Jason Botterill Discussion 2

[sincerity0]

But there is a plan in place. It's exactly like he laid it out when he was hired. Develop and build Rochester was his main focus, and he's done that. Sure, the plan isn't going exactly like we all would have liked it but there is a plan. Ultimately, we will need a bit more patience. I think he was eyeing this year as a somewhat transitional year, and then next year we will get all these guys from Roch that have been developing all year. Not saying this is ultimately the best way to build a team, but he's pretty much staying true to the plan he laid out when he got here.

But ultimately you have to ask “when”. This team has a near superstar center, a fantastic goal scoring winger (Botts gets credit), got gifted a generational defenseman and has another top 10 pick developing.

Botterill made many moves, ROR, Skinner, Sheary, brought in Pilut, etc. this team is STILL about even CLOSE to sniffing the playoffs even with a ten game win streak.

At what point does one have to say “WHEN?” Buffalo is getting zipped past every year by teams catapulting to the playoffs, and here we sit accumulating top 10 picks never doing anything.

Also, yes Botterill has to give Housley a public vote of confidence. Someone can’t ask a GM “hey what’s going on with the coach” “oh uh we might replace him” - you just can’t do that

 

[Chainshot]

The inconsistency of his message is one of the few things that remains consistent about him. He talks about accountability and yet veterans are given much greater freedom than young players. He talks about Sam at Center and he’s never used there. He talks about making sure the players develop properly at the minor-league level, and then gifts two unprepared players full-time roster spots in the National Hockey League. He talks about internal competition, and when players are clearly unable to perform, they stay in the lineup and no moves are made. What he has shown the young players is that mediocrity is not only accepted, it’s rewarded with additional ice time.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Yes, it's a 5 year plan. 5 year plans come from where? The Soviet Union.

It's the Russian plan. I see it coming.

Kucherov - Malkin - Tarasenko
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Panarin
Kovalchuk - Anisimov - Burakovsky
Radulov - Namestnikov -Svechnikov

Orlov - Sergachev
Zadorov - Kulikov
Zaitsev - Provorov

Vasilevski
Bobrovsky

Your 2024 Buffalo Sabres.

 

[ZZamboni]

Yes, it's a 5 year plan. 5 year plans come from where? The Soviet Union.

It's the Russian plan. I see it coming.

Kucherov - Malkin - Tarasenko
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Panarin
Kovalchuk - Anisimov - Burakovsky
Radulov - Namestnikov -Svechnikov

Orlov - Sergachev
Zadorov - Kulikov
Zaitsev - Provorov

Vasilevski
Bobrovsky

Your 2024 Buffalo Sabres.

Not enough V’s

 

[sabrebuild]

Having just listened to his press conference, I am more worried now than I normally am just analyzing the actual moves.

Dude called his own press conference, with no specific reason as stated by him, and then gets surprised by multiple questions and has to go into pr spin talk immediately????

As some of you know I put almost no credence into what is said in the media, particularly by management or in planned pressers. There is almost never a motivation to be open and honest or even interesting.

Except for when someone is dumb enough to hurt themselves. Like Bob Nicholson saying everyone in Edmonton was aware of an on board with Chiarelli giving koskinen a huge deal.

That was really bad on Botts.

If that is the guy with “the plan”...

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[TunaBoss44]

One positive thing that I'll say about Botterill is that the next GM will be in better shape than he was. Botts hasn't handed out any long-term bad contracts. No Okposos or Moulsons so far

 

[Tyler2829]

Having just listened to his press conference, I am more worried now than I normally am just analyzing the actual moves.

Dude called his own press conference, with no specific reason as stated by him, and then gets surprised by multiple questions and has to go into pr spin talk immediately????

As some of you know I put almost no credence into what is said in the media, particularly by management or in planned pressers. There is almost never a motivation to be open and honest or even interesting.

Except for when someone is dumb enough to hurt themselves. Like Bob Nicholson saying everyone in Edmonton was aware of an on board with Chiarelli giving koskinen a huge deal.

That was really bad on Botts.

If that is the guy with “the plan”...

Hamilton claims he asked Botts for an interview for which he obliged, but they decided to let all the media members join.

 

[hizzoner]

Yes, it's a 5 year plan. 5 year plans come from where? The Soviet Union.

It's the Russian plan. I see it coming.

Kucherov - Malkin - Tarasenko
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Panarin
Kovalchuk - Anisimov - Burakovsky
Radulov - Namestnikov -Svechnikov

Orlov - Sergachev
Zadorov - Kulikov
Zaitsev - Provorov

Vasilevski
Bobrovsky

Your 2024 Buffalo Sabres.

You're Putin me on!

 

[Myllz]

Anyone have a count on how many times he said look, situation or scenario?

Not a fan of his answers. I didn't have a firm opinion on Botts either way before now, but he certainly didn't do himself any favors with that interview.

 

[sabrebuild]

Hamilton claims he asked Botts for an interview for which he obliged, but they decided to let all the media members join.

That maybe so. But Botts definitely said live he was there just to chat with everyone and not say something specific.

He could/should have walked away and said nothing. Or what’s scarier, he legitimately is surprised that people want to get rid of Housley and don’t see the “progress” he sees from his self inflicted last place finish a year ago.

It was funny, I normally find Schopp abominable, but I caught the radio on my drive home and he had a rant about the standard for improvement is doing better than your predecessor, Murray, not doing better than your own previous failure.

One of the questions in the press conference had a similar ring, basically you came in last place and you got a first overall pick. Most would assume you had to get better. Then Botts stuttered for a bit.

Not great.

 

[coastal]

I could give a rats ass how he performs during a press conference.

Put talent that can win on the ice.

Right now he's a mixed bag...

 

[sabrebuild]

One positive thing that I'll say about Botterill is that the next GM will be in better shape than he was. Botts hasn't handed out any long-term bad contracts. No Okposos or Moulsons so far

And all it cost was a last place finish and whatever this is so far.

Tho it hasn’t been for a lack of trying, Berglund just refused.

 

[kirby11]

The inconsistency of his message is one of the few things that remains consistent about him. He talks about accountability and yet veterans are given much greater freedom than young players. He talks about Sam at Center and he’s never used there. He talks about making sure the players develop properly at the minor-league level, and then gifts two unprepared players full-time roster spots in the National Hockey League. He talks about internal competition, and when players are clearly unable to perform, they stay in the lineup and no moves are made. What he has shown the young players is that mediocrity is not only accepted, it’s rewarded with additional ice time.

I have two main points off this:

1. This reads like a play by play of how you alienate super driven and motivated guys like RoR and develop a rotten organizational culture. Imagine being VO and not even getting 1 game at the NHL level while Tage is apparently immune from being demoted no matter how poorly he plays.

2. Even if they keep Botts and Phil on, can the Pegulas at least install someone as hockey ops president? And by install someone, I mean hire a consultant to do all the work, because we saw what happened with Lafontaine. IMO, part of the org's biggest issue is that the entire franchise direction can shift massively based on the GM's vision.
There's no stability at all when people are fired or expectations in place for new hires besides, presumably, "do better."

 

[jc17]

I dont have a big problem with most of his statements.

Even if he felt so, he's not going say that he thinks Scandella and Sobotka suck. When he talks about the team being young I think it shows that he doesn't view the two previously mentioned, Bogo, Okposo, Pominville as prominent members of the team.

My biggest complaints are that when asked about coaching he didn't mention a need for continued progress or coaching development, and that the whole "winning games in the 2nd half of the season is hard" response, which is a cop-out.

 

[sabrebuild]

I could give a rats ass how he performs during a press conference.

Put talent that can win on the ice.

Right now he's a mixed bag...

Last place finish and out of the current playoffs this year sounds like a pretty consistent bag.

 

[Chainshot]

Last place finish and out of the current playoffs this year sounds like a pretty consistent bag.

A colostomy bag

 

[jc17]

IMO, part of the org's biggest issue is that the entire franchise direction can shift massively based on the GM's vision.
There's no stability at all when people are fired or expectations in place for new hires besides, presumably, "do better."

So the vision isn't shifting based on the director of hockey ops' vision?

Would the hockey ops guy be immune from being fired to create stability? What if that guy sucks?

 

[jc17]

Its not fun getting roundabout answers, but anyone have an ideas of what Botts should have said that would have been both accurate and not alienating half of his players/staff for being bad at their jobs?

 

[MayDayMayDay]

If I'm Housley, I'm shitting bricks right now.

There's no reason to panic unless someone says "Don't panic."

Once someone says "Don't panic"... That's when it's time to f***ing panic.

Get your shit together Housley. Or else.

EDIT.
And f*** me running, there goes Coyle to Boston.

 

[sabrebuild]

A colostomy bag

Deuces!

 

[sabremike]

Deuces!

Torts just said Botts was shitting his pants.

 

[kirby11]

So the vision isn't shifting based on the director of hockey ops' vision?

Would the hockey ops guy be immune from being fired to create stability? What if that guy sucks?

I guess my point is, ideally, it would shift less than the extreme swing from Murray accelerating the rebuild to Botts slamming on the breaks. There'd be some overarching goals/objectives in place that would be set by the ops person and the Pegulas, with some flexibility based on in season and/or offseason developments.

If they suck then we circle back to square 1 again lol

 

[Royisgone]

Having just listened to his press conference, I am more worried now than I normally am just analyzing the actual moves.

Dude called his own press conference, with no specific reason as stated by him, and then gets surprised by multiple questions and has to go into pr spin talk immediately????

As some of you know I put almost no credence into what is said in the media, particularly by management or in planned pressers. There is almost never a motivation to be open and honest or even interesting.

Except for when someone is dumb enough to hurt themselves. Like Bob Nicholson saying everyone in Edmonton was aware of an on board with Chiarelli giving koskinen a huge deal.

That was really bad on Botts.

If that is the guy with “the plan”...

He did not "call his own press conference."

Paul Hamilton specifically asked for the 1 on 1 time with Botterill and it was granted. Then, rather than have to grant equal access to other members of the press as well, they just let everyone ask questions together as part of a single event.

The point is this was all initiated, specifically, by Paul Hamilton.

 

[sabrebuild]

He did not "call his own press conference."

Paul Hamilton specifically asked for the 1 on 1 time with Botterill and it was granted. Then, rather than have to grant equal access to other members of the press as well, they just let everyone ask questions together as part of a single event.

The point is this was all initiated, specifically, by Paul Hamilton.

Sure. But I’m not really sure what the distinction is.

He grants an interview with 1 reporter, but clearly does so in a public forum where multiple other reporters are ready to go.

The point is he voluntarily went to talk to the media.