Mittelstadt - Hobey Baker?

[shrader]

Why?  Because by that age their drinking is no longer illegal?

 

It's a hell of a lot easier to establish yourself as a character guy over 4 years.  They lean towards the guy who stuck with it and stayed in college a few more years.

[Derrico]

Ahhhhh the one guy that still gives me hope. Mittelstadt back on the ice tonight for the Gophers. He has a ways to go if he wants to break Eichel's 1.78 ppg pace.

[LGR4GM]

Ahhhhh the one guy that still gives me hope. Mittelstadt back on the ice tonight for the Gophers. He has a ways to go if he wants to break Eichel's 1.78 ppg pace.

I think Mitts should stay at college for 2 years. Really develop good and allow Botterill to fix the cluster that is the Sabres. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Somebody had to say it....The Hobey Baker Award is a crock. It's an overblown award. It reflects mostly mediocrity. Look at this list. Since 1981, you have Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Matt Carle, Johnny Gaudreau and Jack Eichel. Since 1981. That's 36 years. The rest are footnotes to history or just regular NHLers. Only two HB winners that I know of have even won a cup, unless I stand corrected...it's not much more than that. Many HB winners since 2005 are not even in the league. Sure, USA hockey keeps getting better but if you look at this list, winning the HB Award seems like more of a curse than anything. Remember Holzinger?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobey_Baker_Award

 

There were many excellent players on that list.  Neal Broten had 920+ in nearly 1100 NHL games.  Ryan Miller was pretty good.  Jordan Leopold, Kip Miller and Holzinger all had decent NHL careers and Vesey and Butcher are off to good starts. However, you also have to understand about the growth of US college hockey since 1981.  The players are bigger, faster, mostly older and are getting better results in the NHL.  Look at Jbot's philosophy.  Look at the Pitt roster of kids with college experience that were key pieces of the Cup team.  

 

The award is as already stated given to the best player that year.  That's it.  The Heisman has recent winners like Manziel, Griffin III, Tebow Troy Smith, Bush, Leinhart, etc.. Not exactly the great players of the NFL list.   

[shrader]

There were many excellent players on that list.  Neal Broten had 920+ in nearly 1100 NHL games.  Ryan Miller was pretty good.  Jordan Leopold, Kip Miller and Holzinger all had decent NHL careers and Vesey and Butcher are off to good starts. However, you also have to understand about the growth of US college hockey since 1981.  The players are bigger, faster, mostly older and are getting better results in the NHL.  Look at Jbot's philosophy.  Look at the Pitt roster of kids with college experience that were key pieces of the Cup team.  

 

The award is as already stated given to the best player that year.  That's it.  The Heisman has recent winners like Manziel, Griffin III, Tebow Troy Smith, Bush, Leinhart, etc.. Not exactly the great players of the NFL list.   

 

It's not given to the best player.  They also have the so called intangibles that they factor in.  Hell, I can name at least one year where the winner wasn't even the best player on his own team, 2009.  It's all subjective obviously, but it's definitely not just a most valuable or most outstanding player award.

[Thorner]

I think Mitts should stay at college for 2 years. Really develop good and allow Botterill to fix the cluster ###### that is the Sabres.

 

Good point. I want to be good when Casey gets here, I don't want to be counting on him to make us good.

[LGR4GM]

Good point. I want to be good when Casey gets here, I don't want to be counting on him to make us good.

Exactly

[Scottysabres]

Casey Middlesteadt scores against Penn St.

[ubkev]

Casey Middlesteadt scores against Penn St.

Penn St!

[GASabresIUFAN]

Good point. I want to be good when Casey gets here, I don't want to be counting on him to make us good.

Isn’t that the point of high draft picks. They are the guys who are supposed to be your core and make your team good. Guys drafted in the 2nd, 3rd and later are supposed to make up your depth. Sure it’s great if they make your team good, but that’s not when you expect when you draft them.

 

I expect Casey to make this team within the next two years and help make us good.

[Thorner]

Isn’t that the point of high draft picks. They are the guys who are supposed to be your core and make your team good. Guys drafted in the 2nd, 3rd and later are supposed to make up your depth. Sure it’s great if they make your team good, but that’s not when you expect when you draft them.

I expect Casey to make this team within the next two years and help make us good.

We have so many players on the current roster that are a part of the supposed core already - my point was that if we aren't already a good team when he gets here, he's not going to be able to turn it around himself.

 

There are plenty of examples of good young prospects stepping into already successful situations. My pipe dream is that will be the case with Casey.

[Taro T]

Isn’t that the point of high draft picks. They are the guys who are supposed to be your core and make your team good. Guys drafted in the 2nd, 3rd and later are supposed to make up your depth. Sure it’s great if they make your team good, but that’s not when you expect when you draft them.

I expect Casey to make this team within the next two years and help make us good.

I expect him to be the #2 C w/in the next 3 seasons.

[GASabresIUFAN]

We have so many players on the current roster that are a part of the supposed core already - my point was that if we aren't already a good team when he gets here, he's not going to be able to turn it around himself.

There are plenty of examples of good young prospects stepping into already successful situations. My pipe dream is that will be the case with Casey.

That is a pipe dream. Right now we have 2 players that should be part of the long-term core. ROR, Kane and KO are in their prime now and for the next 2-3 max. They aren’t the future any longer. Edited October 15, 2017 by GASabresFan

[Thorner]

That is a pipe dream. Right now we have 2 players that should be part of the long-term core. ROR, Kane and KO are in their prime now and for the next 2-3 max. They aren’t the future any longer.

Well....sh*t.

[Randall Flagg]

That is a pipe dream. Right now we have 2 players that should be part of the long-term core. ROR, Kane and KO are in their prime now and for the next 2-3 max. They aren’t the future any longer.

Drury was 27 when he got here, missed the playoffs the first year, locked out the second year, so was about to turn 30 when he got his first Sabres playoff action

 

ROR just turned 26 this year

I think you're venturing slowly into hyperbole based on 5 games

[Thorner]

Drury was 27 when he got here, missed the playoffs the first year, locked out the second year, so was about to turn 30 when he got his first Sabres playoff action

ROR just turned 26 this year

 

I think you're venturing slowly into hyperbole based on 5 games

At the beginning of this season, making the playoffs seemed like a genuine possibility, right? That's all I meant with regards to Casey. In that scenario, he'd be stepping into a successful situation.

[Randall Flagg]

At the beginning of this season, making the playoffs seemed like a genuine possibility, right? That's all I meant with regards to Casey. In that scenario, he'd be stepping into a successful situation.

Hmm? I was responding to GA

[Thorner]

Hmm? I was responding to GA

I was agreeing with ya.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Drury was 29 when we first made the playoffs. 30 the following year and then it was over.

 

ROR turns 27 before this season ends. Kane will be 27 at the start of next year. Okposo will be 30 at season’s end. If we are trying to build a team that is good for a decade, which was why we tanked, these guys aren’t going to be part of that very long. They are the here and now and if we are very lucky they still be at their peak when we turn the corner 2 years from now.

 

The playoffs wasn’t realisitic. We discussed our terrible bottom six before the season even started. We discussed the poor play in the pre-season, we discussed the injuries on D and the lack of any of the kids stepping up to push AAAA and journeymen off the roster.

 

While this team should be better then we have seen, most experts picked us 6 or 7th in the Atlantic and that looks correct, again.

Edited October 15, 2017 by GASabresFan

[Randall Flagg]

Drury was 29 when we first made the playoffs. 30 the following year and then it was over.

 

ROR turns 27 before this season ends. Kane will be 27 at the start of next year. Okposo will be 30 at season’s end. If we are trying to build a team that is good for a decade, which was why we tanked, these guys aren’t going to be part of that very long. They are the here and now and if we are very lucky they still be at their peak when we turn the corner 2 years from now.

 

The playoffs wasn’t realisitic. We discussed our terrible bottom six before the season even started. We discussed the poor play in the pre-season, we discussed the injuries on D and the lack of any of the kids stepping up to push AAAA and journeymen off the roster.

 

While this team should be better then we have seen, most experts picked us 6 or 7th in the Atlantic and that looks correct, again.

Right, was about to turn 30 when he first made the playoffs with us. He turned 30 after the season, before the next one started. 

 

ROR could feasibly be a very important part of this team for 6-8 more years. 

I'm with you on the ugliness of the Okposo deal. 

 

But when we get good, it won't be when we're expecting it, at this point.

[Thorner]

Drury was 29 when we first made the playoffs. 30 the following year and then it was over.

ROR turns 27 before this season ends. Kane will be 27 at the start of next year. Okposo will be 30 at season’s end. If we are trying to build a team that is good for a decade, which was why we tanked, these guys aren’t going to be part of that very long. They are the here and now and if we are very lucky they still be at their peak when we turn the corner 2 years from now.

The playoffs wasn’t realisitic. We discussed our terrible bottom six before the season even started. We discussed the poor play in the pre-season, we discussed the injuries on D and the lack of any of the kids stepping up to push AAAA and journeymen off the roster.

While this team should be better then we have seen, most experts picked us 6 or 7th in the Atlantic and that looks correct, again.

The thought of two more seasons before turning the corner is a tough one. I really hope we start to see some turn around this season.

[Scottysabres]

I expect him to be the #2 C w/in the next 3 seasons.

FYI, he primarily plays LW now

[Thorner]

FYI, he primarily plays LW now

He's playing C in Minnesota.

[Scottysabres]

He's playing C in Minnesota.

I wasn't aware he'd transitioned.

[Taro T]

I wasn't aware he'd transitioned.

'S'll good man.