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

[4merper4mer]

The penalty on Frolik was baloney but he blows....at least tonight.  He shots have nothing on them.  His decision making has been bad.  Another Botts gem.

[plenzmd1]

How can they be out-chanced by this team through two periods. Now they are desperate, score effects will come into play soon, and we will here the excuses about the time off.
 

hope Linus is okay  , but that looked back. Johanson(so) next game?

[4merper4mer]

4 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

How can they be out-chanced by this team through two periods. Now they are desperate, score effects will come into play soon, and we will here the excuses about the time off.
 

hope Linus is okay  , but that looked back. Johanson(so) next game?

Ullmark injury looked strange.  I wouldn't be 100% shocked if it turns out to be his left and not the right like it looked.  Either way, it's too bad.

 

What a waste of Eichel and Dahlin's talent subjecting them to what Botts has surrounded them with.  It's criminal and he needs to be gone yesterday.

[K-9]

Way to come off the bye, boys. Stuff of champions. I suspect this fragile group of losers will fold like the cheap tent they are over the next nine games, eight of which are at home. Whenever they’ve been faced with needing a post-bye surge the last five years, they choked. Why would it be any different this year?

Anyway, I’ll watch to see Eichel and Dahlin, but that’s it. 

[suorangefan4]

I don't get why people get so frustrated with wins at this point. There's no way we're making up 10 points on Carolina, Toronto and Philly (we'd have to pass all three). Not happening.

 

Give me the losses and a higher pick. And like I said before hopefully that higher pick will be a good 2-way player along with Cozens and get us a much better third line.

[plenzmd1]

7 minutes ago, suorangefan4 said:

I don't get why people get so frustrated with wins at this point. There's no way we're making up 10 points on Carolina, Toronto and Philly (we'd have to pass all three). Not happening.

 

Give me the losses and a higher pick. And like I said before hopefully that higher pick will be a good 2-way player along with Cozens and get us a much better third line.

Because they have sucked for 8 years, there is no “‘generational” talent in this draft ( afaik) and evening if there is a lottery win is a long shot) losses mean all their assets are worth less in any potential trade , and at some point fans like to see at least some passion in the team. 

[K-9]

15 minutes ago, suorangefan4 said:

I don't get why people get so frustrated with wins at this point. There's no way we're making up 10 points on Carolina, Toronto and Philly (we'd have to pass all three). Not happening.

 

Give me the losses and a higher pick. And like I said before hopefully that higher pick will be a good 2-way player along with Cozens and get us a much better third line.

Apparently, the Sabres agree with this loser mentality. You’ll most likely enjoy the rest of the year then. And unless that lottery pick is Lafreniere, that player is gonna be a few years from helping in any meaningful way. Cozens is a 50/50 proposition at best to help at all next season.

[Helpmenow]

Botterill I’m not sure if he gets it. How many years has this crap been going on. Do the fans have patience for a rebuilding and maybe a competitive team, I doubt it

Edited January 29, 2020 by Helpmenow

[suorangefan4]

18 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Because they have sucked for 8 years, there is no “‘generational” talent in this draft ( afaik) and evening if there is a lottery win is a long shot) losses mean all their assets are worth less in any potential trade , and at some point fans like to see at least some passion in the team. 

 

3 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Apparently, the Sabres agree with this loser mentality. You’ll most likely enjoy the rest of the year then. And unless that lottery pick is Lafreniere, that player is gonna be a few years from helping in any meaningful way. Cozens is a 50/50 proposition at best to help at all next season.

 

So what do the wins accomplish?

 

You guys complain after every single loss and say the team is bad yet you don't want a chance at a better player in the draft to hopefully turn that around which will lead to more complaining in future years.

Edited January 29, 2020 by suorangefan4

[K-9]

Just now, suorangefan4 said:

 

 

So what do the wins accomplish?

 

You guys cry after every single loss and say the team is bad yet you don't want the best player in the draft to hopefully turn that around which will lead to more complaining in future years.

Nobody’s crying. But there are some long suffering fans around here who’ve supported this team in every conceivable way during some of the worst hockey imaginable. Pardon me if I sound off. I’ve earned the right. 
 

There is one guy, ONE, in this coming draft who stands a chance of making an immediate impact of ANY kind, let alone a major one. Do you know the odds of winning the lottery to have a chance to draft him? Sorry, I’m not looking forward to tanking the rest of the season only to see us pick 4th overall and missing out. 

[GG]

Hey, remember the days when the Sens were the absolute joke of the NHL?   That was oh so long ago, right?

[4merper4mer]

7 hours ago, suorangefan4 said:

 

 

So what do the wins accomplish?

 

You guys complain after every single loss and say the team is bad yet you don't want a chance at a better player in the draft to hopefully turn that around which will lead to more complaining in future years.

The Sabres need 6+ better players and the moron GM keeps acquiring bad players.

Edited January 29, 2020 by 4merper4mer

[plenzmd1]

47 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

The Sabres need 6+ better players and the moron GM keeps acquiring bad players.

For @JohnC,

 

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

For @JohnC,

 

 

I really get tired how you distort my assessment of the Sabres. If you were paying attention to what I have been saying over the past couple of years instead of reflexively lamenting and childishly snickering about the team's status you would understand that I have clearly stated that the issue plaguing this team is its lack of talent. How many freaking times do I have to say it before it registers with you? 

 

This team is better than last year's team; and the HC is dramatically better than the prior coaches. But the talent base clearly isn't good enough to be a serious team. How many times have I said over the past couple of years that there was no quick fix to this messed up franchised? You act as if I am being conned by the organization into believing that this team is better than it actually is. I'm not. 

 

You can have whatever opinions you want about this team. That's your prerogative. But bloody stop with your deliberate distortions of what I have repeatedly stated about my views about where this team is currently at. Next offseason this team is going to have plenty of cap space and hopefully some of the younger players will be more developed. I expect that the GM will be in a good position to bring in more talent. This rebuilding was never going to be a quick and easy process. If you can't handle that harsh reality that is your problem. 

[plenzmd1]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I really get tired how you distort my assessment of the Sabres. If you were paying attention to what I have been saying over the past couple of years instead of reflexively lamenting and childishly snickering about the team's status you would understand that I have clearly stated that the issue plaguing this team is its lack of talent. How many freaking times do I have to say it before it registers with you? 

 

This team is better than last year's team; and the HC is dramatically better than the prior coaches. But the talent base clearly isn't good enough to be a serious team. How many times have I said over the past couple of years that there was no quick fix to this messed up franchised? You act as if I am being conned by the organization into believing that this team is better than it actually is. I'm not. 

 

You can have whatever opinions you want about this team. That's your prerogative. But bloody stop with your deliberate distortions of what I have repeatedly stated about my views about where this team is currently at. Next offseason this team is going to have plenty of cap space and hopefully some of the younger players will be more developed. I expect that the GM will be in a good position to bring in more talent. This rebuilding was never going to be a quick and easy process. If you can't handle that harsh reality that is your problem. 

First, relax!

 

Second, the key is the bolded above. This GM has beenin his job for 3 freaking years, not 1...so lets say you are correct and the talent level is so deficient that this team finishes in the bottom 6 again...why do you give that a guy a pass? Cause he has cap issues this year THAT HE CREATED!!!!!!!!! Whats he got, two contracts left from GMTM

 

And yes i think you are being conned...what young players are helping this team at forward and especially at 2C next year?  How about 3 C? Cause all  they got now organizationally is a 1C, a couple 4C, and a 17 year old that most likely needs another year unless they want to do to him what they did to Mitts. What has Botteril done to bolster the depth of this organization? What has givenyou  one iota of evidence  this guy knows what he is doing when it comes to building a roster and building an organization. Cause he says be patient and we are going to build trough the draft?  

 

This roster is HIS (outside Bogo and Okposo), and yet you somehow want to ascribe it to Murray, and you want to continue to force people to pay good money to sit this dreck year after year cause Botteril talks a good game, and accomplishes nothing.

 

It is time this team has some GD standards and expectations, and continually forcing sub par talent levels on the most loyal fan base in the sport is ridiculous and disrespectful. 

[K-9]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

First, relax!

 

Second, the key is the bolded above. This GM has beenin his job for 3 freaking years, not 1...so lets say you are correct and the talent level is so deficient that this team finishes in the bottom 6 again...why do you give that a guy a pass? Cause he has cap issues this year THAT HE CREATED!!!!!!!!! Whats he got, two contracts left from GMTM

 

And yes i think you are being conned...what young players are helping this team at forward and especially at 2C next year?  How about 3 C? Cause all  they got now organizationally is a 1C, a couple 4C, and a 17 year old that most likely needs another year unless they want to do to him what they did to Mitts. What has Botteril done to bolster the depth of this organization? What has givenyou  one iota of evidence  this guy knows what he is doing when it comes to building a roster and building an organization. Cause he says be patient and we are going to build trough the draft?  

 

This roster is HIS (outside Bogo and Okposo), and yet you somehow want to ascribe it to Murray, and you want to continue to force people to pay good money to sit this dreck year after year cause Botteril talks a good game, and accomplishes nothing.

 

It is time this team has some GD standards and expectations, and continually forcing sub par talent levels on the most loyal fan base in the sport is ridiculous and disrespectful. 

I wish I could disagree with this assessment, but sadly, I can’t. The simple reality is that we lack the necessary talent to contend, the young players we’d hoped would pan out and contribute haven’t, the young players we hope will pan out are in no position to help until they do (if ever) and JBotts has a maddening tendency to bring in the same kind player over and over again; a steady stream of interchangeable bottom six forwards. In addition, he has royally screwed the pooch with the goaltending situation as well. 
 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

Oh boy.

 

I was wondering if they’d call up Hammond or Johansson. Johansson has been the better goalie and has definitely earned it. The only reason I thought they might call up Hammond is due to his NHL experience.

 

Well... here’s to hoping that Johansson goes on some crazy “Hamburglar” type run (like the other Amerks goalie, Andrew Hammond, did during his rookie season in Ottawa)

Edited January 29, 2020 by BillsFan4

[shrader]

15 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I was wondering if they’d call up Hammond or Johansson. Johansson has been the better goalie and has definitely earned it. The only reason I thought they might call up Hammond is due to his NHL experience.

 

Well... here’s to hoping that Johansson goes on some crazy “Hamburglar” type run (like the other Amerks goalie, Andrew Hammond, did during his rookie season in Ottawa)

 

I don't think they hesitated for even a second when making that callup.  Hammond only gets it if it's a day or two.

[K-9]

45 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

Oh boy.

 

I was wondering if they’d call up Hammond or Johansson. Johansson has been the better goalie and has definitely earned it. The only reason I thought they might call up Hammond is due to his NHL experience.

 

Well... here’s to hoping that Johansson goes on some crazy “Hamburglar” type run (like the other Amerks goalie, Andrew Hammond, did during his rookie season in Ottawa)

Start Johansson IMMEDIATELY! No need to just defer to spaz attack Hutton because of some arcane hierarchy. Screw that BS deference to the lovable veteran. Hutton sucks. Johansson can’t be worse, so let him start gaining experience immediately. There’s only one way to know if the moment is too big for him and that’s to place him in the moment.

[shrader]

2 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Start Johansson IMMEDIATELY! No need to just defer to spaz attack Hutton because of some arcane hierarchy. Screw that BS deference to the lovable veteran. Hutton sucks. Johansson can’t be worse, so let him start gaining experience immediately. There’s only one way to know if the moment is too big for him and that’s to place him in the moment.

 

He should definitely get a good number of games while up here.  I can live with Hutton getting the next game but then Johansson getting the second one.  If he's up to the task, the playing time will snowball from there.

[K-9]

12 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

He should definitely get a good number of games while up here.  I can live with Hutton getting the next game but then Johansson getting the second one.  If he's up to the task, the playing time will snowball from there.

I can’t live with Hutton getting any games, but I you make a good point. 
 

Hutton has the yips. Usually no coming back from that. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just checking for my weekly #trajectorycheck

 

Still exciting @Jrb1979?

 

[plenzmd1]

1 hour ago, shrader said:

 

He should definitely get a good number of games while up here.  I can live with Hutton getting the next game but then Johansson getting the second one.  If he's up to the task, the playing time will snowball from there.

Thats what i think as well...but he has to have a short leash...two softies in the 1st he gots to go. 

[K-9]

28 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Thats what i think as well...but he has to have a short leash...two softies in the 1st he gots to go. 

Two softies in the first what? Minute? 10 minutes. Cripes, I’d almost be happy if spazgoalie could hold them to two softies in the first period. 

[plenzmd1]

5 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Two softies in the first what? Minute? 10 minutes. Cripes, I’d almost be happy if spazgoalie could hold them to two softies in the first period. 

Well, I am fairly certain  the $20 i put on them to win the east the other day is REALLY gone now....but until it is mathematically impossible, i will continue to think i hold a $7000 winner!!!!!!

[plenzmd1]

anybody ready for some old time hockey? I know these things never turn out like we hope( who was the goon we dressed for Tampa and he got a minute TOI?)

 

Anyway, i will watch ..i am a sucker for revenge games

 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

Figured this would happen. Excited to see how he does in a more extended stay with the Amerks. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

If they lose tonight, It’ll be my last game watched this season 

[ChevyVanMiller]

Give a listen to this instant classic rant on WGR 550 from a guy named Duane. He speaks for the huddled Sabre’s masses.

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/1-29-caller-duanes-sabres-rant

[plenzmd1]

2 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Give a listen to this instant classic rant on WGR 550 from a guy named Duane. He speaks for the huddled Sabre’s masses.

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/1-29-caller-duanes-sabres-rant

Thought this was a bit much when I heard it yesterday, and still think that. And people going after the Pegula kids on social is just DAF as well. 
 

so I guess Friedman said yesterday TPegs is sick of the losing and Bots may be on the hot seat. Hmm. Drury?

 

Battle of Alberta was good game, even if I did watch it in 30 minutes this morning!
 

 

 

 

[shrader]

59 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

Thought this was a bit much when I heard it yesterday, and still think that. And people going after the Pegula kids on social is just DAF as well. 
 

so I guess Friedman said yesterday TPegs is sick of the losing and Bots may be on the hot seat. Hmm. Drury?

 

Battle of Alberta was good game, even if I did watch it in 30 minutes this morning!

 

People need to get over themselves.  It's just a game.  No one shot your dog.  I skimmed through the clip because I can only stand so much of that type of lunacy, but it sounded a bit like a performance to me.  Now it's posted online and in some places people have dug up the kid's twitter account.  Mission accomplished.

[K-9]

While I also think the rant is over the top, he makes a good point about the Sabres management and their lack of attention to detail and quality control.
 

I get that the authentic 50 year anniversary jerseys were sold out, but that’s no excuse for dressing invited alumni members to various 50th anniversary celebration activities in Chinese knockoffs. They should have ensured EVERY ex player had one by ordering them far in advance, regardless.

 

And while I understand that they don’t do the custom jersey work in-house, that is no excuse for accepting jerseys returned with misspelled names on the back from whomever DOES do that custom work. They should be embarrassed to hand those jerseys to the alumni invited to celebrate. 
 

Shoddy is a word that comes to mind. And it makes me wonder, if they’re shoddy about these details, what else are they shoddy about? Their performance over the last 8 years suggests they’ve been shoddy about a lot. 

[plenzmd1]

4 minutes ago, K-9 said:

While I also think the rant is over the top, he makes a good point about the Sabres management and their lack of attention to detail and quality control.
 

I get that the authentic 50 year anniversary jerseys were sold out, but that’s no excuse for dressing invited alumni members to various 50th anniversary celebration activities in Chinese knockoffs. They should have ensured EVERY ex player had one by ordering them far in advance, regardless.

 

And while I understand that they don’t do the custom jersey work in-house, that is no excuse for accepting jerseys returned with misspelled names on the back from whomever DOES do that custom work. They should be embarrassed to hand those jerseys to the alumni invited to celebrate. 
 

Shoddy is a word that comes to mind. And it makes me wonder, if they’re shoddy about these details, what else are they shoddy about? Their performance over the last 8 years suggests they’ve been shoddy about a lot. 

all of that though is forgiven/overlooked if the damn team showed any signs of improvement. 

 

Now, if they win impressively tonight, i will be back to " man, they play like that they can get 76% of the points and make a real run, maybe the stinker game is gone"...?

[K-9]

2 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

all of that though is forgiven/overlooked if the damn team showed any signs of improvement. 

 

Now, if they win impressively tonight, i will be back to " man, they play like that they can get 76% of the points and make a real run, maybe the stinker game is gone"...?

True, that. Winning solves a lot of problems and covers up a lot of shoddiness in other areas.

[Houston's #1 Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

If they lose tonight, It’ll be my last game watched this season 

that'll teach 'em!!!

[plenzmd1]

Now this is pathetic..both the pressure from the team to remove the tweet that is

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by plenzmd1

[BillsFan4]

 

?

 

This was pretty funny (and pretty good too).

[BillsFan4]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs-trade-deadline-approach-fortunes/

 

Quote

8. The Sabres resumed their season with a 5–2 home loss to Ottawa on Tuesday night. At all-star weekend, I heard some talk of the frustration around the organization and how much the losing is wearing on owner Terry Pegula. We’re coming up on nine years since he bought the Sabres. At that media conference, he promised to spend, which had Sabres fans dancing with joy. He’s spent on players, coaches, executives, scouting — everything. They made the playoffs that first season, losing in seven games to Philadelphia. But there have been no playoff berths since, and the team is 80 games under .500 in that span. 

Players credited Ralph Krueger with changing the attitude around the team, and Jack Eichel’s having a Hart Trophy-calibre season. But they’re 10 points out as we wake up on Wednesday and there are no easy answers. The disappointment is not going unnoticed.

 

I read on Twitter that someone from the team disputed this or something like that, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s true. 

 

I think a lot will will depend on how they finish this season. If they completely collapse again, changes are probably pretty likely. Especially since the fan pressure will be very high (and the Pegulas have caved to fan pressure before). 

 

I just hope Krueger gets at least 1 more season, hopefully with a better roster, no matter what. I hope he isn’t shown the door along with Botterill (if Botts is fired). I don’t know if he’s the right guy or not but I want to see him get a fair chance, and I’m sick of constantly changing coaches and giving this failed roster a pass. No coach is going to have much success with this current roster. 

[4merper4mer]

55 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

?

 

This was pretty funny (and pretty good too).

What rhymes with trajectory?

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said:

Now this is pathetic..both the pressure from the team to remove the tweet that is

 

 

 

That could be a lot of things.  Someone at a very low level of the organization could have messed up a jersey order and this rant hit that person square in the face.  A good organization makes mistakes sometimes and they also protect employees at all levels.  I'm not saying that's it for sure, but it's possible.

 

It's different than ranting about the schlock Botterill has trotted out onto the ice and watching him spin Dylan Friggin Cozens trip to the World Junior Finals as somehow giving the Sabres organization valuable playoff experience.  Yes.  He did that.  The guy is not a real GM.