Post-Game Talk (GBU): At least Roch still has playoff hopes

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

I like to think Botts is recognizing what is wrong with this team and is going to make roster changes accordingly. The one forward he drafted last year, high comepete level. The defenceman he traded for, high compete level. Team weakness, compete level.

It’s hard to turn over a ****ty roster in 1 or two off seasons. Granted this roster he has put together this year isn’t great I see some life in it. Outside of Eichel and Okposo everyone else has 1-2 years left after this. This off season and next is when he can really mould this into “his” team.

The guys that WILL bring the compete level (even though they may not have enough skill) get scratched for vets who keep screwing up.

 

[OkimLom]

I like to think Botts is recognizing what is wrong with this team and is going to make roster changes accordingly. The one forward he drafted last year, high comepete level. The defenceman he traded for, high compete level. Team weakness, compete level.

It’s hard to turn over a ****ty roster in 1 or two off seasons. Granted this roster he has put together this year isn’t great I see some life in it. Outside of Eichel and Okposo everyone else has 1-2 years left after this. This off season and next is when he can really mould this into “his” team.

So his progress, according to you, is a matter of changing bodies?

 

[sabresEH]

The guys that WILL bring the compete level (even though they may not have enough skill) get scratched for vets who keep screwing up.

That they do. Hence why Housley has to go. We need a hard ass. Someone who rewards ice time for the guys who deserve it.

 

[sabresEH]

So his progress, according to you, is a matter of changing bodies?

Sorry? I don’t think there has been much progress so far. But Botts has turned this roster into one with very minimal long term commitments. He can start adding his players now that the crap players contracts are running out and can be replaced.

 

[wnysupport]

Kim and Terry don’t mind sacking people from PSE, maybe they should keep with that precedence.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

Love this team and this franchise, but this season has beaten me down. What a let down

 

[nickdawg95]

Makes no sense

is "we weren't ready to play" the new "Woe me I've got to be better?"

 

[Buffaloed]

G: The obnoxious Sabres fans who materialized during the streak have vaporized.
B: I think I have SAD (Sobotka Affective Disorder). We're blocking out the sun by firing so many players up there.

 

[Chainshot]

is "we weren't ready to play" the new "Woe me I've got to be better?"

Seems like it. How they can't be ready is amazing.

 

[OkimLom]

Sorry? I don’t think there has been much progress so far. But Botts has turned this roster into one with very minimal long term commitments. He can start adding his players now that the crap players contracts are running out and can be replaced.

I get that, but what is the progress is he talking about? It doesn’t seem to be in areas that impact players over their careers from season to season such as improvement in work ethic, how strong they are mentally in trying times in a game, or preparing for games.

At the beginning of the year, I had low expectations. My focus was seeing how they handle low points, how they attacked each game, how consistent they were in correcting mistakes, and other aspects of games that build character in organizations. I have seen moments of improvement in games, but it didn’t really carry over for long stretches. We saw them win 10 games in a row, many games being 1 goal games, highly pressurized situations. As much as I wanted to see them win those 10 games I wanted to see those lessons carry over through the season. I haven’t seen anything that they took from those games. Those type of games should’ve given them the confidence to push back against momentum changes. Instead we see them fold up.

 

[nickdawg95]

Seems like it. How they can't be ready is amazing.

Truly, weren't ready against the Rags, devils or panthers when will they be ready ?

 

[Sabreality]

sad to say it again but I truly believe Botts is ok with this until 20-21 or at least he understands what we all see (I f'n hope), we have to endure 17 more months of this until the vet trash is cleared. Jack will be 24 with 6yrs to go and Dahlin 20, not sure how he's going to really expedite this without doing some dumb shit. Roch grads are only going to help so much.

lets just hope he knows to push Phil onto the sword before then

 

[sabremike]

Time to start a gofundme to buy a billboard calling for Phil to get sacked. Worked for the Islander fans in getting rid of Garth.

 

[kirby11]

Sorry? I don’t think there has been much progress so far. But Botts has turned this roster into one with very minimal long term commitments. He can start adding his players now that the crap players contracts are running out and can be replaced.

That's a good point, but basically everybody botts has targeted in trades or FA has been junk.

Sobotka, Griffith, Pouliot, Josefson, Sheary, Elie...Scandella to a lesser extent last year and Beaulieu this year prior to the trade. The extreme extent of the tank vaporized our forward depth and we still haven't recovered.

Not to mention the added crap he took on in the form of Poms and Hunwick, who could be upgraded easily in house. But we don't ask veteran players to actually pull their weight around here. Showing up for a paycheck is fine.

IMO, Pilut and Skinner are the only truly good additions, with the jury out on Montour for now.

 

[Chainshot]

sad to say it again but I truly believe Botts is ok with this until 20-21 or at least he understands what we all see (I f'n hope), we have to endure 17 more months of this until the vet trash is cleared. Jack will be 24 with 6yrs to go and Dahlin 20, not sure how he's going to really expedite this without doing some dumb ****. Roch grads are only going to help so much.

lets just hope he knows to push Phil onto the sword before then

And by then, players like Eichel and Dahlin will be ready to quit this franchise. Waiting is daft.

 

[ZZamboni]

Time to start a gofundme to buy a billboard calling for Phil to get sacked. Worked for the Islander fans in getting rid of Garth.

Ok. Start it.

 

[kirby11]

sad to say it again but I truly believe Botts is ok with this until 20-21 or at least he understands what we all see (I f'n hope), we have to endure 17 more months of this until the vet trash is cleared. Jack will be 24 with 6yrs to go and Dahlin 20, not sure how he's going to really expedite this without doing some dumb ****. Roch grads are only going to help so much.

lets just hope he knows to push Phil onto the sword before then

It's mind boggling that we're hoping to sniff the playoffs in Eichel's 6th season at the earliest on the current trajectory.

 

[Sabreality]

hey I'm not saying I agree with it, but just from his quotes about this year being an 'unexpected' push, I think he believes next year is the true bubble push (like Carolina is this year perhaps) with some roster turnover and then the real window is '20. This team is what, the 5th youngest in the league even with these vet bums, its going to get even younger over the next 2 years

 

[sabresEH]

I get that, but what is the progress is he talking about? It doesn’t seem to be in areas that impact players over their careers from season to season such as improvement in work ethic, how strong they are mentally in trying times in a game, or preparing for games.

At the beginning of the year, I had low expectations. My focus was seeing how they handle low points, how they attacked each game, how consistent they were in correcting mistakes, and other aspects of games that build character in organizations. I have seen moments of improvement in games, but it didn’t really carry over for long stretches. We saw them win 10 games in a row, many games being 1 goal games, highly pressurized situations. As much as I wanted to see them win those 10 games I wanted to see those lessons carry over through the season. I haven’t seen anything that they took from those games. Those type of games should’ve given them the confidence to push back against momentum changes. Instead we see them fold up.

Not too sure what progress he sees. I take it he has mentioned seeing some in interviews he’s done?

I gave up listening to GM interviews a long time ago. What they say and what they think can be 2 completely different things.

 

[Not Sure]

Time to start a gofundme to buy a billboard calling for Phil to get sacked. Worked for the Islander fans in getting rid of Garth.

$4900-5500 for 4 weeks on the digital billboard over the 90 heading downtown. Already looked it up when I was thinking about doing this a few weeks ago.

 

[Buffaloed]

What is your opinion on our goaltending? Would the playoff picture be different if it was better? Although Hutton and Ullmark are a big improvement over last season I don't think they're good enough. UPL is still a few years away. Should we look to upgrade or hope they improve? Ullmark should have some upside. I think this team is always going to give up a lot of scoring chances playing the Housley style.

 

[sabresEH]

That's a good point, but basically everybody botts has targeted in trades or FA has been junk.

Sobotka, Griffith, Pouliot, Josefson, Sheary, Elie...Scandella to a lesser extent last year and Beaulieu this year prior to the trade. The extreme extent of the tank vaporized our forward depth and we still haven't recovered.

Not to mention the added crap he took on in the form of Poms and Hunwick, who could be upgraded easily in house. But we don't ask veteran players to actually pull their weight around here. Showing up for a paycheck is fine.

IMO, Pilut and Skinner are the only truly good additions, with the jury out on Montour for now.

Griffith, Josefsen, Pouliot were all fillers in his first off season. Most posters on here agreed with that assessment.

Sheary is what he is and Pens fans tried to warn us. Some had expectations of playing with Eichel. In a supportive role with NHL centres Sheary isn’t a problem and won’t be when the roster is complete.

Elie was a free waiver pick up and played his role fine. Sure, I, like most others would have preferred a young player getting reps instead of picking up Elie. But not a big complaint. He clearly wanted these kids to win in Roch first.

Scandella was great last year and not so much this year. Again, not committed to him long term. If he doesn’t bounce back next year then see ya later(if he hasn’t already been traded). Pomms being added to that trade is a tough one, but again.. term. Pomms is done after this year. Didn’t Ennis have like 3 or 4 years left on his deal?

Hunwick isn’t holding us back. He’s a fine 7th d-man. But 2.25 is too much for a seventh. Good thing he’s off the books after next season.

There’s nothing to be said about Sobotka/the ROR trade. Shouldn’t have been done, but it did and while he got lucky with Berglund(although did he? Could be coincidence but we started sliding around the time he left) Sobotka’s contract is up after next season.

Posters have mentioned how important it is to be winning while having impact players on ELC’s. Dahlin will be on his last year of his ELC the year after all the crap is gone.

Who Botts targets this off season will be more indicative of his future FA and trade ventures imo.

 

[nickdawg95]

That's a good point, but basically everybody botts has targeted in trades or FA has been junk.

Sobotka, Griffith, Pouliot, Josefson, Sheary, Elie...Scandella to a lesser extent last year and Beaulieu this year prior to the trade. The extreme extent of the tank vaporized our forward depth and we still haven't recovered.

Not to mention the added crap he took on in the form of Poms and Hunwick, who could be upgraded easily in house. But we don't ask veteran players to actually pull their weight around here. Showing up for a paycheck is fine.

IMO, Pilut and Skinner are the only truly good additions, with the jury out on Montour for now.

that's not fair to say, Scandella was great last year and Sheary is a decent 3LW

 

[Zip15]

65-point pace since the streak ended. That's in 38 games, or nearly half a season.

At this point, I think there's a pretty good chance that this team finishes below .500.

"They want a coaching change?" he asked, incredulously.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

What is your opinion on our goaltending? Would the playoff picture be different if it was better? Although Hutton and Ullmark are a big improvement over last season I don't think they're good enough. UPL is still a few years away. Should we look to upgrade or hope they improve? Ullmark should have some upside. I think this team is always going to give up a lot of scoring chances playing the Housley style.

What about this Lehner guy?

All seriousness, I struggle with this one. I'm not happy with the situation, but it feels like an item that is 4th or 5th on the list and an area poised for the most improvement if you can fix the pieces in front of them. Still, it would be nice to have a reasonable degree of confidence in this area again for the first time since Miller.