Sabres Lines September 23

[Brawndo]

 

[Doohicksie]

Is this still Phase II, or are we into Phase III?  With the bodies sent down over the weekend, I think this is Phase III.  So this is the ~80% solution?

I'd still like to see a different (better) 2C in camp.  Mojo hasn't shown himself to be a 2C yet in my eyes.

[Randall Flagg]

We are going to have all of Sobotka, Tage, Okposo, and Scandella in our opening night lineup

Edited September 23, 2019 by Randall Flagg

[dudacek]

Pretty sure it’s phase three.

Mojo at centre, Okposo in the top six, and “who get the last few spots” seem to be the current things they are looking at.

The third line has those guys properly slotted, but I’m not sure if the players are being put in the best spot to succeed; is the whole as good as the pieces?

And he’s still refusing to look at Skinner with Jack 

[bob_sauve28]

30 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

I'm open to trying anything. 

I'd like to give Skinner-Johansson-Okposo a try to see if it works, but would be ready to pull the plug on it if it is not a serious scoring threat regularly. But I like that top line together 

[bob_sauve28]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 And he’s still refusing to look at Skinner with Jack 

Skinner makes things happen by himself in many instances. I like putting him out there with guys who will tilt the ice so he Skinner has more opportunities to create scoring chances. Johansson seems to fit that bill, while OK is a good player along the boards. 

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Pretty sure it’s phase three.

Mojo at centre, Okposo in the top six, and “who get the last few spots” seem to be the current things they are looking at.

The third line has those guys properly slotted, but I’m not sure if the players are being put in the best spot to succeed; is the whole as good as the pieces?

And he’s still refusing to look at Skinner with Jack 

 

1 minute ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I'm open to trying anything. 

I'd like to give Skinner-Johansson-Okposo a try to see if it works, but would be ready to pull the plug on it if it is not a serious scoring threat regularly. But I like that top line together 

Seems to me, he's trying to find a lineup where Eichel can center Olofsson & Reinhart who seem to have CHEMISTRY together in limited sample sizes last year & Saturday while Skinner can still be expected to get 30 goals. 

Doesn't seem to have found it yet, and if it doesn't show up soon will expect Skinner to go back to Eichel & Reinhart & Olofsson to go to the #2 C.

But if Skinner could find somebody else he works well with, they could have very strong top line this year along w/ good 2nd line strictly on Skinner alone (only to blow it up the following year w/ super top line of Skinner-Eichel-Cozens ?  and good 2nd line of Olofsson-Mittelstadt-Reinhart.)

[That Aud Smell]

11 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

We are going to have all of Sobotka, Tage, Okposo, and Scandella in our opening night lineup

[triumph_communes]

The Eichel-Reinhart popped up again. Worried that’ll cement as a thing. 

 

Expect Okposo to blow his chance at top-6 again. 

[Randall Flagg]

I have to think Kyle is a placeholder for the injured Sheary. 

Right?
 

[triumph_communes]

3 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I have to think Kyle is a placeholder for the injured Sheary. 

Right?
 

And Sobotka for Larsson

 

Sheary has had a decent camp 

Edited September 23, 2019 by triumph_communes

[dudacek]

29 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

We are going to have all of Sobotka, Tage, Okposo, and Scandella in our opening night lineup

Vogl today in the Athletic:

“Fans aren’t huge supporters of Sobotka, but his play on Friday in Toronto was very good. If that’s the kind of effort he provides regularly, he’ll be on the team and will be counted on to provide the grit and grind Krueger wants to see from parts of his lineup. He won 14 of 19 faceoffs, was intense on the forecheck and generated a couple shots.

A lot of the same can be said of both Elie and Lazar, who have played to their strengths of getting in deep on the forecheck, pressuring puck carriers, and using their bodies effectively.

Their offensive upside is minimal, but if Krueger’s plan is to have an energy line, that only helps the case for guys like Elie and Sobotka. Fans would scream at their inclusion and the results would have to pay off.”

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

I have to think Kyle is a placeholder for the injured Sheary. 

Right?
 

Makes sense.  And then Thompson is holding his seat warm waiting for him to drop back to 4RW as Lazar would seem to be a better fit there than Tage but Lazar is currently outside looking in on line 5.

Would really rather see Asplund holding Larsson's spot waiting for him to heal than Sobotka there; know it isn't but can hope Krueger is letting Vlad play his way out of the lineup.

[LGR4GM]

58 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Is this still Phase II, or are we into Phase III?  With the bodies sent down over the weekend, I think this is Phase III.  So this is the ~80% solution?

I'd still like to see a different (better) 2C in camp.  Mojo hasn't shown himself to be a 2C yet in my eyes.

Phase III... 

 

[Brawndo]

 

[Brawndo]

Dea assigned to Rochester 

[Taro T]

29 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Vogl today in the Athletic:

“Fans aren’t huge supporters of Sobotka, but his play on Friday in Toronto was very good. If that’s the kind of effort he provides regularly, he’ll be on the team and will be counted on to provide the grit and grind Krueger wants to see from parts of his lineup. He won 14 of 19 faceoffs, was intense on the forecheck and generated a couple shots.

A lot of the same can be said of both Elie and Lazar, who have played to their strengths of getting in deep on the forecheck, pressuring puck carriers, and using their bodies effectively.

Their offensive upside is minimal, but if Krueger’s plan is to have an energy line, that only helps the case for guys like Elie and Sobotka. Fans would scream at their inclusion and the results would have to pay off.”

Minor quibble, that was Yerdon.

Agree that Sobotka looked better than last year on Friday, but that was against AHLers & 4th liners on a team that spent 1/2 its cap on 4 forwards. (Though certainly Brawndo can find a clip or 2 of him on the ice while Matthews & Nylander were on the ice. ? )

He SHOULD have looked better.  And though having a guy that can win face-off helps, as long as the others don't consistently lose them cleanly, his play after the face off will cost more games than his play during the face off wins. 

And he was still the land where scoring chances went to die Friday night.  2 harmless pokes at a loose puck in the crease not withstanding.

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Dea assigned to Rochester 

He healed up quickly.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Taro T

[Randall Flagg]

29 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Vogl today in the Athletic:

“Fans aren’t huge supporters of Sobotka, but his play on Friday in Toronto was very good. If that’s the kind of effort he provides regularly, he’ll be on the team and will be counted on to provide the grit and grind Krueger wants to see from parts of his lineup. He won 14 of 19 faceoffs, was intense on the forecheck and generated a couple shots.

A lot of the same can be said of both Elie and Lazar, who have played to their strengths of getting in deep on the forecheck, pressuring puck carriers, and using their bodies effectively.

Their offensive upside is minimal, but if Krueger’s plan is to have an energy line, that only helps the case for guys like Elie and Sobotka. Fans would scream at their inclusion and the results would have to pay off.”

Disgusting

[Brawndo]

I think this would increase the chances of having two scoring lines

Skinner-Eichel-Vesey/Sheary

Olofsson-Johansson-Reinhart

Vesey/Sheary-Mitts/Cozens-EROD

Zemgus-Larsson-Lazar/Okposo/Sobotka

13th Forward Okposo/Sobotka

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Vogl today in the Athletic:

“Fans aren’t huge supporters of Sobotka, but his play on Friday in Toronto was very good. If that’s the kind of effort he provides regularly, he’ll be on the team and will be counted on to provide the grit and grind Krueger wants to see from parts of his lineup. He won 14 of 19 faceoffs, was intense on the forecheck and generated a couple shots.

A lot of the same can be said of both Elie and Lazar, who have played to their strengths of getting in deep on the forecheck, pressuring puck carriers, and using their bodies effectively.

Their offensive upside is minimal, but if Krueger’s plan is to have an energy line, that only helps the case for guys like Elie and Sobotka. Fans would scream at their inclusion and the results would have to pay off.”

Things that don't ***** matter. 

[#freejame]

If Skinner can’t perform without Jack why did we pay him $9m? Giving our 2C Skinner and letting Olofsson play with Jack makes much more sense to me. 

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I think this would increase the chances of having two scoring lines

Skinner-Eichel-Vesey/Sheary

Olofsson-Johansson-Reinhart

Vesey/Sheary-Mitts/Cozens-EROD

Zemgus-Larsson-Lazar/Okposo/Sobotka

13th Forward Okposo/Sobotka

I think this is where we are headed from what we’ve seen so far.

Although the continued separation of Jack and Jeff bears watching.

 

The D is obvious to me once Monty is ready:

Dahlin Risto/Monty

McCabe Risto/Monty

Scandella Miller

Nelson

[Drunkard]

27 minutes ago, #freejame said:

If Skinner can’t perform without Jack why did we pay him $9m? Giving our 2C Skinner and letting Olofsson play with Jack makes much more sense to me. 

I agree with this. Whichever square peg we have that gets put in the round hole at #2 Center is going to need all the help they can get so it makes more sense to put our best winger (Skinner) with the #2 Center and put Olofsson with Eichel along with a forward who is defensively responsible (like Johansson or Rodriguez).

Edited September 23, 2019 by Drunkard

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

But I like that top line together 

Just about anyone will do great on the top line- Skinner, Olofsson or Vesey would all work with Jack and Sam.

[Drunkard]

Olofsson Eichel Johansson

Skinner Mittelstadt Reinhart

Not exactly a top 6 that will inspire fear against the opposition, but it's probably our best bet to balance out the top 6.