TSN's Cullen - Off-season Gameplan for the Sabres

[GASabresIUFAN]

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/scott-cullen-1.56454

 

Some real interesting thoughts.

 

The Ristolainen information is really interesting. The "worse" performance of the Sabres with Risto on the ice is a little surprising, but not completely given his D zone starts and harder minutes against top competition. However Cullen is a good journalist and I'm surprised at how negative he is about Risto.

 

Not surprised about how poorly Kulikov and Gorges fared, but am that Bogosian looked ok, because he is going to be around a while.

 

I like that he is interested in Bonino, Domoulin, plus reasonable D like Daley, Del Zotto and Brendan Smith. However, he seems to be negative to our ability to trade Kane for a D because of history and one season left on his deal.

 

Thinks that Carrier, Ennis, Moulson and Ullmark are the likely targets in expansion.

Draft: Liljigren, Makar and Tippett

[Sabre fan]

I put the numbers for Risto from this article on the thread about Risto and yes, they are indeed interesting, as is the article. How much of any of this is true who knows?

[pi2000]

Again, Risto is still figuring out how to defend. He's physical has good offensive awareness, but needs to develop his defensive game, especially in tight around the net where his lack of quickness, agility and slow feet get him trouble.

 

He'll figure it out as his game matures.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I put the numbers for Risto from this article on the thread about Risto and yes, they are indeed interesting, as is the article. How much of any of this is true who knows?

You also have to wonder if a big piece of the problem is that he played the most minutes plus the most hard defensive minutes. His only 45% OZone starting helps illustrate part of the problem. I also agree somewhat with Pi that positioning is also a problem.

I did some quick calculations and last season our D on started in the offensive zone about 46.5% of the time. I don't know how that compares in the NHL, but that can't be a good thing.

 

While not a full gameplan, Sportsnet also has some advice for JBot and the Sabres this off-season.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jason-botterill-buffalo-sabres-gm-head-coach-off-season-free-agents-eichel-pegula-lehner-draft/

[LGR4GM]

No mention of Antipin, meh not a bad read but didn't really add a lot for me.

[GASabresIUFAN]

No mention of Antipin, meh not a bad read but didn't really add a lot for me.

Cullen did have Antipin list on our 5th pairing.

[Thorner]

It's hard to take an article seriously when there's a factual error in the first sentence.

[inkman]

Cullen did have Antipin list on our 5th pairing.

Proper expectations

[Thorner]

I do like the proposed Daley addition.

[Two or less]

No mention of Antipin, meh not a bad read but didn't really add a lot for me.

 

I typically like Cullen's work i agree you with, this didn't really do much for me. Cullen was on WGR with Schopp and the Bulldog and they asked him about if the Sabres can add a dmen prior to the expansion draft and he was saying they might want to wait til after because if they get one prior to the draft they would need to decide who to protect between McCabe and Bogosian, and Cullen said it'd be a tough decision as the Sabres wouldn't want to lose either guy.

 

Are you joking?

 

Vegas would never touch that contract and if they did the Sabres would be super thrilled they got out of the contract.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I typically like Cullen's work i agree you with, this didn't really do much for me. Cullen was on WGR with Schopp and the Bulldog and they asked him about if the Sabres can add a dmen prior to the expansion draft and he was saying they might want to wait til after because if they get one prior to the draft they would need to decide who to protect between McCabe and Bogosian, and Cullen said it'd be a tough decision as the Sabres wouldn't want to lose either guy.

 

Are you joking?

 

Vegas would never touch that contract and if they did the Sabres would be super thrilled they got out of the contract.

In the expansion thread, I mentioned protecting Falk just to see if LV would take Bogo off our hands.  I guess Cullen like Bogo's semi positive possession numbers relative to the rest of the lousy group.  

[shrader]

I like how his entire plan for offseason additions is nothing but guys from Pittsburgh.  Hell, even the no name third goalie and low depth defenseman are brought over from there.  The whole thing feels very lazy to me.

Edited May 18, 2017 by shrader

[GASabresIUFAN]

I like how his entire plan for offseason additions is nothing but guys from Pittsburgh.  Hell, even the no name third goalie and low depth defenseman are brought over from there.  The whole thing feels very lazy to me.

 

Well sort of.  He suggests a return of Chad Johnson and also suggested we look at Brendan Smith and Michael Del Zotto.  

 

However his suggestions of adding Daley, Dumoulin and Bonino are nothing less then people here have suggested.  If your a new GM isn't wise to go with some guys you know and trust.  I don't think it's lazy writing so much as writing from experience.  Truth is we could really use a 3rd line center like Bonino.  He'd be an upgrade over Larsson and Girgensons.  

 

Where I think he lacked imagination was on our forwards.  He assumes that pretty much everyone will be back except putting Bonino as the 3rd center.  The only prospect making the team is Bailey and all three Big $ wingers return in Moulson, Ennis and Kane.  I'm expecting bigger change this off-season.  We only scored 199 goals last season.  Fixing the D will help that number by getting the puck out quicker and creating more O opportunities, but that won't be enough to make this a playoff team.  We need more 5 on 5 scoring and this group isn't deep enough or good enough to accomplish that.

[shrader]

Well sort of.  He suggests a return of Chad Johnson and also suggested we look at Brendan Smith and Michael Del Zotto.  

 

However his suggestions of adding Daley, Dumoulin and Bonino are nothing less then people here have suggested.  If your a new GM isn't wise to go with some guys you know and trust.  I don't think it's lazy writing so much as writing from experience.  Truth is we could really use a 3rd line center like Bonino.  He'd be an upgrade over Larsson and Girgensons.  

 

Where I think he lacked imagination was on our forwards.  He assumes that pretty much everyone will be back except putting Bonino as the 3rd center.  The only prospect making the team is Bailey and all three Big $ wingers return in Moulson, Ennis and Kane.  I'm expecting bigger change this off-season.  We only scored 199 goals last season.  Fixing the D will help that number by getting the puck out quicker and creating more O opportunities, but that won't be enough to make this a playoff team.  We need more 5 on 5 scoring and this group isn't deep enough or good enough to accomplish that.

 

Ahhh right, I forgot about Johnson.  It feels like more of the same though.  While it's not a Pittsburgh guy, it is a case of "hey, he was there before".  I wish they would just leave out the projected roster part.  Listing targets is fine, but you're never going to be able to predict a quarter roster full of trades and free agents, let alone do it for every single team.

[inkman]

I typically like Cullen's work i agree you with, this didn't really do much for me. Cullen was on WGR with Schopp and the Bulldog and they asked him about if the Sabres can add a dmen prior to the expansion draft and he was saying they might want to wait til after because if they get one prior to the draft they would need to decide who to protect between McCabe and Bogosian, and Cullen said it'd be a tough decision as the Sabres wouldn't want to lose either guy.

 

Are you joking?

 

Vegas would never touch that contract and if they did the Sabres would be super thrilled they got out of the contract.

Yeah those comments came across as completely out of touch with the Sabres situation. Thankfully BD was quick to point out that the Sabres would be doing cartwheels if someone took Bogo off their hands.

[Drunkard]

I typically like Cullen's work i agree you with, this didn't really do much for me. Cullen was on WGR with Schopp and the Bulldog and they asked him about if the Sabres can add a dmen prior to the expansion draft and he was saying they might want to wait til after because if they get one prior to the draft they would need to decide who to protect between McCabe and Bogosian, and Cullen said it'd be a tough decision as the Sabres wouldn't want to lose either guy.

 

Are you joking?

 

Vegas would never touch that contract and if they did the Sabres would be super thrilled they got out of the contract.

 

Yeah, that part made no sense at all. McCabe is already better and younger, plus he's so much cheaper. Bogosian would likely only be protected because we don't have anyone else worthy of protecting but assuming we did pick up an upgrade to him I'd have no problem exposing him so we can protect the upgrade.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Drunkard

[GASabresIUFAN]

Yeah, that part made no sense at all. McCabe is already better and younger, plus he's so much cheaper. Bogosian would likely only be protected because we don't have anyone else worthy of protecting but assuming we did pick up an upgrade to him I'd have no problem exposing him so we can protect the upgrade.

Protect Falk and expose Bogo and see what happens.

[Drunkard]

Protect Falk and expose Bogo and see what happens.

 

It's definitely an option, but I'm not so sure I would do it if I was calling the shots. For one, I'd prefer Vegas to take either Moulson, Ennis, or Gorges (let's hope) and if Bogosian were to be exposed the chances of any of those 3 being taken would drop significantly. Another reason is I'd like to see what Bogosian can do under a new coach and new system. I don't know how many coaches he's played for but he was serviceable to good under every coach he's played for except DB. Hell, he looked good under Nolan whose system consisted of turning a verb into a noun (compete).

Edited May 19, 2017 by Drunkard

[GASabresIUFAN]

It's definitely an option, but I'm not so sure I would do it if I was calling the shots. For one, I'd prefer Vegas to take either Moulson, Ennis, or Gorges (let's hope) and if Bogosian were to be exposed the chances of any of those 3 being taken would drop significantly. Another reason is I'd like to see what Bogosian can do under a new coach and new system. I don't know how many coaches he's played for but he was serviceable to good under every coach he's played for except DB. Hell, he looked good under Nolan whose system consisted of turning a verb into a noun (compete).

I think you are miss remembering when he played well for us. His best run since the trade, was in the 2nd half of DD's 1st season. From Feb 1 to season's end (31 games) he scored 6g 10a +5; prior to that he had 1g 7a -16 (33 games).

 

That said i'd be thrilled with losing all of them, but Bogo and Moulson are two I'd like gone. Bogo has 3 years left at over $5 per season. There is just no way to get 5 mill worth from a player destined to the 3rd line. He'd be best served playing elsewhere. Expose him and pray they do take him.