Lehner's back: What happens?

[Doohicksie]

Not to this extent. 

 

What extent?  We haven't traded anyone yet.  And we know that if Murray trades an asset he wants for the long term, he'll bring him back after the season.  I could see him cashing Weber, McGinn and Johnson, maybe even Legwand, for draft picks (everyone talks about how bare the cupboard is; the picks can help replenish) and the Sabres not being worse. 

 

Weber is a 7th Dman on a team that needs help at the top, and any help they get there will push him off the active roster anyway. 

 

McGinn is playing well (which may mean a big return), but he's the type of player that elevates his game when playing with other top players and is realistically more of a 3rd line guy, kind of like Chris Stewart last year, and I think he's replaceable.  And if he is part of GMTM's long term plan, he may pull a Moulson and sign over the summer.

 

Johnson is a steady backup, okay but not great.  Let a team that's thin at G grab him for a playoff run.

 

Legwand brings good experience, a locker room presence, and helps out on the PK, but I think he's fulfilled his job here and won't be back next year.  Might as well get something for him.  Or not.  Not sure there will be much demand for him.

 

And all these guys are UFAs.  Might as well get something for an expiring contract.

 

AS far as Ennis goes, I think GMTM will shop him around, but will trade asset for asset.  He'll try to get either a scoring winger, or maybe some blueline help.  Either way, though, I see Ennis being traded for someone else who's already in the NHL or a prospect who is NHL-ready.

 

And for every one of these guys who might be moved, it will create a spot for someone from Rochester to get some experience toward the end of the season.  After turning over half the team from last year, losing three or four, one of which is the backup goalie, is pretty minor.  The only one I really see affecting team chemistry is McGinn, and like I say, GMTM could conceivably bring him back.

[MODO Hockey]

This is what I expect to happen. I still expect Lehner to be our # 1 long term but Ullmark to be a good backup.

 

Is Borje Salming still God over way?

He is, getting real old though. He has done good in the fasion industry :D

[Doohicksie]

I'd bet Legwad returns as well, and maybe Carlos

 

Maybe, but I don't see either one of those guys being unique in what they bring.  And frankly if Moulson doesn't get out of his funk he could fill a spot on the 4th line in place of Legwand, with Schaller centering.  Might not be room for Legwand.

 

Coco has been a serviceable Dman, but he's not more than a 6-7 guy.  If he's not back, it's no great loss.

 

The trades I see happening will be largely trimming a few guys off the roster that aren't part of the long term future anyway (with the possible exception of McGinn, who is at best part of the "outer core.")

Turning over half the team expecting some sort of chemistry and cohesiveness is just as asinine. 

Especially when you want to make the youngest team in the league even younger. 

 

I'll agree with this, but my bold prediction is that GMTM trades no more than four players away by the deadline.  That's probably pretty average for a "seller."

 

So while we will hear trade rumors about a lot of players, we're not going to see excessive turnover.

Edited January 15, 2016 by The Big Johnson

[Weave]

Maybe, but I don't see either one of those guys being unique in what they bring.  And frankly if Moulson doesn't get out of his funk he could fill a spot on the 4th line in place of Legwand, with Schaller centering.  Might not be room for Legwand.

 

Coco has been a serviceable Dman, but he's not more than a 6-7 guy.  If he's not back, it's no great loss.

 

The trades I see happening will be largely trimming a few guys off the roster that aren't part of the long term future anyway (with the possible exception of McGinn, who is at best part of the "outer core.")

 

I'll agree with this, but my bold prediction is that GMTM trades no more than four players away by the deadline.  That's probably pretty average for a "seller."

 

So while we will hear trade rumors about a lot of players, we're not going to see excessive turnover.

 

If Schaller makes the team next season.................. we won't be a playoff team.  Schaller = Ellis

[Doohicksie]

Gonna try to analyze this, seen from my point of view.

 

Look,

 

4 seasons ago, i believed Robin Lehner would become something extraordinary, young and very spicy, Robin Lehner has quite a temper as a goalie.

He played some really good games in Ottawa, 5 games with percentage of 93,5 and the word spread like an fire in Sweden, almost noone knew about Robin Lehner before, because he left Sweden for OHL, before even playing a game in SHL.

 

After that, his Career took a swing, high swing, but about the same time his injuries started, and has been following him like a black sheep ever since, this is the downside with Robin Lehner, i dont know if its his playstyle or what that is the reason.

 

If Robin Lehner gets to be free of injuries, he will provide, no doubt. I would LOVE seeing Robin Lehner / Linus Ullmark, 2 special goalies indeed with one hell of a teamspirit, but this is my heart speaking, not my common sense, because that would be to send Ullmark down, to R.A, let him own that league like the boss he is, gain more intel of the American way of hockey, and then come up next season as 2nd, and fight for 1st.

 

This is the most likely scenario. Looking at economy for example. Sending down Chad is not economically.

 

And if i get this part right, Ullmark can only play 25 games, otherwize Sabres must offer him 1 way contract, right?

 

Sending down Ullmark now, would most likely be unfair to the team and him, but Robin Lehner costs $2,225.000 per season, he is comming no matter what.

 

That's okay, that's the way I am too when it comes to rooting for a team.  I know a lot of analytics and hard work go into a winning team, but I'm far more romantic in the way I view it.

[Randall Flagg]

If Schaller makes the team next season.................. we won't be a playoff team. Schaller = Ellis

Fun fact, the last time we won the division, Ellis played 72 games O.o

[K-9]

If Schaller makes the team next season.................. we won't be a playoff team.  Schaller = Ellis

Tim Schaller: The Matt Ellis of AHL hopefuls. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Doohicksie]

If Schaller makes the team next season.................. we won't be a playoff team.  Schaller = Ellis

 

I won't disagree with the Schaller = Ellis statement, but the reason the Sabres sucked when Ellis played on the team was that all the Sabres sucked.  There's room on a winning team for one or two journeymen that are maxed out on the 4th line.

Fun fact, the last time we won the division, Ellis played 72 games O.o

 

BOOM.

Tim Schaller: The Matt Ellis of AHL hopefuls. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Now that's just cold, man.

[Weave]

I won't disagree with the Schaller = Ellis statement, but the reason the Sabres sucked when Ellis played on the team was that all the Sabres sucked.  There's room on a winning team for one or two journeymen that are maxed out on the 4th line.

 

BOOM.

 

Now that's just cold, man.

 

There absolutely is room for a journeyman or two.  Schaller isn't. He's an AHLer.

[Doohicksie]

There absolutely is room for a journeyman or two.  Schaller isn't. He's an AHLer.

 

You could be right.  But I don't think so.  We'll see how it plays out.

[beerme1]

He is, getting real old though. He has done good in the fasion industry :D

 

Ha! He used to wear the fur coat here when I was a kid in Toronto. So much respect for Borje and the abuse he took and stood up for and always fought back against as one of the first Euro players, or was it first Swede? It's been a long time but always have a spot in my heart for him. Inge too but never the same as Borje. Borje was a beast!

Sorry, I don't mean to derail the thread but what ever happened to Hammarstrom?

[Formerly Allan in MD]

He shouldn't be back until he shows that he can perform effectively.  He hasn't basically played in the NHL for about a year.  Three "training camp" games doesn't cut it.

[MODO Hockey]

Ha! He used to wear the fur coat here when I was a kid in Toronto. So much respect for Borje and the abuse he took and stood up for and always fought back against as one of the first Euro players, or was it first Swede? It's been a long time but always have a spot in my heart for him. Inge too but never the same as Borje. Borje was a beast!

Sorry, I don't mean to derail the thread but what ever happened to Hammarstrom?

Hammarstrom is Euromanager for scouting, Philadephia flyers, and has been since 1990.

Dont know much about this guy though, im a bit to young beeing born just 3 years before he ended his career. 

[WanderingEye]

If Schaller makes the team next season.................. we won't be a playoff team.  Schaller = Ellis

 I watched a bit of the Winnipeg game with my dad on Sunday and out of the blue he just asked "why do they keep calling that guy (Schaller) up?" I didn't really have an answer for him. I haven't been able to follow the Amerks at all, is there really nobody better down there to give a look to than Schaller?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Whenever I think of Salming I think of crochity Ballard.

 

Never a dull moment when he owned the Leafs.

 

He used to tell anyone that would listen that he would never have *a commie bastard play for his team*, but he did like his Swedes.  Demanded that the Leafs be moved to the Campbell (Western now) conference and, of course, the NHL did it.  He said it would be an easier route to the SCF.  Almost worked once.

[beerme1]

Whenever I think of Salming I think of crochity Ballard.

 

Never a dull moment when he owned the Leafs.

 

He used to tell anyone that would listen that he would never have *a commie bastard play for his team*, but he did like his Swedes.  Demanded that the Leafs be moved to the Campbell (Western now) conference and, of course, the NHL did it.  He said it would be an easier route to the SCF.  Almost worked once.

 

Once lol. Ya he was something. I think Borje and Inge were the first Swedes to play in in the league.

[Neo]

Neo short term memory alert. Correct me if you heard differently.

 

Pierre McGuire was on Sirius this morning. He mentioned the usual, well known, about Lehner. He also reminded us that Colin White went at 21, and he gave reasons that he's high on White. He expects White to excel in the NHL, not just play solidly. I'm not re-hashing or what-ifing.

 

Of note, and the reason for my post, follows. McGuire had an impatient tone. He sounded like a GM or an agent. Injuries aside, he said that it's understood that Lehner did not put the necessary work in this summer to come to camp ready. I couldn't glean if he was referring to "ordinary" work an NHLer needs to put in, or the "extraordinary" work an NHLer coming off injury needs to put in.

 

There was a tone suggesting dissappointment, frustration and impatience.

 

Maybe I need to read more, but I'd not heard that before.

 

It's one man's view, but he suggested it wasn't his, alone.

Edited January 15, 2016 by N'eo

[Doohicksie]

Yeah, he came into camp overweight.  There as some discussion right after his injury as to whether that may have been a contributing factor to the injury (which was apparently self-induced, not the result of another player hitting him).

[Neo]

Grateful ... (For PA!).

[Randall Flagg]

I watched a bit of the Winnipeg game with my dad on Sunday and out of the blue he just asked "why do they keep calling that guy (Schaller) up?" I didn't really have an answer for him. I haven't been able to follow the Amerks at all, is there really nobody better down there to give a look to than Schaller?

In the Anaheim game last month Cal O'Reilly made a pass I could only see 3-4 other Sabres making, and he was promptly sent down. It was the last goal that a Sabre scored without Jack/ROR on the ice until the Winnipeg game IIRC. No idea why he's not up here over Schaller. Edited January 15, 2016 by Randall Flagg