Nylander called up

[inkman]

I hardly paid attention to this one but his shot was something I've only seen out of Jack on this team. 

[SwampD]

43 minutes ago, inkman said:

I hardly paid attention to this one but his shot was something I've only seen out of Jack on this team. 

And he's better all around than Tage already.

… who I'm also not ready to give up on yet.

[Thorner]

14 minutes ago, SwampD said:

And he's better all around than Tage already.

… who I'm also not ready to give up on yet.

[Broken Ankles]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

And he's better all around than Tage already.

… who I'm also not ready to give up on yet.

I was just thinking about this point tonight.   Do you think he was even with TT coming out of camp but Tage was part of a certain trade, and that was a deciding factor?   I hate to think JB uses “his guy” vs “my guy” with prospects or players.   JB guys like Bergland, Vlad, Tage, Scandella, Beaulieu, and Mitts......Disasters.  I’d really hate to use Nylander as a ‘thrown in’  part of a trade  (a la Guehle) this summer and he pans out.  

[Andrew Amerk]

28 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

I was just thinking about this point tonight.   Do you think he was even with TT coming out of camp but Tage was part of a certain trade, and that was a deciding factor?   I hate to think JB uses “his guy” vs “my guy” with prospects or players.   JB guys like Bergland, Vlad, Tage, Scandella, Beaulieu, and Mitts......Disasters.  I’d really hate to use Nylander as a ‘thrown in’  part of a trade  (a la Guehle) this summer and he pans out.  

No. Tage was ahead of Nylander in camp, and still is development-wise. 

Nylander isn’t going to amount to anything, despite our hopes of the possible shiny diamond becoming a shiny diamond. He’s best used as trade bait for something useful, and hopefully for him it jolts him into relevance elsewhere. 

[matter2003]

Nylander has the best Corsi on the team helping to drive possession and chances...small sample size but the Sabres are DYING for a guy to help in this department...

[Doohicksie]

9 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

Do you think he was even with TT coming out of camp but Tage was part of a certain trade, and that was a deciding factor?

 

9 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

No. Tage was ahead of Nylander in camp, and still is development-wise.  

Coming out of camp, there was considerable debate on this forum about whether Nylander or Tage was more ready for the NHL.  Based on camp many felt that Nylander would get the nod and were surprised that it was Tage, and even more surprised that Tage was a healthy scratch for the first quarter of the season or so.

As far as development goes, when I see Nylander playing, I see just another NHLer.  When I see Tage I see a baby giraffe who, after almost a full NHL season, struggles to make the right play or properly interact with linemates. 

To me, Nylander looks to be closer to NHL-ready than Tage.

[PalmTreeMafia]

52 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

 

Coming out of camp, there was considerable debate on this forum about whether Nylander or Tage was more ready for the NHL.  Based on camp many felt that Nylander would get the nod and were surprised that it was Tage, and even more surprised that Tage was a healthy scratch for the first quarter of the season or so.

As far as development goes, when I see Nylander playing, I see just another NHLer.  When I see Tage I see a baby giraffe who, after almost a full NHL season, struggles to make the right play or properly interact with linemates. 

To me, Nylander looks to be closer to NHL-ready than Tage.

Thats exactly how I remember the preseason too. I was leaning toward the Nylander side, but all the resident experts here had me convinced that Tage was the more ready prospect and that Nylander was a likely bust. Fast forward to now, and the outlook looks a bit different. I think people were just biased against Nylander because he was a Murray choice and biased in favor of Thompson because he was a Botterill guy.

The reality is that Botterill is doing a terrible job here in his own way, with most of everything he's done for the big club turning to sh!t. The Skinner trade was excellent (although he better re-sign this summer) and I like the Luukkonen pick, but everything else ranges from "meh" and "too early to call" to the downright terrible (Housley, O'Reilly trade). This coming offseason is a very critical point for Botterill and for this franchise as a whole. He needs to have this roster ready for 2020 playoff contention. If not, we may all be entering a world of pain...as if we've haven't endured enough this century as Sabres fans.

[Huckleberry]

5 minutes ago, Marchand'sNose said:

Thats exactly how I remember the preseason too. I was leaning toward the Nylander side, but all the resident experts here had me convinced that Tage was the more ready prospect and that Nylander was a likely bust. Fast forward to now, and the outlook looks a bit different. I think people were just biased against Nylander because he was a Murray choice and biased in favor of Thompson because he was a Botterill guy.

The reality is that Botterill is doing a terrible job here in his own way, with most of everything he's done for the big club turning to sh!t. The Skinner trade was excellent (although he better re-sign this summer) and I like the Luukkonen pick, but everything else ranges from "meh" and "too early to call" to the downright terrible (Housley, O'Reilly trade). This coming offseason is a very critical point for Botterill and for this franchise as a whole. He needs to have this roster ready for 2020 playoff contention. If not, we may all be entering a world of pain...as if we've haven't endured enough this century as Sabres fans.

You are way to hard on botterill.

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

 

Coming out of camp, there was considerable debate on this forum about whether Nylander or Tage was more ready for the NHL.  Based on camp many felt that Nylander would get the nod and were surprised that it was Tage, and even more surprised that Tage was a healthy scratch for the first quarter of the season or so.

As far as development goes, when I see Nylander playing, I see just another NHLer.  When I see Tage I see a baby giraffe who, after almost a full NHL season, struggles to make the right play or properly interact with linemates. 

To me, Nylander looks to be closer to NHL-ready than Tage.

Maybe you’re right ... but your assessment would be a lot more convincing if Nylander had 30-40 games under his belt and looked as good as he has in the last 3 games.

I’ll personally take a wait n see approach before doning him NHL ready or better than Tage or other rookies. My prediction is, I think he’ll settle (develop) into a perimeter player who isn’t physical, takes shifts off, drives fans nuts, opportunistic sniper who snags 45-55 points a season.

 

I’m intrigued and want to see more. Or trade him after the Amerks post season in hopes his value goes up from a solid post season in Roch.

Next season is his coming out party for good or bad. The “bust” factor is looming just as much as the “developing nicely” factor is right now at this moment in time. I hope hope hope he takes another step this summer and training camp. It would be sweet.

[Doohicksie]

50 minutes ago, Marchand'sNose said:

This coming offseason is a very critical point for Botterill and for this franchise as a whole. He needs to have this roster ready for 2020 playoff contention. If not, we may all be entering a world of pain...as if we've haven't endured enough this century as Sabres fans.

Incorrect.  Cap purgatory doesn't end until after the 2019-20 season.  Then JBot will have money to spend on the roster without having to make space for useless contracts (except Okposo.  We're stuck with him forever).

[jad1]

32 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

You are way to hard on botterill.

Nah, the criticism is fair.   He would have to have the most astounding offseason in franchise history to turn this team into a 90 point club in his 3rd season with the team. 

[Huckleberry]

28 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Nah, the criticism is fair.   He would have to have the most astounding offseason in franchise history to turn this team into a 90 point club in his 3rd season with the team. 

yet some of you  expected him to do this last offseason.

[PalmTreeMafia]

11 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Incorrect.  Cap purgatory doesn't end until after the 2019-20 season.  Then JBot will have money to spend on the roster without having to make space for useless contracts (except Okposo.  We're stuck with him forever).

Ah, I see. Cap purgatory. Yes, this will be next season's excuse for JBot's incompetence. By cap purgatory, I assume you're referring to Bogo, Scandella, Sobotka, and Okposo. It should first be noted that Scandella and Sobotka are JBot's guys. Since Bogo and Scandella are serviceable vets on 1-year deals, they can still be traded for some sort of minimal return. That's over $9 million saved right there....Skinner's new contract. That still leaves the Sabres with over $28 million to pay any of Rodrigues, Girgensons, Larsson, and McCabe plus make improvements to this season's roster. So I'm not really seeing the cap purgatory here... the Sabres need to make the playoff in 2020 or JBot's job security should be in question.

[bob_sauve28]

On 3/18/2019 at 12:38 PM, dudacek said:

I’ve been waiting for him to play with Eichel since the day we drafted him.

On paper, he can read the game at a high level and interact with Jack the way Sam does, but he has better speed and a better shot.

Jack’s alpha male tendencies can theoretically compensate for his lack of same. He just has to keep his feet moving.

Saw that shot last night! He has looked impressive 

[Broken Ankles]

8 hours ago, Marchand'sNose said:

Ah, I see. Cap purgatory. Yes, this will be next season's excuse for JBot's incompetence. By cap purgatory, I assume you're referring to Bogo, Scandella, Sobotka, and Okposo. It should first be noted that Scandella and Sobotka are JBot's guys. Since Bogo and Scandella are serviceable vets on 1-year deals, they can still be traded for some sort of minimal return. That's over $9 million saved right there....Skinner's new contract. That still leaves the Sabres with over $28 million to pay any of Rodrigues, Girgensons, Larsson, and McCabe plus make improvements to this season's roster. So I'm not really seeing the cap purgatory here... the Sabres need to make the playoff in 2020 or JBot's job security should be in question.

I expect Sobotka to be bought out.  Unmovable contract and friendly buy out.  I expect Rasmus and Scandella to be traded.   Assuming an $83M cap (modest 3-4M increase) we have $30.6 M after the Skinner deal.  Obviously need to conserve some as Montour and Reinhart get extended.  And Dahlin in 2021.   But there are no shackles on JB this summer in my opinion.    He has the cap space to get $hite done. 

[freester]

10 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

You are way to hard on botterill.

Not hard enough. You forgot to mention the incompetence of not resigning Kane and now having the wimpiest team around. 

[Pimlach]

One of the positive developments of the season is Nylander’s apparent development.  I hope it continues.  I think Bots was correct to leave him in Rochester.  

Watching the Blues.  Robert Thomas is 19 and is breaking out.  Looking more like a top 6 forward as the season progresses.  Bots wanted Thomas but had to settle for Tage Thompson who at 21 has fallen behind Thomas right now.  

 

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, freester said:

Not hard enough. You forgot to mention the incompetence of not resigning Kane and now having the wimpiest team around. 

Only if you exclude the fact that Kane wasn’t going to re sign in Buffalo, it’s complete incompetence 

[Drunkard]

10 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Only if you exclude the fact that Kane wasn’t going to re sign in Buffalo, it’s complete incompetence 

If I remember it right, all the reports indicated that JB never even discussed offering Kane an extension with his agent, so it's kind of inaccurate to just assume that there was no way Kane was going to sign here. It's quite possible that he was open to signing an extension, but that's impossible to do if an offer is never made.

Either way, that's JB's prerogative, but it's not like Kane was the one who refused any discussion of staying in Buffalo.

[Brawndo]

6 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

If I remember it right, all the reports indicated that JB never even discussed offering Kane an extension with his agent, so it's kind of inaccurate to just assume that there was no way Kane was going to sign here. It's quite possible that he was open to signing an extension, but that's impossible to do if an offer is never made.

Either way, that's JB's prerogative, but it's not like Kane was the one who refused any discussion of staying in Buffalo.

It’s not inaccurate when it comes from a source with direct knowledge about that particular subject. He was appreciative of how The Pegula’s Treated Him and His Family and loved playing with Jack, but Buffalo wasn’t for him he wanted a bigger city to play in. The third largest city in California fits that description. 

 

[jad1]

21 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

yet some of you  expected him to do this last offseason.

No, most expected him not to take the massive step backwards he did  when he traded two top six forwards for nothing.

And shelving the top prospects in Rochester while keeping prospects on the big club who have proven they are not ready is also a step back.

Botterrill has done nothing in his two seasons here to indicate that he will be a top GM.

[Drunkard]

43 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

It’s not inaccurate when it comes from a source with direct knowledge about that particular subject. He was appreciative of how The Pegula’s Treated Him and His Family and loved playing with Jack, but Buffalo wasn’t for him he wanted a bigger city to play in. The third largest city in California fits that description. 

 

What source is that?

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

31 minutes ago, jad1 said:

No, most expected him not to take the massive step backwards he did  when he traded two top six forwards for nothing.

And shelving the top prospects in Rochester while keeping prospects on the big club who have proven they are not ready is also a step back.

Botterrill has done nothing in his two seasons here to indicate that he will be a top GM.

Who were the top prospects that should not have been shelved? There aren't any in Roch that would be an upgrade to Mitts IMO. TT is another story.

With that said, I do believe that they both could have benefited from at least a half season in the AHL and Roch would benefit also.

The 2 top six forward trades no matter how you look at it personally, may be in some question, but are not totally "nothing" and still yet to be determined.

 

[Doohicksie]

On 3/20/2019 at 11:47 PM, Andrew Amerk said:

Tage was ahead of Nylander in camp, and still is development-wise. 

That's not the way I remember it.