‘”We’re continuing to try to set this team up where we’re putting ‘Risto’ in positions to have success,” Botterill said. “Yeah, he wants to win. We also want to put him in a situation where he plays very well, and that’s what we’ve tried to do with some of the acquisitions, add depth to our defense, add competition to our defense.”‘
Archives for August 18, 2019
Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert laud decision to return to royal blue next season
‘”It’s great. The crest, the color are very important,” said Hall of Fame center Gilbert Perreault, the franchise’s first draft pick and still its No. 1 scorer. “This was a new franchise from the 70s. First color. Got to keep the crest and color. When you change the crest, it kills the alumni. You’ve got to keep the same crest, the same color. That’s very important to me.”‘
Sabres want to put Rasmus Ristolainen in ‘positions to have success’
‘It’s no secret Ristolainen, 24, is frustrated. Since joining the Sabres in 2013-14, the former first-round pick has endured a lot of losing, never sniffing the playoffs. The Sabres have finished dead last three times in his career. Ralph Krueger, who was hired in May, is his fifth coach.’
Sabres’ Botterill is enjoying the 50th anniversary
‘Vladimir Sobotka did not want to be in Buffalo last season and took very little if no responsibility for his poor play. One solution would be to loan Sobotka to a team in Europe. Botterill said, “I would say that maybe he wasn’t a happy player, but none of our players were very happy at the end of the season, we didn’t have a successful second half of the season and our mindset with Vlad is he’s coming in and he’s part of our group and we have a new head coach that’s going to put players in different roles and you’re going to see at the start of training camp and through the six preseason games a lot of different lineups and a lot players in different roles.”’
Sabres Past and Present Reminisce Ahead of 50th Season
‘“Considering what they’ve gone through after 49 years now, not having won a championship, and coming close a few of times. The support that they keep getting from fans year in and year out is unbelievable.”’
Ristolainen remains in Sabres’ plans with active trade rumors
‘The Sabres have needs at right wing and center, and the 24-year-old defenseman has been mentioned in trade rumors as the player with the most value to fetch that help. Ristolainen this month reportedly did not commit to being with the Sabres when training camp opens.’