Jason Botterill Discussion 3

[joshjull]

Exploring the Impact of New NHL Coaches and GMs

For those expecting significant improvement from Krueger.

I have absolutely no idea what to expect from Kruger this upcoming season. But that article tells us pretty much nothing. Honestly I’m not sure why you think it does.

Its attempting to quantify the impact of new coaches and GMs. Who has a bigger year over year impact on a team’s success a coach or a GM. Yet bizarrely thinks using SCF% as the baseline metric is a useful tool.

But getting back to specifically to Kruger and the task ahead of him. The Sabres had a SCF% of 49.2% this past season. It was 17th in the NHL and was up almost 3% from 46.48% from the previous season (Guess we should have kept Phil ). It was also better than 2 playoffs teams (Caps and Jets) and within a fraction (.18% to be exact) of the Isles.

The bottom line is the SCF% we had this past season doesn’t even have to improve for us to have a better season than years past, even a significantly better one. Which basically dismisses the idea that if it doesn’t go up we can’t see significant improvement.

 

[brian_griffin]

The best NHL coaches do nothing but focus on hockey. That goes for any sport, frankly.

Kreuger strikes me as more sports executive dilettante than seasoned NHL coach, which many of us were clamoring for by the end of the season. Not surprised either that our MBA thinking GM was smitten by Ralph's multifaceted resume. They probably has some great communication between them too. But none of those things really matter when it comes to being a successful NHL coach.

I do, however, like Kreuger's stated approach of building systems around the talent, not the other way around. Hopefully a smart, simple game plan, his skills as a motivator, and the input from Smith and Granato overcomes whatever Kreuger lacks in terms of raw NHL coaching experience/knowledge.

I appreciate your point. I would counter: IMO, Sabre players and fans don’t have confidence in Botterill. If Ralph Krueger is an executive dilettante and can erase the perception of Botterill taking one step forward two steps back and two steps sideways then I’ll take that.
Also, it won’t take much to surpass Housley’s standard, so again I’m not too worried.

 

[Gabrielor]

Botts has been on WGR the last 20 minutes or so. Nothing earth-shattering.

 

[Gabrielor]

He pretty much just talked about great competition in camp, praised young guys and new acquisitions, APPARENTLY praised Sobotka, and offered nothing in terms of substance.

 

[Baccus]

He pretty much just talked about great competition in camp, praised young guys and new acquisitions, APPARENTLY praised Sobotka, and offered nothing in terms of substance.

Yeah sabres twitter crew is getting wound up. At least it's amusing.

Apparently he said Sobotka is important because he can play wing and center.

Also cited Risto doing well in a hard match vs Tampa's top line game, where the analytics say he actually got caved in pretty good.

I haven't listened to the interview, but I'm enjoying the second hand twitter outrage.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

With the moves made this off season we should be in much better shape. Going into the offseason I felt like the biggest issues this team had were:

Coaching - hopefully fixed at least a change was made
5v5 Secondary scoring - Added Vesey, Johansson, should see some improvement from our youngsters
Better Defensive depth - Added Miller, Joker, and Montour is here for the whole season.
Goaltending - New goalie coach
2nd Line center - Not sure on the plan here, Maybe Johansson can do this till Mitts is ready?
Bad contracts - Tough to get rid of some of these seems like the plan is to bury some and let the rest run their course

After these moves if this team falls flat on its face again I'd expect that JB is out the door.

 

[Fezzy126]

Yeah sabres twitter crew is getting wound up. At least it's amusing.

Apparently he said Sobotka is important because he can play wing and center.

Also cited Risto doing well in a hard match vs Tampa's top line game, where the analytics say he actually got caved in pretty good.

I haven't listened to the interview, but I'm enjoying the second hand twitter outrage.

I assume he just mispoke or confused games, in the past he's referenced a game against the Capitals, where Risto dominated a matchup against Ovie.

However, this one is probably a bit misleading, the Caps were a few days removed from a west coast road trip and looked like a shell of their actual selves.

It is simultaneously terrifying and amusing listening to Botts mention Sobotka's name in a positive light and then seeing twitter's apocolyptic reactions...

 

[sufferer]

I assume he just mispoke or confused games, in the past he's referenced a game against the Capitals, where Risto dominated a matchup against Ovie.

View attachment 248483

However, this one is probably a bit misleading, the Caps were a few days removed from a west coast road trip and looked like a shell of their actual selves.

It is simultaneously terrifying and amusing listening to Botts mention Sobotka's name in a positive light and then seeing twitter's apocolyptic reactions...

He's definitely referring to the game against the Bolts where Risto laid a few hits on Kucherov which got him noticeably angry. I can't blame twitter folks for getting upset about Botterill championing one of the worst players in the league who he traded one of the best players in the league for.

 

[Baccus]

I assume he just mispoke or confused games, in the past he's referenced a game against the Capitals, where Risto dominated a matchup against Ovie.

View attachment 248483

However, this one is probably a bit misleading, the Caps were a few days removed from a west coast road trip and looked like a shell of their actual selves.

It is simultaneously terrifying and amusing listening to Botts mention Sobotka's name in a positive light and then seeing twitter's apocolyptic reactions...

If he actually confused the games, that's not a great sign.






I'm assuming most of it was GM speak, not like he's going to dump on his own players, but like...don't just cite incorrect things.

I'll wait for camp before personally spazzing, though the bolded is somewhat enjoyable.

 

[Fezzy126]

Mathewson with a pretty measured take on the Botts interview (if you don't fell like listening for yourselves).

 

[Fearnot]

He pretty much just talked about great competition in camp, praised young guys and new acquisitions, APPARENTLY praised Sobotka, and offered nothing in terms of substance.

I think he praises Scandella and Sobotka so much to drive HF Sabres crazy.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Classic lower the expectations interview on the instigators this morning. Sabres PR hard at work.

Well at least we have football season starting tomorrow.

 

[Buffaloed]

Botterill gives me a feeling of deja regier

 

[MrMaster]

You guys are so hardcore, listening to Botts and then talking about it in the middle of a summer break.
I take my hat off to you.

 

[OkimLom]

Mathewson with a pretty measured take on the Botts interview (if you don't fell like listening for yourselves).

This is by far one of my main issues with Botts,

The Sobotka comment was a throwaway in a bigger point about making an effort to have players that can play multiple positions to give coach options up and down lineup.

And then you see the guy making a comment about keeping Reinhart at wing because he can create offense from the wing. The guy says one thing and his actions say another thing.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

I think there's two lines that had Sabres twitter unnecessarily freaking out.

Botts named Sobotkas and his ability to play both center and wing in a throwaway mention where he named half the wingers on the team in the same sentence (but not Sam).

Second, Botts said they don't need to make a trade to become cap compliant as they have LTIR available and are willing to send one way contract players to the minors. He didn't say there would be no moves at all which is how people probably read it. He did say he would continue talking with teams and if a trade is available that helps the team then he would do that.

It sounded like Botts wanted training camp competition to happen before doing things like sending the Sobotka and Hunwicks of the team to the minors.

Personally, I also expect a Risto trade to happen. While praising every RHD on the team not named Risto what he constantly mentions is the first pass transitioning from defense to offense, which has been Risto's worst attribute. From a numbers standpoint it still feels like a d for forward trade is still necessary.

 

[Fezzy126]

This is by far one of my main issues with Botts,



And then you see the guy making a comment about keeping Reinhart at wing because he can create offense from the wing. The guy says one thing and his actions say another thing.

That drives me nuts as well. There's just no reason to mention Erod, Girgs, Sobotka, Johansson, etc as capable of playing at center or wing, while being completely oblivious that Sam might be your best answer there.

 

[jc17]

There's just no reason to mention Erod, Girgs, Sobotka, Johansson, etc as capable of playing at center or wing, while being completely oblivious that Sam might be your best answer there.

You have to throw teams off the scent.

Now Babcock is sitting at his beach house cooking up ways to counter sobotka at 2c, and he'll be totally lost when it's actually sam

 

[The Red Helmet]

I don't think Botterill has done enough and I don't think he make it through the season.

 

[joshjull]

This is by far one of my main issues with Botts,



And then you see the guy making a comment about keeping Reinhart at wing because he can create offense from the wing. The guy says one thing and his actions say another thing.

This doesn’t make much sense. The coach determines who plays where not the GM. If the GM says he likes to acquire forwards who can play both wings or wing/center. Then goes out and acquires players of that nature. Where is he saying one thing and doing another?

 

[joshjull]

That drives me nuts as well. There's just no reason to mention Erod, Girgs, Sobotka, Johansson, etc as capable of playing at center or wing, while being completely oblivious that Sam might be your best answer there.

I think your trying to hard to be wound up over nothing. The following is direct quoting from Botts after he gets done talking about how different players can play different positions.


“We understand we can have the high end scorers. Jack, Sam, Jeff all proved that last year. But we have to have 4 lines that can contribute. And in the middle of August I can’t tell you exactly how the lineups are going to be. But we feel we have at least given Ralph different opportunities and different options for once the season starts.”

Who can play more than one position was pretty much just throwing out examples and didn’t really mean much.


EDIT: I wanted to hear a follow up question to these comments asking ..... Was not using that flexibility part of why Phil was fired? Because it sounds like it was.

 

[OkimLom]

This doesn’t make much sense. The coach determines who plays where not the GM. If the GM says he likes to acquire forwards who can play both wings or wing/center. Then goes out and acquires players of that nature. Where is he saying one thing and doing another?

Seeing as Botts, up until Housley was fired, confirmed they talk about the lineup on a daily basis, seems to me he has his opinion heard on Reinhart playing in a position. He has come out and said Reinhart is playing wing because he creates offense from the wing. IF he didn't have a say in the lineup, why make that statement. Let Krueger, who you just hired, make that decision.

He has stated in the past comments about prospects and development and being patient. Yet, he rushes Mittelstadt to play in the NHL, instead of keeping him in college after one year. There was literally no reason to sign him to the ELC so quickly, especially with how Mittelstadt played in college. Similar case with Tage Thompson. He could've kept him in Rochester to learn under Taylor instead of gifting a spot that should've went to someone who had a better camp like CJ Smith or Nylander who played better than both Thompson and Mittelstadt. Talks about competition within, yet the guys that showed better were sent down, while the worst of the 4 were kept on the roster.

 

[Kublakhan]

I watched it this morning, it was pretty much just messing around with the boys and GM speak stuff.. But one thing he did mention that he has sent a contract to the minors before and will do it again if a vet is outplayed in camp by a more hungry player..

But what I was getting is these are guys he is going to work with now and feels good that everyone is signed and he not going to make any other earth shaking moves before camp..

 

[joshjull]

Seeing as Botts, up until Housley was fired, confirmed they talk about the lineup on a daily basis, seems to me he has his opinion heard on Reinhart playing in a position. He has come out and said Reinhart is playing wing because he creates offense from the wing. IF he didn't have a say in the lineup, why make that statement. Let Krueger, who you just hired, make that decision.

Just so I have your “logic” down.

Botts mentioned Sam as an option at center repeatedly when Housley was here. Yet Sam only got a brief stint there in the very beginning of Phil’s tenure and never went back. Now you lament Botts saying “Sam is a wing”*** because it means Krueger has no say in how to use him. Which is completely contradicted by the facts around Housley’s use of him

*** Botts said Sam showed he can drive a line from the wing . Which is a little bit different than simply saying he is a winger. It implies a line can be built around Sam even if he plays wing. Which matters quite a lot from a team building pov.

He has stated in the past comments about prospects and development and being patient. Yet, he rushes Mittelstadt to play in the NHL, instead of keeping him in college after one year. There was literally no reason to sign him to the ELC so quickly, especially with how Mittelstadt played in college. Similar case with Tage Thompson. He could've kept him in Rochester to learn under Taylor instead of gifting a spot that should've went to someone who had a better camp like CJ Smith or Nylander who played better than both Thompson and Mittelstadt. Talks about competition within, yet the guys that showed better were sent down, while the worst of the 4 were kept on the roster.

Its getting old seeing the fallacy of Tage/Mitts getting gifted spots over Nylander/CJ Smith having life. It was never the reality. Yet some on here continue to use it to overplay the argument about Tage/Mitts and the supposed hypocrisy of Botts on development. Botts made one big screw up with development. Keeping Tage up as long as they did. The tearing down of Mitts By some has been a sad but predictable theme on this board.

 

[old kummelweck]

Botts has been on WGR the last 20 minutes or so. Nothing earth-shattering.

I wouldn't say that, sounds like Jokiharju and Oleffsson have roster spots to me.