2018 - 2019 Lineup

[spndnchz]

I hear helicopters overhead. Time to go. 

[WildCard]

 

[Randall Flagg]

Good vibes

[Thorner]

On 12/10/2018 at 12:26 PM, Randall Flagg said:

I'm 97% as done with Sam-at-C as We've, and yet I am almost thinking about wanting him to be moved there, because continuing to use Casey in a 2C role is quietly submarining this team as much as anything else is. Our center depth (not center spine - Eichel saves that) is the worst in the league as far as I can tell. 

It's Jack's 4th season already and we really need to get playoff games for these starved players, it'll be as important to their development as any "one more year" first round draft pick that takes 3 years to become what Alex Nylander is right this second 

This. 

[Drunkard]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 7:02 AM, Sabre1974 said:

Is it time to change things up again. Time to try Sam again at centre???

Skinner-Eichel-Pommer

Sheary-Reinhart-Mittlestadt

Thompson-Rodrigues-Okposo(or a Nylander, CJ call up for this line??)

Berglund-Larrson-Girgensons

Press box - Sobokta

 

 

 

 

I'd like to see Reinhart play with Mittelstadt as well, but I'd leave Reinhart at RW and keep Lord Casey (pbuh) at center. Other than that I like the lines, especially Sobotka in the press box.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Alkoholist

[WildCard]

I can't find it but someone just posted the list of 1st lines on teams and their scoring. Spittin Chiclets was interviewing someone the other week and they said a lot around hockey believe you should just have super lines now. It's better to just throw all your top talent together and watch them put up 3g/game then to spread them out and hope they get 1g

[LGR4GM]

10 minutes ago, WildCard said:

I can't find it but someone just posted the list of 1st lines on teams and their scoring. Spittin Chiclets was interviewing someone the other week and they said a lot around hockey believe you should just have super lines now. It's better to just throw all your top talent together and watch them put up 3g/game then to spread them out and hope they get 1g

I think you need pairs. Eichel - Skinner and you need at least 2 pairs. Teams wear down and sometimes you get snake bitten. Super lines mean you can just put your best defenders on the ice and shut them down. Maybe the very top super lines can beat you but look at McDavid, we shut him down once and it killed his team. I like balanced scoring personally. 

[Taro T]

26 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think you need pairs. Eichel - Skinner and you need at least 2 pairs. Teams wear down and sometimes you get snake bitten. Super lines mean you can just put your best defenders on the ice and shut them down. Maybe the very top super lines can beat you but look at McDavid, we shut him down once and it killed his team. I like balanced scoring personally. 

Regardless of how the Eulers assemble their lines, if McDavid is shut down, they are toast.

[Brawndo]

42 minutes ago, WildCard said:

I can't find it but someone just posted the list of 1st lines on teams and their scoring. Spittin Chiclets was interviewing someone the other week and they said a lot around hockey believe you should just have super lines now. It's better to just throw all your top talent together and watch them put up 3g/game then to spread them out and hope they get 1g

Brian Burke likes this philosophy, Tyler Dellow mentioned it in the Athletic Today 

[Weave]

4 hours ago, WildCard said:

I can't find it but someone just posted the list of 1st lines on teams and their scoring. Spittin Chiclets was interviewing someone the other week and they said a lot around hockey believe you should just have super lines now. It's better to just throw all your top talent together and watch them put up 3g/game then to spread them out and hope they get 1g

I posted an article about that a month ago.  The trend around the league is one line with your best talent.

[Doohicksie]

12 hours ago, Alkoholist said:

I'd like to see Reinhart play with Mittelstadt as well, but I'd leave Reinhart at RW and keep Lord Casey (pbuh) at center. Other than that I like the lines, especially Sobotka in the press box.

I second that emotion.  I think pairing Mitts and Okie on the same line has been very beneficial to Mittelstadt, but I'm ready to see how Reino can do with Mitts at center.  It may be Samson's next assignment when Pommer moves back up to the top line.  If he and Mitts work well together we might get some pop out of that line.

[WildCard]

 

[Taro T]

16 minutes ago, WildCard said:

 

So did someone else come off IR or is Beaulieu good to go?

[inkman]

23 minutes ago, WildCard said:

 

My pants just got bigger 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, WildCard said:

 

Wonder if they expect someone back for Tuesday. 

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, WildCard said:

 

Could they have sent him directly to Cincy?

[dudacek]

I really wonder if Tennyson ever plays another game with the Sabres.

I was surprised to see him this year, so Housley must see something, but three goals against in 9 minutes of ice time, two of them a direct result of his poor passes, is something most coaches won’t easily forget. 

He just may have slid behind Guhle and Borgen into the 12 slot on the depth chart, assuming he’s still ahead of Hickey and Daugherty the next time the injuries hit.

Edited December 17, 2018 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I really wonder if Tennyson ever plays another game with the Sabres.

I was surprised to see him this year, so Housley must see something, but three goals against in 9 minutes of ice time, two of them a direct result of his poor passes, is something most coaches won’t easily forget. 

He just may have slid behind Guhle and Borgen into the 12 slot on the depth chart, assuming he’s still ahead of Hickey and Daugherty the next time the injuries hit.

I wonder.  Stats wise Dougherty has played good hockey since returning.

[GASabresIUFAN]

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

[LGR4GM]

If I am trading with NJD, I might find a way to pry McLeod out of their AHL team. 

[WildCard]

 

[Taro T]

13 minutes ago, WildCard said:

 

Hunwick's CF was poor you say?

Couldn't have anything to do with being paired with the #6 D-man, getting PK duty, & essentially 0 minutes w/ the Eichel line now might it?  (Between that & his clearly being the 5th best D-man the Sabres deployed last night, we might have found the reason for those #'s. :p)

[WildCard]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Hunwick's CF was poor you say?

Couldn't have anything to do with being paired with the #6 D-man, getting PK duty, & essentially 0 minutes w/ the Eichel line now might it?  (Between that & his clearly being the 5th best D-man the Sabres deployed last night, we might have found the reason for those #'s. :p)

Was he not playing with Eichel last night? It wouldn't really surprise me. If he wasn't though I'd be curious to see who he was playing against, and with

Also, anyone find it weird there's no practice today?

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, WildCard said:

Was he not playing with Eichel last night? It wouldn't really surprise me. If he wasn't though I'd be curious to see who he was playing against, and with

Also, anyone find it weird there's no practice today?

Five games in 8 nights 

 

[Taro T]

15 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Was he not playing with Eichel last night? It wouldn't really surprise me. If he wasn't though I'd be curious to see who he was playing against, and with

Also, anyone find it weird there's no practice today?

Pretty sure that D pairing & line were on theice together for the 1st Panther goal.  Other than that, it seemed 1 of the Rasmi were always out with the Eichel line.  Which makes sense, Jack's line was typically up against the Barkov line which Housley was trying to keep away from Guhle as much as possible.