TBN: At this stage in their history, Sabres will struggle to make big splashes

[Buffaloed]

Good article by Mike Harrington. I'm not sure I've ever said that before.

Column: At this stage in their history, Sabres will struggle to make big splashes

If you were waiting for the Buffalo Sabres to make a splash as NHL free agency opened Monday, you were sorely disappointed. This is how you had to figure it was going to go.
It seems clear General Manager Jason Botterill is going to build this roster methodically, through the draft and some well-placed trades. Big money for big names isn't going to be the way this organization can go right now.

Botterill acknowledges the Sabres have a problem recruiting free agents ""I think you're always looking for some sort of edge, looking for some sort of relationship,. With some people we were talking to, whether it was somebody in our organization or a close friend on the team or a relationship with our coach, you're always trying to find some sort of angle there."

The only way to get players here now is to overpay. And the Sabres can't do that, not with $25 million tied up in Skinner, Okposo and Eichel and plenty more headed Rasmus Dahlin's way in a couple of years.

Botterill explains, "As much as we want players to be a part of it, and help us with our immediate needs, there has to be a balance here, and there has to be a situation where we're not making signings that are going to be detrimental to us in the future. It's always a balance and sometimes it's a difficult balance, and one where you have to make some difficult decisions."

It's a realistic approach. But for a jittery and properly impatient fan base, it's difficult to hear. There are no quick fixes out there.

Click to read more...

 

[5 Minute Major]

Nobody wants to come to Hockey Heaven?

 

[Djp]

Bad news bears.....

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Unacceptable!! Over pay into cap hell or kidnap players!

 

[TehDoak]

Nobody wants to come to Hockey Heaven?

Yeah you can't get to hockey heaven until your career is already over.

 

[Chainshot]

It would be nice for them to make good moves, even if they are tiny splashes vs. big splashes for a change. Botts comments could be the same as Regier's from the 2000's as the sort of "oh, hey, there is nothing we can do" mea culpa that just doesn't engender confidence in the fans and probably in the players.

 

[dortt]

hockey heaven is where you go to get a big pay check and only have to give 25% effort in 50% of the games

 

[SackTastic]

Agree that it's a good article from MH. Nails the core issue ; it's hard to attract free agents when your team consistently has not been good, or not been stable. They haven't been winning for years, and they've had a revolving door of coaches and GMs. ( Nice chicken / egg question there too.. )

But winning cures this, if they can start stringing some success together, they can start pulling FA talent. That being said, I'm ok with them not making big splashes every year; those rarely work.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Oh Harrington. No one expected them to make a splash. You can make some quality moves to improve the roster without making front page headlines.

 

[sufferer]

Oh Harrington. No one expected them to make a splash. You can make some quality moves to improve the roster without making front page headlines.

That didn't exactly happen, either. Not yet at least.

 

[Jim Bob]

Nobody wants to come to Hockey Heaven?

Nobody wants to come here to play with Eichel like nobody wants to go to Edmonton to play with McDavid.

 

[Thorton02]

Nobody wants to come here to play with Eichel like nobody wants to go to Edmonton to play with McDavid.

Unless it's the final year of their contract.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

I get the point, but if we are honest, how many deals announced yesterday would any of us have taken?

 

[Jim Bob]

I get the point, but if we are honest, how many deals announced yesterday would any of us have taken?

That Duchene deal would have been interesting as a way to fill in that 2C slot.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Oh Harrington. No one expected them to make a splash. You can make some quality moves to improve the roster without making front page headlines.

Where are these "quality moves" you speak of?

 

[Duddy]

Where are these "quality moves" you speak of?

I don't think he means that Botts has made those moves, just saying you could improve without making big splashes.