Back for another season of takes, Chris and Tyler kick off season six with much of the same from the end of season five. The defenseman market has shifted since the end of the Conference Finals and due to potential moves out of Vegas. Meanwhile the Sabres have signed Jonas Johnasson, have fewer than 24 hours to ink Giorgio Estephan and now know Cal Petersen will play professionally next season. All the while Jason Botterill is hammering out his list of candidates for the head coaching job.
The Instigator Podcast
The Instigator Podcast 5.45 – Botterill’s Gameplan on the Season Five Finale
Chris and Tyler wrap up season five by laying out what we see as early moves for new Sabres general manager Jason Botterill. In addition to running down the pros and cons of Rick Tocchet and Phil Housley, we hit on early roster moves and what the plan of attack on the blueline should be.
The Instigator Podcast 5.44 – Sabres and Botterill on the Brink
Numerous reports are pointing to Jason Botterill becoming the next general manager so Chris and Tyler jumped the gun a bit and broke down what his potential hiring means for the Sabres. We discuss his track record with the Penguins and what makes him an encouraging prospect as Buffalo’s GM. We close with discussion over what the Sabres should do with the 8th pick in this year’s draft. #tradethepick
The Instigator Podcast 5.43 – Let’s Stop Talking About the Leafs…By Talking About the Leafs
Chris and Tyler have grown tired of having to compare the Sabres to the Leafs. So we’ve decided it’s time to move on and find something more productive to discuss. But before we do we felt it necessary to air our grievances over the talking point that the “Sabres are behind the Leafs”. Along the way we touch on Buffalo’s GM search and additional news and notes from around Sabres Nation.
The Instigator Podcast 5.42 – Decompressing the Firings of Bylsma and Murray
In the wake of Dan Bylsma and Tim Murray’s firings, Chris and Tyler discuss what seems to be a knee jerk reaction by Terry and Kim Pegula and what the decision means for both the short and long term future of the team. We spend plenty of time talking about the terrible things Russ Brandon does and even offer some thoughts on who the Sabres should choose to replace their head coach and general manager.
The Instigator Podcast 5.41 – Analyzing Bylsma’s Future in Buffalo
A big topic of conversation during Tim Murray’s final press conference centered around Dan Bylsma’s effectiveness as Buffalo’s head coach and what appears to be a rapidly closing window on his tenure. Prior to jumping into the outlook on Bylsma, Chris and Tyler offer up their playoff picks, some of which look a bit iffy after just a day and a half of action.
The Instigator Podcast 5.40 – NHL Bails on the Olympics while the Sabres Bail on Giveaways
On this week’s episode Chris and Tyler run down the decision and potential consequences by the NHL to not send players to the 2018 Winter Games. We discuss the potential impact on the growth of the game overseas and the consequences closer to home. Also on the agenda is the poor giveaway offered by the Sabres for this year’s Fan Appreciation Night and the additional opportunities the Sabres miss when it comes to fan engagement, giveaways and promotions.
The Instigator Podcast 5.37 – Do the Sabres have a Leadership Problem?
As the Sabres slide further from playoff contention, questions about roster construction, coaching and effort continue to be asked. We sit down this week to discuss rumors of a rift between the players and the coach and even between some of the players. Along the way we chat about how difficult it really is to find solid leadership if it isn’t homegrown.
The Instigator Podcast 5.36 – Recapping a Quiet Deadline with Joe Yerdon of NHL.com
In the wake of an extremely quiet trade deadline, we were joined by Joe Yerdon of NHL.com to talk about the moves – or lack there of – that went down on deadline day. Recording at Big Ditch Brewing, we hammer out Tim Murray’s lack of action and the roadmap for the Sabres GM moving forward. Among our other talking points is how expansion may have played a role at the deadline and how the lack of action in-season may trickle down to the pre-expansion deadline.
The Instigator Podcast 5.35 – Trade Deadline Preview
With the trade deadline less than a week away, Chris and Tyler look over the value of Buffalo’s potential trade chips while also discussing potential additions, as the Sabres aren’t quite buyers but aren’t quite sellers either. Big topics are Cody Franson, Dmitry Kulikov, Anders Nilsson and targeting young defensemen around the league as potential additions.
Two in the Box 