2018 - 2019 Lineup

[Huckleberry]

12 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I'd be less nervous about it if this didn't always seem to happen. 

Top 3  injuries in the league here we come again ?

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Top 3  injuries in the league here we come again ?

Isn’t that a given with Bogo on the team?

[Huckleberry]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Isn’t that a given with Bogo on the team?

Don't know, vancouver beat us last year lol 

[Mustache of God]

I'm a bit surprised we didn't see Reinhart line up at center at all during the pre-season. Does this mean he's definitely a winger now and the C experiment is over?

[GASabresIUFAN]

14 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I'm a bit surprised we didn't see Reinhart line up at center at all during the pre-season. Does this mean he's definitely a winger now and the C experiment is over?

Yes

[dudacek]

Did we realize that Alex Nylander is tied with Jack Eichel for the preseason scoring lead?

4/1/3/4/-1 averaging 13:33 in ice time.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

I'm a bit surprised we didn't see Reinhart line up at center at all during the pre-season. Does this mean he's definitely a winger now and the C experiment is over?

 

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yes

Unless they have some serious injuries, agreed.

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

I'm a bit surprised we didn't see Reinhart line up at center at all during the pre-season. Does this mean he's definitely a winger now and the C experiment is over?

I may be in the minority, but IMO Sam is currently a better center than Mittlestadt.     I'd rather see MIttlestadt on Eichel's wing and Reinhart center Sheary and whoever (Okposo/Nylander/Thompson/etc).

[Weave]

Regardless of whether he plays center or wing, Casey needs vets on his line, not kids.  An all kid line would be disastrous IMO.

[Thorner]

So according to the players still listed on the official Sabres website, there are still 18 forwards in camp, and 12 defenceman. Assuming we keep 14 forwards and 7 d-men, we are needing to still cut 4 forwards and 5 defenceman. 

Malone will be heading to IR, correct? So 3 forwards will need to go. On D, Hunwick likely heads to IR, meaning 4 more will have to be cut. 

Without another forward going to IR, and without a trade, it looks like 3 of Thompson, Nylander, Baptiste and Bailey will get sent down, leaving only one of the roster. 

On D, 4 of Beaulieu, Guhle, Hickey, Nelson, Pilut, Tennyson will have to be sent packing, and 2 should make it. 

Goalies are set. 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

Regardless of whether he plays center or wing, Casey needs vets on his line, not kids.  An all kid line would be disastrous IMO.

Which is why I expect when Sheary is healthy that he & Okposo will be his linemates.

[Weave]

Just now, Taro T said:

Which is why I expect when Sheary is healthy that he & Okposo will be his linemates.

 Give 'em 3rd line minutes and I'm in.

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

 Give 'em 3rd line minutes and I'm in.

I’m wondering if we’ll see something like this:

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Berglund Okposo

Girgensons Sobotka Wilson

Rodrigues mittelstadt Pominville

 

Id kinda like to see this:

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Mittelstadt Okposo

Nylander Berglund Thompson

Girgensons Sobotka Wilson

Edited September 28, 2018 by dudacek

[Thorner]

I'd like to see:

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart

Sheary - Berglund - Thompson

Rodrigues - Mittelstadt - Okposo

WIlson - Sobotka - Pominville

[Hoss]

Maybe there’s no crossover but this place has a ton of posts about “it’s just preseason” and a ton of love for Nylander but discomfort about Mittelstadt.

[Weave]

22 minutes ago, Hoss said:

Maybe there’s no crossover but this place has a ton of posts about “it’s just preseason” and a ton of love for Nylander but discomfort about Mittelstadt.

All relative to 1. expectations and 2. what the team needs.  At this point Nylander on the big club is unexpected and a nice luxury.  Casey was expected to be a #2 center and that isn't a luxury.

[mjd1001]

8 hours ago, Sabel79 said:

Surprised Asplund didn't get at least the last preseason game.  I think Mitts and Tage are locks now, Nylander gets one last kick at the can. 

I'd hope it is the opposite. From what we have seen in the preseason games and reports from camp, Nylander looks a LOT better than Casey and Thompson.  I think Nylander should be closer to a lock with Casey and Thompson showing they really need more seasoning.

[Hoss]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

All relative to 1. expectations and 2. what the team needs.  At this point Nylander on the big club is unexpected and a nice luxury.  Casey was expected to be a #2 center and that isn't a luxury.

No disagreement here.

[Randall Flagg]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I’m wondering if we’ll see something like this:

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Berglund Okposo

Girgensons Sobotka Wilson

Rodrigues mittelstadt Pominville

 

Id kinda like to see this:

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Mittelstadt Okposo

Nylander Berglund Thompson

Girgensons Sobotka Larsson

I'd sign up for your preferred lines so fast

 

Also with pi's mention of Reinhart at C, Eichel SAID on spitting chicklets at some point that Sam actually doesn't enjoy playing center and prefers the wing, which I thought was interesting. Not sure if I've seen it mentioned here

[nfreeman]

6 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

I'm a bit surprised we didn't see Reinhart line up at center at all during the pre-season. Does this mean he's definitely a winger now and the C experiment is over?

Good call here sir.

 

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I'd hope it is the opposite. From what we have seen in the preseason games and reports from camp, Nylander looks a LOT better than Casey and Thompson.  I think Nylander should be closer to a lock with Casey and Thompson showing they really need more seasoning.

This I think is a bit overstated and weave's point about relativity to expectations is probably right.  I think Casey and Thompson both looked more ready for prime time than Nylander, and that most of the fuss about Nylander is that he looked pretty good and like he might turn into a good to very good NHL player, whereas until now he had looked completely ineffective and like a high risk to wash out.  Mitts didn't come out like McDavid, as we were kinda half-hoping he would, but to me he still looks like he's ready to be an effective NHL center, albeit in a more sheltered role to start.

 

As for my preferred lineup:

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Mittelstadt Okposo

Nylander Berglund Thompson (but only if Howie and JBott are sure that Nylander earned it, including in practice)

ERod Sobotka Pommer (really CJ Smith though instead of Pommer)

 

[sweetlou]

I think for the first couple of weeks you may see what you get out of the veteran players before waiving anyone. Also I would like to see the young guys go down and dominate in Rochester  and then come up when injuries occur. I think having young guys play more minutes and in all situations helps their development more then playing 4th line minutes in Buffalo.

 

My opening day roster-

Skinner- Eichel- Reinhart

Sheary(Nylander)- Berglund- Okposo

Wilson- Sobotka- Baptiste

Girgensons- ERod- Bailey

 

scratched- Larsson, Pommers

 

Scandella- Risto

Dahlin- McCabe

Beaulieu- Bogo (Nelson)

 

Hutton

Ullmark

 

So I'd rather see Nylander, Mitts, and Thompson dominate the top line on Rochester.  Use them for call ups if anyone in top six gets hurt.

Smith, O'Regan would be bottom six call ups if needed. 

Guhle, and Pilot would be first call ups if Beaulieu doesn't show improvements over last year.

 

 

 

 

[Huckleberry]

I know you want to try and give the kids a shot, but Bailey/Baptiste are not better than pominville.    

I want to win and I don't think Bailey/Baptiste can be part of that.

[Eleven]

Yerdon's prediction from The Athletic:

Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart

Nylander-Berglund-Thompson

Rodrigues-Mittelstadt-Okposo

Bailey-Sobotka-Pominville

Reserves:  Wilson, Girgensons

Scandella-Ristolainen

Dahlin-McCabe

Beaulieu-Bogosian*/Nelson

Reserve:  Nelson*/Tennyson

 

*Depending on Bogosian's health.

[Randall Flagg]

Has anyone done a Sabres-related prediction thread yet?

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

Has anyone done a Sabres-related prediction thread yet?

You have, 10 minutes from now, in the future. I McConaughey'd it.