Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2020-2021

[Chandler#81]

Please continue.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Shouldn't we end the previous version with someone saying "thank you Sabres"?

?

[shrader]

38 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Shouldn't we end the previous version with someone saying "thank you Sabres"?

?

 

Ooh ahh, Sabres on the golf course

[Beast]

Does the NHL even have a plan to come back this summer or fall? I heard they said they were going to play a couple weeks back but have heard nothing since.

Edited June 9, 2020 by Beast

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

I’m still not ready to think about the Sabres for a while. 

[snafu]

Here’s the current status of the roster. Looks ugly to me. Seriously ugly.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/sabres

 

 

[4merper4mer]

12 minutes ago, snafu said:

Here’s the current status of the roster. Looks ugly to me. Seriously ugly.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/sabres

 

 

Pilut signed a 2 year with the Russian league.  I guess he had enough of Botts jerking him around year after year.  

 

Look at that roster.  Imagine as a GM you were spotted Eichel and Dahlin and came up with the rest of that and had that cap situation.  Granted some of it was created before him but Good Lord an average hockey fan that put in 30 hours a week could probably do better 95% of the time.

[JohnC]

10 hours ago, snafu said:

Here’s the current status of the roster. Looks ugly to me. Seriously ugly.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/sabres

 

 

There are five UFA on the roster. Not all will be back. Some of those players will be replaced with demonstrably cheaper younger players such as Cozens.   And if there are trades it will mostly likely be salary for salary. What the organization wants to do from a personnel standpoint they will be able to do. This team is not going to pursue high cost elite free agents. That approach was never in its repertoire. 

[4merper4mer]

17 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There are five UFA on the roster. Not all will be back. Some of those players will be replaced with demonstrably cheaper younger players such as Cozens.   And if there are trades it will mostly likely be salary for salary. What the organization wants to do from a personnel standpoint they will be able to do. This team is not going to pursue high cost elite free agents. That approach was never in its repertoire. 

The plan is to retain young talent like Pilut, right?  

[snafu]

35 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There are five UFA on the roster. Not all will be back. Some of those players will be replaced with demonstrably cheaper younger players such as Cozens.   And if there are trades it will mostly likely be salary for salary. What the organization wants to do from a personnel standpoint they will be able to do. This team is not going to pursue high cost elite free agents. That approach was never in its repertoire. 

 

This team needs an infusion of players.  First and foremost a very good goaltender not named Ullmark or Hutton.  There are no free agent goalies available who fit the bill and we've got no trade capital.  There are three forwards under contract. That's the ugly part. There's really been no history with this current GM which would lead me to believe that he's capable of signing helpful free agents at any cost.  He will have to overpay just to make his offer competitive in a free agent's mind.  

 

Honestly, the way things look now, this team is in line for a couple more years of bottom dwelling absolute misery.

 

 

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

This team needs an infusion of players.  First and foremost a very good goaltender not named Ullmark or Hutton.  There are no free agent goalies available who fit the bill and we've got no trade capital.  There are three forwards under contract. That's the ugly part. There's really been no history with this current GM which would lead me to believe that he's capable of signing helpful free agents at any cost.  He will have to overpay just to make his offer competitive in a free agent's mind.  

 

Honestly, the way things look now, this team is in line for a couple more years of bottom dwelling absolute misery.

 

 

Ullmark is going to be the primary goaltender. Is he worthy of that status? I'm not sure but the hope is that he will continue to progress. If Hutton can get his eye sight issues corrected and return to his backup form then for the short term he is a tolerable.

 

Your perspective is much more negative than my perspective. With a trade for a genuine second center and with internal improvement from the young players on this roster I am more upbeat than you are. Without a doubt there needs to be a reshuffling and better balancing of the roster. I'm more positive than you and many others are that some of the necessary alterations will be made this offseason. If the GM can't make that happen before the later start of the next season then his contract that is concluding will not be renewed.  

[snafu]

44 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Your perspective is much more negative than my perspective.

 

Yes.  Yes it is.

 

[BillsFan4]

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/pilut-signs-two-year-deal-with-traktor-chelyabinsk-in-khl

 

Well, that sucks. If we still qualify him, I believe we will at least hold onto his rights for a few years.

Edited June 10, 2020 by BillsFan4

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/pilut-signs-two-year-deal-with-traktor-chelyabinsk-in-khl

 

Well, that sucks. If we still qualify him, I believe we will at least hold onto his rights for a few years.

Maybe by that time we'll have a GM that won't jerk him around.

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

Ullmark is going to be the primary goaltender. Is he worthy of that status? I'm not sure but the hope is that he will continue to progress. If Hutton can get his eye sight issues corrected and return to his backup form then for the short term he is a tolerable.

 

Your perspective is much more negative than my perspective. With a trade for a genuine second center and with internal improvement from the young players on this roster I am more upbeat than you are. Without a doubt there needs to be a reshuffling and better balancing of the roster. I'm more positive than you and many others are that some of the necessary alterations will be made this offseason. If the GM can't make that happen before the later start of the next season then his contract that is concluding will not be renewed.  

I'm ok with Ullmark until our prospect is ready which is estimated to be in 2037.  Wrt the forwards and Botts history of alternating between miserable failures of trades and picking up guys whose careers might top out on a third line.......your positivity has no evidence whatsoever to back it up.  

 

It is very clear that Botts is simply way way way over his head and that the first chance at improvement is the year after he departs.  COVID saved him but it really hurt the franchise.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/pilut-signs-two-year-deal-with-traktor-chelyabinsk-in-khl

 

Well, that sucks. If we still qualify him, I believe we will at least hold onto his rights for a few years.

It will be interesting to see if he is qualified. Even if he’s not in their plans it makes sense to control his NHL rights, regardless. That said, I’m not sure he was looming large in the plans, anyway. 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

It will be interesting to see if he is qualified. Even if he’s not in their plans it makes sense to control his NHL rights, regardless. That said, I’m not sure he was looming large in the plans, anyway. 

Pilut was a nice young player. But those chronic detractors who are portraying his departure as a significant loss are losing perspective on where he was ranked within the unit. On the Sabres he was at best a third pairing player. The addition of Joki  made it likely that Pilut was not going to get much playing time. Joki not only had a similar style of play but clearly he is better and has more upside.

 

The NHL is a league with a lot of player movement. A lot of that movement can be attributed to the hard cap and a lack of roster space. I wish Pilut the best. He did what every player and team does i.e. act in his own best interests.  

[May Day 10]

i like the part that the Sabres knowlingly played a goalie who was suffering from vision problems for a period of time while he lost 12 straight games for 3 months.  In games that counted.   In the standings.  

 

Now us fans have to sit here without playoff hockey because they failed to make a field of 24 teams (even when they 'bought' at the deadline, lol).

 

I have zero faith in the management or direction of this team.  

[JohnC]

Attached is a 16 minute link with the Amerk's GM, Randy Sexton, on WGR's the Instigator Show. The AHL GM mostly talked about the players on Rochester and whether they are ready to move up to the NHL. Within the discussion he talked about some prospects on the defensive unit. And he also made some very positive comments about Casey Mittelstadt.

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/06-10-amerks-general-manager-randy-sexton

 

[4merper4mer]

3 hours ago, JohnC said:

Pilut was a nice young player. But those chronic detractors who are portraying his departure as a significant loss are losing perspective on where he was ranked within the unit. On the Sabres he was at best a third pairing player. The addition of Joki  made it likely that Pilut was not going to get much playing time. Joki not only had a similar style of play but clearly he is better and has more upside.

 

The NHL is a league with a lot of player movement. A lot of that movement can be attributed to the hard cap and a lack of roster space. I wish Pilut the best. He did what every player and team does i.e. act in his own best interests.  

So the spin is that THIS roster can afford to lose viable young players with no return?  Meanwhile we're pinning hopes on maybes like Kahun and Joki?  Those guys might work out ok or maybe not but with borderline types like that, numbers help.

[JohnC]

The attached link is TSN Darren Dreger's 11 minute interview with Jack Eichel on his show the "Darren Café".  There wasn't much new revealed in his comments. A couple of interesting tidbits were that he works extensively in the offseason with Adam Oates and that Nate MacKinnon is one player who is a friend and likes to follow.  

 

Jack Eichel has become very relaxed and polished doing interviews. He has shown a lot of growth in his off the ice activities and responsibilities. He's a terrific representative of the organization. 

 

https://www.tsn.ca/dreger-cafe-jack-eichel-on-losing-it-s-been-a-tough-five-years-1.1484837?view=getnewpost

[JohnC]

Attached is a link by AP's John Wawrow. The article addresses the organizational structure of the Pegula sports entreprise and the layers of management involved in running the sports business. My takeaway is simple. If you hire the right people and allow them to run the operation you are more likely to have success. The Bills are an example of that with McDermott and Beane having full authority to make football decisions. The Sabres are the antithesis of that notion as exemplified by the constant churning of hockey staff and the not so surprising outcome. 

 

In my opinion what this organization didn't need was more tumult in the organization by firing Botterill who was on the last year of his contract. The Pegulas made the right to decision to allow him to finish his contract. Botterill has been given enough time to implement his strategy to run the hockey operation. Next season is his do or die season. If the team has meaningful success he will be retained; if this team doesn't have meaningful success he will not be retained. And that is how it should be. 

 

https://apnews.com/13d5ef6efda7c67b2f2bb67943472709?view=getnewpost

[MarkyMannn]

On 6/10/2020 at 10:36 AM, JohnC said:

 If Hutton can get his eye sight issues corrected and return to his backup form then for the short term he is a tolerable.

What is this?  I must have missed this story

[K-9]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

Attached is a link by AP's John Wawrow. The article addresses the organizational structure of the Pegula sports entreprise and the layers of management involved in running the sports business. My takeaway is simple. If you hire the right people and allow them to run the operation you are more likely to have success. The Bills are an example of that with McDermott and Beane having full authority to make football decisions. The Sabres are the antithesis of that notion as exemplified by the constant churning of hockey staff and the not so surprising outcome. 

 

In my opinion what this organization didn't need was more tumult in the organization by firing Botterill who was on the last year of his contract. The Pegulas made the right to decision to allow him to finish his contract. Botterill has been given enough time to implement his strategy to run the hockey operation. Next season is his do or die season. If the team has meaningful success he will be retained; if this team doesn't have meaningful success he will not be retained. And that is how it should be. 

 

https://apnews.com/13d5ef6efda7c67b2f2bb67943472709?view=getnewpost

I agree.

 

They’ve got the right coach in Krueger and I can see him taking over for Botts after next season. I think Krueger is an architect, Botts is more of a general contractor. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by K-9

[May Day 10]

Kruger has never done the job in the NHL.

 

 

Good salesman though.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

21 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I agree.

 

They’ve got the right coach in Krueger and I can see him taking over for Botts after next season. I think Krueger is an architect, Botts is more of a general contractor. 

Botts is the general contractor who redid Seinfeld's kitchen.  ?

*
And Murray was the contractor who gets the $10k down payment and who immediately takes a vacation in Florida.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[K-9]

11 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

Kruger has never done the job in the NHL.

 

 

Good salesman though.

Nobody has done the job in the NHL before they did the job in the NHL. Or in any pro sport for that matter. 
 

And being a good salesman is a good thing when it comes to running an organization and implementing a vision. 
 

Are you suggesting Krueger isn’t genuine? 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

12 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Are you suggesting Krueger isn’t genuine? 

Say that in Frank Costanza's "You wanna piece of me?!" voice, and your post is going straight to the TBD-TSW OTW HOF.  

*
?

[Warren Zevon]

40 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I agree.

 

They’ve got the right coach in Krueger and I can see him taking over for Botts after next season. I think Krueger is an architect, Botts is more of a general contractor. 

 

If Krueger is an architect, Botts is George Costanza

[May Day 10]

I dont know.  He just lays it on thick all the time.  If you listen to him with any sort of skeptical ear, you hear lots of words that are constructed well, but dont give you much of anything at the end.  He seems like a charming guy, and the players like him.  I'm completely fine with letting him start next season.  

 

After Botterill finally runs his course.  I don't want an experiment.  They need experience and someone with history and credibility.  No desire to elevate Kruger to GM and (likely) Chris Taylor as HC.  Im not even sure Kruger has held a front office role with an NHL team.   

[K-9]

9 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

I dont know.  He just lays it on thick all the time.  If you listen to him with any sort of skeptical ear, you hear lots of words that are constructed well, but dont give you much of anything at the end.  He seems like a charming guy, and the players like him.  I'm completely fine with letting him start next season.  

 

After Botterill finally runs his course.  I don't want an experiment.  They need experience and someone with history and credibility.  No desire to elevate Kruger to GM and (likely) Chris Taylor as HC.  Im not even sure Kruger has held a front office role with an NHL team.   

What convinces me he’s genuine is that everybody whose paths he’s crossed in his career, from players to coaches to owners to arena maintenance personnel have nothing but great things to say about him. I’ve yet to see one dissenting voice. Hell, even those people he had beers with on Chippewa when he did his undercover research on Buffalo before he decided to take the job here had nothing but great things to say.

 

It’s hard to bs that many people over that many years over that many different locations around the world, imo. 
 

I get your concerns about inexperience, but I see it as less of an experiment. And for all I know, Krueger may have zero interest anyway. He just strikes me as capable and up to the task. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by K-9

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

49 minutes ago, Warren Zevon said:

 

If Krueger is an architect, Botts is George Costanza

But he did that expansion to the Guggenheim in a relatively short time!  ?

[4merper4mer]

44 minutes ago, K-9 said:

What convinces me he’s genuine is that everybody whose paths he’s crossed in his career, from players to coaches to owners to arena maintenance personnel have nothing but great things to say about him. I’ve yet to see one dissenting voice. Hell, even those people he had beers with on Chippewa when he did his undercover research on Buffalo before he decided to take the job here had nothing but great things to say.

 

It’s hard to bs that many people over that many years over that many different locations around the world, imo. 
 

I get your concerns about inexperience, but I see it as less of an experiment. And for all I know, Krueger may have zero interest anyway. He just strikes me as capable and up to the task. 

I like Krueger and if they made him the GM I'd be optimistic, but I'm happy with him at coach too.  I'm hoping he has some contacts a la McDermott/Beane.

 

If Botterill were a general contractor I'd suggest wearing a helmet and a flak jacket whenever you are in a place he built.  Zamboni driver seems like a good fit.

 

COVID is the only reason he should be retained for another year.  John C thinks 20-21 is make or break for Botts but a look at the roster tells you it's already broken.  Unless you think Cozens is going to immediately impact the NHL, which is unrealistic and unfair to him, there is literally not a thing on the farm or the current roster that suggests anything close to the giant quantum leap required.  And the cap situation sucks, even if there were viable FAs.  Imagine being spotted Eichel and Dahlin and ending up with an atrocious team about to become the all time playoff drought record holder.  Wow.

 

When Botts is interviewed it is alternating "GM speak" in generalized platitudes, clueless blank stares, and irrational expectations already proven incorrect.  He is beyond over his head.  At least he's not a douche bag like Murray though.  He seems like an ok guy but he is not a GM.

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

I agree.

 

They’ve got the right coach in Krueger and I can see him taking over for Botts after next season. I think Krueger is an architect, Botts is more of a general contractor. 

I have a slightly different take on Krueger. I agree with you that Krueger is like an architect who has a vision on how to not only structure an organization but maybe more importantly infuse it with an ethos. His expertise revolves around organizational structure and psychology. That's why he is able to apply his philosophy in a variety of endeavors such as soccer or even on the lecture circuit talking about what it takes to build successful businesses and maximize the talents of your personnel. 

 

Where I'm not so sure about his talent as a GM is that I'm not sure about his scouting abilities which in my mind is the most important component to being a successful GM. Your analogy about Botts being more of a general contractor is a very intriguing observation. I agree with it. But that isn't why I'm critical of him so much as why I'm a little more than tepidly satisfied with him. Although he might not have the personality to take bold moves as some of the top GMs would be willing to do he does have the standard workmanlike approach that can over time rebuild a franchise. I certainly would never put him in the ranking as an elite GM because his approach is very much conventional. On the other hand I do consider him being capable of attaining a solid ranking. 

 

As you well know I'm less of a critic of Botts than most. However, the owners have given him the time and resources to implement his strategy to reconstruct the franchise. This is his do or die year. No more excuses. 

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Say that in Frank Costanza's "You wanna piece of me?!" voice, and your post is going straight to the TBD-TSW OTW HOF.  

*
?

 

[K-9]

2 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I have a slightly different take on Krueger. I agree with you that Krueger is like an architect who has a vision on how to not only structure an organization but maybe more importantly infuse it with an ethos. His expertise revolves around organizational structure and psychology. That's why he is able to apply his philosophy in a variety of endeavors such as soccer or even on the lecture circuit talking about what it takes to build successful businesses and maximize the talents of your personnel. 

 

Where I'm not so sure about his talent as a GM is that I'm not sure about his scouting abilities which in my mind is the most important component to being a successful GM. Your analogy about Botts being more of a general contractor is a very intriguing observation. I agree with it. But that isn't why I'm critical of him so much as why I'm a little more than tepidly satisfied with him. Although he might not have the personality to take bold moves as some of the top GMs would be willing to do he does have the standard workmanlike approach that can over time rebuild a franchise. I certainly would never put him in the ranking as an elite GM because his approach is very much conventional. On the other hand I do consider him being capable of attaining a solid ranking. 

 

As you well know I'm less of a critic of Botts than most. However, the owners have given him the time and resources to implement his strategy to reconstruct the franchise. This is his do or die year. No more excuses. 

Best to start making the funeral arrangements sooner than later. He’s on life support with no discernible brain function. 

[May Day 10]

you know its bad when much of the Sabres talk at this time is discussing who will take over his job.

[JohnC]

24 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Best to start making the funeral arrangements sooner than later. He’s on life support with no discernible brain function. 

Bring on the music and the slow walking shoes. 

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

21 minutes ago, JohnC said:

. 

 

Giddy Up!  (The outtakes of this are priceless.  Trust me.)  

[JohnC]

Just now, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Giddy Up!  (The outtakes of this are priceless.  Trust me.)  

I just watched the outtakes before you posted. I peed my pants. ?

[JohnC]

The attached link by WIVB's Brian Choynacki is a run of the mill article on Olofsson that doesn't add much to what is already known about the player. It's a typical manufactured offseason hockey column. But while maybe not intended it brings up the issue of the reliance on the younger players on the roster and their ability to develop. Dahlin and Jack are young players but clearly are in a lofty category of their own. The more important issue associated with team success is whether along with Olofsson other young players such as Yoki, Kahun, Tage, Cozens, Mittelstadt and a little down the road Arttu Ruotsalainen can improve enough to internally upgrade the roster.

 

The GM has predicated his job future on these developing players. Is his bet on them going to work out for him? I think so but I'm not sure???? 

 

https://www.wivb.com/sports/victor-olofsson-bright-piece-to-sabres-future/?view=getnewpost