Prediction time: opening night lineup

[That Aud Smell]

also noticed that foligno was missing from the list above, since it was based on players who were on the ice this morning.

 

again, without my knowing who's been playing where (apologies) and based mostly on rolston's preference for guys having their forehand facing toward center when they're on a wing, i am trying to sort out who's going where:

 

Vanek - Hodgson - Leino [stafford?]

Foligno - Ennis - Stafford [Leino?]

Ott - Grigorenko - Kaleta [Leino?! (but then where would Kaleta go?)]

Girgensons - Larsson - McCormick/Flynn [until Tropp returns?]

 

Scott

Tropp [injured to return]

 

(The 13 active forwards above assume 8 d-men (sorta weird, but Rolston did say it would probably happen) and 2 goalies.)

 

Destined for Rochester (sooner or later) with exposure to waivers, if applicable:

 

Armia (RW)

Porter (shoots L, can play C)

Flynn (shoots R, played C in college)

Ellis (shoots L, will wear the C in Rochester?))

McCormick (RH (puncher))

 

+++

 

there are dozens of things that could change the outlook above, among them:

 

* playing ennis at wing (larsson moves up? ennis plays on off-wing? kaleta down to 4th line?)

* sending larsson to rochester (seems unlikely at this point)

* moving larsson up a line ... or two

* sending grigorenko back to the Q (but, but, but ... darcy said he'd be here all year!)

* having a full-blown reprise of the flynn and porter show on one of our nightly lines (seems less than awesome)

 

+++

 

sorry if this recaps a lot of what's upthread. the regular season approaches. i wanted to start drilling down on this.

[dudacek]

Barring injuries, from what I've seen, I think you are looking at this up front:

Hodgson Vanek

Stafford Ennis

Leino Ott

Tropp McCormick Kaleta

Scott

 

It's still to be determined if Ennis is a centre or a winger

Foligno will be in the top six somewhere.

 

That leaves two, maybe three openings:

I would be very surprised if Larsson does not get one of them.

I will also be very surprised if Adam or Armia sticks in Buffalo.

Which leaves Girgensons, Flynn, Porter and Grigorenko battling it out.

 

If Tropp, Foligno and McCormick are hurt then your team is already selected.

[nfreeman]

Barring injuries, from what I've seen, I think you are looking at this up front:

Hodgson Vanek

Stafford Ennis

Leino Ott

Tropp McCormick Kaleta

Scott

 

It's still to be determined if Ennis is a centre or a winger

Foligno will be in the top six somewhere.

 

That leaves two, maybe three openings:

I would be very surprised if Larsson does not get one of them.

I will also be very surprised if Adam or Armia sticks in Buffalo.

Which leaves Girgensons, Flynn, Porter and Grigorenko battling it out.

 

If Tropp, Foligno and McCormick are hurt then your team is already selected.

 

Just curious -- why do you think Larsson is getting one of the spots?

[dudacek]

Just curious -- why do you think Larsson is getting one of the spots?

Versatility: he's the only guy on the bubble who can play on all four lines, and the only one other than Girgensons who can effectively play centre or wing. He can also win faceoffs.

Readiness: He demonstrated as a rookie he's already a top-line AHLer (unlike Grigs, Girgs and Armia) and has a pedigree (unlike Porter and Flynn) that shows he's got the upside to be more. Plus from all the info I've been able to devour, he's had the best camp of the bunch.

Compete: The Sabres stated goal is being tougher to play against. He is.

[drnkirishone]

 

 

Just curious -- why do you think Larsson is getting one of the spots?

i think his play has earned it. He seems ready for the big show

[LGR4GM]

Just curious -- why do you think Larsson is getting one of the spots?

He has been one of the most stable, reliable, and toughest to play against players at camp. Hell he might be the toughest player to win battles against on the team. He stays, of this I have no doubt.

 

Also remember Larsson is not as young as the other guys (Armia, Zemgus, Mikhail) he is 21 and has played in the AHL and learned and developed. This kid is ready.

[inkman]

Just curious -- why do you think Larsson is getting one of the spots?

Larsson could really round out the lineup, assuming Grigo is gonzo. He gives them a decent 3rd line center. Play him with Leino and Ott and you might have the makings of an actual defensive line.

[TrueBlueGED]

Larsson could really round out the lineup, assuming Grigo is gonzo. He gives them a decent 3rd line center. Play him with Leino and Ott and you might have the makings of an actual defensive line.

 

If Grigs goes and Larsson stays, are you putting Ennis back at center? Or Porter makes the team and plays *gulp* significant minutes? Just curious how you think it would shake out.

[inkman]

If Grigs goes and Larsson stays, are you putting Ennis back at center? Or Porter makes the team and plays *gulp* significant minutes? Just curious how you think it would shake out.

I guess this is how I would play it:

 

26-19-82

21-61-25/9

23-22-9/28

36-8-78/32

 

Not thrilled with I by until Grigo arrives or busts out, I'd have him in junior or on the wing. Larsson can hold down 3rd line duties possibly developing into a 2nd line center allowin Girgensons to slide into the 3rd line center role. Ennis will can play center until Grigorenko or next years highly drafted center prospect is ready.

[SabresBillsFan]

You want to do the rebuild right and you want suffering. Then keep Larsson and Risto in Rochester, send Zadorov back to London (OHL), Send Grigorenko back to Junior, and keep all the youngsters in Rochester. Might as well have a strong minor league team that can grow together all this season rather than them come up now. This team isn't making the playoffs with any of them in the lineup so might as well tank and get the best picks available. Hey Darcy said there would be suffering so go full bore. Vanek will see the same ###### lineup like last season and will want out. Same goes for Miller. You want suffering that's what my definition of suffering would look like.

 

I guess this is how I would play it:

 

26-19-82

21-61-25/9

23-22-9/28

36-8-78/32

 

Not thrilled with I by until Grigo arrives or busts out, I'd have him in junior or on the wing. Larsson can hold down 3rd line duties possibly developing into a 2nd line center allowin Girgensons to slide into the 3rd line center role. Ennis will can play center until Grigorenko or next years highly drafted center prospect is ready.

I am all for keeping the young guys in Rochester now and growing together there than playing on a team that isn't going anywhere. Grigorenko to me is not ready to be in Buffalo fulltime and his preseason warrants him not making this team. It's a jacked up rule because he really needs AHL hockey not junior but to me he's not ready. If Vanek decides to stay it's only because he see's that the Sabres actually have some talented players coming or wants to stay with Cody. If he leaves than this team has nothing and I mean nothing up front as pure goal scorers.

[nfreeman]

i think his play has earned it. He seems ready for the big show

He has been one of the most stable, reliable, and toughest to play against players at camp. Hell he might be the toughest player to win battles against on the team. He stays, of this I have no doubt.

 

Based on what? Only 1 of the games has been on TV and he didn't play in it.

[Hoss]

Couple things that I believe:

 

1. Sulzer isn't a lock to make this team like everybody thinks. He's never played well in the NHL outside of short stints in Buffalo. He was hurt all last year which doesn't do any good for an average player's stock.

 

2. Grigorenko will make this team, and I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start the year as the second line's pivot. I think a lot of his struggles are mental. Give him some confidence and see if the kid takes off.

 

3. Porter should not be on this team. There's plenty of NHL-ready youth that can make more of an impact than he does right now. No reason to delay it.

 

4. I think Girgensons and Larsson are both ready right now. That creates a bit of a logjam. Take the first remotely decent offer you get for Stafford so they get a spot.

 

Give me:

 

26/19/82 (don't like Foligno on the first line but everybody seems to be going with that)

9/25/63

28/22/23

(65 or 78)/8/36

 

57/10

3/6

20/55

 

who cares who the extra d is between 52/4. Neither are legitimate NHL defensemen and both are about equal.

[Two or less]

 

26/19/82 (don't like Foligno on the first line but everybody seems to be going with that)

9/25/63

28/22/23

(65 or 78)/8/36

 

Posting what we want to see is nice and all, but let's wait until we see what the diagnoses is on Foligno before penciling him on the first line? Some people out there in twitter-world think he may be gone for quite a while.

[Hoss]

Posting what we want to see is nice and all, but let's wait until we see what the diagnoses is on Foligno before penciling him on the first line? Some people out there in twitter-world think he may be gone for quite a while.

 

I mean, isn't that the idea here? Post what we want/expect to see? I haven't seen enough to have any reason to think Foligno won't be out there.

[Two or less]

I mean, isn't that the idea here? Post what we want/expect to see? I haven't seen enough to have any reason to think Foligno won't be out there.

 

lol yeah, i didn't mean to attack your post, sorry if it came like that. I meant, the idea is post what you want, but most have been when we were healthy. Posting this late, i feel like you should take his injury into consideration.

[Weave]

Based on what? Only 1 of the games has been on TV and he didn't play in it.

 

For me it is based on what all of the folks that have been watching the team are saying. And they are saying Larsson looks like a guy who is making the team.

[That Aud Smell]

on Larsson, I haven't seen him play at all yet. but everything i've read and everyone with whom i've spoken has said that he's already playing a solid NHL game. maybe he doesn't make the club on teams with top-third rosters, but we ain't that sort of team.

 

as for dstebb's hope for grigorenko, i can only relate what 2 knowledgeable friends have told me after seeing him in camp and at a game: he. is. slow. he can't keep up. and it doesn't appear mental -- well, not just mental. he needs more work with that skating coach the team brought in. she did wonders with weber apparently, but it took time.

[LGR4GM]

I guess this is how I would play it:

 

26-19-82

21-61-25/9

23-22-9/28

36-8-78/32

 

Not thrilled with I by until Grigo arrives or busts out, I'd have him in junior or on the wing. Larsson can hold down 3rd line duties possibly developing into a 2nd line center allowin Girgensons to slide into the 3rd line center role. Ennis will can play center until Grigorenko or next years highly drafted center prospect is ready.

I'd bet you two things. 1) When we draft in 2014 there will not be a high center prospect available, this has to do with how weak the upcoming class seems. 2) If the option for Regier and company is center or rw and they are about even, they will draft the winger.

 

Based on what? Only 1 of the games has been on TV and he didn't play in it.

Everything I have heard from listening to games. Everything I have seen in highlights. Everything everyone from players and coaches have said all the way to what the broadcast guys say. Johan Larsson is the Sabres #3 center to start the season.

[That Aud Smell]

per tweets from vogl -- i think this may be the opening night lineup, give or take:

 

Defense: Ehrhoff-Myers, Weber-Ristolainen, Tallinder-Pysyk. Sulzer as the seventh.

 

John Vogl ‏@BuffNewsVogl4m

 

Forward lines: Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek, Ennis-Larsson-Stafford, Ott-Grigorenko-Leino, Girgensons-McCormick-Kaleta. (Waiting on Tropp's health)

[TrueBlueGED]

per tweets from vogl -- i think this may be the opening night lineup, give or take:

 

Defense: Ehrhoff-Myers, Weber-Ristolainen, Tallinder-Pysyk. Sulzer as the seventh.

 

John Vogl ‏@BuffNewsVogl4m

 

Forward lines: Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek, Ennis-Larsson-Stafford, Ott-Grigorenko-Leino, Girgensons-McCormick-Kaleta. (Waiting on Tropp's health)

 

Looks like the opening night lineup to me. And I still hate Girgensons on the 4th line. 20+ minutes in Rochester > 8 minutes in the NHL IMO.

[Weave]

Looks like the opening night lineup to me. And I still hate Girgensons on the 4th line. 20+ minutes in Rochester > 8 minutes in the NHL IMO.

 

If Scott is not on the 4th line I could see that line getting closer to 15 minutes.

[LastPommerFan]

Looks like the opening night lineup to me. And I still hate Girgensons on the 4th line. 20+ minutes in Rochester > 8 minutes in the NHL IMO.

 

Z-Mac-Patty could take more than 8 minutes. That line could easily handle 10-12+ especially if you double another forward in for a couple McCormick shifts.

 

If Scott is not on the 4th line I could see that line getting closer to 15 minutes.

 

dammit man you beat me to the "punch"

[That Aud Smell]

If Scott is not on the 4th line I could see that line getting closer to 15 minutes.

 

With McCormick at center? No thanks.

 

Glass Case is closer to the mark above - ~10-12 if they get someone else on the ice with the wings.

[Derrico]

per tweets from vogl -- i think this may be the opening night lineup, give or take:

 

Defense: Ehrhoff-Myers, Weber-Ristolainen, Tallinder-Pysyk. Sulzer as the seventh.

 

John Vogl ‏@BuffNewsVogl4m

 

Forward lines: Foligno-Hodgson-Vanek, Ennis-Larsson-Stafford, Ott-Grigorenko-Leino, Girgensons-McCormick-Kaleta. (Waiting on Tropp's health)

 

You know what, this should be an interesting year. No Porter or Flynn, three pure rookies in Larsson, Girgensons and Risto and two guys going into their first full 82 game season in Pysyk and Grigorenko. Not sure how many games you have to play to be ineligable to be considered a rookie but we're looking at 5 very young guys.

 

Four first round picks from the last four drafts. The future in Buffalo begins now.

[nfreeman]

per tweets from vogl -- i think this may be the opening night lineup, give or take:

 

...

 

 

Here's a couple of grains of salt on this: first, that lineup is what Vogl said he would do -- i.e. it's not based on anything from the coaches. Second, while Vogl isn't as obnoxious as Harrington or Bucky, he has about the same amount of inside info as they do -- i.e. zero.

 

If Scott is not on the 4th line I could see that line getting closer to 15 minutes.

Z-Mac-Patty could take more than 8 minutes. That line could easily handle 10-12+ especially if you double another forward in for a couple McCormick shifts.

 

It's worth noting that Scott dressed for 34 out of 48 games last year. With the league getting nastier and the Sabres getting younger, I'd guess that he'll dress for 2/3 or more of the games this year. So your 4th line most nights is going to be McC-Scott-Kaleta -- which I'm fine with. Girgy can get 20+ min per night in Rochester until there's an injury.

 

You know what, this should be an interesting year. No Porter or Flynn, three pure rookies in Larsson, Girgensons and Risto and two guys going into their first full 82 game season in Pysyk and Grigorenko. Not sure how many games you have to play to be ineligable to be considered a rookie but we're looking at 5 very young guys.

 

Four first round picks from the last four drafts. The future in Buffalo begins now.

 

+1.