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2013-2014 Roster Projection Thoughts


qwksndmonster

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Posted

How about the Sabres go after RFA Kadri to center the second line? What would be the price? Sure would stir up some interesting hate north of the border.

Not sure of the exact price, as it hinges on the size of the offer sheet, but given how awful the Sabres will be in the foreseeable future, would you be willing to give up 2-3 top 5 selections to get Nazim? No thanks.

Posted

Why do some of you think Risto will be in the Sabres lineup over Pysyk?

 

An 18 year old first rounder suddenly has more clout than a 21 year old first rounder with pro experience?

Posted

If you look at Vanek, Ennis, Leino, Stafford, Ott, Kaleta, and Hodgson (the forwards on the team who played in the NHL during the 2010-2011 season) and average the last three years for their goals per game, they should score, around, 125 goals combined this year. That means the other 11 skaters have to all score 10 goals a piece for us to even be competitive.

 

Suffering.

 

what happens when you subtract Vanek, Ott and possibly Hodgson (if he is smart) ?.lol that would be real suffering

 

Cody put up nice numbers last year playing with Vanek and Pom. His value went up significantly. He must know his numbers will drop this year if Vanek goes. Darcy probably will be able to resign him but there is a chance he asks out. Ott has limited time left in his career too, like Vanek and Miller, and may want a shot at the cup with a better team.I fear in a worse case scenerio we could lose all three.

Posted

Why do some of you think Risto will be in the Sabres lineup over Pysyk?

 

An 18 year old first rounder suddenly has more clout than a 21 year old first rounder with pro experience?

 

Pysyk doesn't get enough attention on this forum.

He's a Numminen/Patrick type - a great skater who just knows how to play hockey.

Barring catastrophic injury, the kid is going to play 15 years in this league.

He's why they were OK trading Sekera and I fully expect him to be in the top four by year's end.

Posted

If you want a checking line, I think Girgensons is your center. I think he'll make the team this year.

 

I have no clue about Larsson - never saw him, have read very little about him.

 

Pysyk will also make the team. Risto will be in Rochester.

 

That's how I see it play out at this point in time.

 

 

Also in our ramblings regarding the defense, one thing to consider is that McBain and Sulzur would have to pass through waivers before going to Rochester.

 

If it looks as though one or both may be taken, Darcy will probably work out a trade.

Posted

If you want a checking line, I think Girgensons is your center. I think he'll make the team this year.

 

I have no clue about Larsson - never saw him, have read very little about him.

 

Pysyk will also make the team. Risto will be in Rochester.

 

That's how I see it play out at this point in time.

 

 

Also in our ramblings regarding the defense, one thing to consider is that McBain and Sulzur would have to pass through waivers before going to Rochester.

 

If it looks as though one or both may be taken, Darcy will probably work out a trade.

If someone will take McBain at $1.8MM, I'd be surprised that DR wouldn't just take the lowered hit to TP's wallet. I don't see anyone dropping that kind of coin on him at this time.

 

Sulzer would be tougher to get through, but I'd still expect him to. Anybody else could have signed him this off-season if they really wanted him. $725k wouldn't have been too hard to beat but is probably more than anybody else wanted to drop on him.

Posted

(If Ennis plays C)

 

Vanek Hodgson Stafford

Foligno Ennis Leino

Ott Grigorenko Tropp (could swap Tropp/Flynn …but Flynn and Porter seemed to have decent chemistry; plus Tropp brings a more third line checking mentality)

Flynn Porter Kaleta

 

(If Ennis plays LW):

 

Vanek Hodgson Stafford

Ennis Grigorenko Leino

Foligno Ott Tropp (Foligno could play Center)

Flynn Porter Kaleta

 

Scratch: Scott

 

Call-ups: Girgensons, Armia, Adam, Larson, Catenacci

 

Tallinder Myers

Ehrhoff Pysyk (Mcbain gets the nod over Sulzer due to coaching staff’s desire to have 3 left / 3 right handed defenseman)

Weber Mcbain

 

Scratch: Sulzer (Perfect depth defenseman. Sulzer is overlooked, and has done nothing but play solid while in Buffalo; especially paired up with Ehrhoff)

 

Call-ups: Ristolainen, Ruhwedel, Mcnabb (develop these 3 by giving them 25 minutes a night in Rochester…seemed to develop Vanek and Pommer quite well when they were the go-to guys in Roch. for one year)

 

Miller

Enroth

Hacket

Posted

(If Ennis plays C)

 

Vanek Hodgson Stafford

Foligno Ennis Leino

Ott Grigorenko Tropp (could swap Tropp/Flynn …but Flynn and Porter seemed to have decent chemistry; plus Tropp brings a more third line checking mentality)

Flynn Porter Kaleta

 

(If Ennis plays LW):

 

Vanek Hodgson Stafford

Ennis Grigorenko Leino

Foligno Ott Tropp (Foligno could play Center)

Flynn Porter Kaleta

 

Scratch: Scott

 

Call-ups: Girgensons, Armia, Adam, Larson, Catenacci

 

Tallinder Myers

Ehrhoff Pysyk (Mcbain gets the nod over Sulzer due to coaching staff’s desire to have 3 left / 3 right handed defenseman)

Weber Mcbain

 

Scratch: Sulzer (Perfect depth defenseman. Sulzer is overlooked, and has done nothing but play solid while in Buffalo; especially paired up with Ehrhoff)

 

Call-ups: Ristolainen, Ruhwedel, Mcnabb (develop these 3 by giving them 25 minutes a night in Rochester…seemed to develop Vanek and Pommer quite well when they were the go-to guys in Roch. for one year)

 

Miller

Enroth

Hacket

 

I don't see a way that we start the season with zero new players in the lineup as far as forwards go. With Girgensons, Larsson and Armia all very close to being NHL-ready, if not NHL-ready right now.

Posted

Luke Adam signed a new deal today. Although his return to Buffalo is unlikely, you never know. And as far as new prospects being in the lineup, we won’t really know until they stack up against NHL caliber players. A rebuilding process does not mean to toss these prospects into the NHL lineup right away…only if they are ready. Trust me, no one more than me would love to see some of these prospects get the opportunity in the lineup this year, and prosper. But as we saw with Grigorenko last year, it cannot be forced. That’s why a stint in the minors for most of these guys certainly would not be a bad thing.

Posted

I would guess

Ennis - Hodgson - Vanek

Leino - Grigorenko - Ott

Foligno - Larsson - Armia (Checking line that doesn't get high responsibility aka sheltered minutes)

Scott? - Porter? - Flynn? Kaleta?

 

SOMEBODY has the Leino-Grigs-Ott line finally haha. That was the line that made everybody think Grigorenko was ready for the NHL in preseason before Leino was hurt.

Posted

I'm really struggling to see how Rolston is going to handle the forwards.

On paper three balanced lines seems the best bet:

 

Ott/Grigs/Leino

Foligno/Ennis/Stafford

Vanek/Hodgson/?

 

But whichever one of those lines matches up against a Malkin or a Staal, or any other team with a top centre is going to get shredded.

 

I think it's Blue who likes to point out our total absence of a checking line.

The best shutdown line I can put together from that top eight is Leino/Ott/Stafford.

But that would leave Ennis/Grigorenko/Foligno as a likely second line.

And while that line might be fun in three years, I don't know if they can be sheltered enough now.

 

Maybe we go with

Vanek/Hodgson/Ennis get the prime offensive zone starts

Leino/Ott/Stafford get the tough matchups

Kaleta/Porter/Flynn back them up

Foligno/Grigorenko/Tropp (or Larsson or Scott) in spot duty on the road.

 

And at home:

Vanek/Hodgson/Tropp (Larsson?)

Foligno/Girgorenko/Ennis (sheltered)

Leino/Ott/Stafford

Kaleta/Porter/Flynn/Scott

 

Until Girgorenko, Foligno, Ennis, Larsson and a lesser extent Hodgson step up and at least provide a stalemate, it's pretty tough to find a mesh. I think we will be seeing a lot of Flynn and Porter.

Posted

And at home:

Va nek/Hodgson/Tropp (Larsson?)

Foligno/Girgorenko/Ennis (sheltered)

Leino/Ott/Stafford

Kaleta/Porter/Flynn/Scott

 

Until Girgorenko, Foligno, Ennis, Larsson and a lesser extent Hodgson step up and at least provide a stalemate, it's pretty tough to find a mesh. I think we will be seeing a lot of Flynn and Porter.

I like the look of those lines. But I would probably prefer too see Leino on the first line and Larsson on the third. Larsson is probably a better fit than tropp on that third line right now. L1:Vanek/Hodgson/Leino

L2:Foligno/Girgorenko/Ennis (sheltered)

L3:Larsson/Ott/Stafford

L4:Kaleta/Porter/Flynn/Scott/Tropp

Posted

This is what I would like to see:

 

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott

 

Leino - Ennis - Stafford

 

Foligno - Girgensons - Kaleta

 

Flynn - Grigorenko - Armia

 

Reserve: Tropp, Porter, Scott, Larsson

 

 

Ennis is too small to play wing. The more I look at this lineup, the sicker I feel.

Posted

This is what I would like to see:

 

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott

 

Leino - Ennis - Stafford

 

Foligno - Girgensons - Kaleta

 

Flynn - Grigorenko - Armia

 

Reserve: Tropp, Porter, Scott, Larsson

 

 

Ennis is too small to play wing. The more I look at this lineup, the sicker I feel.

 

So which line to you put out against the other teams "energy line"?

Posted

This is what I would like to see:

 

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott

 

Leino - Ennis - Stafford

 

Foligno - Girgensons - Kaleta

 

Flynn - Grigorenko - Armia

 

Reserve: Tropp, Porter, Scott, Larsson

 

 

Ennis is too small to play wing. The more I look at this lineup, the sicker I feel.

This is what I would like to see:

 

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott

 

Leino - Ennis - Stafford

 

Foligno - Girgensons - Kaleta

 

Flynn - Grigorenko - Armia

 

Reserve: Tropp, Porter, Scott, Larsson

 

 

Ennis is too small to play wing. The more I look at this lineup, the sicker I feel.

 

I see no sense in playing Grigorenko or Armia on a 4th line. That's not the proper role for prospects who project as 1st or 2nd liners. Kaleta is a 4th liner and PK specialist IMO.

Posted

I'm really struggling to see how Rolston is going to handle the forwards.

On paper three balanced lines seems the best bet:

 

Ott/Grigs/Leino

Foligno/Ennis/Stafford

Vanek/Hodgson/?

 

But whichever one of those lines matches up against a Malkin or a Staal, or any other team with a top centre is going to get shredded.

 

I think it's Blue who likes to point out our total absence of a checking line.

The best shutdown line I can put together from that top eight is Leino/Ott/Stafford.

But that would leave Ennis/Grigorenko/Foligno as a likely second line.

And while that line might be fun in three years, I don't know if they can be sheltered enough now.

 

Maybe we go with

Vanek/Hodgson/Ennis get the prime offensive zone starts

Leino/Ott/Stafford get the tough matchups

Kaleta/Porter/Flynn back them up

Foligno/Grigorenko/Tropp (or Larsson or Scott) in spot duty on the road.

 

And at home:

Vanek/Hodgson/Tropp (Larsson?)

Foligno/Girgorenko/Ennis (sheltered)

Leino/Ott/Stafford

Kaleta/Porter/Flynn/Scott

 

Until Girgorenko, Foligno, Ennis, Larsson and a lesser extent Hodgson step up and at least provide a stalemate, it's pretty tough to find a mesh. I think we will be seeing a lot of Flynn and Porter.

 

I can't take credit for the checking line thing, there's a large number of posters who say the same. That said, the complete lack of a center who can handle defensive responsibilities while chipping in offensively is still a complete hole on this roster, and not only hurts the team, but hurts the young centers' development by not playing them to maximize their strengths. My current preference is to give Larsson the ball and hope he's able to run with it. If he isn't ready for the job, then there's no good way to construct the top-9 forwards IMO.

Posted

I see no sense in playing Grigorenko or Armia on a 4th line. That's not the proper role for prospects who project as 1st or 2nd liners. Kaleta is a 4th liner and PK specialist IMO.

 

They won't be on the fourth line. If they are, you can count on another Alex Burmistrov situation. Have to give the kids ice time or they lose confidence.

Posted

 

 

I can't take credit for the checking line thing, there's a large number of posters who say the same. That said, the complete lack of a center who can handle defensive responsibilities while chipping in offensively is still a complete hole on this roster, and not only hurts the team, but hurts the young centers' development by not playing them to maximize their strengths. My current preference is to give Larsson the ball and hope he's able to run with it. If he isn't ready for the job, then there's no good way to construct the top-9 forwards IMO.

I know it isn't his best position, and it takes him away from supporting the young guys, but isn't the next best option Ott?

Posted

I know it isn't his best position, and it takes him away from supporting the young guys, but isn't the next best option Ott?

 

He may be the next best option, but I've honestly had enough of wingers masquerading as centers to last me a lifetime.

Posted

I see no sense in playing Grigorenko or Armia on a 4th line. That's not the proper role for prospects who project as 1st or 2nd liners. Kaleta is a 4th liner and PK specialist IMO.

 

One simple reason...you make them EARN a position in the top six. Nothing is given because of projected hype.

Posted

One simple reason...you make them EARN a position in the top six. Nothing is given because of projected hype.

 

They're either in the top six or in the juiniors/minors. Playing 6 or 7 minutes per game isn't going to help them

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