Dreger on Botterill: "Open to Just About Anything"

[Kruppstahl]

Darren Dreger was on with Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet today.

Most conversation was about Botterill trying to make some trades to acquire forward help on the team.

Here's the write-up with relevant quotes if you don't want to listen:

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/dreger-botterill-is-open-to-just-about-anything

Here's the link to the radio show segment itself:

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/11-22-tsns-darren-dreger-with-the-instigators

[Gatorman0519]

A quarter into the season and we used up our forward depth?  Sounds like somebody is mismanaging this team.

[spndnchz]

Or a coach has no clue. 

[Pimlach]

Or we never had real depth at forward to begin with. 

[Derrico]

Dregs goes on a buffalo radio station to tell everyone Jason is trying.  Me thinks the Sabres really want everyone to know they’re trying real hard.....

[WildCard]

Not that there's anything wrong with that Jason...

[TrueBlueGED]

28 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Not that there's anything wrong with that Jason...

Someone had to say it. 

[SABRES 0311]

So Jason is open to anything huh? So was every character on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant. No way this turns out bad. 

[bunomatic]

Open to just about anything=desperate

not a good look when trying to negotiate a trade.

Edited November 23, 2019 by bunomatic

[Andrew Amerk]

Maybe he wants to trade 2 defensemen for 3 defensemen. 

?‍♂️

[PerreaultForever]

Have to wait and see but the scary part is the thought of trading top prospects and picks away. If he does that he pulls a Murray and it's the act of a desperate manager afraid to lose his job, and that will lead to longer term disaster. Have to wait and see. 

I totally get the LTIR problems mentioned and cap issues. Lots of teams trying to do similar things and using the LTIR as a cap (sort of) cheat thing and it makes moving bodies hard even if you want to.

[In The Buff]

I dont see us trading top prospects & picks away for short term relief. Only if its for a player who he thinks is a critical piece moving forward.

We're not gonna see Botts trade away Asplund or Pilut & a 2nd for Kyle Turris.

But he will have to trade something. You don't get anything good in return for nothing.

His strategy has always been build from within, playing the long game. So i dont see him doing anything rash or crazy.

But we surely need him to do something.

[Ross Rhea]

I sense JBots seat is getting hotter and hotter with every loss.

[Beer]

 

Looking for a “chair on fire” and found this beauty.  The source of this video could be Buffalo.  It looks like a precursor to diving through tables.  This guy was still developing the proper technique... keep trying fella!  You’re on the doorstep of greatness!

Edited November 23, 2019 by Beer

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

It's times like this I'm glad I don't live in WNY anymore. It's going to a be a terrible December followed by a looooong winter when the Bills start regularly getting their butts kicked because they finally start playing some decent teams (and ultimately miss the playoffs IMO) and the Sabres end up doing nothing of consequence and settle in at the bottom of the league and everyone shrugs their shoulders and walks away.

C'mon Threepio. What kind of talk is that?

[Taro T]

10 hours ago, MillerVaive said:

I dont see us trading top prospects & picks away for short term relief. Only if its for a player who he thinks is a critical piece moving forward.

We're not gonna see Botts trade away Asplund or Pilut & a 2nd for Kyle Turris.

But he will have to trade something. You don't get anything good in return for nothing.

His strategy has always been build from within, playing the long game. So i dont see him doing anything rash or crazy.

But we surely need him to do something.

And the bolded is where most of our consternation stems from.

WE the fans need to see something done because WE are in year 9 of cheering for the KC Scouts / Colorado Rockies.  (At least that franchise had the good taste to spread the misery around to different locales. ? )

But Botterill is in the 3rd year of restocking shelves (with one major ownership affected clearing of a shelf) so he doesn't seem to share the urgency we fans share.

And until he finally makes a move to bring in a top 6 forward (or heck, even make a move to fix the PK which should be easier and cheaper) will run with the theory that NEXT year is the 1st that Botterill feels a necessity to ice a winning team.  Should he actually make the move we've been hearing about for so long, will THEN reevaluate that belief.

[Carmel Corn]

44 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

C'mon Threepio. What kind of talk is that?

R2 has been known to make mistakes.....from time to time.

[mjd1001]

Here is the issue I keep coming back to...and it seems a lot of people on this forum have stopped talking about...

What has to be done to this team to make it a legit top 5 or 6 team in the league...a team that year in and year out is at least an outside threat to make it to the finals?

I really don't see the answer. You have you generational player already in Dahlin. You have your semi-generational forward in Eichel. You have your other 2nd overall pick in Reinhart.  You are arguably already entering into the prime playing years for Eichel and Reinhart.

You are NOT stocked with NHL ready talent in the AHL, and don't seem to have any superstars-in-waiting showing up anytime soon. You have cap relief coming next year, but you are at the cap already right now.

I want a trade (or two or three) like everyone else...but that won't 'fix' this team and turn it into a top contender.

Most of us thought the end result of the tank, especially after getting Dahlin on top of it...would be a team that would be a top team in the NHL. Unless they turn this season around, we are looking at 9 straight years of no playoffs, and 13  seasons since a single playoff series win.  What needs to be done so this team can be a legit cup contender?  I don't even have a clue anymore.

Edited November 23, 2019 by mjd1001

[dudacek]

10 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Here is the issue I keep coming back to...and it seems a lot of people on this forum have stopped talking about...

What has to be done to this team to make it a legit top 5 or 6 team in the league...a team that year in and year out is at least an outside threat to make it to the finals?

I really don't see the answer. You have you generational player already in Dahlin. You have your semi-generational forward in Eichel. You have your other 2nd overall pick in Reinhart.  You are arguably already entering into the prime playing years for Eichel and Reinhart.

You are NOT stocked with NHL ready talent in the AHL, and don't seem to have any superstars-in-waiting showing up anytime soon. You have cap relief coming next year, but you are at the cap already right now.

I want a trade (or two or three) like everyone else...but that won't 'fix' this team and turn it into a top contender.

Most of us thought the end result of the tank, especially after getting Dahlin on top of it...would be a team that would be a top team in the NHL. Unless they turn this season around, we are looking at 9 straight years of no playoffs, and 13  seasons since a single playoff series win.  What needs to be done so this team can be a legit cup contender?  I don't even have a clue anymore.

In order to achieve that goal Dahlin has to at least match Eichel level, two or more of Mittelstadt, Cozens, Jokiharju, Thompson and/or other youngsters have to emerge as Skinner/Reinhart level players, Ullmark, or more likely Lukkonnen has to become a Miller-status goalie, Krueger has to ingrain his system and positivity as second nature in his team, and Botterill has to manoeuvre his defensive depth and this summer's cap space into the correct support players.

It's not a short list.

[MODO Hockey]

Look at Arizona, that is what a experianced coach can do to such a rooster of theirs. 

Imo we still dont have a coach, just fancy words form someone that won some useless ***** in the alps. lol
 

 

[inkman]

I've been holding off on this for a while but I can't do it any longer. 

He's talking about anal, right?  According to most he's already been bent over so maybe DAP?  PM me if you need clarification.  ?

Edited November 23, 2019 by inkman

[Radar]

17 minutes ago, MODO Hockey said:

Look at Arizona, that is what a experianced coach can do to such a rooster of theirs. 

Imo we still dont have a coach, just fancy words form someone that won some useless ***** in the alps. lol
 

 

Please be specific on what the coach has or has not done that makes you so sure it's coaching and not the players. How do you judge wins and losses? I personally think with few exceptions coaching is overrated.  Player talent is more the problem I think and that's why I look at management more than coaches. Bad teams go through more coaches than good teams because they're made scapegoats for management.

Edited November 23, 2019 by Radar

[MODO Hockey]

25 minutes ago, Radar said:

Please be specific on what the coach has or has not done that makes you so sure it's coaching and not the players. How do you judge wins and losses? I personally think with few exceptions coaching is overrated.  Player talent is more the problem I think and that's why I look at management more than coaches. Bad teams go through more coaches than good teams because they're made scapegoats for management.

So what your saying basicly is that Arizona is more talanted than Buffalo ? 

What do you want me to say more than Ralph has never won anytning else than some useless stuff in the alps, he doesnt know what it takes to win and it cant be more specific than that. 

What do you believe happends to a team that have a coach that has never won anything, coming off tanking seasons and complete bs, you honestly believe that these players will trust such person? i do not. Fortunatly were all different and thank god for that.

 

[Kruppstahl]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Here is the issue I keep coming back to...and it seems a lot of people on this forum have stopped talking about...

What has to be done to this team to make it a legit top 5 or 6 team in the league...a team that year in and year out is at least an outside threat to make it to the finals?

I really don't see the answer. You have you generational player already in Dahlin. You have your semi-generational forward in Eichel. You have your other 2nd overall pick in Reinhart.  You are arguably already entering into the prime playing years for Eichel and Reinhart.

You are NOT stocked with NHL ready talent in the AHL, and don't seem to have any superstars-in-waiting showing up anytime soon. You have cap relief coming next year, but you are at the cap already right now.

I want a trade (or two or three) like everyone else...but that won't 'fix' this team and turn it into a top contender.

Most of us thought the end result of the tank, especially after getting Dahlin on top of it...would be a team that would be a top team in the NHL. Unless they turn this season around, we are looking at 9 straight years of no playoffs, and 13  seasons since a single playoff series win.  What needs to be done so this team can be a legit cup contender?  I don't even have a clue anymore.

I think a part of the frustration we all feel is that we rely on these labels that I highlighted in your post to justify heightened expectations of success.

The reality is that Dahlin is still a child growing into his body, and he has a LOT of rough nights.  Does he have a gigantic ceiling in front of him?  Some said he can be another Lidstrom.  He may well be, some day, but he ain't no Lidstrom NOW.  

Eichel is not a semi-generational talent.  He's a super good hockey player.  Every team in the league has an Eichel, for the most part.  Some have 2 of 3 of him.

Yes, Reinhart was the first forward taken overall in his draft class and yes that should make him one hell of an amazing talent, but he isn't.  He's a very good hockey player and a nice supporting piece, but he is absolutely NOT a franchise builder.  I think of Ryan Nugent Hopkins when I think of Reinhart.  RNH was a #1 overall pick!  But he ain't no superstar. Hockey can be weird like that.  Not everyone taken at the top of the draft is an automatic franchise defining impact player.

So don't get caught up in labels.  Having said all of this, we have much bigger problems than the 3 names I just mentioned, who are not problems at all. 

We have absolutely NO 2nd and 3rd scoring line talent. We have zero physicality or toughness.  Our D has improved but is generally just OK.  

Several key up and comers are showing they probably aren't going to be as great as hoped for. 

I think there's still hope for Mittelstadt, but it diminishes all the time.

We seem to have one of the worst atmospheres in the league.  We go through head coaches like Eddie Van Halen goes through cigarettes.  Our owner is clueless. I personally think Botterill is a terrible GM and not the answer.

But, if we are going to over-simplify things to help explain our lack of success despite the big draft picks, it would be GMTM's and Botterill's failure to build a strong supporting cast for the big names.

Oh, our goaltending is very average, too.  Almost forgot about that.

As I wrote last year, neither Hutton or Ullmark are long term solutions at the position.   Maybe UPL can develop into something special.  Not sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LGR4GM]

Weird, Robby Fabbri was traded and is a center so he's not open to anything.