And your 2017-2018 Buffalo Sabres Captain is...

[sabills]

So there's been some talk about this on the twitters today, specifically by Paul Hamilton (sorry d4rk). Who do you think SHOULD get the letters next year? Who deserves it? Who wants it? Who will still be on the roster?

 

I put up a separate poll about Gionta in addition, just to avoid the whole "but they might not resign him" thing.

 

 

 

• Paul Hamilton‏Verified account @pham1717  3h3 hours ago

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  Talked to Brian for pregame. He said he's been working closely with some of the young kids teaching them what being a captain is all about

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  Anthony Mancini‏ @anthonyMancini  3h3 hours ago

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  Honestly Id rather see 90 with C, 15 and 55 with A's. I'm not around the team obvs so I can't say for sure but 90 *feels* like the real Capt

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  Paul Hamilton‏Verified account @pham1717  3h3 hours ago

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  55 is too timid to every be part of that group. I no longer think 90 is a good idea either. It has to be 15 or they'll have a problem

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  Chris Ostrander‏ @2ITB_Buffalo  2h2 hours ago

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  Curious to know your POV on why 90 wouldn't be a good choice. Is it b/c he's maybe too hard on himself?

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Paul Hamilton‏Verified account @pham1717

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Replying to @2ITB_Buffalo

Partly, after seeing him for two seasons, just not the leader I thought he was

 

Some imput from Paul. I tend to think of Hamilton as a bit of an old-timey blowhard, but this is the type of stuff I actually trust his opinion on.

 

For my money, its Jack. Its going to be him anyways, he's shown this year that he can be vocal, that he cares, and that he is clearly the best player on the team. My A's go to ROR and Sam, but if Gio is back there's no way they rip the letter from him entirely, and I think that's fair.

Edited April 5, 2017 by sabills

[WildCard]

Depends on the coach IMO.

 

Byslma here, Gionta gone, it'll be Gorges or RoR. 

 

Byslma gone, Gionta gone, it'll be Jack. The new HC will immediately want Jack on his side

[sabills]

Hamilton has an article about it, too: http://www.wgr550.com/articles/news/gionta-helping-groom-next-captain

[TrueBlueGED]

Depends on the coach IMO.

 

Byslma here, Gionta gone, it'll be Gorges or RoR. 

 

Byslma gone, Gionta gone, it'll be Jack. The new HC will immediately want Jack on his side

 

I actually think part of any attempted Jack-Bylsma reconciliation is going to involve him getting the captaincy.

[WildCard]

I actually think part of any attempted Jack-Bylsma reconciliation is going to involve him getting the captaincy.

He publicly shamed Reinhart in a power move, I doubt he's going to want to bend to Jack

[sabills]

He publicly shamed Reinhart in a power move, I doubt he's going to want to bend to Jack

 

These guys know where their bread is buttered, and that's on the edge of Jack's blade. Reconciliation w/ Jack is going to be the only way DB keeps his job, and that could easily mean the captaincy.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

If Gionta is re-signed he will be the captain.

 

If not, ROR gets the C, Jack with a permanent A; Risto and Sam rotating the other A ... I'm not a fan of rotating letters, especially the C, but I want the two other main core pieces with letters.

[Huckleberry]

I'd have Risto wear the C, O'Reilly with an A. Lehner with an A.

If gionta comes back, sure give him an A, if he gets the C then I think nobody on this team really wants to step up.

 

The reason I went with Risto and Lehner: I just feel like they have a bigger drive than most to want to win, and I saw them play that way each game.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Huckleberry

[ubkev]

These guys know where their bread is buttered, and that's on the edge of Jack's blade. Reconciliation w/ Jack is going to be the only way DB keeps his job, and that could easily mean the captaincy.

Do we like that though? Seems like a poor reason. Obviously most of us want Dan fired, but even so, this seems pretty weak. "Well, golly gee, I sure don't wanna get fired this year, better make Jack the captain so he likes me."

[SabresFanInRochester]

Paul Hamilton‏Verified account @pham1717  3h3 hours ago

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55 is too timid to every be part of that group. I no longer think 90 is a good idea either. It has to be 15 or they'll have a problem

 

 

So there's been some talk about this on the twitters today, specifically by Paul Hamilton (sorry d4rk). Who do you think SHOULD get the letters next year? Who deserves it? Who wants it? Who will still be on the roster?

 

I put up a separate poll about Gionta in addition, just to avoid the whole "but they might not resign him" thing.

 

 

Some imput from Paul. I tend to think of Hamilton as a bit of an old-timey blowhard, but this is the type of stuff I actually trust his opinion on.

 

For my money, its Jack. Its going to be him anyways, he's shown this year that he can be vocal, that he cares, and that he is clearly the best player on the team. My A's go to ROR and Sam, but if Gio is back there's no way they rip the letter from him entirely, and I think that's fair.

55 is too timid? I see 90 as that way off the ice, and maybe that is why PHam has softened on him. Do you need to be the loud-mouth to be captain? Is 55 quiet because of a language barrier? I want the captain to be a guy that leads by example. To me, that is 55. He plays with an edge, is top-tier, in my opinion, and is looked up to, from what I can tell. Looking at other captains in the NHL, I don't know that many of them are outspoken. 

[TrueBlueGED]

Do we like that though? Seems like a poor reason. Obviously most of us want Dan fired, but even so, this seems pretty weak. "Well, golly gee, I sure don't wanna get fired this year, better make Jack the captain so he likes me."

 

Well, it's not a great reason. But I think most of the time the young stars get the C with reasoning such as "Well, he's our most talented player, and we know he's going to get it eventually...so let's just do it now." Is using the C as a mechanism to try to get the player and coach to get along better really much worse?

[Randall Flagg]

Jack's going to wear the C for a long time, but I think I want him focusing on growing into the player he's going to be first.

[sabills]

Do we like that though? Seems like a poor reason. Obviously most of us want Dan fired, but even so, this seems pretty weak. "Well, golly gee, I sure don't wanna get fired this year, better make Jack the captain so he likes me."

 

I also happen to think Jack deserves it, so it doesn't bother me any.

[That Aud Smell]

55 is too timid? I see 90 as that way off the ice, and maybe that is why PHam has softened on him. Do you need to be the loud-mouth to be captain? Is 55 quiet because of a language barrier? I want the captain to be a guy that leads by example. To me, that is 55. He plays with an edge, is top-tier, in my opinion, and is looked up to, from what I can tell. Looking at other captains in the NHL, I don't know that many of them are outspoken. 

 

Poor choice of words. I think I know what he's getting at. I'm sure the language/culture barrier plays a role.

 

Jack's going to wear the C for a long time, but I think I want him focusing on growing into the player he's going to be first.

 

Eichel is the team's future captain, for sure. The question is when the future will arrive. Maybe sooner than we might have thought.

[sodbuster]

90

 

55,23

[North Buffalo]

Jack C, Rasmus on D and Marcus for old guard toughness.

only other choice if he becomes more consistent is Lehner because of his fire.

[Doohicksie]

So far no one else has selected my combination:

 

Gionta C

Okposo A

Foligno A

 

I like veterans in the leadership positions.  I think Jack will eventually be the captain, but giving him another year to mature won't hurt. 

 

No one else picked Marcus.  I think he's already a leader on the ice, he's vocal and he works hard.  He's not a primary scorer so there isn't a risk of the guy losing confidence in his leadership ability if he hits a slump.

 

EDIT:  And while I was typing, North Buffalo picked Marcus.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Doohickie

[sabills]

Jack C, Rasmus on D and Marcus for old guard toughness.

only other choice if he becomes more consistent is Lehner because of his fire.

 

 

So far no one else has selected my combination:

 

Gionta C

Okposo A

Foligno A

 

I like veterans in the leadership positions.  I think Jack will eventually be the captain, but giving him another year to mature won't hurt. 

 

No one else picked Marcus.  I think he's already a leader on the ice, he's vocal and he works hard.  He's not a primary scorer so there isn't a risk of the guy losing confidence in his leadership ability if he hits a slump.

 

EDIT:  And while I was typing, North Buffalo picked Marcus.

 

Yeah, I thought people would give me crap for putting MF on there, but he seems like a potential A to me. He's the first to jump in when things need to get scrappy. He's not as skilled as others, but I could see him getting a letter eventually.

[TrueBlueGED]

Yeah, I thought people would give me crap for putting MF on there, but he seems like a potential A to me. He's the first to jump in when things need to get scrappy. He's not as skilled as others, but I could see him getting a letter eventually.

I didn't give you crap because I never imagined anyone would be crazy enough to vote for him :p

[Randall Flagg]

McCabe dark horse

[Taro T]

McCabe dark horse

Could see him getting an A before Ristolainen even though Risto is a better player.

[darksabre]

I want Eichel with the C.

I want Reinhart and Kane with the A's.

And I want Gionta to off. 

[darksabre]

To expand on that, how about this theory: Brian Gionta is a sh*t captain. 

Look at his record. The dude played 7 seasons in NJ and wore an A for a few months in 2007 even though he was one of the teams best players for years. How is it that Mr. Leadership kept getting passed over for letters in NJ? Then he comes to Montreal and gets a C and does it even matter? They didn't care about losing him. 

So then he comes here, gets a C slapped on him, and suddenly he's Chris Drury 2.0? 

You wanna know what is wrong with this team's attitude? Start with Brian Gionta, the guy everyone seems to think is a leader despite having never shown any evidence of that being a thing. 

[dudacek]

This season has turned me on this.

 

Jack - not because he is ready, or because he deserves it.

But because it is his team and it is it is probably in the best interest of the team to confirm that.

 

Personally, I think it will speed his maturation process and probably get him more on board with the coach, whoever that may be.

He's already got the strongest personality and the sway over the kids.

 

ROR and KO have the makeup and stature to make good veteran corporals.

Edited April 5, 2017 by dudacek

[TrueBlueGED]

This season has turned me on this.

 

Jack - not because he is ready, or because he deserves it.

But because it is his team and it is it is probably in the best interest of the team to confirm that.

 

Personally, I think it will speed his maturation process and probably get him more on board with the coach, whoever that may be.

He's already got the strongest personality and the sway over the kids.

 

ROR and KO have the makeup and stature to make good veteran corporals.

Those were my three, with almost the exact same reasoning, whether Bylsma is back or not.