nothing wrong with some here that would be happy with a perennial hard working, smart playing Hockey Purgatory playoff team. 

That's a lot closer to heaven then we have been.. 

 

9 hours ago, SDS said:

Trust? 

It's a game meant to entertain. I'm not sure "trust" is actually warranted in this situation. What does not trusting get you? A better experience? Greater happiness? How much say do you have in the owner, the GM and the coach of the Buffalo Sabres? Does your trust affect these decisions?

The past is gone. It is a sunk cost.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost

It doesn't matter if they made the playoffs every year or missed the last 20. Decisions made by other people in past years have no bearing on the decisions made today nor in the future. You can wish for the playoffs in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

The Sabres are not going to get better just because the fans really, really, really, really want a good team and are mad about their history.

P.S. I vehemently disagree that people will be happy with a perennial playoff team. Fans don't work that way. They always want more. Heck, during our 2006-2007 season, our resident contrarian pissed and moaned the entire time because he didn't like the way they were winning. People are never satisfied.

I think that Trust is a fine word to use.  I agree that much of the fan base is jaded by past mistakes and many fans doubt that we have the right GM, many more doubt that we have the right Coach.   Doubt  leads to uncertainty, lingering doubt to suspicion and a lack of trust. 

The reason I have enjoyed this season more than the past is because of "trust".   I think that they are finally on the right path.  I think that JBOT has the smarts and even the pedigree (from Pittsburgh) to build a good team.  Therefore, I trust him - for now. Trust but verify.  Results will be the true indication. 

The owner is the owner but people vote with their dollars.  The arena is not sold out every night.   The amount of visitor fans is very high.  The boos you heard at the last home game say something.   I do believe that many fans do not "trust" Housley to coach a Stanley Cup Champion, and some do not trust Boterill to bring him the players needed to do so. 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Pimlach

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, Jacque Richard said:

Barry trotz, he has turn them around. One stinking year. The franchise thinks the fan base is patient enough and waiting for them. What eichel has four full years already in the league or is it five already.  

Enough with the Barry Trotz worship.  Islanders have 83 points but have been losing as of late. 2015 they had 101 pts. 2016  they had 100.  2017  they dropped to 94 and only last year fell off and ended with 80. They are not a one year turn around. They drafted well and have some good young talent and got lucky with a born again Lehner (who stunk a few nights back though). The impact of Tavares leaving was over estimated with that team and Trotz defensive game covers for the loss of offense, that's all. They aren't going to win anything this year.

You can be cynical and negative if it makes you happier, but the fact is everything JBot said in the interview is true and I am glad to hear he will be sticking to the development plan. What would sink us here is abandoning that for some sort of free agent based win now. The cap is sorted, the farm system is solid and improving, the future is bright, it's just not going to be instant.

[Jacque Richard]

Nobody is worshipping trotz. You must be young then. I’ve been here since 70. 

[tom webster]

He can talk about the process all he wants but they tried to go big at deadline and plan on going hard after Duchene if he makes it to free agency.

 

[nfreeman]

6 minutes ago, tom webster said:

He can talk about the process all he wants but they tried to go big at deadline and plan on going hard after Duchene if he makes it to free agency.

 

How about some deets please??

[tom webster]

Trust me, with all the different hockey sites it will be out there. They know that they could lose a couple thousand season tickets holders if they try and roll out the same team. 

As im writing this someone just text me that there is an article already posted on Athletic that mentions word around the league was that GMJB was big game hunting.

[dudacek]

The idea of the Sabres diving big into free agency has been underplayed, IMO.

One aspect of the O'Reilly and Kane trades is how they cleared the decks for other core players to be acquired, either through trade of free agency.

We are going to have about $25 million to spend this summer, with Ullmark, McCabe, Girgensons, Larsson and Rodrigues (altogether maybe $10 million?) to replace or resign.

[Brawndo]

16 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

How about some deets please??

How about not denying it to Craig Custance of The Athletic 

EDIT: @tom webster I was coming here to post this, didn’t see your post. 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Brawndo

[Stoner]

Every time I see something from The Athletic, I see a typo.

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, PASabreFan said:

Every time I see something from The Athletic, I see a typo.

Hopefully he is Betterill with a Potential Risto Trade this Summer