Rumor: About Botterill’s Future Being in Doubt

[nucci]

4 hours ago, Sabre fan said:

Kinda think that this organization has re-booted far too many times for them to actually try and bring in yet another new GM (or coach as most new GM's will want their own coach).

Still think a big problem stems from giving away or losing good talent and getting basically nothing in return. The beginning of the end seemed to start way back when we lost both Briere and Drury to free agency when we should have traded them, at the deadline and got something of significance in return (remember both were highly coveted and in big demand;hence they both signed big contracts at free agency). 

Fast forward a few years and GMTM is giving away far too much for far too little, but then he does make two significant moves to bring in two really good players in EK and ROR.   For all of Ex GMTM's fails, these two guys should have given us some reason to rejoice and feel we are on the right track to something (anything?).

Then we juice GMTM and bring in the "can't fail" JBotto, who immediately takes it upon himself to get rid of both EK and ROR for basically nothing. JBotto traded his two big fish for a bunch of little fish-fry that in the end amount to just bottom feeders and leaving one good line and 3 lines of 3rd or 4th liners. Getting Kahun for two of those 3rd and 4th liners was a good move, but we need that elusive 2nd center and 2nd winger to play with Skinner (although I still cannot figure out how we continue to waste a 9 million player on the 2nd line with a bunch of nobody's). When he gave away EK and ROR he gave away his best chances at getting a 2nd line center in a hockey trade.  They don;t grow on trees and just about every team is in search for one of those at some point.

I fear we will be right where we are now next season too.   OMG I cannot take another season of this...

You wanted to trade Drury and Briere when they were Cup contenders? That would have went over well

[PerreaultForever]

14 hours ago, nucci said:

Luce did work for Buffalo but was fired....he's a good personnel guy

I know. and he's working for Toronto and they are drafting better than us overall. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

8 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Botts is not bad, yeh OReilly mistake... not sure if his hand was forced?  But he really needs a 2C and another scoring forward.... if draft high enough then maybe a starter next year plus Cozens... again who knows.

Even if his hand was forced, he should have gotten more than the pittance he did.

[PerreaultForever]

Just now, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Even if his hand was forced, he should have gotten more than the pittance he did.

The issue was undoubtedly the big bonus. Not many teams wanted to make the deal before that kicked in. That order likely came from the top. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

14 hours ago, nucci said:

Luce did work for Buffalo but was fired....he's a good personnel guy

Luce was let go not because he didn't produce but because some "genius" up top decided video scouting made more sense than first hand evaluation.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Formerly Allan in MD

[Ross Rhea]

26 minutes ago, Formerly Allan in MD said:

Luce was let go not because he didn't produce but because some "genius" up top decided video scouting made more sense than first hand evaluation.

Wasnt that Tom Golisano who did that?

[Brawndo]

26 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

The issue was undoubtedly the big bonus. Not many teams wanted to make the deal before that kicked in. That order likely came from the top. 

Yep. Botterill’s Hands were tied with that one, much like Waddell’s Hands with Skinner. 
 

One of those GMs Teams was able to withstand a bad trade because of other moves they made.

If the bonus hadn’t been an issue, those two GMs would have made a deal 

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Yep. Botterill’s Hands were tied with that one, much like Waddell’s Hands with Skinner. 
 

One of those GMs Teams was able to withstand a bad trade because of other moves they made.

If the bonus hadn’t been an issue, those two GMs would have made a deal 

Can't absolve him of it. I know, we've done this.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Thorny

[Brawndo]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Can't absolve him of it. I know, we've done this.

No reason to do so, it was a huge cf from top to bottom
 

The other mistakes he has made are more than enough to pull the trigger on his firing 

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

No reason to do so, it was a huge cf from top to bottom
 

The other mistakes he has made are more than enough to pull the trigger on his firing 

He's made SO many mistakes. I still see it as a tough call in some ways. That's probably a lot rooted in fear of what would come next. 

Edited March 1, 2020 by Thorny

[nfreeman]

They have 66 pts with 17 games left, 8 of which are at home and 9 on the road.

If they go 8-9 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 82 pts — ie 4 pts better than the final year of TM and DDB.  That probably gets JB canned. 

If they go 7-10 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 80 points, and I’d say JB getting canned is a certainty at that point.

An extra OTL pt here or there might make all the difference in the world.  

[Tondas]

I don't think TP will can JBOT regardless of how the Sabres finish.  He'll get at least another year.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Tondas said:

I don't think TP will can JBOT regardless of how the Sabres finish.  He'll get at least another year.

Murray had 3 years, why should JBot get more? 

[triumph_communes]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Murray had 3 years, why should JBot get more? 

Murray’s last season was supposed to be IT. He spent all the marbles and mortgaged the future and they played worse than Jason’s season 3 team did, even with ROR blessed be thy name.  
 

Botterills IT season is next season.  This offseason cap finally sheds most of the Murray blunders, his own draft picks playing, etc.  Jason steppes into a mess and has cleaned up well.

Edited March 1, 2020 by triumph_communes

[Scottysabres]

A pall in the #Sabres room far more than any game I’ve seen in a long time. They know it’s over. Guys sitting at lockers stunned. Eichel talked to media with full equipment still on. Nothing off but his helmet.

[Radar]

7 hours ago, nfreeman said:

They have 66 pts with 17 games left, 8 of which are at home and 9 on the road.

If they go 8-9 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 82 pts — ie 4 pts better than the final year of TM and DDB.  That probably gets JB canned. 

If they go 7-10 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 80 points, and I’d say JB getting canned is a certainty at that point.

An extra OTL pt here or there might make all the difference in the world.  

My logic agrees. Mr. Pegula's logic could be different than ours?

[SwampD]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Murray had 3 years, why should JBot get more? 

And one of those they were still trying to lose.

[freester]

TM wasn’t given enough time. Jack and Sam were rookies and not nearly the players they are today.   Kane, Risto  and ROR were also young. JB has/had these players at the peak of their careers and yet has failed. 

[Curt]

6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Murray had 3 years, why should JBot get more? 

Murray was fired because the locker room was divided and in revolt against the coach.  Murray stood by his coach.  Pegula fires them both.

His results also were not great and he was legitimately going hard for the playoffs.  Also, TM is a crass, unwholesome guy.  Pegula probably never liked him personally.  That doesn’t help.

At least that’s my basic understanding of the situation.

Botterill, on the other hand, was hand picked by Pegula.  He is the business talking nice guy that Pegula wanted in charge.  Pegula likes him personally.  Also, I’m sure he has preached patience to Pegula and sold this as a slow build up of talent and culture that would take some time.

Thats why I think Botterill is safe while TM was gored (Lol, autocorrect *fired*) after year 3.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Curt

[Gatorman0519]

They can’t possibly bring back a guy that has shown no real improvement in 3 years.  There are not even signs of it. 

[Torpedo Forecheck]

31 minutes ago, Curt said:

Murray was fired because the locker room was divided and in revolt against the coach.  Murray stood by his coach.  Pegula fires them both.

His results also were not great and he was legitimately going hard for the playoffs.  Also, TM is a crass, unwholesome guy.  Pegula probably never liked him personally.  That doesn’t help.

At least that’s my basic understanding of the situation.

Botterill, on the other hand, was hand picked by Pegula.  He is the business talking nice guy that Pegula wanted in charge.  Pegula likes him personally.  Also, I’m sure he has preached patience to Pegula and sold this as a slow build up of talent and culture that would take some time.

Thats why I think Botterill is safe while TM was gored (Lol, autocorrect *fired*) after year 3.

Unless Ralph......

[Ross Rhea]

8 hours ago, nfreeman said:

They have 66 pts with 17 games left, 8 of which are at home and 9 on the road.

If they go 8-9 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 82 pts — ie 4 pts better than the final year of TM and DDB.  That probably gets JB canned. 

If they go 7-10 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 80 points, and I’d say JB getting canned is a certainty at that point.

An extra OTL pt here or there might make all the difference in the world.  

I really don't care if they go 15-2 and miss the playoffs by one point, the incompetence JBot has displayed in 3 years is overwhelming, he needs to go.

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, nfreeman said:

They have 66 pts with 17 games left, 8 of which are at home and 9 on the road.

If they go 8-9 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 82 pts — ie 4 pts better than the final year of TM and DDB.  That probably gets JB canned. 

If they go 7-10 in their last 17, they’ll finish with 80 points, and I’d say JB getting canned is a certainty at that point.

An extra OTL pt here or there might make all the difference in the world.  

I don't get this. A'tall.

[Randall Flagg]

At this point they are what they are, and 4 point swings could be easily accounted for by random circumstance. I hope the Pegulas understand what the team is and aren't making decisions based off of a 5 win in 6 game stretch, nor a losing streak out west 

this stuff is built into all NHL seasons, its the level that your team oscillates around that's the important marker, and ours is safely mediocre

Edited March 1, 2020 by Randall Flagg

[nfreeman]

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I don't get this. A'tall.

Do you not think this season's final point total will factor into TP's decision?