Biggest Area Of Need

[WildCard]

So we've seen a few games, definitely not enough to judge this team, but maybe enough to know where our areas of weakness are. It's well known on this board our need for a RW, goal-tending is a huge question and a LHD or a stable top pairing defense for that matter. So, my question is, what do we target next? 

 

All stats are for the previous 2014-2015 season

 

For right wingers, in the system we have

 

1) Hudson Fasching (12-24-26 in 38gp (NCAA))

 

2) Justin Bailey (12-16-28 in 22gp (OHL))

 

3) Nick Baptiste (26-27-53 in 41gp (OHL))

 

For defense

 

1) Brendon Guhle (LHD)  (5-27-32, -6 in 72gp (WHL))

 

2) Anthony Florentino (RHD) (3-11-14, +15 in 40gp (NCAA))

 

3) Brycen Martin (5-17-22, -14 in 30gp (WHL) )

 

For goalies

 

1) Linus Ulmark (3.12 GAA, .905% svs in 32gp (SHL))

 

2) Cal Petersen (2.51 GAA, .919% svs, in 33gp (NCAA))

 

3) Jason Kasdorf (2.97 GAA, .902% svs in 33gp (NCAA))

 

Goalies are always a huge question mark; the more in your system, the better. I feel pretty confident about our RW situation, and Guhle and Florentino look promising for our defensive pairing. However, there are two things we've seen about Tim Murray so far. 

 

A) If the right player is available, he will unload the cupboard to get them

 

B) He prefers to draft/develop or trade for established NHL players rather than spend big on FA

 

So, IMO, that leaves us with 2 options. Are we comfortable enough with the guys in our system moving forward, or do we package some of them and a pick to maybe in the following seasons to get us where we want to be?

 

Personally, with Murray making the move for Lehner and a decent stock of goalies, and a solid pipe-line of RW in the system, I think Murray stays put in both of those categories and maybe tries for another d-man in a trade. 

 

Before anyone jumps on me, I get it, I know exactly what this season is. But, that doesn't mean we can't look forward, and see what this team is lacking.

 

 

[Neo]

Great thought starter. I'm interested to see if GMTM's thoughts on UFAs changes after this season in light of how he's brought the team along. UFAs may be more attractive to him in light of what he's assembled. A big ticket compliment is not a big ticket building block.

[bob_sauve28]

All the really good teams have a dominating defenseman. Can Risto develop into something like a Duncan Keith, Vitor Hedman or Ryan McDonough? You can never have enough good defenseman in the system. That would be my worry now going forward

[Doohicksie]

Quarterback. Definitely quarterback.

[Doohicksie]

Now for my serious post:  I don't see Murray making any moves until Christmastime.  The team has just infused a ton of new players (essentially half the team) and it will take a while to assimilate them all and see what the net effect is.  Once the line combos settle down it will become apparent where the holes are, but I wouldn't spend assets to plug holes just yet.  If we trade for a wing or D or goalie and it turns out the players we have work, then you've wasted assets.  I think you need to play 20-30 games minimum before you can do a proper assessment.

[X. Benedict]

All the really good teams have a dominating defenseman. Can Risto develop into something like a Duncan Keith, Vitor Hedman or Ryan McDonough? You can never have enough good defenseman in the system. That would be my worry now going forward

The blueline really needs to be better for the next step. 

I like what I see from Risto, McCabe, Pysyk. The vets haven't really been that great. Especially on the kill. 

[IKnowPhysics]

Biggest area of need? Patience.

[TrueBlueGED]

Auston Matthews, duh.

 

Really though, we desperately need a top-4 left defenseman who can contribute at both ends of the ice and doesn't need sheltered minutes. This is true even if McCabe emerges because Gorges either should be on the 3rd pair or he won't be around long term anyway. Will be really interesting to see if Pysyk moved to the left side when Bogo is back--if he can play second pair left side, we're in pretty good shape with only a single LHD addition.

 

I know many will undoubtedly point to RW, and while I'd like to upgrade some there, I don't view it as critical. A huge part of the benefit of having centers like Eichel and Reinhart is you can manufacture production from your wingers. Besides, if 3/4 top-6 wingers are O'Reilly, Kane, and Ennis, you're really not in bad shape with that.

[inkman]

The blueline really needs to be better for the next step.

I like what I see from Risto, McCabe, Pysyk. The vets haven't really been that great. Especially on the kill.

Bogo will help in that regard.

All the really good teams have a dominating defenseman. Can Risto develop into something like a Duncan Keith, Vitor Hedman or Ryan McDonough? You can never have enough good defenseman in the system. That would be my worry now going forward

I think Risto and Bogo have that potential. Especially Rasmus. All the tools are there, just needs some seasoning. Perhaps paprika.

[LGR4GM]

Biggest area of need? Patience.

:wub:

[Doohicksie]

Bogo will help in that regard.

 

I think Risto and Bogo have that potential. Especially Rasmus. All the tools are there, just needs some seasoning. Perhaps paprika.

 

 

I think Risto will be dominating more in the sense of Lidstrom than Chara- doesn't seem like there's that much effort but somehow the team always has the puck when he's out there.

[Iron Crotch]

IMHO, if we really want to be a Cup contender, we need two-to-four really great two-way d-men.  Risto may grow into that, but I don't see any others in the remaining group.  Offense is so hard to come by in today's game that the better teams seem to have guys on the back end who can not only shut down the opposing team, but significantly contribute offensively.

 

[woods-racer]

IMHO, if we really want to be a Cup contender, we need two-to-four really great two-way d-men.  Risto may grow into that, but I don't see any others in the remaining group.  Offense is so hard to come by in today's game that the better teams seem to have guys on the back end who can not only shut down the opposing team, but significantly contribute offensively.

 

I think the great D-men are a product of really good forwards that give the D-men help and a relatively easy outlet pass. We could have had 4 great D-men on the sabres last year, IMHO they would have looked at best average. It takes great forwards to have great d-men.

[...]

I would say the biggest area of need would be a solid goaltender who can steal a game, or win a goalie duel.

 

After that the bottom D pairing should be upgraded to something that puts the entire D corp on another level.

 

This is based on what I see now, which could change. What we really need is time. The top six needs to learn how to score!

[pi2000]

Speed on defense   

Speed on the 3rd/4th line    

Goaltending

Experience

 

The Weber/Franson pairing has to be the slowest D pairing in professional hockey.  Gorges is also very slow.   Those 3 need to be replaced with better skaters, Bogosian will help.   Just watch how many dump in races these guys lose, it's like they're skating in wet cement.  

 

3rd/4th line is also too slow.   Moulson, Foligno, Deslauriers are just too slow, they're late on the puck, lose races and fall behind on the back-check.    If you're going to play a dump and chase brand of hockey, you need to win races to pucks, these guys just can't do it.

[Iron Crotch]

I think the great D-men are a product of really good forwards that give the D-men help and a relatively easy outlet pass. We could have had 4 great D-men on the sabres last year, IMHO they would have looked at best average. It takes great forwards to have great d-men.

 

I strongly believe it works in the opposite direction.  I think the offense flows through the gifted d-men (Keith, Seabrook, Weber, Josi, Doughty, Karlsson, Suter, Pietrangelo, etc.) on many of the top teams. But, obviously better forwards pad the d-men stats and visa-versa.

 

When I look at the Sabres, who do we have who can carry the puck with confidence through the neutral and offensive zone?  Risto is about it.  Maybe Bogo, but I need to see him in Bylsma's system.

 

Down here in Nashville, the defensemen always have the puck and carry much of the offensive play.

[TrueBlueGED]

I strongly believe it works in the opposite direction.  I think the offense flows through the gifted d-men (Keith, Seabrook, Weber, Josi, Doughty, Karlsson, Suter, Pietrangelo, etc.) on many of the top teams. But, obviously better forwards pad the d-men stats and visa-versa.

 

When I look at the Sabres, who do we have who can carry the puck with confidence through the neutral and offensive zone?  Risto is about it.  Maybe Bogo, but I need to see him in Bylsma's system.

 

Down here in Nashville, the defensemen always have the puck and carry much of the offensive play.

 

I think that's more of a statement on the talent level of Nashville's D versus their forwards than it is a general rule about where offense is generated from.

[LTS]

I strongly believe it works in the opposite direction.  I think the offense flows through the gifted d-men (Keith, Seabrook, Weber, Josi, Doughty, Karlsson, Suter, Pietrangelo, etc.) on many of the top teams. But, obviously better forwards pad the d-men stats and visa-versa.

 

When I look at the Sabres, who do we have who can carry the puck with confidence through the neutral and offensive zone?  Risto is about it.  Maybe Bogo, but I need to see him in Bylsma's system.

 

Down here in Nashville, the defensemen always have the puck and carry much of the offensive play.

 

The ability to start the play out of the zone is all on the defense.  However, the forwards have a huge say in that.  If you recall last year the opposing teams had no fear of the forwards and so they would play a heavy forecheck.  The forwards were slow with the puck so even if the forecheck was beaten by the D the forward was collapsed on before he could leave the zone.  

 

Look at this year.  They have the forwards higher in the zone.  The speed of the breakout is much faster and as such the opposition D is leaving the blue line earlier to not get caught.  All of this opens up the ice and allows the Sabres D man a bit more space to make the plays needed.

 

Once that happens you need the D man who hits that pass or skates it out himself.  But without the open ice the best D man is going nowhere.

[Drunkard]

I strongly believe it works in the opposite direction.  I think the offense flows through the gifted d-men (Keith, Seabrook, Weber, Josi, Doughty, Karlsson, Suter, Pietrangelo, etc.) on many of the top teams. But, obviously better forwards pad the d-men stats and visa-versa.

 

When I look at the Sabres, who do we have who can carry the puck with confidence through the neutral and offensive zone?  Risto is about it.  Maybe Bogo, but I need to see him in Bylsma's system.

 

Down here in Nashville, the defensemen always have the puck and carry much of the offensive play.

 

 

We had a guy like that in Ehrhoff but Murray bought him out then traded Zadorov so now we get to see a left side that consists of Gorges, McCabe, and Weber instead.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Drunkard

[Doohicksie]

When I look at the Sabres, who do we have who can carry the puck with confidence through the neutral and offensive zone?  Risto is about it.  Maybe Bogo, but I need to see him in Bylsma's system.

 

Pysyk can do it too.  He tends to move the puck with a pass (and he's pretty good with a long pass), but he'll skate it into the offensive zone if the opportunity presents.

[woods-racer]

I'll condense my point to this.

 

Really talented forwards can make average d-men look good.

 

Really talented d-man can't make average forwards look good.

 

It's the chicken and egg debate of hockey.

 

Some are blaming lack of quality d-men for the reason we are not winning, others the lack of scoring by our top 6. It's all to early to tell, but I bet once the Sabres forwards mesh and have a more cohesive starting line up the defense will look greatly improved as a a result of it.  They may even take a few steps back during the first 5 games Bogo comes back and gets into playing shape/speed. 

[WildCard]

Auston Matthews, duh.

 

Really though, we desperately need a top-4 left defenseman who can contribute at both ends of the ice and doesn't need sheltered minutes. This is true even if McCabe emerges because Gorges either should be on the 3rd pair or he won't be around long term anyway. Will be really interesting to see if Pysyk moved to the left side when Bogo is back--if he can play second pair left side, we're in pretty good shape with only a single LHD addition.

 

I know many will undoubtedly point to RW, and while I'd like to upgrade some there, I don't view it as critical. A huge part of the benefit of having centers like Eichel and Reinhart is you can manufacture production from your wingers. Besides, if 3/4 top-6 wingers are O'Reilly, Kane, and Ennis, you're really not in bad shape with that.

I tend to agree that wingers are the least of our worries. Pittsburgh just throws wingers at Crosby and they turn into all-stars, and Chicago let Saad and Sharp go just to have Teuvo and Panarin replace them. Having skilled wingers is important, but it is definitely a game-changer for your roster when you have centers like we do. Plus, I think Girgs can fit in that 2nd line wing role on any night too. 

 

I'm just not comfortable with Guhle and a semi-healthy Bogosian being the solutions. I know Guhle is years away, and Pysk and McCabe can develop, but as others have said in this thread, we need our Keith/Seabrooke, our Pronger/Nierdermyer, those guys you can play 27 minutes in a playoffs game and they can shut down the opposition, leaving your 3rd pair on the bench

 

 

I would say the biggest area of need would be a solid goaltender who can steal a game, or win a goalie duel.

 

After that the bottom D pairing should be upgraded to something that puts the entire D corp on another level.

 

This is based on what I see now, which could change. What we really need is time. The top six needs to learn how to score!

My only problem with trying to get a goalie of that caliber is actually going about and doing it. I mean, how? If you have a great goalie, they're not getting traded, or hitting FA, so that basically leaves drafting them. We seem to have drafted some solid prospects, but Ulmark has an injury history, and the others are still a few years away. Who knows, maybe Lehner ends up being that guy, but I would rather rely on getting some shut-down d-men that can shelter adequate goal-tending instead

Speed on defense   

Speed on the 3rd/4th line    

Goaltending

Experience

 

The Weber/Franson pairing has to be the slowest D pairing in professional hockey.  Gorges is also very slow.   Those 3 need to be replaced with better skaters, Bogosian will help.   Just watch how many dump in races these guys lose, it's like they're skating in wet cement.  

 

3rd/4th line is also too slow.   Moulson, Foligno, Deslauriers are just too slow, they're late on the puck, lose races and fall behind on the back-check.    If you're going to play a dump and chase brand of hockey, you need to win races to pucks, these guys just can't do it.

Des is not slow IMO, and Muolson simply isn't a 3rd line player. It's really interesting that you have the 3rd/4th line as a worry, when those guys are pretty easy to come by

Edited October 19, 2015 by WildCard

[nfreeman]

I'm kinda expecting a big UFA move for a defenseman this summer.

[X. Benedict]

The ability to start the play out of the zone is all on the defense.  However, the forwards have a huge say in that.  If you recall last year the opposing teams had no fear of the forwards and so they would play a heavy forecheck.  The forwards were slow with the puck so even if the forecheck was beaten by the D the forward was collapsed on before he could leave the zone.  

 

Look at this year.  They have the forwards higher in the zone.  The speed of the breakout is much faster and as such the opposition D is leaving the blue line earlier to not get caught.  All of this opens up the ice and allows the Sabres D man a bit more space to make the plays needed.

 

Once that happens you need the D man who hits that pass or skates it out himself.  But without the open ice the best D man is going nowhere.

good stuff. 

[LGR4GM]

I tend to agree that wingers are the least of our worries. Pittsburgh just throws wingers at Crosby and they turn into all-stars, and Chicago let Saad and Sharp go just to have Teuvo and Panarin replace them. Having skilled wingers is important, but it is definitely a game-changer for your roster when you have centers like we do. Plus, I think Girgs can fit in that 2nd line wing role on any night too. 

 

I'm just not comfortable with Guhle and a semi-healthy Bogosian being the solutions. I know Guhle is years away, and Pysk and McCabe can develop, but as others have said in this thread, we need our Keith/Seabrooke, our Pronger/Nierdermyer, those guys you can play 27 minutes in a playoffs game and they can shut down the opposition, leaving your 3rd pair on the bench

 

 

My only problem with trying to get a goalie of that caliber is actually going about and doing it. I mean, how? If you have a great goalie, they're not getting traded, or hitting FA, so that basically leaves drafting them. We seem to have drafted some solid prospects, but Ulmark has an injury history, and the others are still a few years away. Who knows, maybe Lehner ends up being that guy, but I would rather rely on getting some shut-down d-men that can shelter adequate goal-tending instead

Des is not slow IMO, and Muolson simply isn't a 3rd line player. It's really interesting that you have the 3rd/4th line as a worry, when those guys are pretty easy to come by

Ullmark does not have an injury history.

I agree we defender help