Forward Patrik Berglund has been suspended indefinitely by the organization due to failure to report

[Irving Zisman]

It isn’t. And some don’t know how to handle it. Most Sabres fans have been intelligent about it all.

The Sabres being better this year has nothing to do with the ROR trade. It’s the most ridiculous take I’ve seen on this site in years and I’ve seen more than a handful of you do it.

Your insistence to the contrary is the most ridiculous take I've seen on this site in years.

Amazing the level of butt-hurt from certain people when Sabres fans DARE insist a long, and oft-rumored malcontent getting shipped out of the lockerroom leading to a dramatic shift in on-ice results is somehow correlated.

Takes like this are further proof that many on this site have never played team sports, nor work in any type of occupation that places a strong emphasis on positive attitude, optimism, etc.

Also, even if you don't buy the (obvious) narrative that is/was ROR - The trade allowed a young superstar to take over the Captaincy and command the room to much better results. If that's not addition by subtraction, than I don't know what is.

Enjoy O'Reilly. Enjoy the sulking, negativity, and toxicity, too. At the time, I was appalled by the return when the deal was announced, and in a vacuum, Botterill was definitely fleeced.

But boy did that trade change the trajectory of the organization.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Its just weird, how do you fail to report without it being something very serious? You dont fail to report to the team because you came in late or called and said you overslept?

Is he just gone and they cant get a hold of him? Wouldnt think they would suspend him without knowing that he is ok at least?
Did he just wake up one day and say "f*** it im not going to work today" and go hide in the woods? Very strange, hopefully nothing serious is going on with him.

 

[TK 421]

Very much enjoying ROR, thanks for thinking of us.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Your insistence to the contrary is the most ridiculous take I've seen on this site in years.

Amazing the level of ********* from certain people when Sabres fans DARE insist a long, and oft-rumored malcontent getting shipped out of the lockerroom leading to a dramatic shift in on-ice results is somehow correlated.

Takes like this are further proof that many on this site have never played team sports, nor work in any type of occupation that places a strong emphasis on positive attitude, optimism, etc.

Also, even if you don't buy the (obvious) narrative that is/was ROR - The trade allowed a young superstar to take over the Captaincy and command the room to much better results. If that's not addition by subtraction, than I don't know what is.

Enjoy O'Reilly. Enjoy the sulking, negativity, and toxicity, too. At the time, I was appalled by the return when the deal was announced, and in a vacuum, Botterill was definitely fleeced.

But boy did that trade change the trajectory of the organization.

To be fair people that criticize the trade has a point. I certainly did when it happened. They got two 4th liners with bad contracts +picks/prospect for a #1B center. I actually think Sabres thought they got some decent middle 6 forwards back in Sobotka and Berglund which is horrible scouting by them....
Have to think there were better options out there but Botterill wanted some depth and thats why he accepted the Blues deal.

ROR has arguably been Blues best player this season btw.

You could easily have given Eichel the C even with ROR on the team. Dahlin was a huge add this season, guy is already a #1D imo. Adding Dahlin and having Eichel healthy is the main reason Sabres have turned it around. Didnt exactly hurt to add a goalscorer like Skinner either. Sabres still have a huge hole at #2C where ROR or another center would be a perfect fit.

 

[Irving Zisman]

To be fair people that criticize the trade has a point. I certainly did when it happened. They got two 4th liners with bad contracts +picks/prospect for a #1B center. I actually think Sabres thought they got some decent middle 6 forwards back in Sobotka and Berglund which is horrible scouting by them....
Have to think there were better options out there but Botterill wanted some depth and thats why he accepted the Blues deal.

ROR has arguably been Blues best player this season btw.

You could easily have given Eichel the C even with ROR on the team. Dahlin was a huge add this season, guy is already a #1D imo. Adding Dahlin and having Eichel healthy is the main reason Sabres have turned it around. Didnt exactly hurt to add a goalscorer like Skinner either. Sabres still have a huge hole at #2C where ROR or another center would be a perfect fit.

You've missed the point - Everyone criticized the trade, myself included, and all had a point. It was a garbage, "4 quarters for a dollar" type of return, and Botterill could have done better or looked for a one-for-one Heatley for Hossa type of deal.

ROR was arguably the Sabres best player last year, despite the criticism. The team sucked, and a common theme was his constant sulking, negativity and general aloofness (many will debate this, but it was alluded to constantly by beat reporters and it didn't take a rocket scientist to interpret ROR's year-end comments as obvious correlation to the rumblings).

And no, you could NOT have given the C to Eichel and without first trading O'Reilly. That would have further inflamed the situation to an extent not seen since Derek Roy threw a hissy fit when Regier and Pegula gave Ville Leino a better deal for exactly 1 years' worth of results).

NHL rosters are not the same as managing the cap in an EA Sports games. Rather, they're just like corporations, where toxicity, politics, and workplace jealousy can destroy an organization from the inside out if not carefully managed.

In a vacuum where logic and reason rule the day, what you're saying has validity. But pride, ego and human emotion are not logical, nor can they be quantifiable. This was the classic case of addition by subtraction.

 

[Beerz]

Almost all Sabres have picked up their game this year.

Larsson and Girgensons are playing fabulous on 4th line.

Bogosian is healthy and playing well

McCabe is having a much better season

Blow you is a somewhat competent dman this year

We added Dahlin who has been stellar

Risto has been mostly good

We added Skinner who has been fantastic

Jack Eichel has turned into a beast on both sides of the ice

Hutton and Ullmark are a huge improvement over Lehner and Johnson

I have a feeling that is the reason for turning things around ...not dealing ROR

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

Almost all Sabres have picked up their game this year.

Larsson and Girgensons are playing fabulous on 4th line.

Bogosian is healthy and playing well

McCabe is having a much better season

Blow you is a somewhat competent dman this year

We added Dahlin who has been stellar

Risto has been mostly good

We added Skinner who has been fantastic

Jack Eichel has turned into a beast on both sides of the ice

Hutton and Ullmark are a huge improvement over Lehner and Johnson

I have a feeling that is the reason for turning things around ...not dealing ROR

Having competent players makes a huge difference.

People need to realize that last year:

On Defense:
Justin Falk played 46 games, Gorges played 34, Tennyson played 15 on the back end. Beaulieu and McCabe were trainwrecks.

Up front:
Jacob Josefson played 39 games. Seth Griffith played 21. Benoit Pouliot played 74. Jordan Nolan played over 60. A lot of the wingers who were part-full time (Bailey, Baptiste, Fasching...) last year are all in the AHL this year.

Depth.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

But dealing RoR is what allowed us to acquire Skinner who has been an elite goal scorer and allowed us to name Jack captain.

If anyone thinks Eichel would have been just as good if RoR was still around is out to lunch. He was the road block to Jack becoming the captain and 2 way superstar he now is.

and it looks like RoR is reverting to his norm. Out of all the ppg+ players he was the most obvious to fall below it and he is near that mark. 4 points his last 7 games. a soon to be 28 year old who has never scored 30 goals, 40 assists or 65 points. He will likely hit 70-75 points on a bottom 5 team. Meanwhile because RoR was removed the team has been much better and the Sabres are now not just better long term because of the move but short term too.

And lets just see where this 2020 1st lands from a team who has been bottom 3 virtually all year. If it ends up a pick in the 8-12 range I take a top 12 pick+Tage Thompson+a high 2nd+not paying the 7.5 mil roster bonus all day over RoR who turns 28 in 2 months and has maybe 2-3 years max before he is regressing. He is a mediocre skater now, doubtful he is worth 7.5 mil at age 32 with how he skates.

RoR is a quality 65 point 2 way C. He is a lower mid end to low end 1C. In the 15-25 range and I said this on the trade forums last year when he was still a Sabre. He is a quality player but a team with RoR as the 1C is not winning a few playoff rounds let alone a cup. He is best suited as a 2C but at $7.5 mil x 5 and being who he is that will not fly. He is a moody player and has been notorious for sulking. It is telling that Avs players (I believe Duchene) pretty much said the team/locker room is different/better and more positive when RoR was moved out. We had him for 3 years and he was a 55-64 point center who was elite/best in the league at face offs (that does not really mean all that much) was a decent PKer and a decent def center. But he was no Selke caliber player. He never really shut down elite players like a Bergeron does or Lehtinen/Peca would. He was upset being moved to LW so people bashing the Sabres on Berglund should not throw stones in glass houses when RoR was throwing a fit because he was forced to play LW instead of C.

Hopefully Buffalo gets out of the Berglund contract off the books, Bergy gets to go home to Sweden and Buffalo gets to use that $3.85 mil for 3 years after this one and acquire a true top end middle 6 center.

I just hope it is a selfish issue over a serious matter. As weird as it may sound I am hoping he is just angry at ice time and role and that it is not something more sinister.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

STL will be in the same situation as Ottawa, when trading their 1st to Colorado. They used the protection-clause the first season and now hope to GOD that their former first will not end up top-3, no less FIRST.

My guess is that the pick Buffalo gets next season, will be around 12-15.

To get that and Tage Thompson + 2 cap dumps for a borderline #1 center...hmm..

Then again, I thought that Berglund would contribute a lot more than he has....than he did.

On the other hand...imagine if it turns out to be the 1st OA and that Thompson develops into an elite ppg winger.


Perhaps a chance to take considering the fact that misery seems to follow O'R around, in terms of team results. And he hated being in Buffalo.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

You've missed the point - Everyone criticized the trade, myself included, and all had a point. It was a garbage, "4 quarters for a dollar" type of return, and Botterill could have done better or looked for a one-for-one Heatley for Hossa type of deal.

ROR was arguably the Sabres best player last year, despite the criticism. The team sucked, and a common theme was his constant sulking, negativity and general aloofness (many will debate this, but it was alluded to constantly by beat reporters and it didn't take a rocket scientist to interpret ROR's year-end comments as obvious correlation to the rumblings).

And no, you could NOT have given the C to Eichel and without first trading O'Reilly. That would have further inflamed the situation to an extent not seen since Derek Roy threw a hissy fit when Regier and Pegula gave Ville Leino a better deal for exactly 1 years' worth of results).

NHL rosters are not the same as managing the cap in an EA Sports games. Rather, they're just like corporations, where toxicity, politics, and workplace jealousy can destroy an organization from the inside out if not carefully managed.

In a vacuum where logic and reason rule the day, what you're saying has validity. But pride, ego and human emotion are not logical, nor can they be quantifiable. This was the classic case of addition by subtraction.

I'm not taking sides here, but to add to your example - look up why Adam Oates demanded to be traded right after signing an extension with the Blues. That mismanagement of salary caused a domino effect that probably cost the Blues a serious cup run in the mid to late 90's.

The oversimplified version:
Blues are really good
Blues sign Oates to ext.
Blues sign everyone worse than Oates for way more money
Oates goes 'WTF m8' and demands trade
Oates > Bruins for Janney
Shanahan claims Janney's wife without her being on waivers first
Janney leaves STL, Shanny is traded for pronger
Hull never gets close to 70 goals again w/o Oates
pronger takes bad penalties in the playoffs
blues are perennial 2nd round exits for the rest of the decade
Hull&Shanny win cup together in Detroit

 

[BFLOSabres23]

He has 32 points in 31 games and we no longer have Sobi and Berglund. We are not waiting for the Blues to benefit.

According to the standings, you are. RoR is a good player and I’m happy he’s getting a ppg for you guys. But I don’t see how you’re benefiting when all you’ve done is sink to the bottom of the league. I’m not trying to be snarky or rude, you’re just not winning games.

 

[MtlsabresFAN]

I remember being so excited when the Sabres got O Reilly from the avs but then during that same summer he ran into a Tim Hortons.. hope Berglund is ok and that it's nothing serious

 

[Yatzhee]

Because no teams have turned it around in a span of 12 months? Ignorant thinking. Just because the Sabres took forever to get good doesn’t mean other teams do.

I see you side stepped the 1st issue and went right to the 2nd.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

The Canucks would happily offer a slightly used Loui Eriksson for your disgruntled Patrik Berglund.

 

[DJN21]

This thread really derailed quick...hope bergs is okay

 

[MarkusKetterer]

To the people in here ripping on Berglund: Are you gonna come back to this thread if it comes out that he's dealing with something (mental illness, family matter) currently, quote your post, and apologize?

 

[justafan22]

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Heard from someone who would know in the Blues organization that Berglund’s contract with STL stipulated that as part of his limited no-trade agreement, his agent needed to submit a list of the teams he wouldn’t accept a trade to on X date every offseason. Apparently, Berglund’s agent effed up and didn’t submit the list on time and that’s the real reason why Berglund was included in the ROR deal. He never would’ve waived his NTC to go to Buffalo.

 

[57special]

So, has he fired said agent?

 

[gumgum]

One of the laziest players in the league.

 

[justafan22]

interesting. if that's the true reason for him not showing up, there's nothing he can do though if the sabres try to terminate his deal

 

[sabrebuild]

Your insistence to the contrary is the most ridiculous take I've seen on this site in years.

Amazing the level of ********* from certain people when Sabres fans DARE insist a long, and oft-rumored malcontent getting shipped out of the lockerroom leading to a dramatic shift in on-ice results is somehow correlated.

Takes like this are further proof that many on this site have never played team sports, nor work in any type of occupation that places a strong emphasis on positive attitude, optimism, etc.

Also, even if you don't buy the (obvious) narrative that is/was ROR - The trade allowed a young superstar to take over the Captaincy and command the room to much better results. If that's not addition by subtraction, than I don't know what is.

Enjoy O'Reilly. Enjoy the sulking, negativity, and toxicity, too. At the time, I was appalled by the return when the deal was announced, and in a vacuum, Botterill was definitely fleeced.

But boy did that trade change the trajectory of the organization.

It’s one of the dumbest theories I have ever heard as well. The return for O’Reilly was trash and has been trash, Berglund being the only guy that was above replacement level.

It wasn’t addition by subtraction. It was subtraction with about 6 completely unrelated additions that more than made up the difference.

What changed the trajectory of the team was a putrid defense getting the best 18 year old d man in 50 years. And the miraculous health of Bogosian. And the complete flip of terrible goaltending for above average.

No reason to hate talk Blues fans because of weird alternative fact narratives in your head.

 

[Cor]

interesting. if that's the true reason for him not showing up, there's nothing he can do though if the sabres try to terminate his deal

I'm pretty certain he would be okay with that.

 

[justafan22]

I'm pretty certain he would be okay with that.

Berglund wouldn't, since he doesn't get his full money if that happens. HNIC said an agreement would need to happen between the NHLPA and NHL for a termination

 

[nickdawg95]

Why in the world did the Sabres agree to take on both his and Sobotka's contract? That ROR trade was/is horrible. Borderline firable offence. They gave up an elite player for scraps and took on two horrible contracts.

i agree terrible trade, but The Blues had the pay RoR 7m bonus on july 1 i believe for last year, it was even said that had botts moved RoR after the bonus was paid the return would have been significantly better

still the sabres only hope to save face on this trade is if the blues tank next year and Thompson becomes a 20 goal scorer