Sabre fan

Jbotto sold everybody on his theory that it was important to have a great AHL (Rochester) just as Pittsburg does...but the difference is that Pittsburg continuously pumps out good young players that can fit right into the big teams lineup....instead JBotto just signed a bunch of overpaid vets at the end of their careers and clearly that was not working...oh and Carolina keeps developing good young guys too...

Oh I knowo that just saying that there are cutbacks going on everywhere...

I guess everybody's cutting back with all the lost revenue from the COVID 19 fallout...and as the NY Yankees have proven time and time again, spending big does not necessarily translate into big success. It is actually hit and miss...sometimes it works and other times it just cost the owners a bunch of money. I think the Pegulas looked at other teams (yes Carolina Hurricanes of course) and thought "why are we year after year spending to the cap, and paying a huge staff big money and get very poor results year after year? Sooner or later you get to the point where you get tired of paying out al that money for the results we have seen in Sabreland for far too many years. Paul Hamilton is just another casualty of cut backs...too bad good guy (which could be said for EXGM's TM and JBotto and a lot of other staff let go recently)

the more Sabre fans complain and act like the team is dead in the water the more we will hear crap like this; the truth is that this team has shown flashes of being pretty darn good and with a goalie that actually can see and makes saves, a real legitimate NHL 2nd line center (yes just like ROR), and a power play re-worked that actually scores once in a while, this team will be fine. All great teams are built down the center and our obvious weakness in that position clearly dictates how good (or bad) we do. If we can just add that elusive 2nd center somehow and see Cozens able to play 3rd line maybe next year this team can be very good.

really this is just the tip of the iceberg...this whole bloody stupid "hazing" or "initiation" has been going on in various levels (sports, education through schools, even work) where kids are blatantly abused, made to do absolutely absurd things and have even had things done to them that led to their deaths... we had a Toronto famous college recently have 3 students legally charged for making new kids do absolutely repulsive things...this is so revolting and disgusting

I hear we have lots of cap space now and other teams seem to find ways to keep a bunch of big-money players (see TB Chicago etc) of course exGMJBotto wouldn't have a clue how to keep all these guys happy but it is obvious what teams do...pay their 5 or 6 top guys and then play a bunch of other guys who make diddly...and Toronto plays their young guys whether they make mistakes or not...we bring up young guys and throw them out there then expect miracles and put all kinds of pressure on them then when he doesn't meet these great expectations thrown on him then we bench him, send him back to Rochester or send him out the door.

Maybe the Pegulas are involved because clearly the people they were paying big money to, and who came highly recommended (as JBotto was) simply were not achieving much of anything or improving the team. This team would be much better if JBotto had left it alone and maybe tweaked some minor moves but this team with ROR, Kane, Lehner in goal and add Skinner and the defense that were brought in and this team would be playoff material.. Clearly both exGMTM and exGMJotto were free to do what they wished as they made moves no hockey person would agree to and make. Truth be told exGMTM was doing better (and had a bette rwin/lose record) then exGMJBotto which i think surprises just about everyone (the Pegulas included)

at the end of the day one cannot blame the Pegulas for getting fed up...they were "informed" by insiders that JBotto was a great hire just as they were told that Housley was a great fit...no one can say they are cheap...they are spending huge money on all the ex=employees they have fired. Bottom line is that Jbotto just did not seem to have a clue what to do to improve this team. It was pretty obvious to any observer (except him apparently) that they need a real bonafide legitimate 2nd line center (yes just llike ROR) but he obviously thought giving him (ROR) away to save some money and getting basically nothing in return was a good idea. That in itself speaks volumes of JBotto's competence and vision moving forward...the PP will improve )as will this team) with a goalie who can see and a 2nd line center who can actually play and contribute

the Who should stick to music...and what idiot thought players sweating and breathing and panting down in Florida where cases are skyrocketing wouldn;t contact COVID 19??? Does this really come as a big surprise? NOT

and what about long-term effects??? this virus attacks your organs and does who knows what long-term damage that may show up down the road...hockey players exert an incredible amount of energy and rely on stamina and strength (unlike many other sports) and if they are effected physically that could easily end their careers

JBotto clearly rushed Casey to try to distract from the fact that his team was awful yet again...either way the most important thing now is that he (Casey) beef-up and become that strong 2-way center this team so badly needs...one must wonder if he has the talent or not?? Far too many college players have faded into the sunset without hardly a peep...hopefully Casey will blossom as this team needs him badly to do so. any good team is built down the middle (hell even exGMTM knew that; sadly JBotto didn;t) and this team is very weak at that position giving away ROR...that is where they should begin to rebuild first and foremost

Adams worked alongside Lindy so I am good with him on that fact alone...I miss Lindy (and Darcy so much). anyways is it not at least worth consideration to bring in Ryan Miller as back up? We owe it to him to allow him to retire a Sabre and from what I saw of him last year he is still more then capable of winning some games...hell I am all in with Pominville coming back over Frolik or Simmons...at least he plays with heart and actually scores when given the chance. As for any potential deals JBotto may have in place I would pass...he clearly was no good in recognizing what this team needed (or needs now)

yeah and many of Botts lovers tried to sell on on how great he had done in making Rochester better...anybody could sign a bunch of veterans and make that tram bette ras he did but as Wildcard said there are only a a few young guys that had any chance of making the NHL team...as for the big team Botts seemed to think that adding veterans there would help too (Frolik Simmons etc) I hate to say it but I would much rather just play the young guys and stick with them as the Leafs did til they learn to play in the NHL...it may take some time but at least they are young guys with years ahead of them

I tend to agree...this team does have and showed potential...in today's NHL you must have a good PP and a goalie who can see the puck. I always thought and still think that we have as much talent as at least half the teams in the NHL and showed that at times...just got to stop the team from tanking to get people fired...

I do think that in a strange way this isn;t the great news we are hoping for as JBotto has given away most of our good players (ROR Kane etc) and there is nothing to show for them and we are left with what he assembled which clearly isn't much...looks like another rebuild can hardly wait...

so is this like fake news??? seems a rather strange event after the Pegulas not long ago telling us JBotto wasn't going anywhere soon

I do agree that Skinner was not used properly whatsoever almost ALL season by Kruger and as I have said before at least exGMTM immediately addressed the weakness this team has had at center for years since we lost Drury and Briere by drafting Jack and stealing ROR (who JBotto was so kind to give away to St Louis). We desperately need that 2nd center and ROR would be absolutely perfect but even if for whatever reason you traded him then you had to get back a 2nd center. They are rare and hard to find and giving one away because you don;t like the fact he wants to win is absurd and stil costing this team big time. Poor Skinner is the kind of player that obviously needs a strong center to feed him and they hung him out to dry this year. And I have absolutely no faith in GMJBotto to get a legitimate decent 2nd center

Everyone was (is) so quick to diss exGMTM but has GM JBotto really done anything better? At least Murray immediately addressed the biggest weakness when he drafted jack and traded and stole ROR. All GM's years ago would say that you build a team by being big and strong drown the middle. I totally agree with this and in fact while I know that the "new NHL" is more speed and finesse I still like a team that is big and physical when needed. Just before the season went down the drain I watched Florida and Boston and they were running each other and there were fights and chippy play and it was GREAT! The intensity level was insane and clearly was a preview of the upcoming playoffs. Anybody that really thinks that physical play and size isn't as important now is totally wrong. That is why Philly and Boston continue to win. They are the perfect blend of speedI actually think exGMTM knew this and apparently GMJbott has no clue how to build a team.

you really think a team would take Skinner with his inflated contract? I am not too sure as most teams simply do not have ten mill a year in cap space and even if they did they would want that money spent on someone who is clearly at the top of the pile...Skinner is a one-dimensional player who adds virtually nothing to a lineup when he does not score...truth is it would have been much better if we'd spent that money on that elusive 2nd center and/or a actual NHL goalie

that is true you would think at 214 they'd be NHL ready but often that is not the case. and we need help NOW

good question...like why would he want to come to the Sabres? does he like losing or something? seems strange

My late brother was a very good goalie who came up through the Leaf organization (Don Mills flyers, York Steel, then the Marlies). He got to play back up for two leaf games and was the number one goalie for the Marlies who I went to see every game at home. He was tutored by Johnny Bower (even had his gloves) and was looking forward to a career with the Leafs when expansion came in 67...Washington apparently told him they would draft him of he was available which Randy had no interest in going to. he retired and went into Psychiatry which as it turns out was a big mistake (long story). anyways we met Punch Imlach many times and when he went over to the Sabres in 70 I went with him! God the Sabre teams back then with the French Connection and that amazing 2nd line of Luce, Rammer and Danny Gare was so friggin good. And we had Schoney and Korab and later Playfair who sure could fight and the team should have won at least one cup back then. Then of course there was the fiasco in 1999 which saw the Sabres in the finals for the first time since losing to Philly in 1975. The Sabres were led by captain Michael Peca and had the Dominator in goal. They were a rough team and I loved them! They looked like they had a very goo0d chance of winning their first cup but the NHL ensured that they would not, and Dallas would when they allowed a goal by Dallas to clinch the cup even though Brett Hull's one skate was clearly without any doubt in the crease. If you are wondering what that meant well all year they had started calling ALL goals off if any player for the team that scored had one or both feet in the goalie's crease it was immediately called off. They called this all year faithfully without missing any until that goal. There was a huge climb in cases where players were parked inside the goalie's crease thus the NHL stated that no goal would be allowed if any feet were in the goalie's crease. They called it all year til that goal and clearly it never should had counted. That started the whole business of the NHL disliking the Sabres when at the NHL draft just after that no call, when Darcy and Lindy walked up onto the stage to announce who they'd draft Bettman went to shake their hands and neither one would and just walked by. Earlier Ryan Miller had also sounded out publicly that the goal should never had been allowed and that the Sabres got screwed (which they did). The NHL has had in for the team ever since and even Bobcat on Talk radio 590 acknowledged that it was (and still seem sis) obvious that the NHL had it in foe the Sabres since that snub of Bettman and seem to still hold a grudge (even though all are gone or retired now). And then there was Darcy getting us Danny Briere who was just sop friggin; exciting to watch. His teams were fun and fast and over the years we have had many teams I thought had a real chance at a cup. Sure wish we'd win for for RJ before he retires...

here in Ontario (Canada) our teachers have been doing one day strikes almost every week as they battle for more money and now they announced our schools are al closing for two full weeks AFTER next week's March break...thus they will be off minimum THREE weeks! There has been no known cases of COVID 20 (I call it "20" as this is 2020 not 2019) in any school but better be safe then sorry I guess...

actually our taxes are due April 15th

No Hall...we all know (hopefully JBoitto does too) that we need a 2C and goalie help. No spending ten mill on Hall.