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

[K-9]

12 minutes ago, GG said:

 

I thought it was mostly due to his weak effort at the puck in the corner which led to a scoring chance.

 

Agree with all on Okposo.  If that’s the hit that put him out, then he should seriously consider hanging them up.

I think that’s right. I was going by what RJ and RR said on the telecast. I’ve come to learn since that Dahlin wasn’t even on the ice when Ennis scored!  

 

Much has been said about the two times he fanned on the puck in his own zone on that one shift in the first period and yeah, it resulted in some O zone possession time for the Sens, but he eventually put out his own fire by making a decent play to clear the zone. I think he was benched in the third, like he was vs. the Panthers earlier in the season, because he gets out muscled too often in his own end, loses the puck, and we give up scoring chances. 
 

There’s a video of Jack giving him a pep talk on the bench. Good stuff by Eichel; good captaincy. 

[Cripple Creek]

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

Think the shoulder hits him in the head... agree not meant to be a hit, just an unfortunate accident

I agree, he caught him, unintentionally, but if he is that fragile I worry for him. There was no speed and little impact there.

[GG]

The Sabres aren't just a one line team, they're a one man team.  Over the last 7 games the outcome directly correlates to Eichel's play.  

 

And yes, Risto is so desperately needed to hold the defensive end

Edited November 18, 2019 by GG

[BillsFan4]

I Finally shut off a Sabres game and walked away tonight. I always say I’m going to do it but never actually do. I just have no patience left when they play the way they are tonight. 

[Helpmenow]

Fire the GM

[4merper4mer]

9 hours ago, GG said:

The Sabres aren't just a one line team, they're a one man team.  Over the last 7 games the outcome directly correlates to Eichel's play.  

 

And yes, Risto is so desperately needed to hold the defensive end

I don't claim to know all the X's and O's when it comes to hockey but I have a basic understanding of human nature and I can usually tell when someone is bad at their job.

 

I'll start with the good:. I think Krueger is good at his job.  He schemed us and motivated us into a good start to the season.  Schemes get figured out and motivation waxes and wanes when applied to people who are overmatched.  Given the  right ingredients, it  appears to me Krueger could be a guy that wins consistently.  But:

 

The lazy Jason Botterill is currently supplying the ingredients.  I understand that patience is needed in developing a team but urgency is also required.  Botts clearly lacks any urgency whatsoever.  An example is Kyle Okposo.  He seems like a genuinely good person and once was a good hockey player. I wish him 100000% the best with is current unfortunate injury.  With that said, can anyone honestly say that a GM that cared about winning would have left him on a roster this long?  None of this is on Okposo, he is working for his family and I don't see a lack of effort.....just ability.  It's on the GM.  There are also younger players that are simply not living up to where they were picked or not developing at a reasonable pace.  One of them is a SECOND line center.  In addition, it is beginning to look possible that we are ruining the best defensive prospect in multiple generations.  I think his talent will ultimately turn things around, but the fact that this is even a possibility is inexcusable.  All of the above is bad enough but Botts' lack of grasp on reality is likely to leave him flat footed when:

 

Human nature ultimately kicks in and Eichel asks out.  This could happen sooner than we thought and once it does, it will be too late.  How long should Eichel have to wait?  Fans are one thing and they deserve to be frustrated.  Eichel goes into work every day and on none of them, in all of this time, has he had the luxury of knowing things are moving in the right direction.  This type of thing wears on people.  Can anyone name one thing Botterill has done that would instill confidence in a player like Jack that a Stanley Cup winning organization is a realistic possibility during his career?  He has got a long time left but he has also been here a long time already and currently Seattle looks like they are in a stronger position than Buffalo, and they literally do not exist.

 

Botts has to go.  I hope they retain Krueger, but Botts has to go.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by 4merper4mer

[plenzmd1]

9 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

I Finally shut off a Sabres game and walked away tonight. I always say I’m going to do it but never actually do. I just have no patience left when they play the way they are tonight. 

tough to see an 18yr old score two against Eichel, our no miss, generational talent 19 year old having the yips, our 20 yr old with the greatest hands ever cant score and #55 coughing pucks up again...

 

you are right, this team is damn near unwatchable again, and after a start where they were such fun to watch. I may even bet some MACtion on Tuesday just so i dont want to watch these guys

[Jrb1979]

4 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

I don't claim to know all the X's and O's when it comes to hockey but I have a basic understanding of human nature and I can usually tell when someone is bad at their job.

 

I'll start with the good:. I think Krueger is good at his job.  He schemed us and motivated us into a good start to the season.  Schemes get figured out and motivation waxes and wanes when applied to people who are overmatched.  Given the  right ingredients, it  appears to me Krueger could be a guy that wins consistently.  But:

 

The lazy Jason Botterill is currently supplying the ingredients.  I understand that patience is needed in developing a team but urgency is also required.  Botts clearly lacks any urgency whatsoever.  An example is Kyle Okposo.  He seems like a genuinely good person and once was a good hockey player. I wish him 100000% the best with is current unfortunate injury.  With that said, can anyone honestly say that a GM that cared about winning would have left him on a roster this long?  None of this is on Okposo, he is working for his family and I don't see a lack of effort.....just ability.  It's on the GM.  There are also younger players that are simply not living up to where they were picked or not developing at a reasonable pace.  One of them is a SECOND line center.  In addition, it is beginning to look possible that we are ruining the best defensive prospect in multiple generations.  I think his talent will ultimately turn things around, but the fact that this is even a possibility is inexcusable.  All of the above is bad enough but Botts' lack of grasp on reality is likely to leave him flat footed when:

 

Human nature ultimately kicks in and Eichel asks out.  This could happen sooner than we thought and once it does, it will be too late.  How long should Eichel have to wait?  Fans are one thing and they deserve to be frustrated.  Eichel goes into work every day and on none of them, in all of this time, has he had the luxury of knowing things are moving in the right direction.  This type of thing wears on people.  Can anyone name one thing Botterill has done that would instill confidence in a player like Jack that a Stanley Cup winning organization is a realistic possibility during his career?  He has got a long time left but he has also been here a long time already and currently Seattle looks like they are in a stronger position than Buffalo, and they literally do not exist.

 

Botts has to go.  I hope they retain Krueger, but Botts has to go.

 

 

I disagree that Botts is lazy and sitting on his hands. I think he did a great job in rebuilding the defense this offseason with his trades to get Montour and Miller. Its going to take time to fix this. As far as Okposo goes, there really isn't much they can do about it other then scratch him. No other team will take on his contact unless you give them a draft pick to go with it. Yeah yesterday was a bad game but I think they will do fine. They will challenge for a playoff spot all season and next season I see a big step. Some of these players will be off the books and I expect Thompson and Cozens to be here to fix the offense. 

 

I realize most of you are tired of not making the playoffs and want immediate results. Trading guys like Okposo and Sobotka isn't easy cause you either give up draft picks or take on equal salary back. There is no point as odds are those players won't be much better. 

 

You all BILLieve in the "TRUST THE PROCESS" for the Bills but yet want instant results for the Sabres. 

[shrader]

2 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

You all BILLieve in the "TRUST THE PROCESS" for the Bills but yet want instant results for the Sabres. 

 

They made the playoffs two years ago and are currently 7-3.  It's not crazy to think that some might feel a little more positive about the Bills than the Sabres.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

24 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

You all BILLieve in the "TRUST THE PROCESS" for the Bills but yet want instant results for the Sabres. 

 

Bills are winning, and look to be on the path to their second playoff appearance in three years.

Sabres, well, let's just say they're not as successful.

 

 

[Jrb1979]

29 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Bills are winning, and look to be on the path to their second playoff appearance in three years.

Sabres, well, let's just say they're not as successful.

 

 

Not recently they aren't as successful but so far this season they have played better. Its an improvement and as long as they are battling for a playoff spot all season then I will call it a successful season. Next year they will have some of the bad contracts off the books and will be able to add more. Adding Cozens next season will be a big help. 

[JohnC]

34 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Bills are winning, and look to be on the path to their second playoff appearance in three years.

Sabres, well, let's just say they're not as successful.

 

 

Two years ago the Sabres garnered 62 pts. Last year they earned 76 pts. This year my guess is that they should earn around 88 pts. and stay in the playoff race till the end of the season. As JRB1979 noted the organization will have a number of expiring contracts entering next season which should allow for some higher yield talent to be added to the roster.

 

Some alarmists act as if the organization is in a state of disarray and is spiraling toward a catastrophe. That is far from what is actually happening.  If you stand back and take a broader perspective where this franchise was and is currently at and where it is heading the outlook is more positive than many people are portraying. 

 

I understand why some people are frustrated to the point that they are arguing to blow up the roster. That would be an act of self-immolation. My stance remains to stay the course and make smart deals when it will benefit you. It's not an easy process to undergo but there is no other way.   

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I understand why some people are frustrated to the point that they are arguing to blow up the roster. That would be an act of self-immolation. My stance remains to stay the course and make smart deals when it will benefit you. It's not an easy process to undergo but there is no other way.   

 

I'm not arguing to blow up the roster.

 

I could see Eichel demanding a trade, though.

 

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

I'm not arguing to blow up the roster.

 

I could see Eichel demanding a trade, though.

 

I'm not worried about the Captain demanding a trade. He's invested in the team that he is leading. I can see him demanding talent help. And I can see the GM bringing in talent, especially next year when many contracts expire. 

[Cripple Creek]

1 hour ago, Jrb1979 said:

I realize most of you are tired of not making the playoffs and want immediate results. Trading guys like Okposo and Sobotka isn't easy cause you either give up draft picks or take on equal salary back. There is no point as odds are those players won't be much better. 

 

I seriously don't mean this in a disparaging way and hope you don't take it as such.

 

Do you know how silly it is to use the term immediate results when talking about Sabres?  That's as far from reality as you can get. We do want results and when they arrive there will be nothing immediate about them.

Edited November 18, 2019 by Cripple Creek

[JohnC]

The attached link is an article by Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News regarding Dahlin. He discusses the learning curve for the young defenseman. 

 

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/17/buffalo-sabres-chicago-blackhawks-rasmus-dahlin-brandon-montour-nhl-news-2019/?view=getnewpost

[Jrb1979]

32 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

I seriously don't mean this in a disparaging way and hope you don't take it as such.

 

Do you know how silly it is to use the term immediate results when talking about Sabres?  That's as far from reality as you can get. We do want results and when they arrive there will be nothing immediate about them.

I do get what you mean but judging by a lot of the comments in this thread a lot of you expect Botts to make magically make guys like Sobotka and Okposo disappear. 

[Nextmanup]

46 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm not worried about the Captain demanding a trade. He's invested in the team that he is leading. I can see him demanding talent help. And I can see the GM bringing in talent, especially next year when many contracts expire. 

Hopefully Botterill will not be here to bring in more talent next year; he should be gone at year's end if not sooner.

 

I really don't feel comfortable with him having any further control over the future of this organization.  He's done enough damage already.  

 

And rather than add top talent any time soon, we are going to lose it in the form of Reinhart.  Don't see him re-signing with the team. He'll want too much $ and term and be able to get it elsewhere...and the guy is simply incapable of driving play on his own; he needs Eichel to be better than a 40-50 point player.  

 

Sabres need to be completely rebuilt with the following players protected:

 

Eichel, Dahlin, Johansson, Skinner

 

Everyone else should be in play, and if we can convince the right team to give us a king's ransom for any of the protected 4, I'd move them too, including Eichel.

 

Eichel is going to want to move off this team at some point anyway. 

 

It's a disaster.

 

 

 

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I do get what you mean but judging by a lot of the comments in this thread a lot of you expect Botts to make magically make guys like Sobotka and Okposo disappear. 

What people forget is that when Pegula bought the franchise he made some major mistakes with his organizational hires. When he acquired the team there was no clear cut authority to make decisions. The Fontaine confusion and his quitting or firing??? are factors why this franchise under the new ownership had a bad start. The Fontaine departure resulted in a settlement that included a non-disclosure clause. How chaotic can you get? Two or three years of bad decisions weighed this franchise down. Let's not forget about the Pegula money splurge for useless free agents when he took over. That set this franchise back. The Murray years were not a period of good decisions. The person who took over for him was Botts. Many people understandably disagree with my view but I believe he has brought some order and a unified vision to this organization. 

 

How many years were wasted by bad management brought on by the new owner? It's obvious that the new owner had a learning curve to go through that effected the franchise. To his credit he has learned from his mistakes with the hockey franchise as he did with the football franchise. It can be argued that the GM missed on the Housley hire but he hit a home room with the Krueger hire. For those who complain about the lengthy amount of time for this franchise to become competitive my response is not to blame the current GM but to blame his predecessors who set this franchise very far back. 

[BillsFan4]

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-okposo-has-suffered-another-concussion

 

Okposo has another concussion. Really hope he is ok. It has to be pretty scary for him. I’m sure there’s some PTSD from what happened last time. 

 

I didn’t think it was even that bad of a collision. Either it was worse than I realize or he is just more easily concussed now from past injuries. 

 

The article also also mentions Tage Thompson is out 3-5 weeks with an upper body injury. 

 

Mojo and Larsson are still day to day.

 

and just like that, any shred of forward depth the Sabres has is gone... who do they even call up?

 

Quote

A call up from Rochester isn’t easy because C.J. Smith is out 4-to-6 weeks while Remi Elie and Scott Wilson are week-to-week.

 

The choices are J.S. Dea or Andrew Oglevie. Krueger said they could also play Tuesday with seven defensemen.

 

Yikes! 

Edited November 18, 2019 by BillsFan4