Botterill wants to build an organization that has players at the ready. The Penguins have received contributions the last two years from the likes of Murray, Conor Sheary, Jake Guentzel, Brian Dumoulin, Bryan Rust and former Sabres defenseman Chad Ruhwedel.

"Every player that comes up seems to be effective," said Ruhwedel, who played 34 games for the Pens this season after getting in just 33 for the Sabres over the previous 3 1/2 seasons. "If Jason instills that in the Buffalo organization like he did here, they will have success. The coaches were always updating us in Wilkes-Barre. You didn't feel as distant from the big club, that there was no hope of being here. Good play was going to be rewarded. That's been their track record here."

"Botterill was awesome to me," added Rust. "Whether I was in Wilkes-Barre or in college, he was in communication with me about my game. But he was also about how guys were as people away from the rink. That was big for development of all of us as young guys."

Guentzel, who has emerged on the top line along with Sidney Crosby, didn't even start the season in Pittsburgh. As Botterill said in his opening news conference with the Sabres, Guentzel was the kind of revelation a team wants to find: Players who might not be ready for the NHL in October are more than ready to contribute by, say, February.

"Jason has been huge for me," Guentzel said. "He gives you that script to go through in your career, what you need to do to get here. He helped me turn pro, helped me make the NHL and guys here look up to him. "