D Depth is it good enough?

[GASabresIUFAN]

As usual for the Sabres injuries are already hitting the Sabres. Bogo, no surprise, is on the shelf. McCabe is nicked up but playing. Falk is on IR to start the season. Scandella is not 100% recovered from off-season hip surgery and is starting on the 3rd pair.

So do we have enough depth to survive this season and play Housley’s system?

Edited October 7, 2017 by GASabresFan

[dudacek]

We do have 10 with a reasonable amount of NHL experience, plus Antipin and Guhle who look like they will.

How many do you want?

[Randall Flagg]

Our issue is in the top 4, not the rest. 

[bob_sauve28]

Beaulieu is a solid player.

[GASabresIUFAN]

We do have 10 with a reasonable amount of NHL experience, plus Antipin and Guhle who look like they will.

How many do you want?

I’m not sure. It’s why I asked. Our NHL group is better. I’m happy that Gorges is in the press box and I’m happy to have a real prospect in Roch in Guhle. However, I’m not sure Falk and Gorges are correct players for the system. That leaves only Fedun and Guhle as the real depth now that AAAA Tennyson has made the team. I’m wondering if Jbot feels the same, which is why he acquired Redmond.

[dudacek]

I see guys that can succeed in these roles:

2: Risto

3: Scandella

4/5 McCabe, Bogosian, Beaulieu

6/7 Antipin, Falk, Gorges, Guhle

7/8 Tennyson, Fedun, Redmond

 

I'd say Risto, McCabe, Antipin, Bogosian and Beaulieu have the potential to be better than that under Housley

Gorges has the potential to be much worse.

 

I'm with Randall, I'd say the depth is excellent, it's the top-end talent that is lacking.

I hope Phil can change that, but at the moment, if Risto goes down we're hooped.

Edited October 6, 2017 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

I like Antipin more then others. I see him as a 2nd pairing guy in a year or two.

 

However this is Bogo’s last year here. He is going to have a super year to not get bought out and given his health history I doubt he’ll have such a year.

 

That leaves a top 6 beyond this season of Ristolainen, Baloo, Scandella, McCabe, Guhle and Antipin, with Tennyson in reserve. Ok but not great.

[dudacek]

They just named Bogo an assistant captain.

Doesn't seem like a guy they are considering buying out.

[bob_sauve28]

I like Antipin more then others. I see him as a 2nd pairing guy in a year or two.

 

However this is Bogo’s last year here. He is going to have a super year to not get bought out and given his health history I doubt he’ll have such a year.

 

That leaves a top 6 beyond this season of Ristolainen, Baloo, Scandella, McCabe, Guhle and Antipin, with Tennyson in reserve. Ok but not great.

He needs to learn to not take long useless wrist shots from way out when no one is in front of the net. 

[shrader]

I'll be very curious if they try to find a way to free themselves from Gorges if/when everyone is healthy.  Tennyson getting the start over him is very telling.  Only of those two will need to be passed through waivers.  With Chicago signing Franson, you never can tell what other teams might do.  I could see the team trying to gauge interest in Gorges that way.

[woods-racer]

He needs to learn to not take long useless wrist shots from way out when no one is in front of the net. 

 

I think Antipin has the most untapped potential of the current roster of D men. He is a fast, good skating , puck handling defensemen. If Phil can get him to play the small rink quick tempo game he could really shine.

[GASabresIUFAN]

They just named Bogo an assistant captain.

Doesn't seem like a guy they are considering buying out.

We dump A’s and C’s all the time. Jbot won’t shell out 10 mill plus for two more seasons like Bogo’s last one. I suspect the A was because of age and experience and to help motivate him. In fact, in some ways he was the only choice on the blueline. Risto has enough on his plate, Gorges is in the pressbox and everyone else is to new or to inexperienced. McCabe would have been the other alternative, but has only 2 years in the NHL.

 

I'll be very curious if they try to find a way to free themselves from Gorges if/when everyone is healthy.  Tennyson getting the start over him is very telling.  Only of those two will need to be passed through waivers.  With Chicago signing Franson, you never can tell what other teams might do.  I could see the team trying to gauge interest in Gorges that way.

Tennyson is a RD like Bogo. However, if and when Bogo returns someone between Falk, Gorges and Tennyson is going to draw the short straw. It’s likely to be Gorges or Falk as they are both LD and we are unlikely to keep 9 D.

[bob_sauve28]

I think Antipin has the most untapped potential of the current roster of D men. He is a fast, good skating , puck handling defensemen. If Phil can get him to play the small rink quick tempo game he could really shine.

He might be, but it worries me he is only signed for a year. He might develop and say bye bye.

I think he looks good though. Beaulieu to me seems like a great pick up. Kid is all over, confident, creative and talented. Just love him

[GASabresIUFAN]

We could only give him a one year ELC under the collective bargaining agreement.  If he works out, he'll get an extension.

[shrader]

We could only give him a one year ELC under the collective bargaining agreement. If he works out, he'll get an extension.

And either way, he’s restricted after the year

[Pokey Jones]

The D is much better than last year already, and that is with the injuries. It's the forwards I'm worried about. 

[bob_sauve28]

And either way, he’s restricted after the year

 

He can only sign with us?

[GASabresIUFAN]

He can only sign with us?

No, but we can match and if don’t we’ll get draft pick(s) as compensation like any other RFA.

[LGR4GM]

I'll be very curious if they try to find a way to free themselves from Gorges if/when everyone is healthy. Tennyson getting the start over him is very telling. Only of those two will need to be passed through waivers. With Chicago signing Franson, you never can tell what other teams might do. I could see the team trying to gauge interest in Gorges that way.

Tennyson is a RHD correct? Isn't that why he gets the start?

No, but we can match and if don’t we’ll get draft pick(s) as compensation like any other RFA.

I think in the early part of the new year he'll get a nice extension. He'll never got rfa

[shrader]

Tennyson is a RHD correct? Isn't that why he gets the start?

I think in the early part of the new year he'll get a nice extension. He'll never got rfa

We put too much weight into the right hand/left hand thing. If a vet like Gorges starts the season in the press box behind a journeyman, it tells you a lot about where he fits with the team.

[GASabresIUFAN]

We put too much weight into the right hand/left hand thing. If a vet like Gorges starts the season in the press box behind a journeyman, it tells you a lot about where he fits with the team.

Exactly, which is why I started this thread.  We have depth on paper, but when Falk and Gorges are part of the depth in a system that focuses on speed, you really only have 8 players not 10.

[LGR4GM]

We might but Housley has almost exclusively run defenders on their natural sides.

[nfreeman]

Exactly, which is why I started this thread.  We have depth on paper, but when Falk and Gorges are part of the depth in a system that focuses on speed, you really only have 8 players not 10.

 

Gorges, as diminished as he is, still represents depth if he's the #8 guy.  

 

Below him are Fedun and Nelson, each of whom could  play #6 NHL minutes if needed.

 

No there aren't a bunch of Karlssons in waiting but IMHO there is more than adequate depth on D.

[Pokey Jones]

It kind of depends on how many minutes you expect your third pair to have. If you play uptempo you have to play everybody and depth-wise that'll be a problem. But still, its better than last year. Way better. 

[Thorner]

We might but Housley has almost exclusively run defenders on their natural sides.

This. It's a real thing.