Expectations for Guhle for next season and beyond?

[GASabresIUFAN]

I was looking at the D in the draft and there is so much love for Makar and Miro on this board. The scouts still love Liljigren. However Valimaki seems to be slipping despite decent size, speed and 61pts in the WHL last season.

 

So in two seasons in the WHL Valimaki has 93 pts in 116 games, including 19 goals last season.

 

Now compare that to Guhle's first two WHL seasons; 42 pts in 123 games. What this comparison made me realize is that I need to get my expectations in line for what type of player Guhle is. He is not going to be a top scoring D in the NHL. We should be happy if he becomes Jake McCabe, a good skating smart two way player who adds some O but mostly gets the puck out of our zone quickly.

 

This comparison also makes me want Valimaki.

Edited May 7, 2017 by GASabresFan

[Randall Flagg]

I have none. I want the team assuming that he plays the full season in Rochester and building the defense with that in mind. And if he surprises and plays his way into the top 6, great. If not, keep slow-cooking.

[Sabre fan]

obviously the guy has talent but needs a year or two in Rochester (hopefully with new leadership Rochester will become a good teaching foundation for our young players as most other team's AHL teams are such as Pittsubrg). I do think Antinpin will be far more NHL ready and has already faced the pressure of playoff hockey with his team in the KHL.

[Weave]

The expectations here for this kid are way too high.  We should be expecting 3rd pair with a bunch of scratches or time shuttling the I-90.

[Robviously]

The expectations here for this kid are way too high. We should be expecting 3rd pair with a bunch of scratches or time shuttling the I-90.

This.

[French Collection]

Yes we need to hold off on high expectations for Guhle.

He will make mistakes but will also give them a missing element, speed from the D.

I think he makes the team out of camp, but as a 5-6 D.

 

He did score 29 points in 32 games this season after the trade to Prince George.

Probably was shut down D in Prince Albert and then the new team wanted him to be leading the rush and PP QB.

[dudacek]

We should be expecting 3rd pair with a bunch of scratches or time shuttling the I-90.

This. He's got tools but he also has a learning curve coming, physically and mentally.

Five years down the road he could be the complementary guy on the top pair or a shutdown second pairing guy because of his athleticism. But he hasn't the hands or the hockey sense to be a top pairing guy.

[GoPuckYourself]

I'm expecting him to make top 6, then make our defense better which won't be that hard to do and hopefully be a part of why we get into the playoffs.

[Thorner]

I don't expect anything of him next season. I think has has the ability to potentially be a mainstay on the 3rd pair this coming season, but there's no guarantee he's ready even for that. But that would be my guess.

[pi2000]

With the current state of the NHL I think he fills a large role next season. If this was 10 years ago he'd need some more bake time, but this modern NHL puts a premium on slick skating defensemen, which is what Guhle is. His speed alone will make up for his mistakes.

 

I see him starting on the third pair eventually moving up to second or top pair.

[TrueBlueGED]

I expect him to be a better NHLer than Gorges. Yes, this season. And yes, even if he's in the AHL.

[bob_sauve28]

With the current state of the NHL I think he fills a large role next season. If this was 10 years ago he'd need some more bake time, but this modern NHL puts a premium on slick skating defensemen, which is what Guhle is. His speed alone will make up for his mistakes.

I see him starting on the third pair eventually moving up to second or top pair.

I agree with this, especially the first part

[Two or less]

Everything you hear and read about Botterill is he is very high on player development so i would expect Guhle to spend a good amount of time in Rochester next season. I think we will bring in 2 maybe even three new d-men to the team, including Antipin, and thus not having to really rely on Guhle to make the jump right away. He looked really good in his short time during his callup last season though, but i still think the right route for him is to spend time in the AHL.

 

Speaking of Guhle, did you guys see his younger brother went first overall in the WHL draft this past weekend?

[Taro T]

Expectation is that he starts the year in Ra-cha-cha & ends the year in Buffalo w/ somewhere between 40-60 NHL games & playing on the 3rd pairing w/ possible 2nd team pp time.

 

LT expectation is that he's a 5 but right now his ceiling is higher. Would be nice to see him grow into a 3 or even the home run of a 2 but not expecting it.

[nfreeman]

The expectations here for this kid are way too high.  We should be expecting 3rd pair with a bunch of scratches or time shuttling the I-90.

 

Yes indeed.

[ubkev]

6 points. All assists

[GASabresIUFAN]

I think he has another good camp and forces his way on the team with smart simply plays.  He may get some time in the pressbox and could get sent down if the Amerks are a playoff team and the Sabres aren't, but otherwise he spends the season in Buffalo.  I'm going to predict 3 goals and 12 assists.

 

I think he develops into Risto's partner long-term.  

[Thorner]

If we bring in the needed D help, Guhle will play more sheltered minutes in a more reasonable rookie role, and we'll like what we see from him.

 

If we don't bring in D help, he'll be the exact same player, but they'll be asking him to play above his current aptitude, and he'll disappoint in the eyes of the fans.

[Drunkard]

If we bring in the needed D help, Guhle will play more sheltered minutes in a more reasonable rookie role, and we'll like what we see from him.

 

If we don't bring in D help, he'll be the exact same player, but they'll be asking him to play above his current aptitude, and he'll disappoint in the eyes of the fans.

 

This to a T. Based on talent/potential Guhle may have to play in our top 4 on the left hand side behind McCabe. If we can bring in another guy to play on the left in our top 4 though it would be possible to shelter him on the 3rd pair while also bumping Gorges down to either 7th defenseman or (preferably) down to Rochester.

[LGR4GM]

I expect Guhle to ride into the Key Bank Arena Center Place on a dragon. Not a fake CGI game of thrones dragon but a real mother dragon that breathes lightning and craps death. He'll land at center ice and unsling Mjölnir in hockey stick form from his back satchel. Rip Simonick will offer him a crappy number and Guhle's dragon (name: cuddles) will eat him and Ted Black who handed Rip a turd burger jersey #84. Guhle will then unveil a royal blue jersey with the B and Sabre shoulder patch, original center logo, and no grey pit stains. His number will be the infinity symbol because you that's why. As he dismisses his dragon (name: cuddles) he will then faceoff against the Stanley Cup champions alone. Using his superior skating and hockey skills he will lay waste to them within the first 10 seconds, using Mjölnir to score 5 goals and accidentally taking down the skyway at the same time. With a roar of triumph, lightning with issue from his stick as he raises it to the rafters and the other team will then hand him the Stanley cup. Guhle will then drink the blood of his fallen enemies from the Cup while the rest of the league's season is canceled and Gary Bettman cedes control of the NHL to Guhle whose number is retired league wide. Guhle will then attend a press conference with the Buffalo media and his dragon (name: cuddles) will eat the first member of the media who asks a dumbass douchie question. That is what I expect to happen in the first hour Guhle is in Buffalo. 

[Mustache of God]

I expect Guhle to ride into the Key Bank Arena Center Place on a dragon. Not a fake CGI game of thrones dragon but a real mother ###### dragon that breathes lightning and craps death. He'll land at center ice and unsling Mjölnir in hockey stick form from his back satchel. Rip Simonick will offer him a crappy number and Guhle's dragon (name: cuddles) will eat him and Ted Black who handed Rip a turd burger jersey #84. Guhle will then unveil a royal blue jersey with the B and Sabre shoulder patch, original center logo, and no grey pit stains. His number will be the infinity symbol because ###### you that's why. As he dismisses his dragon (name: cuddles) he will then faceoff against the Stanley Cup champions alone. Using his superior skating and hockey skills he will lay waste to them within the first 10 seconds, using Mjölnir to score 5 goals and accidentally taking down the skyway at the same time. With a roar of triumph, lightning with issue from his stick as he raises it to the rafters and the other team will then hand him the Stanley cup. Guhle will then drink the blood of his fallen enemies from the Cup while the rest of the league's season is canceled and Gary Bettman cedes control of the NHL to Guhle whose number is retired league wide. Guhle will then attend a press conference with the Buffalo media and his dragon (name: cuddles) will eat the first member of the media who asks a dumbass douchie question. That is what I expect to happen in the first hour Guhle is in Buffalo. 

 

^ this.

 

Also, I saw Antipin metnioned above, I won't pencil him in on this roster until the ink is dry. Who knows what the new GM is thinking with this team.

[French Collection]

I expect Guhle to ride into the Key Bank Arena Center Place on a dragon. Not a fake CGI game of thrones dragon but a real mother ###### dragon that breathes lightning and craps death. He'll land at center ice and unsling Mjölnir in hockey stick form from his back satchel. Rip Simonick will offer him a crappy number and Guhle's dragon (name: cuddles) will eat him and Ted Black who handed Rip a turd burger jersey #84. Guhle will then unveil a royal blue jersey with the B and Sabre shoulder patch, original center logo, and no grey pit stains. His number will be the infinity symbol because ###### you that's why. As he dismisses his dragon (name: cuddles) he will then faceoff against the Stanley Cup champions alone. Using his superior skating and hockey skills he will lay waste to them within the first 10 seconds, using Mjölnir to score 5 goals and accidentally taking down the skyway at the same time. With a roar of triumph, lightning with issue from his stick as he raises it to the rafters and the other team will then hand him the Stanley cup. Guhle will then drink the blood of his fallen enemies from the Cup while the rest of the league's season is canceled and Gary Bettman cedes control of the NHL to Guhle whose number is retired league wide. Guhle will then attend a press conference with the Buffalo media and his dragon (name: cuddles) will eat the first member of the media who asks a dumbass douchie question. That is what I expect to happen in the first hour Guhle is in Buffalo.

 

Can we afford him once he reaches FA status?

[matter2003]

I have none. I want the team assuming that he plays the full season in Rochester and building the defense with that in mind. And if he surprises and plays his way into the top 6, great. If not, keep slow-cooking.

Surprises? He looked good playing with the Sabres and far better than Franson, Gorges, Falk and Fedun most nights. He can step right into a puck moving defenseman role with the Sabres next year. He might have a few growing pains but he looks like he can handle it...

 

If not send him to Rochester for a little conditioning but I think he can step right in, IMO

[Doohicksie]

THE NEXT NICK LIDSTROM.

He will be the captain, the coach and the GM.

[MattPie]

THE NEXT NICK LIDSTROM.

He will be the captain, the coach and the GM.

 

Yeah right, Eichel's got that locked up.