The ROR Beatification Station and Exclusion Zone (Discussion of ROR trade goes here!)

[Jame]

Ownership could have just as easily told Botts to get rid of him at the trade deadline. To me, this seems like the Pegulas had some kind of grudge with ROR and it painted Botts into a corner, and now he looks like a complete imbecile. That's the only defense I have of him.

Maybe... instead of inventing narratives to provide a defense of Botts... maybe consider that he’s just a complete imbecile... and no one did anything to make him look that way other than himself.

It’s amazing watching the myth evolve from Pegula ordering the trade before the bonus... to Pegula ordering the trade all together...

 

[Member 308457]

Talking about O'Reilly's beard, I wonder when/if the Sabres actually do make the playoffs, will any of them be able to grow playoff beards at all? One big problem with this team is almost everyone is immature looking. They look like a bunch of kids, not adults. How can you compete when you're a bunch of soyboys?

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Talking about O'Reilly's beard, I wonder when/if the Sabres actually do make the playoffs, will any of them be able to grow playoff beards at all? One big problem with this team is almost everyone is immature looking. They look like a bunch of kids, not adults. How can you compete when you're a bunch of soyboys?

Sid the kid, do you have a response?

 

[Member 308457]

Sid the kid, do you have a response?

They surrounded him with teammates who could grow beards.

 

[kenfury]

This thread is like a car crash. I dont want to look but I keep coming back to see what's happening.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

This thread is like a car crash. I dont want to look but I keep coming back to see what's happening.

The crash site has been cleaned up. There's only a cross placed on the side of the road with some flowers and people that mill about occasionally in remembrance.

 

[OkimLom]

The crash site has been cleaned up. There's only a cross placed on the side of the road with some flowers and people that mill about occasionally in remembrance.

Only now, the community is discussing whether we should lower the speed limit or put up some traffic lights to help decrease/stop further car crashes, and there are others that are screaming "everything's going to be fine, because in 10 years we will have self-driving cars"

 

[Buffaloed]

One of the offshoots of the ROR trade is the NHL is considering requiring prospective GM's to take an oath modeled after the Hippocratic Oath.
"First, do no harm", also known as the Botterill Rule, will certainly be incorporated. The sticking point is how to incorporate "I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow." NHL executives fear that this could legitimize the use of analytics resulting in out of control progress.

 

[SabresFan26]

Anyone listen to the recent Chiclets episdoe where Doug Armstrong himself confirmed ROR wanted out in Buffalo like many here suggested? I think Risto is in the same boat kind of forcing Botterill's hands. We want guys who want to be here, not people who want out and aren't committed to fixing the problems here.

 

[sufferer]

Anyone listen to the recent Chiclets episdoe where Doug Armstrong himself confirmed ROR wanted out in Buffalo like many here suggested? I think Risto is in the same boat kind of forcing Botterill's hands. We want guys who want to be here, not people who want out and aren't committed to fixing the problems here.

In Risto's case, he is very much a part of the problem. They could've traded him during the winning streak and I wouldn't have cared.

 

[Punished ROR]

Anyone listen to the recent Chiclets episdoe where Doug Armstrong himself confirmed ROR wanted out in Buffalo like many here suggested? I think Risto is in the same boat kind of forcing Botterill's hands. We want guys who want to be here, not people who want out and aren't committed to fixing the problems here.

Is this the quote you’re talking about?:

“So, I go back to how [the ROR trade] transpired. The information came out that he was unhappy with the way things were going in Buffalo; Buffalo was unhappy, they had higher expectations. So his name was being circulated, that he was potentially going to be available, and . . .”

If so, I’m not convinced that’s the confirmation you think it is.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Anyone listen to the recent Chiclets episdoe where Doug Armstrong himself confirmed ROR wanted out in Buffalo like many here suggested? I think Risto is in the same boat kind of forcing Botterill's hands. We want guys who want to be here, not people who want out and aren't committed to fixing the problems here.

I think this is where the Pegulas probably forced Botterill's hand. I can see them granting a players wish to be traded even if it hurts the team.

 

[SabresFan26]

Is this the quote you’re talking about?:

“So, I go back to how [the ROR trade] transpired. The information came out that he was unhappy with the way things were going in Buffalo; Buffalo was unhappy, they had higher expectations. So his name was being circulated, that he was potentially going to be available, and . . .”

If so, I’m not convinced that’s the confirmation you think it is.

"He was unhappy in Buffalo" was the extent of what I took away.

 

[SabresFan26]

I think this is where the Pegulas probably forced Botterill's hand. I can see them granting a players wish to be traded even if it hurts the team.

They don't want negative people in the locker room who don't want to be there. They aren't committed and you can't win in this league if you're not. I understand their frustration but at the same time with the losing, you do need to swipe out those who don't want to be a solution. ROR was signed to a long high salary contract, the team wasn't performing, his motivation level is low since he's being paid and unhappy losing most nights and Risto now sees ROR moved, put on a better team, a new level of commitment, win and now wants similar options.

It's a bad situation for everyone involved and ultimately we need to start winning so that people want to be here again. That's why Botterill had to sign Skinner for higher cap, to show commitment to players who want to be here and be part of the solution.

 

[The Red Helmet]

They don't want negative people in the locker room who don't want to be there. They aren't committed and you can't win in this league if you're not. I understand their frustration but at the same time with the losing, you do need to swipe out those who don't want to be a solution. ROR was signed to a long high salary contract, the team wasn't performing, his motivation level is low since he's being paid and unhappy losing most nights and Risto now sees ROR moved, put on a better team, a new level of commitment, win and now wants similar options.

It's a bad situation for everyone involved and ultimately we need to start winning so that people want to be here again. That's why Botterill had to sign Skinner for higher cap, to show commitment to players who want to be here and be part of the solution.

None of this forgives the fact that the Sabres gave up ROR for way less than he was worth and may have partially done so to save money, not cap space, but money. Whether it's Botterill or Pegula or both, the ROR trade is about as bad as a trade gets, no matter how rosy you try to make it look.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

"He was unhappy in Buffalo" was the extent of what I took away.

"Unhappy with the way things were going in Buffalo."

Big difference. Most of the players on the team had to have been unhappy that the team was performing so poorly.

And if there were any players content with the losing then they should be the ones shipped out, not ROR.

 

[SabresFan26]

"Unhappy with the way things were going in Buffalo."

Big difference. Most of the players on the team had to have been unhappy that the team was performing so poorly.

And if there were any players content with the losing then they should be the ones shipped out, not ROR.

Don't be bitter, be better. Did relisten and it does say the way things were going but still, that's basically the same thing, he wanted out period.

 

[OkimLom]

Don't be bitter, be better. Did relisten and it does say the way things were going but still, that's basically the same thing, he wanted out period.

It's far from a guarantee of being the same thing. It's too vague of a statement to have a concrete answer one way or the other. COULD it mean he wanted out, sure. But it could just mean he doesn't like how the coaching staff is handling the room. It could mean, that he was unhappy with the seemingly choice of punting of multiple seasons by management when the core believes they could compete if Botterill would put forth the effort. That doesn't necessarily mean he wants out.

 

[fingerpainter]

I say this with tears of sadness...
the only single player I'd trade Risto for is ROR, and I know it won't happen but I can see Risto being a massively impactful defender in a playoff run - shutting down opposing team's top players. And I really hope we keep him. But if we had to give him up, sure I'll take ROR back

 

[Baccus]

Don't be bitter, be better. Did relisten and it does say the way things were going but still, that's basically the same thing, he wanted out period.

It's literally not the same thing. Be better indeed.

 

[wunderpanda]

 

[Cirris]

5:50 mark.

Let's put this to bed. ROR wanted out. You can tell by the conversation.

ROR even acknowledges when commentator says "You weren't happy where you were."

Trade over, lime to move on.

 

[sabremike]

5:50 mark.

Let's put this to bed. ROR wanted out. You can tell by the conversation.

ROR even acknowledges when commentator says "You weren't happy where you were."

Trade over, lime to move on.

You know who else wasn't happy after one of the worst seasons in NHL history?

THE ENTIRE FREAKING TEAM. God why are people still trying to defend one of the most disastrous and stupid moves in hockey history?

Also lets just buy your premise that he asked out. Know who else once demanded to be traded? Matt Duchenne. Know what Sakic did? He waited until he got the offer he wanted.

 

[OkimLom]

5:50 mark.

Let's put this to bed. ROR wanted out. You can tell by the conversation.

ROR even acknowledges when commentator says "You weren't happy where you were."

Trade over, lime to move on.

Glad we have the same management team in place that made the decision and caused that situation.

Still waiting for them to fill the hole they left themselves though.

Edited:
Listening to that, sounded like a guy that wasn’t begging to be traded, but it obviously was not happy with the changes in the room and the direction of the team.

THAT alone should worry people.

 

[Paxon]

5:50 mark.

Let's put this to bed. ROR wanted out. You can tell by the conversation.

ROR even acknowledges when commentator says "You weren't happy where you were."

Trade over, lime to move on.

Who was happy at the end of that season... or this season? How many of these guys do you think wouldn't love to be traded to a better team? Unless he demanded a trade it just doesn't matter.