The GLO Line: Girgs, Larsson, Okposo

[Taro T]

15 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I think once we have a center for Skinner we won't regret it at all. Also Skinner has gone through slumps before. It is the player he is really. 

Pretty much.  He's historically been a 28-37 goal scorer when put on an island and was a 40 goal scorer the 1 year he had support.

He may not ever hit 40 again, but this team desperately needed a guy that should consistently get 35 when put on a true 2nd or better line.

[PerreaultForever]

16 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I think once we have a center for Skinner we won't regret it at all. Also Skinner has gone through slumps before. It is the player he is really. 

To clarify, we will regret the amount we are paying him for what we are getting out of him. I think he will be the highest paid 30 goal scorer in the league and we will need some of that money to build a strong roster and not get limited the way the Leafs are with overpaying Nylander (and their big 4 as a whole).

[LGR4GM]

I don't think we will for a few years. You almost always regret giving 7 or 8 year deals to UFA's. The tail end of those deals is always meh because of declining production. I have no problem with where Skinner has been producing considering *checks notes* he is playing with Evand Rodrigues and Connor Sheary at times. 

[inkman]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

To clarify, we will regret the amount we are paying him for what we are getting out of him. I think he will be the highest paid 30 goal scorer in the league and we will need some of that money to build a strong roster and not get limited the way the Leafs are with overpaying Nylander (and their big 4 as a whole).

This is where drafting and developing are instrumental.  If the Sabres can become the Blackhawks of a few years ago, they can continually move out the higher paid assets, plug in younger, lower paid players whilst gaining draft picks and prospects to keep the cycle going. Keep your core 4/5 players and cycle in the rest. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Skinner is only 27.  There is a good chance we get 5-6 good years from this deal if he stays healthy.

[...]

Anyone read this, yet? Good stuff. 

https://www.diebytheblade.com/2019/12/17/21023283/buffalo-sabres-johan-larsson-quiet-dominance

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, inkman said:

This is where drafting and developing are instrumental.  If the Sabres can become the Blackhawks of a few years ago, they can continually move out the higher paid assets, plug in younger, lower paid players whilst gaining draft picks and prospects to keep the cycle going. Keep your core 4/5 players and cycle in the rest. 

Totally agree, drafting well is the key. This is also why it'd be a mistake to empty what there is in the cupboard for some instant fix at 2C (for example). When we were hit by injuries we should have been in a position to cycle through a bunch of young prospects hungry for a shot. Take a few games to look at one guy, maybe then another, constant tastes and evaluations, see who can make the jump.  We had Asplund this time, and that was good, but we need more forwards on the cusp. D we might have at this point in abundance with Pilut and Borgen and more coming, but we wont' be really good until we have a stocked group at every position. 

I'm not against a 4 or 5 man highly paid  core, but that core has to lead  and if we give them all no trade clauses, it can lead to issues if we choose poorly on who they are. 

[inkman]

16 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Totally agree, drafting well is the key. This is also why it'd be a mistake to empty what there is in the cupboard for some instant fix at 2C (for example). When we were hit by injuries we should have been in a position to cycle through a bunch of young prospects hungry for a shot. Take a few games to look at one guy, maybe then another, constant tastes and evaluations, see who can make the jump.  We had Asplund this time, and that was good, but we need more forwards on the cusp. D we might have at this point in abundance with Pilut and Borgen and more coming, but we wont' be really good until we have a stocked group at every position. 

I'm not against a 4 or 5 man highly paid  core, but that core has to lead  and if we give them all no trade clauses, it can lead to issues if we choose poorly on who they are. 

So whatcha think of Jack, Rasmus, Henri, Jeff and Sam?  ?

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, inkman said:

So whatcha think of Jack, Rasmus, Henri, Jeff and Sam?  ?

For leading the team? Being paid top dollars?  At this moment:

Jack is playing like a leader. Top tier as we had hoped. If I want to give him 2 small critiques, I'd like to see him enter some games with the same level of urgency he has shown when we are behind in games. Too often we don't attack and go for the kill early. We start kind of meh and only dig down when behind in the 3rd. If he brought it early, maybe we'd get big leads sometimes and learn to dominate rather than just salvage a point or come up a goal short. Killer instinct, no mercy. Second, I'd like to see him throw his weight around a little. He gets great body position and controls the puck when he has it, but with his physique I'd like to see him a little more aggressive in a Getzlaf Ovechkin sort of way. I think he could do that, but otherwise, he's elite and leads by example. Earning his money this year for sure.

Rasmus (which one?). Dahlin, maybe in the future, Risto, decent mid range player needs to be physical to be his best, Asplund promising 3rd, possibly 2nd line player. 

Jokiharju. Pleasant surprise obviously. Seems to be developing into a solid defenseman. What's not to like? 

Jeff is definitely in a slump. Often don't care for his attitude. I see him as too much of an individual and not as a team leader. I could be wrong, but it's my impression. Hate the way he whines and takes bad retaliation penalties sometimes. not great defensively and not a great playmaker. If he's not putting the puck in the net he isn't worth the money we pay him. I give it time (no choice) but I can see why Carolina let him go and I have my doubts.

Sam is an off and on player imo. I still see him lacking that extra gear and effort. Some games I like him, and others I think he's a passenger. I just don't know, but I'd be reluctant to pay him top tier money. Olofsson, on the other hand seems to be steadily improving.

Bottom line, in the case of Sam and Jeff (based on last year) I think Jack makes both of them look better, but I'm not convinced they do or did the same for him.