Sabres Announce Training Camp Dates

[dudacek]

17 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I don't like Vesey...but I have this funny feeling that this trade will be on the Skinner side of the spectrum more than the Sheary one at least. (Though obviously nowhere near the magnitude of the Skinner move.) I honestly think so much of Sheary's problem is how little/weak he is. But we'll see. The Rangers aren't a clinic on teaching forwards responsible two way hockey right now and never really were considering their transition game with Lundqvist in back

 

Honestly it appears everyone is slacking this year on the media end of things. Twitter Chad was at the practice and is the only one that has posted them to my knowledge. I'll go get 'em.

Sheary - Eichel - Vesey
Lazar - Rodrigues - Skinner
Elie - Cozens - Thompson
Girgensons - Larsson - Oglevie

You know, there are very few guys on either squad who belong to the “no way in hell is he an NHLer” club.

Our depth has improved and there has to be competition.

Separately, at the top of their games, Scandella/Miller would be among the best 3rd pairings in the league.

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said:

This genuinely never gets old

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About 4 hours ago the Sabres instagram posted a "story" showing Cozens trying to defend Dahlin down low in the offensive zone, Dahlin made him spin out like a top, and then walked in front and buried a backhand

So Thompson better skater than Cozens confirmed? ?

[Randall Flagg]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

So Thompson better skater than Cozens confirmed? ?

This spin had nothing on some of Thompson's pirouettes while searching between his feet for the puck 

[SwampD]

5 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

This spin had nothing on some of Thompson's pirouettes while searching between his feet for the puck 

You guys are brutal.

[LGR4GM]

14 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

I don't like Vesey...but I have this funny feeling that this trade will be on the Skinner side of the spectrum more than the Sheary one at least. (Though obviously nowhere near the magnitude of the Skinner move.) I honestly think so much of Sheary's problem is how little/weak he is. But we'll see. The Rangers aren't a clinic on teaching forwards responsible two way hockey right now and never really were considering their transition game with Lundqvist in back

 

Honestly it appears everyone is slacking this year on the media end of things. Twitter Chad was at the practice and is the only one that has posted them to my knowledge. I'll go get 'em.

Sheary - Eichel - Vesey
Lazar - Rodrigues - Skinner
Elie - Cozens - Thompson
Girgensons - Larsson - Oglevie

Yea I kept looking for the 2nd lineup and it finally appeared from Yeardon.. 

As to Vesey, I agree with everything you said. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by LGR4GM
Wrong reporter

[Brawndo]

 

[nfreeman]

So, that's 2 days in a row with lines of:

Vesey-Eichel-Sheary

Skinner-ERod-Lazar

Which presumably (but not yet confirmed) means they are likely also sticking with:

CJ-Mittsie-Reino

Olofsson-Asplund-JoJo

That is a fairly interesting situation IMHO.

 

EDITED per @dudacek's post to put CJ on Reino's line.

[dudacek]

Krueger touched on the lines during his presser.

He said the first five (?) days of training camp are aimed at implementing his system and culture and he has deliberately spread his veterans out throughout the roster in order to be leaders and set the tone and make everyone a part of what they are trying to establish. He said he was surprised by the number of NHL teams who are splitting their teams into an A squad and a B squad.

The lineup construction stuff will happen more seriously in the second two weeks of camp and they will be trying different things.

Personally, I’m reading more into things like Sheary/Eichel/Vesey and Mittelstadt/Reinhart and Skinner/Rodrigues than Ralph is letting on, but these kind of things will undoubtedly have layers.

(Smith was the long shot with Sam and Casey, and seemed pretty happy with the opportunity)

Edited September 14, 2019 by dudacek

[inkman]

These photos from Sabres camp have amazing self descriptors from the players

 

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

24 minutes ago, inkman said:

These photos from Sabres camp have amazing self descriptors from the players

 

Favorite hobby.....disappointing Buffalo. Well at least he found something he's good at, LOL.

[steveoath]

37 minutes ago, inkman said:

These photos from Sabres camp have amazing self descriptors from the players

 

I would laugh if it wasn't accurate.....,

[Thorner]

15 hours ago, SwampD said:

You guys are brutal.

Cozens is my son. I was kidding. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Thorny
And he's a great skater

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

So, that's 2 days in a row with lines of:

Vesey-Eichel-Sheary

Skinner-ERod-Lazar

Which presumably (but not yet confirmed) means they are likely also sticking with:

CJ-Mittsie-Reino

Olofsson-Asplund-JoJo

That is a fairly interesting situation IMHO.

 

EDITED per @dudacek's post to put CJ on Reino's line.

Still only day two.....still only day two....still only day two...

?

- - - 

On a more positive note, if there's one guy that I'd love to see beat the odds and make this team, it's Curtis Lazar. Always seemed to be such a likable personality, and a natural leader. I was somewhat surprised his career so struggled to take off after following him a bit during his team Canada days. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Thorny

[Randall Flagg]

The most exciting thing that could happen with this current roster and no more moves to bring in new players would be guys like Victor, Tage, Asplund forcing trades of Sheary/Zemgus, and blasting Sobotka far away - 
Skinner - Eichel - Vesey
Olofsson - Mitts - Reinhart
Johansson - Asplund - Thompson such that Tage is actually good and Asplund looks like a force
Zemgus - Larsson - Rodrigues 

Now, if we add a top six forward before the season AND the kids look great? I start to get excited not just about hockey season, but actual genuine excitement about this year's Sabre team.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

The most exciting thing that could happen with this current roster and no more moves to bring in new players would be guys like Victor, Tage, Asplund forcing trades of Sheary/Zemgus, and blasting Sobotka far away - 
Skinner - Eichel - Vesey
Olofsson - Mitts - Reinhart
Johansson - Asplund - Thompson such that Tage is actually good and Asplund looks like a force
Zemgus - Larsson - Rodrigues 

Now, if we add a top six forward before the season AND the kids look great? I start to get excited not just about hockey season, but actual genuine excitement about this year's Sabre team.

As @thorny is fond of saying, too many ifs.

But that is pretty much the team Jason is building towards.

 

[Derrico]

Just now, dudacek said:

As @thorny is fond of saying, too many ifs.

But that is pretty much the team Jason is building towards.

 

For O that’s it for sure.  The D should look a lot different too (I hope).  Big improvement in our breakouts and a nice step for Dahlin is the scenario you get too if this drought ever ends this season.

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, Derrico said:

For O that’s it for sure.  The D should look a lot different too (I hope).  Big improvement in our breakouts and a nice step for Dahlin is the scenario you get too if this drought ever ends this season.

I haven’t thought much about a D that has Risto in it, but that looks like what we’re going to get.

I also think that a team that rolls out these six defencemen at their peak is going to have a very good, well-rounded blueline core:

Dahlin Ristolainen Montour McCabe Miller Scandella. I think Risto and Scandella are better players than we’ve seen recently.

If Dahlin takes a step, it could be formidable.

Edited September 14, 2019 by dudacek

[Thorner]

23 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

The most exciting thing that could happen with this current roster and no more moves to bring in new players would be guys like Victor, Tage, Asplund forcing trades of Sheary/Zemgus, and blasting Sobotka far away - 
Skinner - Eichel - Vesey
Olofsson - Mitts - Reinhart
Johansson - Asplund - Thompson such that Tage is actually good and Asplund looks like a force
Zemgus - Larsson - Rodrigues 

Now, if we add a top six forward before the season AND the kids look great? I start to get excited not just about hockey season, but actual genuine excitement about this year's Sabre team.

Totally agree on bolded. 

My concern with regards to that roster is it’s Olofsson AND Asplund AND Tage AND Mittelstadt all surging forward towards the higher end of expectations. I think it’s likely a couple do just that, but we’d be lucky for it to happen all at once. 

It’s likely there will be holes, meaning I still believe the supplemental move you talk about is necessary. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Thorny

[Thorner]

18 minutes ago, dudacek said:

As @thorny is fond of saying, too many ifs.

But that is pretty much the team Jason is building towards.

 

Just caught this. Well done, I needn’t have replied. 

[Randall Flagg]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I haven’t thought much about a D that has Risto in it, but that looks like what we’re going to get.

I also think that a team that rolls out these six defencemen at their peak is going to have a very good, well-rounded blueline core:

Dahlin Ristolainen Montour McCabe Miller Scandella. I think Risto and Scandella are better players than we’ve seen recently.

If Dahlin takes a step, it could be formidable.

I hope we don't give Scandella the benefit of the doubt. He should either be obviously substantially better on the ice this preseason or he should be nowhere near the starting six, and it should be that simple. 

[Thorner]

14 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I haven’t thought much about a D that has Risto in it, but that looks like what we’re going to get.

I also think that a team that rolls out these six defencemen at their peak is going to have a very good, well-rounded blueline core:

Dahlin Ristolainen Montour McCabe Miller Scandella.

If Dahlin takes a step, it could be formidable.

I definitely need a permanent Dahlin caveat attached to basically every bit of skepticism I express in regards to the current roster construction and season. 

2 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I hope we don't give Scandella the benefit of the doubt. He should either be obviously substantially better on the ice this preseason or he should be nowhere near the starting six, and it should be that simple. 

Especially because Jokiharju can take his place 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

According to the Sabres press release Tage is 15lbs heavier. 

Also I wouldn't read to much into the lines. Krueger said he wanted veterans spread around for the first week. 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by LGR4GM

[Brawndo]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

According to the Sabres press release Tage is 15lbs heavier. 

Also I wouldn't read to much into the lines. Krueger said he wanted veterans spread around for the first week. 

3500 to 5000 calories per day, depending on his workout. 

Dammit that’s a lot of food 

[dudacek]

19 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I hope we don't give Scandella the benefit of the doubt. He should either be obviously substantially better on the ice this preseason or he should be nowhere near the starting six, and it should be that simple. 

And that is something that I can unequivocally praise Jason for: the vets have to perform. They have Borgen and Pilut and Jokiharju breathing down their necks, not to mention Bogo and Nelson in the weeds.

He’s given Krueger an immensely powerful hammer that I hope he will be willing to use.

And the same is true up front: Wilson and Elie and Thompson and Sobotka and Okposo and Sheary and Mittelstadt might still be here, but they have Smith and Olofsson and Johansson and Vesey and Lazar and Asplund coming after them hard and only 6 or 8 of those guys will be dressing any given night.

And that’s why I like Ralph’s clear messaging and pray he follows it up with action, in that you don’t do what’s asked of you, another guy will get that shot.

Edited September 14, 2019 by dudacek

[Randall Flagg]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And that is something that I can unequivocally praise Jason for: the vets have to perform. They have Borgen and Pilut and Jokiharju breathing down their necks, not to mention Bogo and Nelson in the weeds.

He’s given Krueger an immensely powerful hammer that I hope he will be willing to use.

And the same is true up front: Wilson and Elie and Thompson and Sobotka and Okposo and Sheary and Mittelstadt might still be here, but they have Smith and Olofsson and Johansson and Vesey and Lazar and Asplund coming after them hard and only 6 of those guys will be dressing.

And that’s why I like Ralph’s clear messaging and pray he follows it up with action, in that you don’t do what’s asked of you, another guy will get that shot.

What do you think the odds are for each of Scandella and Sobotka to legitimately earn top six/top twelve spots this camp? I have them at about 5% and 0% - Sobotka was not a top twelve forward on the team last year, and we added more forwards and only lost Jason, and now Olofsson is a thing this year, and he has a now-steady trajectory that is going on 3 years. And Scandella was legitimately horrifying for the duration of last season, and now Miller is here, though injuries give him a bit more of a chance.

The thing that worries me is that every coach in the world preaches accountability, but every one we've seen recently has eschewed it to some degree more than they should for players that once could play but now hurt the team. And I think the chances that Sobotka/Scandy are not deserving of a roster spot, but get one anyway, are high enough that it's something I'm watching like a hawk this preseason

I believe Ralph more than I believed the other guys, because of the degree to which he's emphasized it, like the other stuff, but I'm still legitimately worried he's going to go the Moulson-17/18 route with some bad hockey players. Decisions like that can hurt your team in a huge way, just like winning one of your first nine games like we did that year can sink a season before it starts.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Randall Flagg