2020-2021 Lineup Thread

[steveoath]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Thats what they said about Vanek Roy and Max.  In a third line role the speed and skill of that line would have a huge advantage over many 3rd lines in the NHL creating a plus matchup for us, much line the Vanek line did.  Also Vesey has proven to be defensively reliable this season and a pretty good

Fair point, I just don't think mitts is strong enough and don't know if RK would give the line favourable matchups. It if you get your 2c and the GLo line stays, you're probably right that JV DC CM line is the 3rd line.

[steveoath]

If we agree JB got the D sorted last off season. Does anyone work with the idea that he can do the same to the offense this off season?

[triumph_communes]

Think it just comes down to what kind of deals Larry and Girgs want.  We don’t have many 4th line grinders in the minors they’re in the way of, so giving them term isn’t a problem. Just cap hit. 
 

I think whether they stay or not is on them and if they want more money to get into a different team atmosphere. Given they’ve rode out the tank and are seeing the change, do they want to?

 

Botts is going to get blamed one way or another on these guys, but ultimately I think it’s all in their court. 

Edited February 23, 2020 by triumph_communes

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, steveoath said:

If we agree JB got the D sorted last off season. Does anyone work with the idea that he can do the same to the offense this off season?

I’m not sure. 
 

Mojo and Lazar were good acquisitions.

Erik Haula, who a center, was traded by Vegas for a Conditional 5th and Nicholas Roy. We know that he was involved in talks with Vegas because of the Miller Trade. Would the third sent to New York for Vesey have been better served going to Vegas as part of a package for him?  Probably.

[Curt]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

Some folks here are criminally underrating Girgs and Larry.  They are genuinely very good at their role and I am certain we will miss them if they are gone.  Anyone who is still of the opinion that they are a drag on the team isn't judging based on this seasons' performance.

1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

Or last season's. They've been at this level for 140+ games now, which is why I'd be comfortable giving them nice raises to stay

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Yep, unless Larry has specifically told Botterill that he has no interest in re signing here, there is no reason to move him. 

I agree.  It is valuable that they have a bottom 6 line that can take tough matchups and not get caved in.  It creates freedom to use other lines in more favorable situations.

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Larry is pacing for 25 points. Find me guys who get the defensive usage Larsson does, who have the shot suppression success he does, and put up that many points. There are very, very few, even on the best teams.

After a hot start, Lazar has cooled back down and has 1 point in his last 12 games. On his career he averages 17 points per full season's worth of games. He would not handle being the center of a line with Larsson's line's responsibility as well as Larry does. he's the perfect 13 forward, but on a healthy team that you want going places, you don't want him slotted higher than your fourth line, and he's not worth letting go any of GLO if they want to stay here 

This. We need to keep Larsson. 

[steveoath]

I might be a teensy wee bit drunk right now, but I hope JBot resigns 22&28 that line is great.

[dudacek]

I love those two already, but they should get free beer and wings for life if they come back here next year after all they’ve endured.

[LGR4GM]

So Kahun... 

We have Kahun, Cozens, Thompson, Ruustolainen to consider for the roster next season potentially. Maybe toss Mitts out there too. 

[Randall Flagg]

Finish the Anderson trade

Montour + for Copp

Find a 2C

Skinner - Eichel - Anderson
Olofsson - 2C - Reinhart
Kahun - Copp - Johansson
GLO 

[dudacek]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

So Kahun... 

We have Kahun, Cozens, Thompson, Ruustolainen to consider for the roster next season potentially. Maybe toss Mitts out there too. 

Given his pedigree and Bott’s attachment to him, I think you absolutely have to think Casey will be given every opportunity to be on the team next October.

[WildCard]

Thompson, Mittlestadt, and Cozens all need another year at least. So we're still looking for a 2C and some forward help going into this summer

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Thompson, Mittlestadt, and Cozens all need another year at least. So we're still looking for a 2C and some forward help going into this summer

Anthony Cirelli. 

[WildCard]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

Anthony Cirelli. 

RNH is a free agent this summer. We also don't have a 3rd to qualify Cirelli

[Taro T]

22 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

So Kahun... 

We have Kahun, Cozens, Thompson, Ruustolainen to consider for the roster next season potentially. Maybe toss Mitts out there too. 

Most everybody here has Mittelstadt sliding to the wing and Cozens playing C.  Except for about 4 games during his very 1st stint with the Sabres, he's always been a C with this organization and in college.  If both he and Cozens make the team next year, believe there's a far greater likelihood that Mitts plays C than Cozens does.  (Especially given the success Cozens had at the WJC as a RW.)

[LGR4GM]

I too believe Cozens will start at RW. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Jbot  has some interesting choices to make this summer.

One can easily make a case for Larsson, Z and Vesey to be re-signed.

We now have 10 RFAs to re-sign as well including 6 forwards in Reinhart, VO, Kahun, Lazar, Thompson and Mitts plus Montour, Pilut, Ullmark and Johansson.  

We have 10 (4 forwards, 5 D) players under contract plus Hutton.  Kids Asplund, Cozens and Routsalainen could make a run at a roster spot. 

How they use Kahun and how he plays could make a huge impact on what Jbot does in the summer.  Is he a center or winger? Can he play up and develop some chemistry with Skinner or is he just another bottom 6 forward.  My guess right now is that he is Vesey’s replacement as the 3LW next fall.

I now we only 1 forward job opening next fall and that remains 2C.

VO Jack Reinhart

Skinner 2C MoJo

Kahun Cozens Mitts/Thompson

Girgensons Larsson KO

Lazar

I’m not sure how Jbot gets the 2C, but I think he makes another stab at it this summer using Miller, Montour or Risto as a key piece.  

 

 

[LGR4GM]

Why should we sign Vesey? 

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Why should we sign Vesey? 

Reliable two way forward that probably won’t break the bank to re-sign who can provide more offense when paired with a decent center. 

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Why should we sign Vesey? 

Because Krueger trusts him would be the primary reason.

If Kahun can reliably play at least as a 3rd liner as either a W or C, then the Sabres can afford to trade 1 of Ristolainen, Montour, and Miller along with 1 of Mittelstadt, Thompson, and Cozens (or even Kahun) as the centerpiece of a trade for a TRUE 2C especially if the Larsson line comes back intact.  Throw in a good prospect and a good pick and the team has a quality C spine.  (Would prefer not to lose either highly drafted young C, but that could be the price to finally stop talking about the trade that shall not be mentioned.)

And that would reopen a space for Vesey.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’m trading TB Miller and our 1st as soon as their season ends for Cirelli.

[steveoath]

In Kahun-Mojo-Reinhart could we have a line of 3 "maybe center, maybe wingers" ?

[Curt]

Here is next year’s forward lines, as I imagine them right now.  Between the prospects and any returning UFA’s, it shouldn’t be an issue filling out the bottom-6, possibly even the available top-6 wing spot if very lucky.  The #1 issue remains a good C to play behind Jack.  I’m still expecting that will need to be a D+ trade in the offseason.
 

Eichel, Olofsson, Reinhart  
Skinner, xxxx, xxxx  
Kahun, xxxx, Johansson  
Lazar, xxxx, Okposo

 

Prospects:  
Cozens  
Mitts  
Thompson  
Routsalainen  
Asplund  
2020 1st rounder

UFA’s:  
Larsson  
Girgensons  
Vesey  
Simmonds 
Frolik  
Sobotka 

[dudacek]

On 2/23/2020 at 7:48 AM, dudacek said:

Olofsson Eichel Reinhart

Skinner ???? ????

??? ??? Johansson 

Girgensons Larsson Okposo

Lazar 

Montour Risto

Dahlin Miller

McCabe Jokiharju
Pilut

Ullmark ???

 

As far as I am concerned the D is set.

Thompson, Casey, Asplund and Cozens  battle for two of the ??? up front (Tage and Casey may have to clear waivers next season). 

Hutton needs to be upgraded and we need two forwards: one Larry/Marcus level, the other better than that, and the latter should be a centre.

We should have 15 million-ish to play with after re-signing our free agents. Our first this year or next should be flipped in a TJ Miller type trade (I‘ll always wonder how close we were on that one) and we can acquire the other forward and the goalie in a smaller trade, or in the UFA market.

We arent that far away. If the bottom hadn’t dropped out on Skinner and Hutton we’d be in the race right now.

 

On 2/23/2020 at 9:09 AM, Weave said:

4 out of 6 middle forwards is pretty far away, especially when 2 are centers.  That is a ton to replace in the offseason.  Unfortunately, of the players mentioned, IMO only Cozens has a crack at being an improvement, or even status quo,  next season over our current middle 6, and he isn't a given (I know you know that).

 

We haven't seen him yet, but Kahun certainly can project into one of the ??? spots.

The flip side of that is we haven't seen him yet, and his profile pre-Buffalo has more in common than Sheary and Vesey than I'd like admit. Botterill needs a blind squirrel moment almost as bad as we need a Danny Briere trade.

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 hours ago, WildCard said:

Thompson, Mittlestadt, and Cozens all need another year at least. So we're still looking for a 2C and some forward help going into this summer

I think you are assuming facts not in evidence.  We have no idea whether TT, CM and DC will ready next year or not, but for skill reasons, cap reasons and TT waiver reasons all three could make the Sabres next fall.  That said the addition of Kahun gives Jbot greater flexibility and we still need a 2C.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN