Buffalo Sabres and NHL: 2019/20: Sabres season officially over. Draft lottery June 26th

[BillsFan4]

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

23 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Asplund coming up...what follows?

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

[plenzmd1]

6 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

argh..i betcha you right...but he did play in OT correct?

 

Maybe swelling day after ????

 

BTW, i keep reading the Sabres have 9 D..i think they have 10 in Pilut. Still cant believe that dude is gunna wallow away in the A all season

Edited November 15, 2019 by plenzmd1

[K-9]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

If the Sabres don’t get back in the win column against freaking Ottawa, a team that’s in the midst of a full tear down rebuild, I swear.... 

I’m wondering if Johan Larsson might be hurt. Paul Hamilton said he wasn’t available post-game because he was in the trainers room.  

I was amazed Angry Larry could still stand after the axe chop he took to the back of the legs just we before we tied it up. Can’t believe the refs missed that obvious call. Then again, given the sorry state of NHL refereeing, I’m not surprised at all.

Edited November 15, 2019 by K-9

[K-9]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Asplund coming up...what follows?

This is great news for no other reason than the call up of Asplund gives us a true and FULLY FORMED Rasmati. Finally! The Rasmati is a formidable force on the ice. 

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, K-9 said:

If we don’t churn players, how else do we improve the roster? 

Plez has been calling for a blow up of the roster. I with no malice say that he is crazy. No one is arguing against making deals and bringing up players from the system. The mix of players is a big problem. There are too many perimeter players and not enough players who are either incapable or don't have the desire to pay the price to work around the net. Being smart and judicious regarding personnel moves is a far different from dramatically churning the roster. 

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

@JohnC, what more do you need than 1-6-1...that's a last place team..an improving team does not go on streaks like that. If they don't go at least 2-0-1 next three, last place here we come!

I guess Jbotts is so enamored with surplus of D, he is talking about dressing 7 on a team that cant score! Yay!!!!

You are too quick to panic. You need to maintain your composure during challenging times. Within the 1-6-1 segment there were games in which we actually did play well, or at least not bad. The Islander game is an example of that. We lost a 1-0 game in which we played a very good team evenly. They scored on a very fluke game. Even in the Sweden games against one of the most talented teams in league we were not outclassed. The play of the specialty teams did us in. You need to look beyond the record and seek reasonable solutions to your deficiencies. Acting out of frustration and exasperation is not only self-defeating but it is foolish. 

[K-9]

Just now, JohnC said:

Plez has been calling for a blow up of the roster. I with no malice say that he is crazy. No one is arguing against making deals and bringing up players from the system. The mix of players is a big problem. There are too many perimeter players and not enough players who are either incapable or don't have the desire to pay the price to work around the net. Being smart and judicious regarding personnel moves is a far different from dramatically churning the roster. 

Well, until we churn the roster and rid it of those players who lack capability and/or desire, then we shouldn’t expect the improvement having those players would provide. Botts can’t be expected to be a miracle worker, but he’s into his third season with those types of players inhabiting our roster.
 

I can understand wanting to see if Krueger could coach those missing traits into those players, but I think the spots on those leopards ain’t gonna change. 

[JohnC]

Just now, K-9 said:

Well, until we churn the roster and rid it of those players who lack capability and/or desire, then we shouldn’t expect the improvement having those players would provide. Botts can’t be expected to be a miracle worker, but he’s into his third season with those types of players inhabiting our roster.
 

I can understand wanting to see if Krueger could coach those missing traits into those players, but I think the spots on those leopards ain’t gonna change. 

I very much agree with you that the deficient traits that some players have are not going to change. You are who you are. However, getting rid of players is the easy part. The issue is what can you get in return? The players you see with deficiencies are the same players that other organizations see. 

 

In general, I believe that Botts is doing a good job. He took over an organization that had little other than mish mash. As he has stated he used his first year to thoroughly assess what he had in the system. So there wasn't a lot of GM action in his first year. I consider that a smart and analytical way to do business. Talent is steadily being added. The Skinner, Mongtour and Joki deals were good deals that cost us little. In general, the talent level has increased over the past couple of years. My position has stayed the same. If the organization has the fortitude to stay on its current course things will work out. 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

[plenzmd1]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

and the year before BOTS got here, the year that got GMTM fired, Sabres earned 78 points...and he is improving the team how?

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I very much agree with you that the deficient traits that some players have are not going to change. You are who you are. However, getting rid of players is the easy part. The issue is what can you get in return? The players you see with deficiencies are the same players that other organizations see. 

 

In general, I believe that Botts is doing a good job. He took over an organization that had little other than mish mash. As he has stated he used his first year to thoroughly assess what he had in the system. So there wasn't a lot of GM action in his first year. I consider that a smart and analytical way to do business. Talent is steadily being added. The Skinner, Mongtour and Joki deals were good deals that cost us little. In general, the talent level has increased over the past couple of years. My position has stayed the same. If the organization has the fortitude to stay on its current course things will work out. 

 

Two years ago the Sabres earned 62 points. Last year the Sabres earned 76 points. My estimate is that the Sabres will earn around 88 points this year and stay in the playoff hunt right up to the end of the season, or near the end of the season. I usually receive a deluge of snickers when I say this but the trajectory is clearly up. 

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

and the year before BOTS got here, the year that got GMTM fired, Sabres earned 78 points...and he is improving the team how?

You are missing the point. It's not about the points. It's about how good is your roster against your foes. You can be a 78 point squad that in the near term or longer term is not built to compete for anything serious. The roster that he inherited is going through reconstruction. As I have told you before it is not a quick process. It's going to take time. 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

You are missing the point. It's not about the points. It's about how good is your roster against your foes. You can be a 78 point squad that in the near term or longer term is not built to compete for anything serious. The roster that he inherited is going through reconstruction. As I have told you before it is not a quick process. It's going to take time. 

Concerning that ongoing roster construction, it’s not unfair to say that Bott’s efforts in that regard haven’t been very good overall, given the performance of the players he’s brought in since taking over. 

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

I believe that there will be some roster changes this season. Changing the mix from too many perimeter players to adding more stout inside warriors will happen. It's not going to happen right away. Don't bet against more Rochester call ups to demonstrate to some members of the current roster that this finesse style of play isn't going to be tolerated so much. 

 

This team is in good cap shape after this season because we have a number of players on expiring contracts. I truly believe that next year will be our bump up year. I don't think that the GM is going to panic and jeopardize the good situation he is in for next year for a short term gain. He's got a plan and he is following it.  

7 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Concerning that ongoing roster construction, it’s not unfair to say that Bott’s efforts in that regard haven’t been very good overall, given the performance of the players he’s brought in since taking over. 

I agree that not all of his player transactions have worked out as well as he would have wanted. Sheary is a good example of that. But hockey is a sport, maybe more than most, where there are a lot of transactions made. Overall, there are more plusses than minuses. 

[Nextmanup]

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

Is Plenzmd1 your brother? If so your family has depression issues that call for happy pills to remedy the problem.

[shrader]

3 hours ago, K-9 said:

I agree that, in general,  Botts is doing a good job; at least the best he can. And that our trash is gonna be trash to other teams as well. There are no quick fixes, but it’s amazing that after sucking for so long and having so many higher draft picks, that we are still treading water with these same types of players. 
 

I won’t snicker at your predictions, but I don’t share the same optimism after seeing the rapid regression since our hot start. Something needs to click, and soon, or it will be a repeat of last season, given the roster of floaters currently assembled. 

 

I hesitate to call it a regression since we saw the same exact thing last year.  It may even be a slightly worse version of what happened last year.  We won't know that for sure until this current stretch of suck ends (IF).  So when you say a regression, you're talking in season, but this one could in fact be a season-to-season regression.  How's that one for a scary thought?

[4merper4mer]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are too quick to panic. You need to maintain your composure during challenging times. Within the 1-6-1 segment there were games in which we actually did play well, or at least not bad. The Islander game is an example of that. We lost a 1-0 game in which we played a very good team evenly. They scored on a very fluke game. Even in the Sweden games against one of the most talented teams in league we were not outclassed. The play of the specialty teams did us in. You need to look beyond the record and seek reasonable solutions to your deficiencies. Acting out of frustration and exasperation is not only self-defeating but it is foolish. 

You're right.  He should wait at least 8 years to panic.

 

Oh, wait.

3 hours ago, JohnC said:

I believe that there will be some roster changes this season. Changing the mix from too many perimeter players to adding more stout inside warriors will happen. It's not going to happen right away. Don't bet against more Rochester call ups to demonstrate to some members of the current roster that this finesse style of play isn't going to be tolerated so much. 

 

This team is in good cap shape after this season because we have a number of players on expiring contracts. I truly believe that next year will be our bump up year. I don't think that the GM is going to panic and jeopardize the good situation he is in for next year for a short term gain. He's got a plan and he is following it.  

I agree that not all of his player transactions have worked out as well as he would have wanted. Sheary is a good example of that. But hockey is a sport, maybe more than most, where there are a lot of transactions made. Overall, there are more plusses than minuses. 

When you say Botts has more pluses than minuses are you talking about more bogeys than birdies?  Because otherwise it makes no sense.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, shrader said:

 

I hesitate to call it a regression since we saw the same exact thing last year.  It may even be a slightly worse version of what happened last year.  We won't know that for sure until this current stretch of suck ends (IF).  So when you say a regression, you're talking in season, but this one could in fact be a season-to-season regression.  How's that one for a scary thought?

Scary enough that I’m actually comforted by an in season regression by comparison.

[BillsFan4]

With the Ottawa Senators win tonight, they’ve won 4 of their last 6, and 6 of their last 9 games. I didn’t realize the Sens had been winning games... I saw that 8-2 blowout loss to Carolina the other night and just assumed they stunk. 

 

I still think its a game the sabres should win, but it may not be an easy win (not that wins are ever easy for buffalo teams anyway...). 

[thebug]

8 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

If we could only devise a machine which converts every word JohnC writes in defense of this team/organization into Sabres goals, we would be unstoppable.

 

They could start engraving the Sabres' names on the Cup right now.

 

??? Goal records never to be broken!!!!