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

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Hmm, they gotta win one their not supposed right? Little baby bet on em +230, little parley bet them and the Colts 14-1 odds. Both team have to win outright

 

btw, combines bet about 1/3 of a unit for me, so ain’t got a lot of confidence but keeps out the OTB and losing triple that!. 

Wow first goal in 4 games without Eichel scoring or assisting.  Maybe next they can score one when he isn't on the ice.  Effort appears to be there tonight.

[GG]

When Rask pulled that save on Rod, you knew it wasn’t going to be their night.

 

Still best effort in more than a month.  This is how they started the season.  Hope they keep it up and fix the penalty kill.  That was the difference again.

 

 Looks like Risto is the new guy in front of the net.

[Cripple Creek]

10 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://theathletic.com/1398426/2019/11/21/sabres-assistant-don-granato-on-near-death-experience-youve-got-about-5-minutes-and-you-will-not-be-here/?source=shared-article

 

Sabres assistant Don Granato on near-death experience: ‘You’ve got about 5 minutes and you will not be here

 

 

 

 

Wow! I figured it had to be pretty bad for him to be out this long, but I didn’t know the extent. Sounds like he came very close to dying. 

 

Glad he’s back and feeling better! 

Damn, that hits too close to home. Glad he has recovered!

[JohnC]

12 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

I’m actually enjoying the Boston game so far. 

 

Everyone actually looks like they give a crap tonight. Everyone giving an effort again, trying to win their puck battles and they’re back to Playing the style Ralph wants them to play. 

 

I cant take the losses where 2/3rds of the team looks like they don’t care. But if I see an honest effort and they lose because the other team’s more skilled, then fine. I an live with that and continue to root these guys on. But if/when they don’t care, why should I?

 

 

The attached link is Buffalo News column on the game by Lance Lysowski. As you indicated the effort was there but this team doesn't have much margin of error. Their PK is hurting them badly. In this game the 5 on 5 play was fairly even. When they were short-handed the other team converted.

 

What's impressive about the Bruins is that they have a grinding and unrelenting style of play that is evident throughout the game. In the first period we dominated the play but after that the Bruins returned to form playing their tough brand of hockey. They are not a team full of stylish players like Tampa as much as they are a team throughout all their lines that all play the same style of hardnosed hockey. This is a team that plays a playoff style of hockey in the regular season. I don't particularly like them but my hats off to them. 

 

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/21/buffalo-sabres-boston-bruins-ralph-krueger-evan-rodrigues-rasmus-ristolainen-brandon-montour-nhl-news-2019/

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

On 11/20/2019 at 7:39 PM, Helpmenow said:

Botterill will be joining whaley and murray at the bar soon.

Did Darcy Regier ever get his ‘Smart Serve’ certification, so he could legally be the bartender?  ?

[Bobby Hooks]

On 11/18/2019 at 6:42 AM, 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.

 

 

This is the reason i stay off of sports talk radio. 

 

Skinner - Montour - "Botts is great, he's the best!" 

 

Can't find a trade partner - "Move on from Botts, blow him up!" 

 

 Player not playing well - "Trade Okposo for Johnny Goo! come on Botts!" 

 

I just can't stand hearing this stuff. It has no basis in reality. It just reeks of passed off opinions from a crazy radio show, or someones wacky neighbor that doesn't even watch the games. What can we possibly do with Okposo? At the time it was an excellent signing. Top free agent, took a favorable deal. How could anyone know it would go as poorly as it had? 

 

With that said, he currently has zero value, what do you propose we do? 

 

I wont even address the Botts nonsense. 

[BillsFan4]

 

 

Makes sense. I am sure that’s why Botterill was talking up how important his defensive depth is in that interview before Thursday’s game. 

 

I am actually ok with him waiting for a better offer. I don’t like making trades just for the sake of making a trade. Only make a trade if it improves the team, and I don’t see how dumping Scandella for crap makes the Sabres better. I’d rather Botterill make no trade than make a bad trade that doesn’t really help the Sabres. 

 

Plus, IMO, I think once you start completely caving in on your trade demands, it makes it that much harder to get proper value in future trades. GMs are like sharks and can smell blood in the water. You can’t let them take advantage of you unless you want to keep getting taken advantage of.

 

Eventually a team in need of a defenseman will offer up something of value. Maybe after thanksgiving, when GMs have a better idea of what their team is this season and where they are in relation to making the playoffs. Plus, the Sabres schedule gets back closer to normal after November. Right now they’re making up games from the time off they got for the Sweden trip.

[BillsFan4]

19 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The attached link is Buffalo News column on the game by Lance Lysowski. As you indicated the effort was there but this team doesn't have much margin of error. Their PK is hurting them badly. In this game the 5 on 5 play was fairly even. When they were short-handed the other team converted.

 

What's impressive about the Bruins is that they have a grinding and unrelenting style of play that is evident throughout the game. In the first period we dominated the play but after that the Bruins returned to form playing their tough brand of hockey. They are not a team full of stylish players like Tampa as much as they are a team throughout all their lines that all play the same style of hardnosed hockey. This is a team that plays a playoff style of hockey in the regular season. I don't particularly like them but my hats off to them. 

 

https://buffalonews.com/2019/11/21/buffalo-sabres-boston-bruins-ralph-krueger-evan-rodrigues-rasmus-ristolainen-brandon-montour-nhl-news-2019/

 

Yes, agreed. I’ve been impressed by the bruins consistent style of play for years now. They know how to win games. 

 

Even when the Sabres prospects play the (usually much less talented) Bruins prospects in those tournaments here every summer, I am always struck by how well coached the bruins prospects are. Their prospects always seem to play that same consistent, “bruins” style of hockey. 

 

I am really hoping that Krueger can implement something similar here in Buffalo. I know he’s trying to...

He wants the Sabres playing with that same unrelenting pressure on the puck/puck carrier that the Bruins play with, and he’s trying to establish it from Cincinnati (our ECHL team) to Buffalo. I am hoping with some more time that it starts to stick. It was definitely nice to see them get back to that style of play last night.

 

 

 

And yep, Sabres margin for error is razor thin. To even have a chance at winning, they need everyone engaged in every puck battle and giving 100% every shift like last night. 

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, Bobby Hooks said:

This is the reason i stay off of sports talk radio. 

 

Skinner - Montour - "Botts is great, he's the best!" 

 

Can't find a trade partner - "Move on from Botts, blow him up!" 

 

 Player not playing well - "Trade Okposo for Johnny Goo! come on Botts!" 

 

I just can't stand hearing this stuff. It has no basis in reality. It just reeks of passed off opinions from a crazy radio show, or someones wacky neighbor that doesn't even watch the games. What can we possibly do with Okposo? At the time it was an excellent signing. Top free agent, took a favorable deal. How could anyone know it would go as poorly as it had? 

 

With that said, he currently has zero value, what do you propose we do? 

 

I wont even address the Botts nonsense. 

Signings aren't good or bad when they happen; they are dependent on results.  Okposo was certainly not an excellent signing.  I get that one was Murray.

 

The Vesey move was just dumb as well as Sheary.  Add in the commitment to Mittestadt, Erod, and some others and no GM in his right mind would think he had a viable team.  Jimmy friggin Vesey is skating on the first line.  For the love of God what is that?

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

 

Makes sense. I am sure that’s why Botterill was talking up how important his defensive depth is in that interview before Thursday’s game. 

 

I am actually ok with him waiting for a better offer. I don’t like making trades just for the sake of making a trade. Only make a trade if it improves the team, and I don’t see how dumping Scandella for crap makes the Sabres better. I’d rather Botterill make no trade than make a bad trade that doesn’t really help the Sabres. 

 

Plus, IMO, I think once you start completely caving in on your trade demands, it makes it that much harder to get proper value in future trades. GMs are like sharks and can smell blood in the water. You can’t let them take advantage of you unless you want to keep getting taken advantage of.

 

Eventually a team in need of a defenseman will offer up something of value. Maybe after thanksgiving, when GMs have a better idea of what their team is this season and where they are in relation to making the playoffs. Plus, the Sabres schedule gets back closer to normal after November. Right now they’re making up games from the time off they got for the Sweden trip.

Scandella is playing well. But his value isn't that great because he's in the last year of his contract. Montour is a legitimate second pairing, and maybe first pairing defenseman. Next season he will be a RFA. So because of his contract status I'm not sure how much you will get in return. Bogo certainly doesn't have much trade value because of his injury history and also his contract status. According to Paul Hamilton from WGR he stated that Botts is strenuously working the phones but constructing a fair trade deal isn't as easy as many make it out to be. There is no doubt that Risto has value on the market. But if the return isn't commensurate to the value going out it would be foolish to make a deal for the sake of making a deal. Risto certainly has some value on the market but he also has value on our team. Although he receives a lot of criticisms from some upset fans he is currently our anchor defenseman who gets more ice time than any other player on this roster. 

 

As you suggested if a good deal isn't available now then wait until the market is more receptive for fair market deals. If they don't materialize then stay the course. 

[JohnC]

Darren Dreger was on WGR's Instigator show talking about trade scenarios and complications. He also talked about the Toronto situation. This is a 14 min segment. 

 

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

[njbuff]

At least the Sabres aren’t as bad as my pathetic excuse for a hockey team. 

[JohnC]

35 minutes ago, njbuff said:

At least the Sabres aren’t as bad as my pathetic excuse for a hockey team. 

Is Hall interested in signing with the Devils or are the Devils looking to trade Hall? 

[BillsFan4]

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-place-gilmour-on-waivers

 

John Gilmour waived. Bogosian looks ready to return. 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, JohnC said:

Darren Dreger was on WGR's Instigator show talking about trade scenarios and complications. He also talked about the Toronto situation. This is a 14 min segment. 

 

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

 

Interesting to hear that Botterill hopes to make a couple trades (for forwards) within the next couple weeks. Dreger says he’s very active on the trade market. 

 

[JohnC]

5 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-place-gilmour-on-waivers

 

John Gilmour waived. Bogosian looks ready to return. 

 

 

 

 

Interesting to hear that Botterill hopes to make a couple trades (for forwards) within the next couple weeks. Dreger says he’s very active on the trade market. 

 

Expecting Bogo to be a defenseman to fill in the ranks of a traded defenseman or two is a risky proposition. He is too injury prone. The number of injuries and surgeries he has accumulated makes him a vulnerable (less than durable)  player. In my view he needs to drastically alter his style of play from a banger and enforcer to more of a puck moving player. 

 

The player who will be moving up to the big club if there is a deal is Pilut. Will Risto be dealt? If the GM wants a second line forward he is the only player on the defensive unit who has enough value to bring us a second line forward. And it might take additional assets beyond Risto to bring in a forward who is capable of scoring. 

[njbuff]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

Is Hall interested in signing with the Devils or are the Devils looking to trade Hall? 

No and no.

 

Shero is asleep at the wheel and as far as I’m concerned, Hall can go. The Devils could easily be the worst team in hockey without him.

 

Hall’s value is next to nothing right now. 
 

It’s a real shytshow in Newark right now and don’t mean just the city itself.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 hour ago, njbuff said:

No and no.

 

Shero is asleep at the wheel and as far as I’m concerned, Hall can go. The Devils could easily be the worst team in hockey without him.

 

Hall’s value is next to nothing right now. 
 

It’s a real shytshow in Newark right now and don’t mean just the city itself.

 

Never should have left Denver. Ha!

[njbuff]

1 hour ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Never should have left Denver. Ha!

 

Yeah, the 20+ years of success in NJ from 1992 to 2012 is just awful (one losing season).

[plenzmd1]

9 minutes ago, njbuff said:

 

Yeah, the 20+ years of success in NJ from 1992 to 2012 is just awful (one losing season).

Mickey Mouse organization!?

 

wonder what Gretz would call the Sabres of the last 10 years. 

 

BTW, gunna try to beak the jinx and not bet the moneyline for the Panthers game ,  so for all you gamblers out there you should prolly load up on the Sabres to win. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by plenzmd1

[JohnC]

6 hours ago, njbuff said:

No and no.

 

Shero is asleep at the wheel and as far as I’m concerned, Hall can go. The Devils could easily be the worst team in hockey without him.

 

Hall’s value is next to nothing right now. 
 

It’s a real shytshow in Newark right now and don’t mean just the city itself.

Not that long ago Taylor Hall was an MVP in the league. So obviously he is a premier talent. He has been dealing with injuries and a season that hasn't gotten off the ground for the Devils, a team with grand expectations after securing the first pick in  the last draft. In hockey, as in a lot of sports,  a change of scenery can revitalize a talented but dormant player. The problem in this case is that he is on an expiring contract so any team that is interested in dealing off a lot of assets for this talented but struggling player is taking a gamble because they don't know if he will be a free agent after this season. The Sabres took a gamble in trading for Skinner but we knew in advance because of his limited no-trade clause that Buffalo was a location he was willing to go to. Would I risk trading a Risto for Hall? No, because of the risk of losing him to free agency. If I give up an asset I want a secure asset back.