Jason Botterill Discussion Part 5

[debaser66]

Not trying to be purposely argumentative, but the Drury contract would have been a terrible contract and this organization is still ridiculed for not signing it.

We were talking about Skinner.
I am on the same page with you concerning Drury.

 

[Jame]

Not trying to be purposely argumentative, but the Drury contract would have been a terrible contract and this organization is still ridiculed for not signing it.

had the Sabres signed Drury, their cup window would have remained open and that alone makes it impossible to ridicule... not to mention, had he stayed he may not have suffered a career ending injury.

 

[debaser66]

I wasn't overly fond of the Housley hire, but was at least encouraged by his work with the stellar Nashville defense. But after the first year, it was beyond evident that Housley was not the answer - they played without structure. He should have been gone the second that Barry Trotz became available. But we held on to Housley for all of last year. The team basically mailed it in after January, and we did nothing.

ROR was easily my favorite Sabres player in the past twenty years. But Botts wanted a cultural shift. Instead of firing the incompetent coach, he traded ROR.

I could get past the first two items, but he has completely failed at the sole purpose of a GM: roster building. There is no purpose, no over-arching philosophy to this roster. He cannot identify forward talent and has completely failed in adding depth to this roster. He has paid handsomely for atrocious return. Vesey for a 3rd, Montour for Guhle and a 1st, Miller for a 2nd and 5th, Sheary and Hunwick for a 4th, ROR for TT, Sobotka, and Berglund. We all love Jokiharju, but that move necessitates moving one of your other RD. The price you paid is a sunk cost, deal Miller or Montour for something useful while they still have any value.

Botterill has:

• Failed to identify depth players, wasting roster spots and cap space on detritus like Vesey and Frolik
• Failed to address obvious needs and areas of surplus via trade
• Has demonstrated poor draft asset management
• Has wasted a year+ of development for two key forward prospects in Thompson and Middlestadt

Do you have German roots or are you speaking German?
If not you translated the first part of Mittelstadts name quite loosly
It seems like someone who speaks german would unintentionally do.
I guess the Mittelstadts were people who lived in the city center.

 

[debaser66]

had the Sabres signed Drury, their cup window would have remained open and that alone makes it impossible to ridicule... not to mention, had he stayed he may not have suffered a career ending injury.

Degenerative joint disease which wiki states could come from many reason?
I don't know I am not a doctor.
But you made a fair point.

 

[sabrebuild]

There are literally no words in the english language that he could spit out that would appease people. The Pegulas are as big of fans as anyone in Buffalo. Unfortunately, it's been so long that all words will be considered hollow.

Even if he said he was firing everyone, there would be a large angry mob saying "Great, so now you can go hire another bunch of idiots so we can start the cycle over again"

The only thing that will fix this is a winning (and entertaining) product on the ice.

Coming forward and taking a rough press conference isn't about appeasing everyone or remotely making the "mob" happy.

It's about accountability and leadership. It's about acknowledging that you know this has been a disaster, regardless of who the gm is. Because at the end of the day it is Pegula's party.

No, fans won't be happy until they start winning, weird....

But a Duane style call doesn't light up a fan base with approval when ownership is out there suffering with you.

If nothing else the entertainment value of the Oilers with Lowe and their chuckle head management was a nice distraction.

 

[sabrebuild]

I'm not debating the quality of the Skinner contract. Simply saying many people would have been as upset with Botts and the team if they let skinner walk.

The organization is viewed very poorly right now. If they let one of the better goal-scorers walk they'd be considered that much more of a joke, whether or not the contract was worth it.

Is it unreasonable to say that the reason Botts was in a position to be "forced" to sign Skinner were other Botts decisions?

 

[sabrebuild]

In a perfect world he would have fired Housley after drafting Dahlin, hired a vet coach, kept RoR & signed Reinhart for cheap.
& Let Mitts stay in university or AHL last season

Heck that's not a perfect world, it's just the reasonable choice at every step. Nothing genius or special about those choices.

 

[sabrebuild]

had the Sabres signed Drury, their cup window would have remained open and that alone makes it impossible to ridicule... not to mention, had he stayed he may not have suffered a career ending injury.

Let's assume the injury does happen.

His first two years in nyc on a significantly less skilled team than Buffalo were both very productive.

If they lose Briere and keep Drury, they still are a Cup contender fot twp years, while figuring out Connolly's brain damage.

Drury
Connolly
Roy
Goose

I sure as hell would have loved to ride the ride for two more years.

 

[flashsabre]

It’s not that it is going to be 9 years without the playoffs. It is that it is going to be 9 years without the playoffs with absolutely no signs that things will improve under Botts over the next few years.

It’s a situation where I can’t see any scenario where keeping Botts is possible. The fans are revolting in January. No way is it going to get better by May.

If Botts had $40 million in cap space this summer, does anyone believe that he would identify and aquire the right players to turn this team into a playoff contender. Based on his track record, no way.

 

[Sabre Dance]

What would your reaction be if Ralph Krueger moves to a front office role with the Sabres and he hires Mike Babcock as head coach? The two are friends.

 

[MagnumForce2]

I am only speaking for myself... but for this team to move forward , they need to fire Botterill. I dont have confidence in him and it worries me with the trade deadline approaching with him as our GM.

 

[OkimLom]

What would your reaction be if Ralph Krueger moves to a front office role with the Sabres and he hires Mike Babcock as head coach? The two are friends.

no thanks to Ralph as a front office guy. I’d probably take Gallant over Babcock at this point as well.

 

[K8fool]

What would your reaction be if Ralph Krueger moves to a front office role with the Sabres and he hires Mike Babcock as head coach? The two are friends.

Babcock is dishonorable scum. I'd rather hire Milan lucic as the party planner for Ryan Miller night .

 

[K8fool]

I am only speaking for myself... but for this team to move forward , they need to fire Botterill. I dont have confidence in him and it worries me with the trade deadline approaching with him as our GM.

The worst part is because of the Bill's success dumping people that don't want to be here, Terry is just as responsible for the tank.

It became evident after Berglund bolted and was not replaced and that has contnued over a year.. ..

Unless we all show up at the Pegula home w torches and pitchforks...... accept the fact that Jack , the team , the fans who pay for tickets and us who watch have been suckered and duped by these two clowns w a " plan " . This needed revision once Jack took off.. This sucks.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Babcock is dishonorable scum. I'd rather hire Milan lucic as the party planner for Ryan Miller night .

Babcock for me. Hockey players are getting soft.

 

[K8fool]

Babcock for me. Hockey players are getting soft.

I have no problem hiring a disciplinarian prick . Just hire an honorable one if RK is actually given the talent he needs to compete and fails.

 

[Sabre Dance]

no thanks to Ralph as a front office guy. I’d probably take Gallant over Babcock at this point as well.

Not gm but more of a President of Hockey Operations.

 

[Chainshot]

no thanks to Ralph as a front office guy. I’d probably take Gallant over Babcock at this point as well.

Gallant got buy-in. He did in Florida and in St. John. I don't remember much about his time in Columbus. I wonder if he gets buy-in in Buffalo if he were the choice.

 

[Chainshot]

What would your reaction be if Ralph Krueger moves to a front office role with the Sabres and he hires Mike Babcock as head coach? The two are friends.

No thanks. The game and the hockey world has passed Babs by.

 

[OkimLom]

Not gm but more of a President of Hockey Operations.

I’d consider those position front office. No thanks again.

 

[tsujimoto74]

No thanks. The game and the hockey world has passed Babs by.

That mainly, but also why would we bring in a guy who used the Sabres to drive up his price with a division rival. I want guys who want to be here.

 

[debaser66]

No thanks. The game and the hockey world has passed Babs by.

We don't need bullies who abuse their power

 

[Chainshot]

That mainly, but also why would we bring in a guy who used the Sabres to drive up his price with a division rival. I want guys who want to be here.

I was trying to be polite. I feel the same way about him as I do about Chris Drury.

 

[debaser66]

.

 

[Buffaloed]

Kevyn Adams is a no-brainer for president of hockey ops. He's a worker bee who will hire the right people. He knows a lot of them.