MBHockey13 Posted April 13, 2015 Report Posted April 13, 2015 I wonder how Nolan being fired changes our lineup next year.Not that Nolan was making any personnel decisions, but I really believe he mishandled Hodgson and he still has second or third line value. He was our leading scorer in 2013-14, and he's still young and still a hard worker in the off-season. Plus, I'm sure he'll have a fresh attitude with Nolan gone. Quote
Crusader1969 Posted April 20, 2015 Report Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) To Tank or Not to Tank 2011-2012 Top 6 Forwards Stafford, Roy Foligno Vanek, Ennis, Pominville Top 4 D Erhoff, Myers Leopold, Sekera 2016-17 - (As it stands now as of course there will be changes to the current roster over the next year) Top 6 Forwards Kane, Eichel, Girgensons Moulson, Reinhart, Ennis Top 4 D Risto, Bogosian Pysyk, Zadorov to be honest I think Moulson will have his work cut out for him to remain in top 6 by the start of the 2016 season. Anyone really think the Tank wasn't worth it? It gets really scary when we start looking at the 3rd and 4th line of the future Sabres compared to the 2011-12 team D Edited April 20, 2015 by Crusader1969 Quote
Crusader1969 Posted April 27, 2015 Report Posted April 27, 2015 TSN Preview of the 2015-16 Sabres http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-buffalo-sabres-1.267947 calls them a lottery team next year and I completely agree. Quote
WildCard Posted April 27, 2015 Report Posted April 27, 2015 Being a lottery team doesn't have the same meaning anymore. If you're saying we'll qualify for the lottery, I agree. But if you're saying we're a bottom 5 team, I disagree Quote
Crusader1969 Posted April 27, 2015 Report Posted April 27, 2015 maybe not bottom 5 but 6th, 7th or 8th last would be my prediction. Even to finish 6th last they would need to improve by 24 points over this past years team. If the team who finishes last next year wins the lottery then the Sabres should have close to a 10% chance of getting pick #2. Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted April 27, 2015 Report Posted April 27, 2015 Being a lottery team doesn't have the same meaning anymore. If you're saying we'll qualify for the lottery, I agree. But if you're saying we're a bottom 5 team, I disagree If we go into next season with that article's projected lineup we very well could be a bottom-5 team. If the only outside additions are a 4th liner (Condra) and a questionable goalie (Lehner), and the left side of our defense goes Gorges-Zadorov-McCabe...that is one awful lineup. For some perspective, this year and the great race to the bottom aside, a bottom-5 team is normally in the upper-70s in points. So we could be 25 points better and still be bottom-5, which I see as very realistic given the miniscule lineup changes in that article. Luckily, I do expect more additions than just Condra and Lehner. Quote
inkman Posted April 27, 2015 Report Posted April 27, 2015 To Tank or Not to Tank 2011-2012 Top 6 Forwards Stafford, Roy Foligno Vanek, Ennis, Pominville Top 4 D Erhoff, Myers Leopold, Sekera 2016-17 - (As it stands now as of course there will be changes to the current roster over the next year) Top 6 Forwards Kane, Eichel, Girgensons Moulson, Reinhart, Ennis Top 4 D Risto, Bogosian Pysyk, Zadorov to be honest I think Moulson will have his work cut out for him to remain in top 6 by the start of the 2016 season. Anyone really think the Tank wasn't worth it? It gets really scary when we start looking at the 3rd and 4th line of the future Sabres compared to the 2011-12 team D I would have jizzed in my pants 15 times had someone told me that would be our lineup 5 years ago. Quote
mjd1001 Posted April 28, 2015 Report Posted April 28, 2015 maybe not bottom 5 but 6th, 7th or 8th last would be my prediction. Even to finish 6th last they would need to improve by 24 points over this past years team. If the team who finishes last next year wins the lottery then the Sabres should have close to a 10% chance of getting pick #2. Over the last 5 full seasons, an average of 76.6 points is what the 5th worst team in the league had. One year, it was 80 points. Do we all want the Sabres to do better than that next year? Sure, but one or two injuries to a key player or some average at best goaltending for the year, and the Sabres could pretty easily be 80 points or below and have a shot at one of the top players in next years lottery. You really need 80 points to pretty much ensure you are not in the bottom 5, and this would be more than a 25 point improvement for this team. Quote
Hoss Posted April 28, 2015 Report Posted April 28, 2015 From that TSN post above: Considering their salary cap situation, the Sabres might be poised to be a soft landing spot for a team looking to unload a veteran contract. Would they take Chris Kunitz from Pittsburgh? Ales Hemsky, P.A. Parenteau, Michael Grabner, Brad Boyes and Colin Greening are veteran forwards with a year or two left on their current contracts and might be relatively easy acquisitions for a Sabres team that has roster flexibility. Similarly, the Sabres could add a veteran forward via free agency. Even if a rebuilding effort isn't going to be first choice for top-tier free agents, the Sabres could offer opportunity and playing time for free agent forwards. Shawn Matthias, Jiri Tlusty, Tyler Kennedy, Scottie Upshall, Erik Condra – there's a whole host of forwards that could contribute to the Sabres for the next few years. A few interesting names on that that I hadn't really considered previously. Chris Kunitz - Yes, I'm interested. He's 35 so he wouldn't be here long, but if he comes without much cost then I take him. He saw a big production drop off this year and is mostly a product of who he plays with, but he's an agitator. I know some around here don't like him, but he's somebody you want on your side. He's owed just under $4M per these next two years and would add to the stable of rough-edge forwards we've been building. The only downside is figuring out where he fits at a left winger... Michael Grabner - Yes. He's fast as hell and has put up big numbers before. Unfortunately he's also had some injuries over the last few years. He's a big-bodied speedster with some finishing ability. I'm not giving up anything substantial for him, but I'll take a flyer if he comes cheap. One-year rental with a $3M cap hit. Brad Boyes, Colin Greening - No thanks. Shawn Matthias - Yes. Took a step forward in development this year with Vancouver. Another left-handed shot, though. He's a free agent, so he wouldn't cost anything aside from a bit of money. He's huge. Good bottom-six guy. From Ontario. Jiri Tlusty - Sure. Left-handed shot alert. Good secondary scoring. Won't offer much else. Doesn't offer much that we don't have, but he adds a bit of flexibility if we move a guy like Foligno. Tyler Kennedy - No thanks. What the heck happened to this kid? Scottie Upshall - Maybe a few years ago. Erik Condra - He could be worth considering. Bottom-six right wing. He can ship in 20-30 points and has a relationship with Murray if at all a value to him in the process. Quote
Sam Posted April 28, 2015 Report Posted April 28, 2015 I know it's not really that interesting as I'm not posting a whole line-up but, I hope we take a run at Karri Ramo. UFA and looks like he probably won't be re-signed by the Flames as - bizzarely - they prefer Hiller and have Ortio on a 1-way deal next season. Quote
MBHockey13 Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Very good article about Grigorenko. He talks about playing wing with Reinhart in Rochester and how much he enjoyed it and felt comfortable.http://www.amerks.com/newsX.asp?type=News&aID=1287 Quote
Hoss Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Top restricted free agents this offseason: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/restricted-free-agents-2015-nhl-contract-nazem-kadri-jonathan-bernier-derek-stepan-mark-stone-braden-holtby-tarasenko-hamilton-nyquist-schultz/ Great group and I expect more offer sheets than we're used to but most will get matched. Quote
LGR4GM Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Very good article about Grigorenko. He talks about playing wing with Reinhart in Rochester and how much he enjoyed it and felt comfortable. http://www.amerks.com/newsX.asp?type=News&aID=1287 totally agree :P http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/22659-rochester-americans-2014-2015/?p=687268 Quote
MBHockey13 Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 totally agree :P http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/22659-rochester-americans-2014-2015/?p=687268 Great minds think alike! I totally didn't know where to put this thing, but I figured it might fit as Grigo could be a good winger for Reinhart on the second line if they developed some chemisty - in one game, of course. Quote
qwksndmonster Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Top restricted free agents this offseason: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/restricted-free-agents-2015-nhl-contract-nazem-kadri-jonathan-bernier-derek-stepan-mark-stone-braden-holtby-tarasenko-hamilton-nyquist-schultz/ Great group and I expect more offer sheets than we're used to but most will get matched. Doesn't like 1 offer sheet get signed like every other year? When was the last time one wasn't matched? Quote
Hoss Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) Doesn't like 1 offer sheet get signed like every other year? When was the last time one wasn't matched?That's why I said I expect to see more. Considering the group and the teams that will be tight up against the cap. The last time one wasn't matched? I'm honestly not sure. Edit: Dustin Penner from the Ducks to the Oilers in 2007 was the last time. Edited April 29, 2015 by Hoss Quote
Hoss Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Only 13 of the 30 franchises have ever signed somebody to an offer sheet. St. Louis - 9 times New York Rangers - 4 times Boston - 3 times San Jose - 3 times Philadelphia - 3 times Toronto - 2 times Calgary - 2 times Chicago - 2 times Edmonton - 2 times (both in 2007) Carolina - 2 times (once as Hartford) Vancouver - 1 time Washington - 1 time Ottawa - 1 time Quote
Weave Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Wow. I didn't realize that there were so many offer sheets signed. St. Louis 9 times? Who were they? Quote
MBHockey13 Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 Wow. I didn't realize that there were so many offer sheets signed. St. Louis 9 times? Who were they? I remember both Scott Stevens and Brendan Shanahan. Those were both pretty big ones. Quote
Hoss Posted April 29, 2015 Report Posted April 29, 2015 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_players_who_have_signed_offer_sheets Quote
MattPie Posted April 30, 2015 Report Posted April 30, 2015 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_players_who_have_signed_offer_sheets Ah, so the majority were well before the lockout when they became a big talking point. 8 in the 9 years since Lockout I. Quote
dudacek Posted April 30, 2015 Report Posted April 30, 2015 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NHL_players_who_have_signed_offer_sheets Interesting. I don't remember the offer sheet angle to Simpson coming here. Quote
dudacek Posted May 4, 2015 Report Posted May 4, 2015 What would you guys think of Murray failed to make any significant trade or free agent additions up front and we ended up with a forward lineup next year that simply added a new first line: Kane Eichel Girgensons Moulson Larsson Ennis Foligno Girgorenko Gionta Deslauriers McCormick Kaleta Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted May 4, 2015 Report Posted May 4, 2015 What would you guys think of Murray failed to make any significant trade or free agent additions up front and we ended up with a forward lineup next year that simply added a new first line: Kane Eichel Girgensons Moulson Larsson Ennis Foligno Girgorenko Gionta Deslauriers McCormick Kaleta I think that looks like one bad hockey team. Not 50 point bad, mind you, but bad. Quote
dudacek Posted May 4, 2015 Report Posted May 4, 2015 I'm thinking that is the most realistic version of our depth chart as it stands today, assuming Reinhart doesn't leap past Grigorenko and Hodgson is this year's Hodgson. Best-case scenario: * 50 goals combined from Kane and Eichel * Noticeable improvement from Larsson, Grigorenko and Girgensons * What we got in the last month or two from the other four in the top nine. * Good health Assuming the defence is improved and we acquire a decent goalie 70-75 points? Quote
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