2019-2020 Lineup

[nfreeman]

If Sobotka makes the team and plays on the 4th line until Larsson returns, I won't really mind, although I might mind the hysteria that is sure to ensue around here.

I am much more focused on goaltending and on whether Mitts plus 2 of Vesey, Sheary, KO and TT can produce a viable 3rd line.  I think those are the 2 variables that are going to drive the outcome of this season.

The good news IMHO is that I think VO-Eichel-Reino will be a strong top line and Skinner-MoJo-Erod will be a good 2nd line, and that the coaching and the D will be moderately to significantly improved.  I also think Eichel-Reino-Skinner-VO-Dahlin will be a very good top PP unit.

[darksabre]

4 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

If Sobotka makes the team and plays on the 4th line until Larsson returns, I won't really mind, although I might mind the hysteria that is sure to ensue around here.

I am much more focused on goaltending and on whether Mitts plus 2 of Vesey, Sheary, KO and TT can produce a viable 3rd line.  I think those are the 2 variables that are going to drive the outcome of this season.

The good news IMHO is that I think VO-Eichel-Reino will be a strong top line and Skinner-MoJo-Erod will be a good 2nd line, and that the coaching and the D will be moderately to significantly improved.  I also think Eichel-Reino-Skinner-VO-Dahlin will be a very good top PP unit.

Yup to all of this.

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Eichel-Reino-Skinner-VO-Dahlin will be a very good top PP unit.

They'll be deadly to other teams.

[Zamboni]

18 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

They'll be deadly to other teams.

No one is a defensive dynamo there. No one better be caught flat footed. Who would be on the back end with Dahlin?

[inkman]

31 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

No one is a defensive dynamo there. No one better be caught flat footed. Who would be on the back end with Dahlin?

If we are worried about defense on the power play, we're doing it wrong 

[...]

"Victor Olofsson could be a sleeper in the discussion of Calder Trophy finalists as NHL rookie of the year this season."

https://www.nhl.com/news/five-things-learned-preseason-september-25/c-309486964

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

Who would be on the back end with Dahlin?

It rotated around.  Eichel and VO were on the halfboards, Dahlin on the tip of the umbrella, and Skinner in the high slot.  All three of them covered the point with Dahlin depending on the flow.  So yeah, I could see that backfiring disastrously on occasion.  The saving grace could be that they're all pretty fast skaters.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Doohickie

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

It rotated around.  Eichel and VO were on the halfboards, Dahlin on the tip of the umbrella, and Skinner in the high slot.  All three of them covered the point with Dahlin depending on the flow.  So yeah, I could see that backfiring disastrously on occasion.  The saving grace could be that they're all pretty fast skaters.

The Sabres haven't regularly used two defencemen on the PP for years.

[PerreaultForever]

22 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

It rotated around.  Eichel and VO were on the halfboards, Dahlin on the tip of the umbrella, and Skinner in the high slot.  All three of them covered the point with Dahlin depending on the flow.  So yeah, I could see that backfiring disastrously on occasion.  The saving grace could be that they're all pretty fast skaters.

Motion and movement on a power play........imagine that (Phil).

[Doohicksie]

Honestly I had trouble figuring out who was playing what position on the powerplay.  I saw Eichel, VO and Skinner all with the puck at the blue line; it was hard to figure out who was playing the point.

[spndnchz]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Honestly I had trouble figuring out who was playing what position on the powerplay.  I saw Eichel, VO and Skinner all with the puck at the blue line; it was hard to figure out who was playing the point.

They said they’re rotating on the PP, keeping it active so the players may be out of their usual spots during the play.

[...]

2 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

They said they’re rotating on the PP, keeping it active so the players may be out of their usual spots during the play.

Thank God. Finally. It's something.

[SABRES 0311]

10 hours ago, nfreeman said:

If Sobotka makes the team and plays on the 4th line until Larsson returns, I won't really mind, although I might mind the hysteria that is sure to ensue around here.

I am much more focused on goaltending and on whether Mitts plus 2 of Vesey, Sheary, KO and TT can produce a viable 3rd line.  I think those are the 2 variables that are going to drive the outcome of this season.

The good news IMHO is that I think VO-Eichel-Reino will be a strong top line and Skinner-MoJo-Erod will be a good 2nd line, and that the coaching and the D will be moderately to significantly improved.  I also think Eichel-Reino-Skinner-VO-Dahlin will be a very good top PP unit.

Last year we had a not so good middle six. Now we just need a third line that doesn’t suck. Progress!

[Taro T]

8 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

Last year we had a not so good middle six. Now we just need a third line that doesn’t suck. Progress!

Um, until the 2nd line doesn't, that's the bigger concern.

[SABRES 0311]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Um, until the 2nd line doesn't, that's the bigger concern.

Gotta stay positive. It’s all we got.

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, spndnchz said:

They said they’re rotating on the PP, keeping it active so the players may be out of their usual spots during the play.

I know.  I figured that out, but it was puzzling a first..... You can do that?  ?

[North Buffalo]

Hoping Lazar makes the team... kid has skill and a Skinner attitude... I think he would be a good replacement for Sobotka... can play wing or center and has a hx of scoring when put in the right situation.   Needs someone to have some faith in him and then I think he takes off.

[Taro T]

53 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:

Hoping Lazar makes the team... kid has skill and a Skinner attitude... I think he would be a good replacement for Sobotka... can play wing or center and has a hx of scoring when put in the right situation.   Needs someone to have some faith in him and then I think he takes off.

Make that "a good replacement for Okposo" and you'll get support.  A good replacement for Sobotka would be Pominville.  Just saying.

[North Buffalo]

A good replacement for Sobotka would be TT when he is ready then... or by Committee with Larry, Girgenson, eventually Asplund and maybe one of the younger draft pics.  

[Taro T]

Will say honestly am a little concerned about Krueger's recent line's because since Ruff got canned they've not worked well and Ralph seems to be going with what I want to see.

Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart

Skinner-Johansson-Rodrigues

Vesey-Mittelstadt-Sheary (though I'd flip the wings)

Girgensons-Larsson-Lazar

with Thompson and (shudder) Okposo ready to step in if something doesn't work.

Though w/ the injuries not sure where the D is going.  When healthy, would like to see:

Dahlin-Montour (Yeah, on board with Rasmus the younger on pairing 1)

McCabe-Miller

Pilut-Ristolainen

 

 

 

[triumph_communes]

Sobotka is just a placeholder for Roslovic, right?  ?

[Curt]

56 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

Sobotka is just a placeholder for Roslovic, right?  ?

I’m going with, Sobotka is a placeholder for Rodrigues who is just centering Wilson/Okposo so they can show what they’ve got.  The Girg-Lars-Lazar line is the 4th line going into the season.

[That Aud Smell]

Per Vogl's Twitter:

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."

[...]

6 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Per Vogl's Twitter:

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."

[That Aud Smell]