Who Are the 2C and 3C Candidates Internal and External?

[GoPuckYourself]

46 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

While there still maybe another move to bolster the center position, I'm fairly confident the signing of Johansson is for the 2C.  

That doesn't preclude us from trading for Bjugstad to bolster the RW and given us another C option. 

I like where Jbot is going.  Adding Johansson, Miller and Vesey has created a faster, more skilled and deeper roster on paper.  Now HCRK has to get the guys to gel quickly and accept the roles given them and play to win.  Johansson also has a ton of playoff experience which we could also use. 

I don't agree at all, has he ever even played C? I'm expecting another signing or trade for a #2 C, sign Dzingel or trade for a realistic option whoever that may be.

[GASabresIUFAN]

19 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I don't agree at all, has he ever even played C? I'm expecting another signing or trade for a #2 C, sign Dzingel or trade for a realistic option whoever that may be.

He played center for much of his time in Wash. He also played RW and LW.

[Curt]

19 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I don't agree at all, has he ever even played C? I'm expecting another signing or trade for a #2 C, sign Dzingel or trade for a realistic option whoever that may be.

Johansson played C his first couple years in the league, but that was something like 5-6 years ago.  He has played mostly wing since.  I don’t know how Buffalo plans to use him.

Dzingle also is a wing.  He hasn’t played C at all in the NHL.

[GoPuckYourself]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

He played center for much of his time in Wash. He also played RW and LW.

I wasn't aware of that, I'd still love it if Dzingel was signed to man that position.

[GoPuckYourself]

1 minute ago, Curt said:

Johansson played C his first couple years in the league, but that was something like 5-6 years ago.  He has played mostly wing since.  I don’t know how Buffalo plans to use him.

Dzingle also is a wing.  He hasn’t played C at all in the NHL.

I'm pretty sure he was the C his entire career. Scroll down  https://www.rotowire.com/hockey/player.php?id=4349

[Curt]

3 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I'm pretty sure he was the C his entire career. Scroll down  https://www.rotowire.com/hockey/player.php?id=4349

I don’t know what you wanted me to scroll down to, but Dzingle has taken 185 faceoffs in 268 career games.  That tells me that he hasn’t played C.  https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/d/dzingry01.html 

[PerreaultForever]

We need one more player imo (RW or C) so I'd sign Dzingle for sure but with Johansson we are definitely a better team. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

37 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

We need one more player imo (RW or C) so I'd sign Dzingle for sure but with Johansson we are definitely a better team. 

How are you going to pay him?  We only have 6.65 mill left and only 20 players signed with RFAs McCabe, Ullmark and Erod.  We also need operating cap room and Dahlin's year end bonus.  If someone else wanted Sheary or Bogo or Scandella, they'd have been moved already.

[triumph_communes]

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

How are you going to pay him?  We only have 6.65 mill left and only 20 players signed with RFAs McCabe, Ullmark and Erod.  We also need operating cap room and Dahlin's year end bonus.  If someone else wanted Sheary or Bogo or Scandella, they'd have been moved already.

6.65 for McCabe, Ullmark, Rodrigues, and Larsson

 

2

1.5

1

2

=6.5

Roster size of 24, minus 1 million for whoever is demoted and there’s the wiggle room. Dahlin’s bonuses can be carried over into next year worst case, when a lot of cap will open up, but I wouldn’t worry much with all the LTIR going on.

 

What I was hoping for was a trade involving Risto to either Winnepeg or Tampa, depending on who Montreal offer sheets, to help them fill in their gap at defense while taking back some salary on a forward like Ehlers or Gourde in return. I don’t see how we have the room to do anything like that now with Johansson, but there’s still some cap magic possible (Bogo straight to IR, buyouts, etc)

Edited July 7, 2019 by triumph_communes

[GASabresIUFAN]

While the buyout period has expired, Jbot could buyout Sobotka or Scandella in the arbitration related buyout period which happens within 3 days of our final arbitration case and the player must have a cap hit of 3.45 or greater. I don’t believe players on IR can be bought out.

I’m not clear what happens if all cases settle.

That said, trades are also possible but TB’s players have NTCs and while I’d love to get RNH, and made such a suggestion my self, I doubt Edm trades him.  It would be like us trading Reinhart.

[GoPuckYourself]

So it's my understanding that Marcus Johansson hasn't played C in about 5 years and even if it wasn't that long ago I have to assume that it didn't go that well or he'd still be at C since there seems to be more of a need there am I right? I like the signing alot as I think he makes our roster better for sure but I'm not sure playing him at 2nd line C will be any better than Middlestadt at 2nd line C.

Edited July 8, 2019 by GoPuckYourself

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

So it's my understanding that Marcus Johansson hasn't played C in about 5 years and even if it wasn't that long ago I have to assume that it didn't go that well or he'd still be at C since there seems to be more of a need there am I right? I like the signing alot as I think he makes our roster better for sure but I'm not sure playing him at C will be any better than Middlestadt at C.

I still hope for a true 2C moved in.  But if that doesn't happen, still expecting him to be better at 2C than Mittelstadt will be.  Will he be enough of an improvement that the 2nd line will look like a good 2nd line allowing Mitts line to be a true 3rd scoring line?  Hoping it will; wouldn't want any money on it.

Course, my preference if Johansson turns out to be Leino at C and no other outsiders are brought in would be to try Rodrigues in that role.  He won't excel at it, but should also be better than Mitts at it & could have the additional help of having Marcus on his LW.

REALLY don't want them coming out of the gate W/ Mitts at 2C unless he's improved way more than someone should be able to do from year 1 to year 2.

[GASabresIUFAN]

38 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

So it's my understanding that Marcus Johansson hasn't played C in about 5 years and even if it wasn't that long ago I have to assume that it didn't go that well or he'd still be at C since there seems to be more of a need there am I right? I like the signing alot as I think he makes our roster better for sure but I'm not sure playing him at 2nd line C will be any better than Middlestadt at 2nd line C.

Not correct.  Trotz had him at center for much of the 2015-16 season in Washington.  He didn’t play center in NJ or Bos the last 3 seasons.

[TrueBlueGED]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Not correct.  Trotz had him at center for much of the 2015-16 season in Washington.  He didn’t play center in NJ or Bos the last 3 seasons.

Johansson himself said he hasn't played much center outside of his first few years in Washington. I don't often take athletes at face value, but I'm comfortable assuming he knows what position he's been playing. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Johansson himself said he hasn't played much center outside of his first few years in Washington. I don't often take athletes at face value, but I'm comfortable assuming he knows what position he's been playing. 

This is the quote from Johansson 

Quote

I've played both center and left wing, mostly left wing over the last few years, but I'm happy to play wherever I'm needed. #Sabres

This is the quote from Hoppe’s Article.

Quote

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Marcus Johansson began his NHL career playing center. When the Washington Capitals needed help there three years ago, he briefly moved back.

This is a link to the Washington article where Trotz moved him back to center in 2015-16.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/this-time-around-marcus-johansson-is-finding-his-groove-at-center/2016/01/24/b2814a1e-c20f-11e5-9443-7074c3645405_story.html?utm_term=.adca06ecb9fa

Funny,  but isn’t that what I said.  Played center in 2015-16 and has played wing since.  Last a looked but “a few” means about 3 years,

[GoPuckYourself]

I still don't believe he's our 2nd lone C, I feel we'll make another trade or 2. 1 to clear out cap space and 1 to add a 2nd line C.

[dudacek]

Here’s a name I’d watch that hasn’t received much attention:  Mikael Granlund

He’s kinda redundant with Duchene and Johansen there. I’m sure they’d rather move Bonino or Turris, but Granlund would fetch a much better return.

He was disappointing for the Preds after coming over from Minny, but is definitely a legitimate 2C. He put up 54 points last year after hitting 67 and 69 the two years before. He’s 27 and heading into the last year of a $5.75 million deal.

Market value was established at the deadline when Nashville gave up emerging young 40-point winger Kevin Fiala. Nashville has a hole on right D created by the Subban trade, is generally lacking in prospects due to going for it now, and could use a winger. They are also trying to free up cap to re-sign Josi.

In other words, they might quietly be a good trade fit with the Sabres.

Poile is going to make another deal.

Granlund for Risto? For some cap-friendly combination of a defenceman on a one-year deal, a salary dump and/or package of futures?

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

Actually Granlund has mostly played LW for the last 3 seasons.  His game really blossomed when moved out of the pivot.  He went from 13 to 26 goals.

Edited July 9, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

17 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Actually Granlund has mostly played LW for the last 3 seasons.  His game really blossomed when moved out of the pivot.  He went from 13 to 26 goals.

I didn’t realize that had become a full-time gig prior to Nashville. Most of my memories of him are him playing centre in Minny, and further back being hyped as their big-time centre prospect.

Edited July 9, 2019 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I didn’t realize that had become a full-time gig prior to Nashville. Most of my memories of him are him playing centre in Minny, and further back being hyped as their big-time centre prospect.

Like Jojo he has been a LW since 2016-17. I am interested in Bonino.

Edited July 9, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Like Jojo he has been a LW since 2016-17. I am interested in Bonino.

Johansson only played centre regularly in his 1st two seasons.

Bonino isn’t a second line centre, but he might be a useful 3rd. Nashville remains a good trade fit and he shouldn’t be too expensive.

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Johansson only played centre regularly in his 1st two seasons.

Bonino isn’t a second line centre, but he might be a useful 3rd. Nashville remains a good trade fit and he shouldn’t be too expensive.

A 2nd line of Johansson Mitts and Reinhart could be formidable.

A 3rd line with Bonino anchoring an Sheary Bonino Vesey line could also be effective.

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

A 2nd line of Johansson Mitts and Reinhart could be formidable.

A 3rd line with Bonino anchoring an Sheary Bonino Vesey line could also be effective.

After the lockout it should be.  Prior to that, too much responsibility on Mittelstadt.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

After the lockout it should be.  Prior to that, too much responsibility on Mittelstadt.

HCRK controls the matchups in our 41 home games with last change and with Samson and Jojo on his line, Mitts can just play his game. He would not be required to carry the line like he had to last season.  Add a year of experience with some off-season conditioning and he just may be ready to step up.

However Jbot would be wise to grab a Bonino as an insurance policy.

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

HCRK controls the matchups in our 41 home games with last change and with Samson and Jojo on his line, Mitts can just play his game. He would not be required to carry the line like he had to last season.  Add a year of experience with some off-season conditioning and he just may be ready to step up.

However Jbot would be wise to grab a Bonino as an insurance policy.

Agree with the bolded.

And as I've said elsewhere, my concern with Mittelstadt on the 2nd line (even with that pair of wingers which would IMHO give him his best chance to succeed as the 2C) is that I expect him to get lost in his own end going against 1st & 2nd line guys when they really start the hard cycling.  (Eichel still has major issues with that; don't need both of the top 2C's to have problems with it.)  Less concerning, but still an issue is that he wasn't remotely strong enough to win puck battles in front of the other team's net last year.  He MAY be strong enough to win against the other team's top D, but definitely not certainly; he should be against their weaker D.

Just seems they'd be setting him up to fail at 2C, whereas he'd have a much greater probability of success at 3C.  Especially if Olofsson ends up his wing there.  If they don't bring anyone elsein & Johansson and Rodrigues can't get it done there, then sure slide himinto that role.  But don't have that Plan A should no other roster moves get made.