2019-2020 Lineup

[GASabresIUFAN]

55 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is the best reason to believe there is a trade coming, and maybe more than one.

Once arbitration clears, we have 24 players on the NHL roster.

And that’s not counting Pilut, Thompson, Jokiharju, and Olofsson who all have a real shot to make the team, and fringe guys with NHL experience who will have to be waived like Lazar, Gilmour, Elie and I believe Smith.

 

PS both Hainsey and Ennis will be Senators this year.

... and they accused us of tanking.

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Depth Chart: (with 3 LW* forced to the right side)

Skinner Eichel Reinhart ? Dahlin Ristolainen Hutton

Johansson Mittelstadt Sheary* ?McCabe Montour Ullmark

Vesey Rodrigues Okposo ? Scandella Miller Hammond

Girgensons Larsson Thompson ? Pilut Bogosian Lukkonnen

Wilson Sobotka Olofsson* ?Hunwick Jokiharju Johanssen

Elie Lazar Smith* ?Gilmour Nelson

 

Looking at this depth chart, and some of the stated comments they'e made regarding the D, it does seem handedness is rather important to them as a roster/line-up factor. Another reason to suspect a move, those LH shots on the right side. Though it's much more common for wingers to do that obviously, and many prefer it. Still, balance does seem to be an objective, particularly on D. 

Edited July 30, 2019 by Thorny

[GASabresIUFAN]

12 hours ago, dudacek said:

Depth Chart: (with 3 LW* forced to the right side)

Skinner Eichel Reinhart ? Dahlin Ristolainen Hutton

Johansson Mittelstadt Sheary* ?McCabe Montour Ullmark

Vesey Rodrigues Okposo ? Scandella Miller Hammond

Girgensons Larsson Thompson ? Pilut Bogosian Lukkonnen

Wilson Sobotka Olofsson* ?Hunwick Jokiharju Johanssen

Elie Lazar Smith* ?Gilmour Nelson

 

I’m confused by your chart.  Shouldn’t your smiley faces be based on lineups at a similar level.  For example a 4th line of Girgensons Larson and Ko was a very effective unit last season.  Should it get at least an??  Also I don’t think you have your all players in the right spots.  Montour is now our top RHD. His analytics with Dahlin put him there. Olofsson is also going to start the season much higher in the rotation.  

Edited July 30, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

Chart is based on NHL usage and production last year.

Wouldnt read too much into the emojis.

[WildCard]

Sometimes we take Eichel for granted

 

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Sometimes we take Eichel for granted

 

Well said.

Also, when I watch how Sam found Jack from his knees, then set a pick for him to start that play, found the holes in the defence twice to get open for him, and finished things off, I realize why Housley kept forcing them together.

That play showcased Jack’s obvious skill and Sam’s subtle skill and how they complement each other so well.

I hope Olofsson, Johansson or Vesey can play off what Jack opens up like Sam can this year.

And that Mittelstadt, Johansson or our new 2C can benefit from Sam’s brain like Jack can.

[Zamboni]

Would anyone object to trying for the first 9-10 games of the season a triple J line? 3J, J3X.

Jeff Jack Jimmy 

[Randall Flagg]

1 minute ago, Zamboni said:

Would anyone object to trying for the first 9-10 games of the season a triple J line? 3J, J3X.

Jeff Jack Jimmy 

*raises hand

[Zamboni]

10 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

*raises hand

Just to see if chemistry is there? I’m in no way saying to have that line carved in stone. And honestly I couldn’t care less one way or the other. New team, new coach, new system.

Explain why you object to trying for a handful of games? 

[Eleven]

Just now, Zamboni said:

Just to see if chemistry is there? I’m in no way saying to have that line carved in stone. And honestly I couldn’t care less one way or the other. New team, new coach, new system.

Explain why you object to trying for a handful of games? 

Do it during camp and preseason first.

[Randall Flagg]

2 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Just to see if chemistry is there? I’m in no way saying to have that line carved in stone. And honestly I couldn’t care less one way or the other. New team, new coach, new system.

Explain why you object to trying for a handful of games? 

Jack, Jimmy, and Skins are all varying degrees of dreadful in their own zone, and Jimmy's thing (goals from in tight) is the exact function that Jeff provides the line already, to the tune of 40 goals, so Jimmy being there is a bit redundant. I'd like to find/add a player to that spot who does something different, be it on the boards or in the defensive zone. 

I also just don't want to watch Jimmy Vesey play for the Sabres but that's just me.

Hopefully he proves me wrong! 

[dudacek]

The thing I dislike about That line is that Jimmy’s strengths are a pale echo of Skinner’s. They need a different element there.

Jack and Jimmy is actually a good fit. I’d put Johansson in the Reinhart role and let Sam and Jeff drive a second scoring line.

[Zamboni]

Maybe perhaps in a different environment and system, any player “weaknesses” will be minimized. 

Meh, at this point I hope most line combos are a possibility to try in the preseason and a handful of games in October. 

[jad1]

Eichel could probably carry these  career third-liners, playing on their off-wing to 20 goals.  He can probably  get Skinner 30-35 goals.  But he'll only score 25 himself.

Reinhart is the probably the only winger on the team who can drive Eichel to 40+ goals.

Skinnner - Eichel - Reinhart is the only playoff caliber line the Sabres have.  You would think that Botterill with all the cap space he had at the beginning of the off season would have  built a legitimate 2nd line.  Instead he's amassed 3rd line left wingers.  Seriously, did anyone believe at the end of last season that Jimmy Vesey was the answer to any of the Sabres problems?

Anyway, Botterill might still add top six talent, but time is now short and the cap is tight.

At this point, expect a bunch of guys to be thrown on Eichel's wing. Hopefully one can make the jump to the top line, despote playing on their off wing.

[Huckleberry]

42 minutes ago, jad1 said:

Eichel could probably carry these  career third-liners, playing on their off-wing to 20 goals.  He can probably  get Skinner 30-35 goals.  But he'll only score 25 himself.

Reinhart is the probably the only winger on the team who can drive Eichel to 40+ goals.

Skinnner - Eichel - Reinhart is the only playoff caliber line the Sabres have.  You would think that Botterill with all the cap space he had at the beginning of the off season would have  built a legitimate 2nd line.  Instead he's amassed 3rd line left wingers.  Seriously, did anyone believe at the end of last season that Jimmy Vesey was the answer to any of the Sabres problems?

Anyway, Botterill might still add top six talent, but time is now short and the cap is tight.

At this point, expect a bunch of guys to be thrown on Eichel's wing. Hopefully one can make the jump to the top line, despote playing on their off wing.

Come back next year, this year he never had much cap space after signing Skinner.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Would anyone object to trying for the first 9-10 games of the season a triple J line? 3J, J3X.

Jeff Jack Jimmy 

 

1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

Jack, Jimmy, and Skins are all varying degrees of dreadful in their own zone, and Jimmy's thing (goals from in tight) is the exact function that Jeff provides the line already, to the tune of 40 goals, so Jimmy being there is a bit redundant. I'd like to find/add a player to that spot who does something different, be it on the boards or in the defensive zone. 

I also just don't want to watch Jimmy Vesey play for the Sabres but that's just me.

Hopefully he proves me wrong! 

Assuming these are forwards the Sabres are moving forward with, I fully expect Kreuger to try this line.

Yes, Skinner and Vesey are redundant to a degree, but Vesey outside his own blue line is far better at the pale copy of Skinner than the corpse of Pominville was.  And that line worked until Pomms completely ran out of gas ~12 games in.

Keep them away from Ristolainen - (he and Jack amplify each other's issues at covering the slot against a reasonable cycle) and that line could be OK.  It also would allow Johansson to have both Reinhart & Olofsson who are the 2 best offensive wingers on this team not named Jeff.

[nfreeman]

I, too, expect Vesey to be in the mix for Jack's RW slot.

For that matter, I think Vesey, Olofsson and Jojo (and maybe TT and CJ Smith) are going to be told in camp that that slot is open for competition and a path to Skinner-esque fame and fortune awaits whoever wins it. 

I think the competition for that spot is going to be spirited.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

The thing I dislike about That line is that Jimmy’s strengths are a pale echo of Skinner’s. They need a different element there.

Jack and Jimmy is actually a good fit. I’d put Johansson in the Reinhart role and let Sam and Jeff drive a second scoring line.

Here I was thinking Botterill hadn't done much for our top 6, where in reality he's almost completely rebuilt our top line with Vesey and Johansson.

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I, too, expect Vesey to be in the mix for Jack's RW slot.

For that matter, I think Vesey, Olofsson and Jojo (and maybe TT and CJ Smith) are going to be told in camp that that slot is open for competition and a path to Skinner-esque fame and fortune awaits whoever wins it. 

I think the competition for that spot is going to be spirited.

4 of the 5 competing for the RW spot are left shots. It's still just an odd bit of roster construction, where we are currently sitting at. 

Everything screams "more moves". Guess we shall see. 

[nfreeman]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

4 of the 5 competing for the RW spot are left shots. It's still just an odd bit of roster construction, where we are currently sitting at. 

Everything screams "more moves". Guess we shall see. 

I don't really see them trading any of their top-6-potential LWs though (Skinner, Vesey, Olofsson or Jojo).  I just think some guys are going to play on their off-wing -- and it's a price they'll be happy to pay to get onto Eichel's line.

I agree that the composition of the D group indicates that more moves are coming.

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

I don't really see them trading any of their top-6-potential LWs though (Skinner, Vesey, Olofsson or Jojo).  I just think some guys are going to play on their off-wing -- and it's a price they'll be happy to pay to get onto Eichel's line.

I agree that the composition of the D group indicates that more moves are coming.

Indications are that Olofsson will be on the left, and Vesey played mostly RW last year as far as I know, so Vesey would probably be the one moving over, as others have guessed. Johansson, who knows. Has he played more at LW or RW lately?

[dudacek]

24 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Indications are that Olofsson will be on the left, and Vesey played mostly RW last year as far as I know, so Vesey would probably be the one moving over, as others have guessed. Johansson, who knows. Has he played more at LW or RW lately?

He said LW after he was signed.

Also said he’s comfortable wherever, but most of them do.

[Thorner]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

He said LW after he was signed.

Also said he’s comfortable wherever, but most of them do.

So Skinner, Olofsson, Johansson on the left, likely Vesey, Reinhart, Sheary on the right. Getting close to Soviet territory here re:left shots if not for the RH centres we have penciled in (Eichel, Rodrigues?).

[Randall Flagg]

Still didn't listen to the interview, but someone on twitter makes it sound like Botts talked about Sheary/Johansson playing either wing, without mentioning center. Which I think is good, I was dubious about the idea of 90 at center. That could help us a bit though. 
Skinner - Jack - Johansson
Olofsson - Mitts - Reinhart
Vesey - Rodrigues - Sheary
Zem - larry - Kyle

At least makes sense for the bulk of the players. Vesey would probably start in Olofsson's spot but I'm being optimistic. Take some of Mitts' sheltering and give it to the 3rd line so they don't give up a hundred goals themselves. That's what I'd do I think, hoping that Johansson fits in stylistically. 

Or something different
Skinner - Jack - VO 
Vesey - Rodrigues - Reinhart
Johansson - Mitts - Sheary
Zemgus - Larry - Kyle

[Zamboni]

39 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Still didn't listen to the interview, but someone on twitter makes it sound like Botts talked about Sheary/Johansson playing either wing, without mentioning center. Which I think is good, I was dubious about the idea of 90 at center. That could help us a bit though. 
Skinner - Jack - Johansson
Olofsson - Mitts - Reinhart
Vesey - Rodrigues - Sheary
Zem - larry - Kyle

At least makes sense for the bulk of the players. Vesey would probably start in Olofsson's spot but I'm being optimistic. Take some of Mitts' sheltering and give it to the 3rd line so they don't give up a hundred goals themselves. That's what I'd do I think, hoping that Johansson fits in stylistically. 

Or something different
Skinner - Jack - VO 
Vesey - Rodrigues - Reinhart
Johansson - Mitts - Sheary
Zemgus - Larry - Kyle

I would be surprised (not mad) if RK gave rookie VO extended first line duties. But hey, I’m open to trying many combos to see if something clicks and has chemistry ?‍♂️