2018 - 2019 Lineup

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, WildCard said:

 

First shift I saw him play I immediately thought of Josh Gorges.    

 

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Objectively the Sabres have 

1) solid goaltending most nights

2) 5 legit excellent to elite players in Risto, Dahlin, Jack, Sam and Skinner

3) Good to very good depth on D with quality players in Bogo, Scandella, McCabe, and Pilut with NHL players Baloo, Nelson and Hunwick in reserve when healthy. Plus prospect Guhle.

4) Decent depth at wing with Sheary and Okposo.

5) Two quality young forwards that need less responsibility right now in Tage and Mitts

6) A good energy line in Larsson, Girgensons and someone else.

7) Also some disappointments at forward such as Erod, Elie, Sobotka and Berglund.

 

 

As we saw against Philly and now Fla, two teams the Sabres should destroy, especially at home, when the top line wasn’t dominating we were generating nothing from anyone else and the team fell apart.

I think Jbot needs to act to get a real center in here to take pressure off Mitts and help get Sheary and KO going.  Obviously the Berglund issue is a huge overhang on potential solution here, but something has to be done and it needs to be done sooner then later. 

This maybe a bold move, but once McCabe is healthy and depending on how Jbot feels about Hunwick, I might trade Scandella now for a center.  For example Scandella for Johansson and a pick/prospect? NJ gets D help and someone under contract for next season and we get a good 2nd line center who needs a change of scenery and we free up 4 mill to keep him next year if he works out.  We also add to our pick/prospect asset mix for future trades or development.  

McCabe Risto

Dahlin Bogo

Pilut Nelson/Baloo/Hunwick

Hell to the no.    Do NOT trade any D depth...  you need D depth and they finally have it... let's not ***** it up.    You can never have enough NHL ready D-men on your roster.

The only wise move at this time is patience.    I wouldn't even add at the deadline if it means trading picks or prospects.    Like JBOT said, they're not 1 or 2 players away from a Cup run.     They need to continue to build through the draft and develop their young players.    

[GASabresIUFAN]

43 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

First shift I saw him play I immediately thought of Josh Gorges.    

 

Hell to the no.    Do NOT trade any D depth...  you need D depth and they finally have it... let's not ***** it up.    You can never have enough NHL ready D-men on your roster.

The only wise move at this time is patience.    I wouldn't even add at the deadline if it means trading picks or prospects.    Like JBOT said, they're not 1 or 2 players away from a Cup run.     They need to continue to build through the draft and develop their young players.    

I generally agree.  However we really need a 2nd line center and now.  Rochester has been short on centers all year which is why Smith was recently moved to center. Mitts needs to be a 3rd line center now.  This team is in good shape to make a playoff run, but finding a decent center should not cost the future and with Berglund gone and no one to fill that role, Jbot has an obligation to try something with the nearly created extra cap space.

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[PalmTreeMafia]

36 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

First shift I saw him play I immediately thought of Josh Gorges.    

 

Hell to the no.    Do NOT trade any D depth...  you need D depth and they finally have it... let's not ***** it up.    You can never have enough NHL ready D-men on your roster.

The only wise move at this time is patience.    I wouldn't even add at the deadline if it means trading picks or prospects.    Like JBOT said, they're not 1 or 2 players away from a Cup run.     They need to continue to build through the draft and develop their young players.    

The Sabres need to make the playoffs THIS season. It is not good for player development and team culture to miss the playoffs yet again. No one is saying we need to touch any of our first round picks or elite prospects. But a MAJOR priority should be increasing center depth to the point that the Sabres can generate some semblance of an offense beyond the Eichel line. I would argue that not having a decent #2 center right now is hurting the development of Mitts, Tage, and potentially Nylander and Olofsson this season.

[LGR4GM]

How is it impacting the development of Nylander and Olofsson? They aren't even on the team. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

How is it impacting the development of Nylander and Olofsson? They aren't even on the team. 

Also true, but the rest of the post was very good.

Edited December 19, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

I think you find a value pickup at center to slot into that 2nd line slot. 

[pi2000]

21 minutes ago, FuhrUrsinne said:

The Sabres need to make the playoffs THIS season. It is not good for player development and team culture to miss the playoffs yet again. No one is saying we need to touch any of our first round picks or elite prospects. But a MAJOR priority should be increasing center depth to the point that the Sabres can generate some semblance of an offense beyond the Eichel line. I would argue that not having a decent #2 center right now is hurting the development of Mitts, Tage, and potentially Nylander and Olofsson this season.

They're on pace to make the playoffs, well over the pace in fact... with Mitts as 2C.   

If it ain't broke...

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think you find a value pickup at center to slot into that 2nd line slot. 

I like Johannson from NJD, but what about Eric Staal?  UFA at season’s end.  Really not needed in Minn.

or Anisimov from Chicago. Age 30, 2 years left at 4.55.  

Dream get would be to steal Couterier from Philly.  3 years left at 4.333 and only 26.  

[PalmTreeMafia]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

How is it impacting the development of Nylander and Olofsson? They aren't even on the team. 

 

Notice that I said "potentially," as in if they get called up this season to the pros and stink up the joint because they have no quality center to support them.

[WildCard]

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

TBN Headline "Scott Wilson nearing return, could bolster Sabres' depth at center."

If 2 of Scott Wilson, Evan Rodrigues or Johan Larsson are your top 2 centers with Jack out and one of which is your 2nd line center long-term this team is in deep trouble.

[Samson's Flow]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

TBN Headline "Scott Wilson nearing return, could bolster Sabres' depth at center."

If 2 of Scott Wilson, Evan Rodrigues or Johan Larsson are your top 2 centers with Jack out and one of which is your 2nd line center long-term this team is in deep trouble.

It's amazing how trading away one good center and one injury has taken our perception of center depth from "Solid" to "Who the ***** are these guys?!?"

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, Samson's Flow said:

It's amazing how trading away one good center and one injury has taken our perception of center depth from "Solid" to "Who the ***** are these guys?!?"

It was just perception though with the thought that Samson might be and Mitts might be.  So, our centre depth was not that real, with only 2 that were real NHL centres.  

[Thorner]

12 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

TBN Headline "Scott Wilson nearing return, could bolster Sabres' depth at center."

If 2 of Scott Wilson, Evan Rodrigues or Johan Larsson are your top 2 centers with Jack out and one of which is your 2nd line center long-term this team is in deep trouble.

I know Mittelstadt has had a much slower than anticipated transition to the NHL, but I'm not sure we have enough to suggest he's not still our 2C long term.

[Taro T]

30 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I know Mittelstadt has had a much slower than anticipated transition to the NHL, but I'm not sure we have enough to suggest he's not still our 2C long term.

Not to speak for GA, but took that LT from his post as meaning AFTER Eichel returns this season.  Not that any of those would be Botterill's 2C heading into next season.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Not to speak for GA, but took that LT from his post as meaning AFTER Eichel returns this season.  Not that any of those would be Botterill's 2C heading into next season.

That makes more sense, thanks. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Not to speak for GA, but took that LT from his post as meaning AFTER Eichel returns this season.  Not that any of those would be Botterill's 2C heading into next season.

I was only discussing this season.  This is the 2018-19 lineup thread after all.

Edited January 3, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

23 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

TBN Headline "Scott Wilson nearing return, could bolster Sabres' depth at center."

If 2 of Scott Wilson, Evan Rodrigues or Johan Larsson are your top 2 centers with Jack out and one of which is your 2nd line center long-term this team is in deep trouble.

Which is exactly why they need to use all their first and second round picks in the upcoming drafts. The depth is better but it hasn't been truly rebuilt yet. 

[tom webster]

If you use all your picks the next couple years you are conceding the next 3 or 4 years to Tampa, Toronto and Washington at least.

They need to swing for the fences in order to acquire a number two center or you are accepting that you won’t be a true contender till Jack is in his 7th or 8th year.

[shrader]

4 minutes ago, tom webster said:

If you use all your picks the next couple years you are conceding the next 3 or 4 years to Tampa, Toronto and Washington at least.

They need to swing for the fences in order to acquire a number two center or you are accepting that you won’t be a true contender till Jack is in his 7th or 8th year.

I'd settle for a ground rule double.  They need something and it's not going to drain the team of all of their ammo for the future.

[tom webster]

Something is fine if all you want is to contend for the playoffs and hope for a fortunate, miracle run.

if you truly want to compete for the Cup then Matthews, Tavares and Kadri is the third best team in the East. I’m 

[shrader]

1 minute ago, tom webster said:

Something is fine if all you want is to contend for the playoffs and hope for a fortunate, miracle run.

if you truly want to compete for the Cup then Matthews, Tavares and Kadri is the third best team in the East. I’m 

With this team today?  I just want to get them into the playoffs.  To miss out on them after the 10 game run, they may never wash the stink of defeat off of this group.  That's not to say that bigger move couldn't be made right now, I just don't think it's all that likely to find the right one available until the offseason.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

12 minutes ago, tom webster said:

If you use all your picks the next couple years you are conceding the next 3 or 4 years to Tampa, Toronto and Washington at least.

They need to swing for the fences in order to acquire a number two center or you are accepting that you won’t be a true contender till Jack is in his 7th or 8th year.

Not really. You may be able to pick up a FA to hold over until Casey develops more. And don't forget that we actually thought we were gonna concede this year, but we haven't yet.

What you are seemingly saying, is if we use those picks we will concede a few years while they grow into NHL players. But isn't that where we were at some what before the season started? By "swing for the fences" I assume that you are talking about trading the picks away for immediate help?  How many picks/ players are you willing to trade?

If you trade away the picks aren't you really conceding the future 3-5yrs out? Maybe dismantling some of the depth we have built throughout the Org? Do you think that the "our trash for their treasure" is gonna happen? Any trade has its risks just (see O'Reiilly trade) as well as a draft pick does. If you trade for a 25yr old player with some term they might help you now but how about 3-4yrs from now when they are due another contract and are 28-29yrs old (that contract could be just as risky). 

I think that the biggest difference between trading away the picks and using them is, with a trade you look for the best player you can get to "fill your needs" . When drafting a player, I like to think we are hoping that player "exceeds" our expectations and are happy if they just "meet" them.

Have faith in JBot that he will do what is needed  when it's needed.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

3 minutes ago, shrader said:

With this team today?  I just want to get them into the playoffs.  To miss out on them after the 10 game run, they may never wash the stink of defeat off of this group.  That's not to say that bigger move couldn't be made right now, I just don't think it's all that likely to find the right one available until the offseason.

I agree. But I don't think it will hurt as much as you do if they don't make the playoffs just as long as they don't miss by much. Isn't that what we hoped for before the season started?

If we ultimately do make the playoffs with this team....the future has got to look brighter after another draft and FA ?

[LGR4GM]

56 minutes ago, tom webster said:

If you use all your picks the next couple years you are conceding the next 3 or 4 years to Tampa, Toronto and Washington at least.

They need to swing for the fences in order to acquire a number two center or you are accepting that you won’t be a true contender till Jack is in his 7th or 8th year.

That is what Tim Murray did. It failed badly. If they had not done that, as I have stated so many times it hurts, we could have had 2-3 more players Jack's age just hitting their stride or breaking into the league. 

Edited January 3, 2019 by LGR4GM