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”I’ve been here for one year and I was pretty (ticked) off and upset,” Botterill said during a season-ending news conference Wednesday, ”I guess I could be articulate, but I’ll just say it (stinks) that we won’t be watching live playoff hockey right now.”

Being on the outside looking in is an unusual position for Botterill, who spent the previous two Junes celebrating Stanley Cup championships as the Penguins assistant GM. He was hired last spring after the Sabres cleaned house by firing GM Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma.

If there’s anything Botterill can draw upon from his experience with the Penguins, is seeing the notable difference between what makes up a winning organization and a losing one in Buffalo .

The Sabres finished last for the third time in five years, and extended their franchise-worst playoff drought to a seventh season.

”Right now we have a losing culture here,” Botterill said.

He put the onus on himself, coach Phil Housley and players to find ways of inspiring change, be it with their training habits or communication and leadership abilities.

”I don’t want to hear how disappointed they are. I want to hear what’s going to change,” Botterill said. ”It just can’t be about words. We have to have better results.”

Botterill backed the disheartening sentiments expressed by center Ryan O’Reilly during the team’s final media availability on Monday. O’Reilly said a losing mentality had crept into the locker room and led him to losing his love for playing hockey at times.

”I think he gave you an honest opinion. And in today’s sports world that’s a little bit unique,” Botterill said.

”When you don’t get the results you want, it can be really draining on a player,” he added. ”And what he said is probably indicative of a lot of our players within our organization. And that’s what we have to work through right now.”

Botterill began the news conference by saying Housley isn’t going anywhere after he struggled in his first year as coach. He credited Housley for developing some of Buffalo’s youngsters, and believes in the up-tempo style the coach began introducing this season.

As for the roster, Botterill didn’t rule out making drastic changes even if it meant shaking up the team’s core group of leaders.

”When you finish where we were, you have to look at everything,” he said.

Buffalo finished last in the NHL with 199 goals scored and 119 goals scored in five-on-five situations. The Sabres also matched a franchise low for home wins in any season by going 11-25-4 at Buffalo – not including an overtime loss to the Rangers in the Winter Classic at New York City in which the Sabres were the ”home” team.

If there was a bright side, Botterill looked forward to the draft in June, when Buffalo is guaranteed picking no worse than fourth overall Tony Jefferson Jersey , pending the results of the NHL’s draft lottery on April 28.

Botterill was impressed by Jack Eichel’s development on the ice, where the third-year center set career bests with 25 goals and 64 points, and off the ice in continuing to mature as a leader.

Botterill, however, said it was premature as to whether the Sabres were prepared to award the 21-year-old Eichel the captaincy, a role that was not filled this past season.

”As excited as we are of Jack moving forward as a leader, it’s imperative that we have more players in that locker room step up,” Botterill said.

”This game cannot have one player lead the entire team. It’s imperative that we have stronger leadership bases in there.”

NOTES: Botterill said G Robin Lehner will not require surgery after the starter visited a specialist this week to assess a lower body injury. … In announcing he expects rookie G Linus Ullmark to play for Buffalo full time next season, Botterill said he’s not determined his second goalie, including Lehner, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent. … Backup Chad Johnson completed his one-year contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

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While the Bengals defense settles in to learn a new system during training camp, linebacker Vontaze Burfict is just passing through town.

He'll miss the start of the season for a third year in a row, this time on a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancers. It's a conundrum for the Bengals , who have remained loyal to Burfict despite his history of misconduct and suspensions.

His absence will be especially noteworthy this year as the Bengals adjust to a new defense under first-year coordinator Teryl Austin.

When camp opens with the first practice on Thursday, they'll be teaching him the system while also preparing everyone else to play without him for the first month.

"Unfortunately, we're probably too experienced at it," coach Marvin Lewis said.

The results so far haven't been all that encouraging.

Burfict was suspended for the first three games in 2016 because of his history of egregious hits during games, including his blow to Antonio Brown's head during the Steelers' first-round playoff victory the previous season. The Bengals lost two of three and finished with a losing record.

Last year, Burfict got another three-game suspension from the league for his egregious hit on Kansas City's Anthony Sherman during a preseason game. Undeterred, the Bengals gave Burfict a three-year contract extension and got off to an 0-3 start and another losing season.

Burfict is one of the most vocal leaders on the defense. He'll practice with the team until the preseason ends and his suspension begins Russell Bodine Jersey , preventing him from being around the team for a month.

"We're going to miss the heck out of Vontaze," cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said Wednesday.

Coaches liken it to missing an injured player, though it's not an exact comparison. When a player gets hurt, someone else steps into the job full time. In this case, the Bengals have to get the defense on the same page of the new playbook, while also getting it ready to function without one of its leaders for a significant part of the season.

They signed linebacker Preston Brown to a one-year deal in March, bringing in a player from Buffalo who can help them get through that first month without Burfict.

"We have to have the other guys assume the leadership, the communication, everything that way," Lewis said. "He's such a dominant personality that we almost have to stifle him in order to do that."

Lewis declined to say whether he would hold Burfict out of the preseason games, as he's done in the past when the linebacker faced a season-opening suspension. Austin plans to give Burfict a lot of practice time.

"I anticipate him practicing like nothing is going on and then when we get toward the end and he has to take a break, then he has to take a break," Austin said.

Burfict will miss the season opener at Indianapolis followed by a Thursday night home game against AFC North rival Baltimore and road games against Carolina and Atlanta. He can return for an Oct. 7 game against Miami at Paul Brown Stadium, which is followed by another home game against the Steelers.

He has a history of getting back to speed quickly after returning from a suspension.

"One thing to his credit: He's been able to come back to playing as though he's been playing football," Lewis said.

"If we say he's going to play 20 snaps, he plays 40. If we say 30 snaps, he plays 50. He won't come out once he's in there, and then all he'll do afterward is tell you guys how he's winded and we made him play too much. But he's the one who won't come off the field."