...

I'm going to be there. I'm hoping that they're embarrassed enough over the Dallas game and with the first game of the home stretch they actually take advantage of their situation and win.

...and allow JBott to make the miracle move that saves the season!

You're giving yourself too much credit.

Very succinct. And possible, but the evidence we have today, right now, says you're wrong.

Have you not been arguing in other parts of this here board that Scandella was an awful signing? Yes you have. Are you kidding me on trying to call Pomminstein "scoring"? Haha! Really? You are w-i-l-d-l-y inconsistent in your thinking. Your Kane point is just weak and dumb and you should know that. Your view on ROR is rigid and unimaginative. Maybe JBott was told to get rid of ROR. That doesn't mean he agreed. Perhaps he convinced the Pegulas to wait and see if getting rid of Kane solves "the problems". And then ROR ruined it at the end of the year. On the bolded - Tanks!

There's a certain lack of creativity in your speculation.

This team started looking bad in the 2011-2012 season. I would call that historically bad. That it was an intentional tank is obvious after the fact. There is no other conclusion - except yours. Which doesn't make sense given the facts that we have. You can't possibly be relying on JBott interviews in the media to justify your position on this...right? These must be something better to back up your position.

On point four I don't have to prove jack. You are the one asserting his actions were a fire-able offense. There is no way you can prove that to be true - ever - and I pointed out why. Tank 1.0 did not fail epically - we have #9. Tank 1.0 was not handled properly at all. See darksabre's posts elsewhere for a good analysis on why (I think it was him). Tank 1.0 was incomplete and they needed to start over again, so, yes, why not Tank 2.0 because, as I have been pointing out, the prizes were right there and it's only one additional season.

You aren't misunderstanding me, you're not reading what I've typed with a clear and open mind. I said, many times if you'll note, we are missing data...critical data. Life doesn't unfold simply like the linear boxes on a spreadsheet. Of the data we're missing (meaning that this is only one data point of many that we're missing) is the dynamic inside the organization over what to do with ROR.

On point one, the only thing you can rest the argument on is Housley. That Housley survived to coach this season, and that he remains the coach now, makes it obvious that whatever happened last season was intentional. You can call it stupid, but it clearly wasn't a surprise. On point two, with that strategy they had a 100% chance of one of either Dahlin, Svechnikov, or Kotkaniemi. That gamble was very worth taking, no? A second chance at a generational talent - take it, considering with circumstances (point three). On point four - you are quite obviously absolutely wrong. JBotts is still here, as you may have noticed.

That's where I'm at. Consider that JBott's objective is to rebuild the pipeline and create a team that contends perpetually, he wasn't going to do it with what was handed to him on day one. So, sure, use the "assessment year" excuse, try and get some draft capital back, and shoot for a generational defenseman. What's to say that he wasn't told on the day he was hired that he *must* get rid of ROR (which I absolutely believe). Which leads further down the path of speculation on motives, plans, strategies. I don't think we have enough data, simply put, to understand where we're at. If he's fired at the end of the season, it makes a lot of speculation far more likely - jame's that JBott is indeed a failure and why would probably be close. However, unlike Murray's tenure, where he promised a team that could compete in fewer years, JBott is likely to have sold, and is operating under, a much longer term plan. Conversely, if Skinner is signed here, then their internal plan is right on track.

The take on Murray is dead on. JBott having a massive head-start over Murray seems obvious, but, let's recall Murray assembled that roster - and that roster is what led to Dahlin. I'm not sure how you pin the results of that roster on JBott. What he did with that roster during the season and over the summer, fine, whatever happened then was - obviously - his doing. The only question you don't seem to be asking is: with ROR, Eichel, Kane, Reinhart and I'll include McCabe and Risto in this list, why did they stink up the season? I don't believe for one minute that it all comes down to goal-tending. There should have been enough talent there to make two scoring lines, plus the fourth line is effectively the same as this year's. And what could JBott have done - in season - to jump-start the "talent" and make them perform? There are factors/parameters to what's going on that are missing. That should be obvious as anyone assesses the reality that has unfolded before our eyes. I don't know what those factors/parameters are, however it's clear that while it's fun to move pieces around on paper and in spreadsheets and call yourself a genius, saying they amount to obvious conclusions, the prior two GMs did exactly that and look where we are. We're discussing and judging these things while missing critical data and our conclusions are still speculative at best.

They did suffocate the Sabres. They need to respond to the physical, not shirk from it.

At least it was fun, although highly frustrating.

For crying out loud we have STUPID players.

WAS THAT MITTS AGAIN? Sabres look pooped.

That was the smart thing, instead of taking a penalty. But since that unbelievably didn't work, then screw it, go send a message.

Eichel is the captain. Perfect person to defend himself. Good job, Mitts. Ice time questions?

Eichel needs to go out there and straight to Benn and beat on him. Screw winning the game.

Unbelievable. If there were no witnesses to this game, no one would believe the complaints about the refs.

For the love of God, let's see some retaliation!

Someone needs to beat the crap out of Benn.

I wonder if they do mental acuity training. Doesn't look like it.