Who will be the Sabres 3rd center this upcoming season

[Happy Days]

Ennis & Girginsons appear to be 1 and 2 then who?

 

Hodson is better at wing due to less defensive responsibilities.

Rienhart seems like he could use another year to get stronger without taking the punishment of the NHL.

Grigorenko could use a year in the AHL.

Larrson has struggled to score at the NHL level.

Torry Mitchell is a 4th line guy

 

Thoughts?

 

[Eleven]

Girgensons is a natural 3 center. He'll be there.

[nfreeman]

Most likely IMHO is Reinhart, although I suppose if they send him down it will be Hodgson.

 

To 11's point: I agree that Zemgus is the "natural" #3 center, but on this team he could lead all centers in ice time.

[Iron Crotch]

Ennis & Girginsons appear to be 1 and 2 then who?

 

Hodson is better at wing due to less defensive responsibilities.

Rienhart seems like he could use another year to get stronger without taking the punishment of the NHL.

Grigorenko could use a year in the AHL.

Larrson has struggled to score at the NHL level.

Torry Mitchell is a 4th line guy

 

Thoughts?

 

This is why I thought we might pick up a veteran older third line center in the off-season. As it stand, and assuming Sam goes back to Juniors, I think Nolan trusts Flynn. He might end up as center #3.

[Happy Days]

Girgensons is a natural 3 center. He'll be there.

 

Then who will be the other 2 top centers?

[Eleven]

Most likely IMHO is Reinhart, although I suppose if they send him down it will be Hodgson.

 

To 11's point: I agree that Zemgus is the "natural" #3 center, but on this team he could lead all centers in ice time.

 

Sure, Peca did, didn't he?

 

Then who will be the other 2 top centers?

 

Not sure that the team has them yet.

[Derrico]

Christ they better not do a patch job on this team after all of the dismantling to get us in the McDavid sweepstakes over the past three years. As someone said, you run Flynn out there and see how it goes.

[LastPommerFan]

To put Samson's potential return to Juniors in perspective:

 

The last time the first forward selected in the draft did not play for the team the following season was Danny Heatley, who returned to the Wisconsin Badgers for his sophomore season after being selected 2nd overall by Atlantapeg in 2000.

 

The last time a the first forward selected returned to Juniors was JP Dumont after being selected 3rd overall by Mike Milbury in 1996.

 

The odds are HEAVILY in favor of Samson playing the entire season in Buffalo.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Glass Case Of Emotion

[LGR4GM]

Ennis is #1

Reinhart #2

Girgensons #3 however he will be used on occasion as winger on the top two lines and will draw difficult defensive assignments while Reinhart gets protected. In reality, Girgensons is your #2 center.

[Taro T]

I'm hoping Sam goes down after his 9th game to make sure this hound's breakfast is, in fact, a hound's breakfast.

 

In reality, it'll start out w/ Ennis w/ the top wingers, Sam w/ the next most offensive, and Z w/ the "shutdown" line. If Sam progresses, he and Ennis flip. My guess is that happens by Christmas.

 

Either way, Z ends up #2 in ice time.

[Derrico]

I agree with you Glass Case, but haven't we heard all season how weak last years draft class was? I know he wasn't the first forward taken but Drouin likely would have been the first forward taken if he was in this years class and Tampa sent him back to juniors last year. I loved the Reinhart pick at the time and still love it but I do not want another Grigo case on our hands. It likely won't happen but to me the kid still needs to get bigger and stronger.

[LastPommerFan]

I agree with you Glass Case, but haven't we heard all season how weak last years draft class was? I know he wasn't the first forward taken but Drouin likely would have been the first forward taken if he was in this years class and Tampa sent him back to juniors last year. I loved the Reinhart pick at the time and still love it but I do not want another Grigo case on our hands. It likely won't happen but to me the kid still needs to get bigger and stronger.

 

That's the question, was this the weakest draft class in 2 decades? or was at a mediocre class sammiched between two strong classes? Was the class weak in depth, or weak in top end talent?

 

It's not impossible, it is just strongly weighted toward Samson playing all season in B&G.

[LGR4GM]

That's the question, was this the weakest draft class in 2 decades? or was at a mediocre class sammiched between two strong classes? Was the class weak in depth, or weak in top end talent?

 

It's not impossible, it is just strongly weighted toward Samson playing all season in B&G.

It's a mediocre class sandwiched between two of the best draft classes in 2 decades.

[thewookie1]

Girgs is somewhere between a 2nd and 3rd line center varying on how good his offensive talents become, and Hodgson will likely play wing a lot this year so I'd take a guess that either Reinhart will play "2nd line" center while Girgs would have "3rd line" duties yet have more ice time. Either that or Brian Flynn and Larsson may split the job or maybe even Foligno.

 

With Reinhart

 

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Girgs-Stewart

Foligno-Reinhart-Gionta

Kaleta-McCormick-Flynn

 

Larsson/Mitchell

 

 

Without Reinhart

 

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Girgs-Stewart

Larsson-Foligno-Gionta

Kaleta-McCormick-Flynn

 

Mitchell

[nfreeman]

To put Samson's potential return to Juniors in perspective:

 

The last time the first forward selected in the draft did not play for the team the following season was Danny Heatley, who returned to the Wisconsin Badgers for his sophomore season after being selected 2nd overall by Atlantapeg in 2000.

 

The last time a the first forward selected returned to Juniors was JP Dumont after being selected 3rd overall by Mike Milbury in 1996.

 

The odds are HEAVILY in favor of Samson playing the entire season in Buffalo.

 

Good info.

[MattPie]

Girgs is somewhere between a 2nd and 3rd line center varying on how good his offensive talents become, and Hodgson will likely play wing a lot this year so I'd take a guess that either Reinhart will play "2nd line" center while Girgs would have "3rd line" duties yet have more ice time. Either that or Brian Flynn and Larsson may split the job or maybe even Foligno.

 

With Reinhart

 

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Girgs-Stewart

Foligno-Reinhart-Gionta

Kaleta-McCormick-Flynn

 

Larsson/Mitchell

 

 

Without Reinhart

 

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Girgs-Stewart

Larsson-Foligno-Gionta

Kaleta-McCormick-Flynn

 

Mitchell

 

When did Ennis become a 1st line center, and when did Foligno start playing center at all? (Foligno played some C last year I think, but to slot him hin there?) There are six (!) guys on the roster listed at center, and you're moving a LW over?

 

Moulson - Hodgson - Steward (scorer, playmaker (?), physical guy)

Foligno - Ennis - Stafford (why not bring back a classic line, plus: physical guy., play maker, scorer (in theory))

Delauriers - Girgensons - Gionta (not sure about Delauriers, but I'd hope he's above Ellis. If not, Flynn)

Ellis - McCormick - Mitchell

 

Flynn fills injury holes in the top 9 or pushes Foligno down and Delauriers out. Kaleta replaces Mitchell if he's back up.

[thewookie1]

 

 

When did Ennis become a 1st line center, and when did Foligno start playing center at all? (Foligno played some C last year I think, but to slot him hin there?) There are six (!) guys on the roster listed at center, and you're moving a LW over?

 

 

Ennis has been 1st line center since last year; is he one.... not really, but he's our best center presently.

Foligno was a center off and on the last two years

Hodgson's lack of defensive ability makes him less pain inducing if he's your winger. He seemed to improve at the end of the year when he was a winger too.

 

 

Moulson - Hodgson - Stewart (scorer, playmaker (?), physical guy)

Foligno - Ennis - Stafford (why not bring back a classic line, plus: physical guy., play maker, scorer (in theory))

Delauriers - Girgensons - Gionta (not sure about Delauriers, but I'd hope he's above Ellis. If not, Flynn)

Ellis - McCormick - Mitchell

 

Flynn fills injury holes in the top 9 or pushes Foligno down and Delauriers out. Kaleta replaces Mitchell if he's back up.

 

I feel Ellis will end up in Rochester, and now that you reminded me of Delauriers, Larsson would likely be as well.

 

Ennis is, at the moment our best center thus would be #1 center. Girgs may be a more all around player, he's still only in his 2nd year.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I think Grigorenko will play a large part of the season in Buffalo, mostly at centre. Just a gut feeling.

 

I also think that Samson will get a good long look and not be surprised if the Sabres end up using the first year of his ELC this season. He just looks ready to me, but on the other hand, I have only really seen video and highlights.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Sabres Fan In NS

[LGR4GM]

Man I want Foligno nowhere near the center of the ice. I have a ton of doubts about his game.

[Huckleberry]

I'll start practising on my skating from today, I'd be perfect for the job, make sure we tank well.