Sabres Analysis 2010-2011 Part 1 of 7

[5th line wingnutt]

I intend to post an analysis of the Sabres each day for 7 days. It assumes no major moves between now and training camp. In the interests of brevity, I am leaving a lot unsaid. The posts will be about: Centers, Left wings, Right wings, Defense, Goalies, Extras, and Team overall. Here goes...Centers.

 

Center:

Connolly, Tim

Roy, Derek

Gaustad, Paul

Ennis, Tyler

 

Position Grade C+/B

 

The Bad News... No true #1 center. Roy and Connolly are both good #2 centers, but not great. Connolly is a bit streakier, Roy a bit more consistent but prone to slow starts (this is an impression, I have no actual data to back it up).

The Good news...Tyler Ennis. In only a short time last season he showed he belonged. He has everything but size. Speed, vision, stick skills, desire, and more. How far can he develop? Can he keep from getting killed? Except for his size I wonder if he can leapfrog to the #1 center position. Probably not this year, but next?

Paul Gaustad had his worst season in the last 3 or 4. Even his face off percentage declined as the season progressed. Can he recover his game? Can he become useful on the power play in front of the net again?

[carpandean]

Three comments:

 

1) I always question doing any sort final grades or ratings when there is still about five weeks left until training camp and nine until pre-season. Obviously, you are welcome to do so, knowing that there may be some revision, and with Darcy's history/comments, you may be safe. Personally, though, I would have held off until September 1 rather than August 1.

 

2) Ennis' position, as with Kennedy's, is a question mark at this point. He played center in Portland, but almost exclusively at wing when he was called up. That's not to say that he won't get a shot there, but I believe he will start the year (assuming it's in the NHL) at wing.

 

3) Gaustad has had recent (last season and a half) injury problems after being fairly bulletproof up to that point (freak severed tendon, aside.) His ability to regain form will depend almost entirely on his ability to stay healthy. I don't believe that he will be a Tallinder in terms of completely losing his physicality even when healthy after his injuries, but he simply can't be what we expect unless he's healthy.

[tulax]

I intend to post an analysis of the Sabres each day for 7 days. It assumes no major moves between now and training camp. In the interests of brevity, I am leaving a lot unsaid. The posts will be about: Centers, Left wings, Right wings, Defense, Goalies, Extras, and Team overall. Here goes...Centers.

 

Center:

Connolly, Tim

Roy, Derek

Gaustad, Paul

Ennis, Tyler

 

Position Grade C+/B

 

The Bad News... No true #1 center. Roy and Connolly are both good #2 centers, but not great. Connolly is a bit streakier, Roy a bit more consistent but prone to slow starts (this is an impression, I have no actual data to back it up).

The Good news...Tyler Ennis. In only a short time last season he showed he belonged. He has everything but size. Speed, vision, stick skills, desire, and more. How far can he develop? Can he keep from getting killed? Except for his size I wonder he can leapfrog to the #1 center position. Probably not this year, but next?

Paul Gaustad had his worst season in the last 3 or 4. Even his face off percentage declined as the season progressed. Can he recover his game? Can he become useful on the power play in front of the net again?

 

On your Derek Roy point, he did not score his first goal last year until Nov. 4 and has 8 goals in 42 career October games.

[Eleven]

On your Derek Roy point, he did not score his first goal last year until Nov. 4 and has 8 goals in 42 career October games.

 

Wow, that's ugly. I had no idea.

[sweeper]

Forgot about Niedermayer in your center assessment.

[deluca67]

Not to not nitpick here, but isn't almost every post in almost every thread a "Sabres Analysis?"

[SwampD]

Three comments:

 

1) I always question doing any sort final grades or ratings when there is still about five weeks left until training camp and nine until pre-season.

What, in the history of the Sabres' moves, has led you to believe that his final grades would not be relevant?

[5th line wingnutt]

Forgot about Niedermayer in your center assessment.

I have him as a left wing.

[5th line wingnutt]

Three comments:

 

1) I always question doing any sort final grades or ratings when there is still about five weeks left until training camp and nine until pre-season. Obviously, you are welcome to do so, knowing that there may be some revision, and with Darcy's history/comments, you may be safe. Personally, though, I would have held off until September 1 rather than August 1.

 

2) Ennis' position, as with Kennedy's, is a question mark at this point. He played center in Portland, but almost exclusively at wing when he was called up. That's not to say that he won't get a shot there, but I believe he will start the year (assuming it's in the NHL) at wing.

 

 

Positions are flexible. This is preliminary, not final.

[carpandean]

What, in the history of the Sabres' moves, has led you to believe that his final grades would not be relevant?

Well, they did sign Mike Grier on August 10 last year. ;)

 

I said that it's unlikely, but the Summer is only half over, so ...

 

Positions are flexible. This is preliminary, not final.

Very true. Though, I would say that Niedermayer is far more likely to be a center for the Sabres next year than Ennis. Certainly, I'd list both as possibles. My guess is that it starts as Roy, Connolly, Niedermayer and Gaustad down the middle.

[sweeper]

Well, they did sign Mike Grier on August 10 last year. ;)

 

I said that it's unlikely, but the Summer is only half over, so ...

 

 

Very true. Though, I would say that Niedermayer is far more likely to be a center for the Sabres next year than Ennis. Certainly, I'd list both as possibles. My guess is that it starts as Roy, Connolly, Niedermayer and Gaustad down the middle.

 

 

That is what I understood the signing to be for...a third line center.

 

For what it's worth, the NHLPA site lists him as a RW...

[shrader]

Very true. Though, I would say that Niedermayer is far more likely to be a center for the Sabres next year than Ennis. Certainly, I'd list both as possibles. My guess is that it starts as Roy, Connolly, Niedermayer and Gaustad down the middle.

 

I think it's a virtual lock that we'll see a Niedermayer-Hecht-Grier line, which would obviously put Rob at center. Like you said, Ennis will wind up on the wing.

[bob_sauve28]

Gaustad is a very good player when he plays with a great deal of intensity. Unfortuntely he gets injured when he plays with a great deal of intensity, so I don't know what to think of him. Good on face offs, physical usually and so-so at scoring.

[5th line wingnutt]

I assigned positions to the forwards based partly on where they played last year, partly on what I think is their best position, and partly on where I think they would help the most. I consider Ennis a natural centerman so I put him there. Niedermayer is listed as a C/W at some sports sites and I am pretty sure he played some LW last year. We already have enough small wingers so it seemed better to have Ennis at center and Niedermayer at wing. Of course not everyone will agree and that is OK with me.

[carpandean]

I assigned positions to the forwards based partly on where they played last year, partly on what I think is their best position, and partly on where I think they would help the most. I consider Ennis a natural centerman so I put him there. Niedermayer is listed as a C/W at some sports sites and I am pretty sure he played some LW last year. We already have enough small wingers so it seemed better to have Ennis at center and Niedermayer at wing. Of course not everyone will agree and that is OK with me.

Yeah, nobody knows for sure. I believe that Rob played on the wing in Anaheim, but mostly at center for NJ. I base this, in part, on the fact that he took almost 1k faceoffs last year vs. roughly 70 in his last three years with Anaheim. In an interview, though, he was asked where he sees himself playing and he said that he expected to be in a checking (usually, third-line) role, but that wing vs. center would depend on chemistry at camp.

 

As for having too many small wingers, I'd say that most here would say that we have too many small centers, too.

[Sabretooth]

Sabres lack a true number one center. Unless we expect Ennis to fulfill that position in the future, or put him in another position, this spot must be addressed for the 2011-2012 season. If we choose not to sign anyone, Connolly and Roy need to battle each other to show they can play like one.

[carpandean]

Based on Darcy's comment in the Kennedy presser, Niedermayer was brought in to provide some size and depth down the middle and Ennis will likely play on the left wing, so it does seem like we will see Roy, Connolly, Niedermayer and Gaustad down the middle. The bottom two are fine for the checking and energy roles, especially if Gaustad can get back to being a very healthy player, as he was until partway through the 2008-09 season. In fact, if we see Hecht-Niedermayer-Grier and McCormick-Gaustad-Kaleta as those bottom two lines, I will be content with the bottom six. Again, though, we'll be hoping that Roy matures or Connolly can stay healthy and step up his intensity. Otherwise, as noted, we have two #2 centers and a weak top line ... again.