I’m not here to say Jason Botterill was eventually going to bring a Stanley Cup to Buffalo. I don’t know that. And I don’t know that there was enough evidence yet to produce even a small glimpse of that path in three years of work. It was another season of struggles this year, that’s for sure. And you’ve got a frustrated franchise player in Jack Eichel.

All of this is true.

But what I will say – and I strongly believe this – is that three years is not enough time for any NHL GM to leave their full stamp. Three years is the same timeframe Tim Murray, the GM Botterill replaced, got in Buffalo before he was let go.

-Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic where you can read more (paid) on the Sabres.