Are we on the precipice of something here?

[Stoner]

4 minutes ago, ... said:

I suggest a title change, because at this moment I suspect PSE is cruising around the internet looking for answers. The title needs to draw them in. I suggest something like "The Buffalo Sabres: On the Precipice of a Full Meltdown".

And I'm going to share here the ONLY thing the Sabres have to pivot on at the moment: the fans empathize with, and have sympathy for, Jack Eichel.  That's it. Use that, Sabres, to your advantage to help dig yourselves out of this massive hole.

Won't someone think of the children? ?

[nfreeman]

11 minutes ago, ... said:

And I'm going to share here the ONLY thing the Sabres have to pivot on at the moment: the fans empathize with, and have sympathy for, Jack Eichel.  That's it. Use that, Sabres, to your advantage to help dig yourselves out of this massive hole.

How?

[...]

6 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

How?

I get paid to provide that service.

[Eleven]

3 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

They don't give a damn 

There is an article quoted above--or maybe it's in the Duane thread--indicating the opposite.

[Curt]

39 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

A fan heroically standing in front of the tank that is the PSE machine? A true fan revolt, with a public protest? The front office as nervous as kittens, trying to squash dissent? The owner's daughter alleging harassment on social media? Jack at a breaking point?

What are all these things you speak of?  All I’ve seen is that guy who called in an epic rant and this song.  Wats all this other stuff about?

[Tondas]

[bunomatic]

31 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

PSE: Overpromising and Underdelivering since 2011. 

Hockey Heaven my rosy red arse.

Word

[Brawndo]

The Pegulas hate being embarrassed particularly on the National Stage and in front of other NHL Personnel. GMTM Actions at league meetings helped to seal his fate. Evander Kane was persona non grata once the bar incident at the draft. Asking Duane’s Call Twitter Link to be removed, brought it’s own set of embarrassment. The 90’s Jerseys for Alumni and the spelling of former players names has been highlighted by the National Media.

It is an interesting contrast to speak with someone who is a Penn State Hockey Fan, but has no ties to the Sabres Fandom. They idolize the Pegulas. What’s the difference? They have no input over Hockey Ops at PSU, they built the Pegula Ice Arena and got out of the way. The same cannot be said for the Sabres it appears.

Pegula met Scotty Bowman at Bowman Cup shortly after he bought the team. He asked what made Illitch a successful owner. Bowman replies the first time I met him I asked what his role would be in Hockey Ops. His response was to give you what you need to be successful and get out of the way. 

That advice wasn’t followed, but when you own the team you can do whatever you want.

 

 

[ubkev]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

The Pegulas hate being embarrassed particularly on the National Stage and in front of other NHL Personnel. GMTM Actions at league meetings helped to seal his fate. Evander Kane was persona non grata once the bar incident at the draft. Asking Duane’s Call Twitter Link to be removed, brought it’s own set of embarrassment. The 90’s Jerseys for Alumni and the spelling of former players names has been highlighted by the National Media.

It is an interesting contrast to speak with someone who is a Penn State Hockey Fan, but has no ties to the Sabres Fandom. They idolize the Pegulas. What’s the difference? They have no input over Hockey Ops at PSU, they built the Pegula Ice Arena and got out of the way. The same cannot be said for the Sabres it appears.

Pegula met Scotty Bowman at Bowman Cup shortly after he bought the team. He asked what made Illitch a successful owner. Bowman replies the first time I met him I asked what his role would be in Hockey Ops. His response was to give you what you need to be successful and get out of the way. 

That advice wasn’t followed, but when you own the team you can do whatever you want.

 

 

Idols are easy to come by at Penn State.

[Taro T]

17 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

The Pegulas hate being embarrassed particularly on the National Stage and in front of other NHL Personnel. GMTM Actions at league meetings helped to seal his fate. Evander Kane was persona non grata once the bar incident at the draft. Asking Duane’s Call Twitter Link to be removed, brought it’s own set of embarrassment. The 90’s Jerseys for Alumni and the spelling of former players names has been highlighted by the National Media.

It is an interesting contrast to speak with someone who is a Penn State Hockey Fan, but has no ties to the Sabres Fandom. They idolize the Pegulas. What’s the difference? They have no input over Hockey Ops at PSU, they built the Pegula Ice Arena and got out of the way. The same cannot be said for the Sabres it appears.

Pegula met Scotty Bowman at Bowman Cup shortly after he bought the team. He asked what made Illitch a successful owner. Bowman replies the first time I met him I asked what his role would be in Hockey Ops. His response was to give you what you need to be successful and get out of the way. 

That advice wasn’t followed, but when you own the team you can do whatever you want.

 

 

This all seems spot on.  

The one item though that they should be embarrassed about but isn't mentioned is the one item that might actually get them to fully heed the Bowman advice.

Far and away, the worst trade of their tenure as owners has their finger prints all over it.

And, it was bad enough that after a full dozen years of never being able to get away from discussing Black Friday SUNDAY, that one doesn't come up every single week anymore.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Taro T
D'oh!

[nfreeman]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

This all seems spot on.  

The one item though that they should be embarrassed about but isn't mentioned is the one item that might actually get them to fully heed the Bowman advice.

Far and away, the worst trade of their tenure as owners has their finger prints all over it.

And, it was bad enough that after a full dozen years of never being able to get away from discussing Black Friday, that one doesn't come up every single week anymore.

It was a Sunday.

A day that will live in infamy.

[Taro T]

Just now, nfreeman said:

It was a Sunday.

A day that will live in infamy.

Yeah.  Good catch.  Apparently have Friday on the mind.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

This all seems spot on.  

The one item though that they should be embarrassed about but isn't mentioned is the one item that might actually get them to fully heed the Bowman advice.

Far and away, the worst trade of their tenure as owners has their finger prints all over it.

And, it was bad enough that after a full dozen years of never being able to get away from discussing Black Friday, that one doesn't come up every single week anymore.

I hate re-litigating the deal as much as the rest of you, but reversing it fixes our biggest need at the cost of part-time defenceman Colin Miller.

Not making the Sheary trade puts us under the cap.

 

Olofsson Eichel Reinhart

Skinner O'Reilly Johansson

Girgensons Larsson Okposo

Vesey Lazar Asplund Rodrigues

Risto Montour

Dahlin Jokiharju

McCabe Pilut Bogosian

 

That's a playoff roster

[Randall Flagg]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

How?

I see where he's going. 

Sabres fans, we are thrilled to introduce....The NHL's first GM-Coach-Player, Jack Eichel!!!

[darksabre]

36 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I hate re-litigating the deal as much as the rest of you, but reversing it fixes our biggest need at the cost of part-time defenceman Colin Miller.

Not making the Sheary trade puts us under the cap.

 

Olofsson Eichel Reinhart

Skinner O'Reilly Johansson

Girgensons Larsson Okposo

Vesey Lazar Asplund Rodrigues

Risto Montour

Dahlin Jokiharju

McCabe Pilut Bogosian

 

That's a playoff roster

This, ultimately, is the root of the problem.

The O'Reilly trade is never going away now. It's become a massive stain on both Botterill and the Pegulas. If Botterill makes that bad trade all on his own and sets the team back years, then at least ownership can point the finger at him. But they were very clearly involved in that trade and they can't hold their own GM accountable because of it now. Bad stuff.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I hate re-litigating the deal as much as the rest of you, but reversing it fixes our biggest need at the cost of part-time defenceman Colin Miller.

Not making the Sheary trade puts us under the cap.

 

Olofsson Eichel Reinhart

Skinner O'Reilly Johansson

Girgensons Larsson Okposo

Vesey Lazar Asplund Rodrigues

Risto Montour

Dahlin Jokiharju

McCabe Pilut Bogosian

 

That's a playoff roster

If the goaltending holds up, it is.

And because it is that freaking close to being a playoff roster, there is hope as soon as next season.  But that comes 7 years after the decision to tank had been made.  As so many here are also having difficulty with, it is hard to have faith that the 1-2 necessary moves / growth of youth in the system will get made to put them back where they should've been all this time - in competitive meaningful hockey games.

And, while the heart says can Botterill, the head says there's no reason to assume the next guy will be any better and IF the "trade that should never be mentioned again" was in fact on ownership, then Jason has done a fairly good job.  Totally don't want to, but pretty sure am willing to give him until Thanksgiving to show he can pull it all together.  

 

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

Those are words.  Words are empty.  All I see from that team is words.  I need to see actions that demonstrate that they care even the slightest about any of this.

Other than keep firing people, which they've shown they're not afraid to do, I'm not sure what else Kerry and Tim can do.  I know the game day experience sucks, but we wouldn't even notice that if the team were good.

Edited January 31, 2020 by Eleven

[SABRES 0311]

Save your breath guys. McCabe already said they need to tune out the negativity. 

[Eleven]

This man has no reason to be charitable to us, to the team, or to Kerry and Tim.  Yet...

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/buffalo-sabres-fans-ready-snap-cant-blame/

[Thorner]

 

13 hours ago, darksabre said:

This, ultimately, is the root of the problem.

The O'Reilly trade is never going away now. It's become a massive stain on both Botterill and the Pegulas. If Botterill makes that bad trade all on his own and sets the team back years, then at least ownership can point the finger at him. But they were very clearly involved in that trade and they can't hold their own GM accountable because of it now. Bad stuff.

Botterill has done SO many other poor and questionable things they should have no problem firing him. 

12 hours ago, Taro T said:

If the goaltending holds up, it is.

And because it is that freaking close to being a playoff roster, there is hope as soon as next season.  But that comes 7 years after the decision to tank had been made.  As so many here are also having difficulty with, it is hard to have faith that the 1-2 necessary moves / growth of youth in the system will get made to put them back where they should've been all this time - in competitive meaningful hockey games.

And, while the heart says can Botterill, the head says there's no reason to assume the next guy will be any better and IF the "trade that should never be mentioned again" was in fact on ownership, then Jason has done a fairly good job.  Totally don't want to, but pretty sure am willing to give him until Thanksgiving to show he can pull it all together.  

 

SMH. A fairly good job lol. He has a comedic list of errors even separate from ROR, the trade that he also conceived of in the first place. But I’m not getting into that again.

This franchise is tying an anchor to its foot and jumping overboard if they willingly let Botterill have his way with the upcoming cap space this summer. 

That they’ll let him have at it is a terrifying thought. He might be the worst GM in the league. He’s certainly far and away the worst GM I’ve witnessed running the Sabres. 

Like, it’s not close. He’s real bad. Just one thing out of a million, looking at the Skinner situation makes me actively mad. The result of it is now a 9 million dollar player who has 19 points. 19 points. We are paying him the same amount per point as KO,  who everyone says is among the worst contracts in the league. He has SEVEN YEARS left after this one. We cannot allow this GM to set this franchise back any more. Keep JB and Eichel could be gonzo. 

RESULTS. The team has not improved an inch in 3 years. Dear lord there are 31 of these positions in the entire world, it’s for the elite of the elite. Can we please just expect better. 

IMAGINE IF BERGLUND DIDN’T SKIP TOWN? Botterill is a roster construction, contract negotiating, cap management nightmare thus far. 

Edited February 1, 2020 by Thorny

[Indabuff]

Am I incorrect in saying that Duane basically opened up this team to (necessary) national ridicule?  I mean this seems like national attention at this point based on the media outlets covering this.  

Edited February 1, 2020 by Indabuff

[Eleven]

8 hours ago, Taro T said:

the heart says can Botterill, the head says there's no reason to assume the next guy will be any better

I remember this logic being soundly rejected by this board eight years ago.  

What have you all wrought?

There is a curse upon us now.

[SwampD]

I think we’re on the precipice of an epic run to the playoffs.

Gonna be really fun.

[Thorner]

9 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I remember this logic being soundly rejected by this board eight years ago.  

What have you all wrought?

There is a curse upon us now.

It’s just not good logic - how do we know the next guy will be better. Better than a guy who couldn’t make the playoffs once in 3 years in a league where half the teams make it? Odds say the next guy should be able to, you have to be actively bad to miss even that many in a row, mathematically. Or unlucky, and we know that’s not it. 

Nm the fact we haven’t even been close. Competent GMs in small markets don’t get the national coverage we are getting unless they are a special kind of terrible. I think being on the inside people actually underrate the sheer incompetence this GM and franchise is displaying relative to the others. 

GMTM got fired 3 years ago after a 78 point season, after only 2 years actually trying (one of which was an 81 point season). So Botterill took 3 years to get us exactly nowhere, pacing for 82 points. He’s literally gotten zero results. 

I’d take my chances on someone new. If we care about results, I guess. 

Edited February 1, 2020 by Thorny

[SwampD]

12 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I remember this logic being soundly rejected by this board eight years ago.  

What have you all wrought?

There is a curse upon us now.

No. Just, no.

We are paying for the tank. Letting Lindy go was a favor to him.