GDT:Blue Jackets at Sabres 3/31/19 6pm MSG

[Gatorman0519]

My report card:

Skinner trade- A+

Kane- C-

o Rielly- F

Montour- C-

[DarthEbriate]

1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I'm certainly happy that Murray saddled us with Okposo...

Murray's tenure wasn't as bad as his worst detractors would argue, but let's not go pretending there weren't major problems with the roster he was assembling. 

Indeed, GMTM is not without serious flaws. Oi.... Okposo. Good guy, but the ICU experience and concussions... yup. It's a garbage contract --- paid for what he'd done, not for what he'd do. McNabb and 2 seconds for Fasching and DLo, also was pretty rough. A probably second-pairing D and 2 seconds for two 3/4 wingers.... not so helpful (even if the 2nds aren't quaranteed of anything).

[jad1]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I’m not sure he could have got more for Kane, he waited until the deadline and the market was not good. T9 trade that pick for Montour?  We shall see but so far I think Kane is a much better player and a more rare combination of size and skill   

The ROR trade was bad.  We got a lot of junk plus a pick for a top tier center.  Terrible. 

Yeah, I think the point is that it's extremely difficult to acquire legitimate top 6 fowards in the NHL.  You can't be cavalier with these guys, because they're difficult to replace (case in point, losing Drury and Briere for nothing basically destroyed the Sabres franchise).

When Botterill realized that he wasn't going to be able to trade Kane for a top six foward, he should have tried to work a deal with Kane to keep him long term.  Despite Kane's shortcomings, not replacing his contributions on the ice has set the franchise back years.

 

 

[DarthEbriate]

7 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Did his eye brows get burned off? 

Mine did...   They got better.

(And then they were removed digitally in a Special Edition!)

[Tondas]

2 minutes ago, New Guy said:

I can definitely see and agree with this

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  Sounds like acceptance.

[...]

6 minutes ago, New Guy said:

I can definitely see and agree with this

This interests me.  I didn't watch his presser.  Can you elaborate?

[TrueBlueGED]

4 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Yeah, I think the point is that it's extremely difficult to acquire legitimate top 6 fowards in the NHL.  You can't be cavalier with these guys, because they're difficult to replace (case in point, losing Drury and Briere for nothing basically destroyed the Sabres franchise).

When Botterill realized that he wasn't going to be able to trade Kane for a top six foward, he should have tried to work a deal with Kane to keep him long term.  Despite Kane's shortcomings, not replacing his contributions on the ice has set the franchise back years.

 

 

Hold on now. Let's walk that back a bit. Losing a 55ish point winger is not something that sets a franchise back years. He's a good player, but it's not like we traded the other Kane. 

[...]

6 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Yeah, I think the point is that it's extremely difficult to acquire legitimate top 6 fowards in the NHL.  You can't be cavalier with these guys, because they're difficult to replace (case in point, losing Drury and Briere for nothing basically destroyed the Sabres franchise).

When Botterill realized that he wasn't going to be able to trade Kane for a top six foward, he should have tried to work a deal with Kane to keep him long term.  Despite Kane's shortcomings, not replacing his contributions on the ice has set the franchise back years.

That was most likely not his call to make.  More evidence to submit at the re-trial.

[jad1]

11 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

I'm certainly happy that Murray saddled us with Okposo...

Murray's tenure wasn't as bad as his worst detractors would argue, but let's not go pretending there weren't major problems with the roster he was assembling. 

You can see what Murray was trying to do to quickly rebuild the team.  He drafted Eichel and Reinhart, traded for O'Reilly and Kane, and signed Okposo and Moulson as free agents.

In a couple of short years he tried to build the top six fowards.  It didn't work out, mainly due to Okposo and Moulson.

The Sabres need a GM better than Murray, but as a fan I appreciate Murray's urgency with his plan. 

[New Guy]

2 minutes ago, ... said:

This interests me.  I didn't watch his presser.  Can you elaborate?

He was asked about the snowball effect with goals and briefly said they were veteran mistakes and was quickly dismissive with it as he was with all the others

In regards to how tough this is at year's end, he mentions to keep pushing along or whatnot. He said the fans' response is justified. 

In regards to Nylander's TOI being so low, there's tweets in this thread that sum it up, but he basically said he wasn't satisfied with how his linemates 28/22 were playing; I'll give Phil some slack here, after all, it's not like you're allowed to change lines up midway through the game! /s

 

Same monotone, Dick Jauronesque responses; earlier in the year he seemed at least a little bit visibly frustrated and had some tone and variety in his answers. Now he's definitely just going through the motions.

[Darryl Shannon's +/-]

4 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Hold on now. Let's walk that back a bit. Losing a 55ish point winger is not something that sets a franchise back years. He's a good player, but it's not like we traded the other Kane. 

Not just that, but timing matters the same way it did with O'Reilly. Kane and his style of play makes an 8 year contract as foolish as the okposo deal. Trading him and lucking out with a first round pick is the best possible scenario. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Why fans think McCabe or any player is gonna throw the coach or another player under the bus, or cause drama and strife in the locker room is beyond me ...

 

I didn’t say he should throw anyone under the bus.  I didn’t say he should cause drama and god forbid anybody cause strife to the locker room.  

He could just admit they didn’t play good.  Dont sit there and talk about the good first 6 minutes.  Oh great Jake, you guys played 6 minutes of good  hockey.   Just show some accountability.   He seemed to be ok with the effort.  He said the team won’t quit.  News flash Jake, they quit weeks ago.   We need players that know when the effort is not good and demand more of themselves and others.  Player that do not tolerate it.   No wonder ROR was sick of playing with these guys.   I am tired of players that won’t face reality and do something about it.  Then he says it’s been bad for the fans for  a “few years” .    Is he nuts?  A few years?  McCabe has been in the  organization for 6 dam years and we have been terrible for all of them.  He has been a regular player for the last 4 horrible years.  He strikes me as someone so used to losing and yet not willing to change things.  That was my impression of his interview.  I think he is shell shocked from losing.  This is why tanking is bad  I never want to see tanking.   Never   

 

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by Pimlach

[jad1]

6 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Hold on now. Let's walk that back a bit. Losing a 55ish point winger is not something that sets a franchise back years. He's a good player, but it's not like we traded the other Kane. 

I would argue that it cost them this season.  A 55 point player would look pretty good on the 2nd line, behind Eichel, Skinner, and Reinhart.

Buffalo has 3 top six forwards right now.  2 if Skinner walks.

That means next season, Botterill has to add three or four 55-point players to the roster.

It's an almost impossible task to add that number of 55-point players to a roster in one off season.

So, barring a miracle from Botterill in the trade and FA market this off season, next season could make it two lost seasons.

[Zamboni]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I didn’t say he should throw anyone under the bus.  I didn’t say he should cause drama and god forbid anybody cause strife to the locker room.  

He could just just  admit they didn’t play good.  Dont sit there and talk about the good first 6 minutes.  Oh great Jake, you guys played 6 minutes of good  hockey.   Just show some accountability.   He seemed to be ok with the effort.  He said the team won’t quit.  News flash Jake, they quit weeks ago.   We need players that know when the effort is not good and demand more of themselves and others.  Player that do not tolerate it.   No wonder ROR was sick of playing with these guys.   I am tired of players that won’t face reality and do something about it.  Then he says it’s been bad for the fans for  a “few years” .    Is he nuts?  A few years?  McCabe has been in the  organization for 6 dam years and we have been terrible for all of them.  He has been a regular player for the last 4 horrible years.  He strikes me as someone so used to losing and yet not willing to change things.  That was my impression of his interview.  I think he is shell shocked from losing.  This is why tanking is bad  I never want to see tanking   Never   

 

 

I would guess he knows most of the things you are spewing about.... he’s just not saying it in a freaking media scrum staffed by salivating “reporters” looking for a headline to run to twitter with....

predictable is predictable ...

[TrueBlueGED]

6 minutes ago, jad1 said:

I would argue that it cost them this season.  A 55 point player would look pretty good on the 2nd line, behind Eichel, Skinner, and Reinhart.

Buffalo has 3 top six forwards right now.  2 if Skinner walks.

That means next season, Botterill has to add three or four 55-point players to the roster.

It's an almost impossible task to add that number of 55-point players to a roster in one off season.

So, barring a miracle from Botterill in the trade and FA market this off season, next season could make it two lost seasons.

How many wins do you think a single 55 point winger is worth? For Kane to have cost then the season, you'd have to argue he's worth 15 or so wins. Also, if we had Kane, we may not have Skinner. It's possible we'd have both, but who knows if Botterill would have pulled the trigger. 

[Pimlach]

50 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I would guess he knows most of the things you are spewing about.... he’s just not saying it in a freaking media scrum staffed by salivating “reporters” looking for a headline to run to twitter with....

predictable is predictable ...

“Media scrum staffed by salivating reporters”.  Oh wow.  Looked more like small town Buffalo hockey beat reporters asking questions in a quiet and professional manner. 

What big headline are they looking for?   What big news are they going to leak?    No one cares about this team except the fans in Buffalo. Everyone, except you and  maybe Jake McCabe, knows that the players on this team quit again.  Just like they did for Bylsma only two seasons ago.  

Edited April 1, 2019 by Pimlach

[eman]

53 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Taking two teams to the playoffs doesn't change your opinion?

and did he not win "NHL Coach of the Year"? 

[Cheektorado]

48 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I didn’t say he should throw anyone under the bus.  I didn’t say he should cause drama and god forbid anybody cause strife to the locker room.  

He could just just  admit they didn’t play good.  Dont sit there and talk about the good first 6 minutes.  Oh great Jake, you guys played 6 minutes of good  hockey.   Just show some accountability.   He seemed to be ok with the effort.  He said the team won’t quit.  News flash Jake, they quit weeks ago.   We need players that know when the effort is not good and demand more of themselves and others.  Player that do not tolerate it.   No wonder ROR was sick of playing with these guys.   I am tired of players that won’t face reality and do something about it.  Then he says it’s been bad for the fans for  a “few years” .    Is he nuts?  A few years?  McCabe has been in the  organization for 6 dam years and we have been terrible for all of them.  He has been a regular player for the last 4 horrible years.  He strikes me as someone so used to losing and yet not willing to change things.  That was my impression of his interview.  I think he is shell shocked from losing.  This is why tanking is bad  I never want to see tanking   Never   

 

 

I heard the presser and I kinda agree.  I found myself getting a little upset listening to him too.  But add Risto, Girgs, Larsson, Sam, Jack to McCabe and they all

have experienced nothing but losing here in Buffalo.  I don't know how they break out of that.  I know Phil can't do it.

EDIT: Add Erod and Nelson to the list.

41 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I would guess he knows most of the things you are spewing about.... he’s just not saying it in a freaking media scrum staffed by salivating “reporters” looking for a headline to run to twitter with....

predictable is predictable ...

They got their headline already.  Another 4-0 loss.  Sabres outscored 21-6 in the last 5 games.  1-8-1 for weeks.

 

Like I just told my brother back in Buffalo.  I've had "battered wife syndrome" with this team for too many years.  I'm past that point and I'm not leaving!

LOL they need to move out.  Phil, Bots, whatever,  somebody has to go.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Cheektorado

[Mustache of God]

Congrats, with the red wings comeback over Detroit the sabres are now 4th last in the league.

 

Nashville, Ottowa and Detroit left.

[Tondas]

3 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

Congrats, with the red wings comeback over Detroit Boston the sabres are now 4th last in the league.

 

Nashville, Ottawa and Detroit left.

FIFY.  I've had a couple tonight as well.

Edited April 1, 2019 by Tondas

[mrm33064]

As a hockey fan, I think my greatest fear is ruining Dahlin and, to a lesser extent, Eichel.  The doom around this mess is palpable, and nobody (including me) has any good answers.  Heck, Maybe Botts actually accidentally backed us into a decent negotiating position with Skinner by letting the wheels completely fall off.  We might have “sucked” our way into being able to retain him without having to pay a Mario Williams style ransom now, with Skinner bottoming out with the rest of our brutal mess. 

[Pimlach]

6 minutes ago, Cheektorado said:

I heard the presser and I kinda agree.  I found myself getting a little upset listening to him too.  But add Risto, Girgs, Larsson, Sam, Jack to McCabe and they all

have experienced nothing but losing here in Buffalo.  I don't know how they break out of that.  I know Phil can't do it.

Right on.  The old adage is you fire the coach because you can’t fire all the players. But Bots has made sweeping changes each year and another round is coming.  Some of the guys in your list may be gone soon.  I can only hope that Bots gets better value in his future trades than he has thus far.  

 

[Andrew Amerk]

17 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Right on.  The old adage is you fire the coach because you can’t fire all the players. But Bots has made sweeping changes each year and another round is coming.  Some of the guys in your list may be gone soon.  I can only hope that Bots gets better value in his future trades than he has thus far.  

 

I think he did good getting Skinner for Pu, and a known commodity in Montour for an unknown commodity. 

[Neo]

2 hours ago, TrueBlueGED said:

How bad is it that the best post-tank season was the first one? 

Botterill should absolutely be on the hot seat. The team has gotten worse with him having turned over almost the entire roster. 

My musing ...  the team’s gotten worse ...  has the organization?   I like Rochester ...

No conclusion.

[Scottysabres]

51 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I think he did good getting Skinner for Pu, and a known commodity in Montour for an unknown commodity. 

I agree. 21 more pieces to go and we have ourselves a team ?