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


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1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

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.

More bad jersey stuff for the Sabres. 
 

 

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3 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

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.


I disagree.

 

If the organization hadn’t become such a damned laughing stock....and that IS what they are, a laughing stock, over the past five plus years, then you could excuse the jersey crap.....maybe.

 

But, that was just in-line with every ducking thing else that has taken place under the Pegula reign of terror. This team is a damned joke and to embarrass alumni from when they actually iced a good team is damned inexcusable. The internet? Did they just guess how to spell names? It sure seems it.

 

Terry and Kim Pegula should be ashamed at what they have done to a once proud franchise.

 

Hockey Heaven? 
 

Laugh My ***** Ass Off.

Edited by Binghamton Beast
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If I'm Pegula and I don't pull the trigger on Botts tonight, I forbid deadline trades.  Why would I want this guy picking up more crap like Vesey/Sheary/Frolik et al?  Why would I let him trade away talent like Risto knowing we'd get nothing of value in return?

 

The season is over.  Clearly.  Dump Botts now or wait until year end, I don't care.  But for the love of God do not let him make another transaction.  And they must do something to reassure Eichel that we are committed to winning.  

 

Look at where we were when Eichel got drafted with a strong system and so much capital.  Murray squandered it all and despite winning the Dahlin lottery, Botts has managed zero progress in three years.  Oh wait.  Cozens team made the world junior finals so that's valuable.  

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2 points to make

 

1) truly something I have never seen. So many people want the Sabres to trade Jack just cause we feel bad for him. I mean think about how low your team has to be that most fans hope you trade your best player cause they feel so bad he has to endure the stench of this franchise right now

2) I hope all is well with Paul Hamilton. Something up, have no clue what. 

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3 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

2 points to make

 

1) truly something I have never seen. So many people want the Sabres to trade Jack just cause we feel bad for him. I mean think about how low your team has to be that most fans hope you trade your best player cause they feel so bad he has to endure the stench of this franchise right now

2) I hope all is well with Paul Hamilton. Something up, have no clue what. 

I do feel sorry for Eichel but I don't want him traded.

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I really thought I’d finally get to see them win tonight. I felt like they’d show some fire (and pride) after that Ottawa loss. But nope. They showed up for the 1st period, then Montreal came out with a strong push in the 2nd and Buffalo collapsed like the cheap tent they are.

 

I probably shouldn’t post right now because I am extremely aggravated after watching that loss in person. I am just so fed up with this team when they play like they don’t give a ****. 

 

I feel like at this point i’m just waiting for the inevitable total collapse and bottom 7 finish, then more sweeping changes this summer. I don’t think Botterill survives if this team totally collapses again. He brought back the same failed team as last year (minus Pominville) with a few small tweaks, has done nothing all year to help the team and somehow expects there to be different results. Meanwhile another season slips away. 

 

Eichel looked visibly frustrated almost all night. His body language was not good. This is the first time I’m actually starting to worry that he will want out.

Im legitimately worried that things are going to get really ugly if buffalo has another terrible finish to the season like last year.

 

I honestly feel bad for Krueger. No coach is going to have success with this current team. He got a crap deal in Edmonton (fired for no good reason after a 48 game lockout season), and I have a feeling he’s going to get a crap deal here too (fired because a new GM wants his own coach or something like that). I think coaching is the least of their problems at this point. We can’t keep firing coaches every time this same group of players fails. It’s time for a new mix of players. But, as much as I want to see Krueger given a real chance, I’m not how you can bring Botterill back if they finish bottom 5-7 again.

 

anyway... done venting. Sorry. I try my best to stay positive, but it’s tough.

 

 

47 minutes ago, Helpmenow said:

Attendance tonight?

I was there. Don’t know the exact attendance numbers but It was about 2/3rds Montreal fans.

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47 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

2 points to make

 

1) truly something I have never seen. So many people want the Sabres to trade Jack just cause we feel bad for him. I mean think about how low your team has to be that most fans hope you trade your best player cause they feel so bad he has to endure the stench of this franchise right now

2) I hope all is well with Paul Hamilton. Something up, have no clue what. 

Curious, Why do you say something is up with Paul Hamilton? 

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Botterill needs to be released now and work needs to be done installing a new pres/gm before this offseason (preferably the deadline).  He has failed.  In 3 years, this team is still worse than the murray/bylsma era without many futures.  

 

Stinks for krueger.  I think he is fascinating and deserves a shot.  However, he is way too bound up in advance stats for my liking in a hockey setting.  Coaches in the nhl are fairly disposable anyway.

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On 1/30/2020 at 6:21 AM, 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

 

Not unlike anything you'll hear on Philly sports radio on any given week.

 

But he's not wrong.


The sabres are HOT TRASH, and that fool @Jrb1979 had the nerve to tell me this team was exciting?

 

:lol: What an ass that guy is.

 

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About the only fast improvement would be an upgrade at goal tender.  It's too bad Robin Lehner didn't have his illness under control till after he left the Sabres.  Good tenders like the past Tom Barrasso , Dominik Hasek , Ryan Miller , if only.

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16 minutes ago, ALF said:

About the only fast improvement would be an upgrade at goal tender.  It's too bad Robin Lehner didn't have his illness under control till after he left the Sabres.  Good tenders like the past Tom Barrasso , Dominik Hasek , Ryan Miller , if only.

I like both guys as backup.  Ullmark is young and improving.  Hutton is serviceable and passionate despite his recent woes.  Haseks don't grow on trees.  I can't lay this on Botts.  

 

Murray had no objectivity regarding Lehner and damaged the Sabres as a result.  He sure didn't help Lehner either and that could have turned out much worse.  The best opportunity to improve our goalie situation was a few years back but Murray, as usual, decided he was smarter than everyone else.  Yes Botts wanting to wait 100 years for the goalie with the 100 letter name is frustrating but I'm not sure he had better options than Hutton/Ullmark in the immediate term.  Don't get me wrong, I have no real confidence that he'd do the right thing if he had a chance, I'm just not sure he has had one.

47 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

At what point do we officially suck?

Are we past that?

Perhaps you're not aware that this team gained valuable playoff experience in the World Juniors.

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This headline needs no further explanation:

 

Three power plays, only three shots

 

It was infuriating to see the constant perimeter passing on PP for 2 straight games

Edited by GG
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10 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Curious, Why do you say something is up with Paul Hamilton? 

He was not on the pregame last night, and the way Schoop said "we have Brian Kozial in for Paul"...no mention of vacation, or Paul has the flu, or something small like that. Just a hunch is all. I know absolutely zero if anything is wrong or not.

2 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

Botterill needs to be released now and work needs to be done installing a new pres/gm before this offseason (preferably the deadline).  He has failed.  In 3 years, this team is still worse than the murray/bylsma era without many futures.  

 

Stinks for krueger.  I think he is fascinating and deserves a shot.  However, he is way too bound up in advance stats for my liking in a hockey setting.  Coaches in the nhl are fairly disposable anyway.

That is exactly why I love him. Bruce Cassidy provides a good example on this..never says " i need to watch the tape" when asked a question about a completed game..says "need to look at the numbers" ..

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35 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

He was not on the pregame last night, and the way Schoop said "we have Brian Kozial in for Paul"...no mention of vacation, or Paul has the flu, or something small like that. Just a hunch is all. I know absolutely zero if anything is wrong or not.

That is exactly why I love him. Bruce Cassidy provides a good example on this..never says " i need to watch the tape" when asked a question about a completed game..says "need to look at the numbers" ..

 

I think the numbers can be helpful, but they also need to be weighed with real life humans in a continuous sport like hockey with such variable situations.  Baseball is different because there is such a large sample space and the conditions are generally easy to define.

 

For example.  A team that doesnt possess the puck well pulls the goalie very early because the analytics say so.  The Sabres have given away a staggering number of empty net goals and have gained nothing from pulling the goalie.  The clown-act with Skinner's usage is another head scratcher.  

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7 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I think the numbers can be helpful, but they also need to be weighed with real life humans in a continuous sport like hockey with such variable situations.  Baseball is different because there is such a large sample space and the conditions are generally easy to define.

 

For example.  A team that doesnt possess the puck well pulls the goalie very early because the analytics say so.  The Sabres have given away a staggering number of empty net goals and have gained nothing from pulling the goalie.  The clown-act with Skinner's usage is another head scratcher.  

I agree needs to be blend between the two, but guys who only rely on the "eye" test are going to go the way of the dodo bird. 

 

They did win one game this year with the early pull on the PP...but generally I do not like to not see the goalie pulled in late game PP situations unless under a minute left. I just have to assume 6-4 is hardly ever practiced, but i could be wrong there.

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3 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

I like both guys as backup.  Ullmark is young and improving.  Hutton is serviceable and passionate despite his recent woes.  Haseks don't grow on trees.  I can't lay this on Botts.  

 

Murray had no objectivity regarding Lehner and damaged the Sabres as a result.  He sure didn't help Lehner either and that could have turned out much worse.  The best opportunity to improve our goalie situation was a few years back but Murray, as usual, decided he was smarter than everyone else.  Yes Botts wanting to wait 100 years for the goalie with the 100 letter name is frustrating but I'm not sure he had better options than Hutton/Ullmark in the immediate term.  Don't get me wrong, I have no real confidence that he'd do the right thing if he had a chance, I'm just not sure he has had one.

Perhaps you're not aware that this team gained valuable playoff experience in the World Juniors.

 

He failed to sign Cal Peterson.  

 

Even looking at the top 20 in save percentage... many of them have changed teams since Botterill's tenure started.  

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8 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

Botterill needs to be released now and work needs to be done installing a new pres/gm before this offseason (preferably the deadline).  He has failed.  In 3 years, this team is still worse than the murray/bylsma era without many futures.  

 

I still don't see the need for a president AND a GM.  Isn't it the same job?

 

5 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

He was not on the pregame last night, and the way Schoop said "we have Brian Kozial in for Paul"...no mention of vacation, or Paul has the flu, or something small like that. Just a hunch is all. I know absolutely zero if anything is wrong or not.

 

Hope not.  He had an unbelievable amount of deaths in a short time frame a few years ago - wife, sister, and I think both parents.  

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23 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

I still don't see the need for a president AND a GM.  Isn't it the same job?

 

 

Hope not.  He had an unbelievable amount of deaths in a short time frame a few years ago - wife, sister, and I think both parents.  

yea, i am hoping for the best. Has not posted on Twitter in 4 days. I don't have a great feeling about it, but hopefully he just has the flu or something.

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1 hour ago, bbb said:

 

I still don't see the need for a president AND a GM.  Isn't it the same job?

 

 

It can be the same job, but doesnt have to be.

 

I am thinking of a guy like Rick Dudley perhaps.  He has enough experience, success, credibility, and connections to build the whole organization from the top-down.  He probably would not want to take-on the heavy lift and pressure of the General Manager job.  He would essentially be the wall and conduit between ownership and the team.  The current format of both the GM and Coach reporting to ownership is toxic in the NHL and with how disposable coaches are.  Thinking about the Pegulas and the Sabres funding Karin Housley's Senate campaign.  They will also never attract a GM worth anything if he cant fire a coach whenever he wants.  Lamoriello fired Julien once with a week left in the season, when they were in first place because he felt they werent prepared enough for the playoffs.

 

Or it could be a pres/gm combo like Lombardi (or Lamoriello), who do everything, but are completely empowered over the hockey ops.  

 

 

Some successful organizations have a president and then a GM.  You have Neely-Sweeney with the Bruins, you have Shanahan and Dubas (and previously Hunter and Lamoriello) with Toronto.  John Davidson/Gorton with the Rangers, Linden-Benning with Vancouver, Holmgren and Fletcher with the Flyers, etc.

 

 

 

It is pretty much science-fact that the Sabres' organization is broken they need help fixing it.  Especially before they squander Jack Eichel in the process.  They could use a healthy dose of credibility and  a clean start.  

 

I would fire Botterill today and hire Dudley (theoretically if he would accept) as President of Hockey ops and Interim General Manager.  Allow him to negotiate the deadline and monitor/interview all potential candidates for the best GM for the direction he wants this team to go.  If he likes Krueger, thats fine.  If he isnt a fan, Im not willing to let krueger be the reason the Sabres cant alter their course.

Edited by May Day 10
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3 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

It can be the same job, but doesnt have to be.

 

I am thinking of a guy like Rick Dudley perhaps.  He has enough experience, success, credibility, and connections to build the whole organization from the top-down.  He probably would not want to take-on the heavy lift and pressure of the General Manager job.  He would essentially be the wall and conduit between ownership and the team.  The current format of both the GM and Coach reporting to ownership is toxic in the NHL and with how disposable coaches are.  Thinking about the Pegulas and the Sabres funding Karin Housley's Senate campaign.  

 

Or it could be a pres/gm combo like Lombardi (or Lamoriello), who do everything, but are completely empowered over the hockey ops.  

 

 

Some successful organizations have a president and then a GM.  You have Neely-Sweeney with the Bruins, you have Shanahan and Dubas (and previously Hunter and Lamoriello) with Toronto.  John Davidson/Gorton with the Rangers, Linden-Benning with Vancouver, Holmgren and Fletcher with the Flyers, etc.

 

 

 

It is pretty much science-fact that the Sabres' organization is broken they need help fixing it.  Especially before they squander Jack Eichel in the process.  They could use a healthy dose of credibility and  a clean start.  

 

I would fire Botterill today and hire Dudley (theoretically if he would accept) as President of Hockey ops and Interim General Manager.  Allow him to negotiate the deadline and monitor/interview all potential candidates for the best GM for the direction he wants this team to go.  If he likes Krueger, thats fine.  If he isnt a fan, Im not willing to let krueger be the reason the Sabres cant alter their course.

 

I'm still not really clear on what duties a Prez has and what a GM has - and who has the final say on trades, etc. 

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9 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

I'm still not really clear on what duties a Prez has and what a GM has - and who has the final say on trades, etc. 

 

it is however the Team President defines it.  Someone like Rick Dudley has been involved in numerous organizations and has seen success nearly everywhere he has been.  It is reasonable to think he knows a good structure and delegation of duties... and would also be able to hire management personnel with the same philosophies.

 

For example, right now he is VP of Hockey Ops with the Hurricanes.  Waddell is their president and GM.  Carolina got serious with management and suddenly they are run well and are a playoff team.  There arent horrific battles and resignations over trades and draft picks.  It works.  These things work in many organizations who are run much better than the Sabres.

 

 

We have potatohead Jason Botterill with nothing around him, save Kim Pegula who is officially team president. 

Edited by May Day 10
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