Sabre fan

Exactly...he isn't going anywhere soon. Must say it is pretty sad though when a guy he dumped gets such a good return a month later. I find the biggest problem with JBotto is that he trades out of spite or dislike of a guy (OReilly, kane Lehner etc) and he just gets rid of them instead of actually trying to make a hockey trade. He is hell-bent on getting rid of anybody EX GMTM brought in not named Jack and was in such a hurry to get rid of players that actually had the nerve to say they wanted to win that he got virtually nothing in return, Still find it funny that there are people that still defend those terrible trades (OReilly Kane) and try to somehow justify what JBotto did and what he got in return. hell Lehner would be better then Hutton right about now....which isn't saying much I suppose...

the truth does seem to be that injuries have played a big part in this team's ups and downs. I hate using any excuse but after seeing what a big difference having VO and dare I say it KO in the lineup makes I am on board with maybe thinking that we are on the right track. I still strongly believe that we need a 2nd center and I do not mean either of Mitts or DC...

Could it be that Sam is pulling a O'Reilly and saying things to purposely get traded and out of this mess? I am amazed jack can pout up with this crap. Losing to Detroit is as bad as it gets.

Obviously without Skinner and Olofsson (or however you spell his name) this team is in deep trouble. But then again, if you take two of the top 4 scorers off of any team they would feel it for sure. having said that, it does seem that no matter how much things change, they stay the same. This team has changed considerably but they are still the Sabres. Then you take team like Pittsburg; doesn;t seem to matter what they do they just win. Malkin missed a bunch of games and now Cindy has been out for a while yet they keep winning. I guess it really is a culture or mindset. We are programmed to suck. Doesn;t seem to matter what the heck we do. Mind you there are a bunch of other teams in or around the same area or level of play that we are at. It is getting over that hump that is tough.

I would love to move Bogo but there is no takers, especially at his cap-hit. I am glad Pilut is up though. And we do NOT NEED Subban. We need a forward if anything although trade for Frolik was a big step in the right direction...

I like him but really??? $2.65 Mill for 9 goals. The whole problem is that now the owners and management have gone and given huge contracts and the triggle-down effect is that even bottom-line players are now looking at bigger salaries. Just as in life, there is no more "middle-class". I find it amazing that there are still so many unsigned RFA's including some very big names. The owners and have created a situation whereby now instead of getting 3 or 4 or 5 years at a good rate now even young players are looking for 8 9 10 million or even more at 20 or 21 years of age. Crazy!!! and of course it is the owners that have created this problem...

so I guess it becomes a question of how well Nylander will do playing with kane and/or Toews? If he can't product playing with them and getting lots of PP time (which I am sure he will) then we can for sure say he was a dud...

yes...good player and great guy-probably get him for 1M

Just looking and see there are still some fairly interesting names left out there in UFA...I am sure these guys could be had on a very reasonable contract. 1) Brian Boyle had 18 goals, 24 assist 42 points at 2.55M 2) Derick Brassard had 14 goals 24 assist at 5M 3) Nick Cousins had 7 goals 27 assist at 1M and is only 26 Do any of these guys seem to fill either the 2nd or 3rd center spot? Boyle is quite good at faceoffs, which is something this team desperately needs after giving away one of the best. he is also big and plays big which is nice against the physical east. Here is what is left of free agency...

really? okay that is a good start back on D...we for sure have lots of 3-4 and 5-6 guys...we so need another center though

we do have lots of wingers, and 3-4 d-men. only Dahlin seems to be a 1-2 guy and most of our wingers are 3rd or 4th liners

agreed our 1st round picks do seem to suck but other teams rebuild through the draft and four 1st rounders is, or at least seems to be a lot of picks for one very good player

agreed ...not goos enough if you want to compete every night. we need a real 2nd line center that is essential

with all the lunacy we see every July 1st in free agency it is somewhat surprising some idiot hasn;t done it yet. of course you have to not only give away 4 picks but probably 12 million per and most teams can't do that...so many are already in cap-hell and it is to stay down next year too apparently

Really? 4 -1st round picks...that's crazy. Marner is real good but you are totally giving up your future for one player. I just can't seem to get to that place and think: "yeah he's worth the next 4 -1st round picks and our future for the foreseeable future

so unless a miracle happens and we get someone real good in a trade, we are what we are and have to hope like hell Ralph can perform miracles on ice...otherwise let's get ready for another long season, and NO playoffs

I do think that a decent coach just may make a BIG difference with the Sabres...as soon as Babs went to the leafs they immediately improved

The leafs sure are throwing money around yet still have not signed Mitch...what the heck are they doing? Trying to piss him right off???

actually apparently Carolina are pissed cause they wanted to give Aho 6 or 7 years...now he hits free agency first year contract expires. Has anybody looked at what's left in UFA's? Not too much...obviously if we are to get anybody to fill 2nd center it'll have to be via trade. Do find it strange that hockey has gone the way of life in the real world...no more middle-class. Just th ehave's and the have not's. You have the big contract guys and then the guys barely making scale. Strange but there really isn't much in the way of 4 to 7 million guys much anymore

Crazy what the NHL has become...it is no longer a matter of trading to improve your team rather it is giving away players just to reduce cap space. It is absurd the NHL allows pathetic trades such as Marleau and a 1st round pick for a bag of hockey pucks. PK gets a little more but not by much. I agree lets not hurry to give Risto away for basically nothing as we did with OReilly. personally I just think they use him far too much and put him under a role he may not be suited to be in, mainly a number one big minute d-man

Detroit obviously played for draft position...they should have just forfeited and saved the sabres airfare to detroit. As for Skinner looking down I am sure he'll be allsmiles come July 01 when he signs a crazy contract with a winner...

Gotta agree...Botteril gave away OReilly. kane and lehner for basically nothing (I am not saying we should have kept lehner but we gave a 1st round pick for him and got NOTHING in return) now it is all but assured that Skinner is gone (his agent will be droolling to get to free agency) that is ion Botterill and thorwing Phil under the bus is typical GM stuff to buy time

I guess you didn't see OReagon up here? FAIL

That is funny! I do however think that Phil isi being told to play Scandella, Thompson and Sobtka (or however the hell you spell it) as Botterill has to have something to show for those trades whereby we basically gave away ORielly and Kane for nothing. I was under the impression according to JBotto that they (OReilly and kane) along with Lehner were all that was wrong with this team. Now they are all stars and the Sabres??? whatever... when we lose Skinner this summer for absolutely nothing (why would he wish to stay and play for this team???) then that'll another all star gone for nothing. Not sure who is worse...Housley who is obviously not head coach material or JBotto who has given away a lot of talent for nothing...

Don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out JBotto is forcing Housley to play Thompson, and Sobotka and Scandella as these are all he has to show for some pretty bad trades and he has to have something to show for basically giving OReilly away. Everyone was blaming OReilly for the losing culture within the dressing room so I wonder who we are to blame now? Kane was also traded cause he has an "attitude". Funny both seem to be doing quite fine where they are now. If we had got anything back in return for two bonafide NHL star players we'd be much better off today. You really think we can lose those two guys and get basically nothing in return and that isn;t going to hurt this team significantly? JBotto is trying desperately to get rid of Murray's guys and build his own team but gave away two very big assets in doing so for nothing, That in itself hurt this team immensely