Building the best Sabres team ever

[nfreeman]

Connolly and Batman.  Connolly at his peak -- which we got very little of due to injury -- was an all-star-level, 200-foot player and clearly better than the others listed in the style category.

Batman for retro appeal, although the others listed are all fine choices.

[Curt]

Connolly and Pommer for me.  At his best, I think Connolly was better than Roy or Max.  Roy was solid, but Connolly was a game breaker.

[Pimlach]

Not understanding this poll. Why are we comparing Lorentz and Pomminstein in their primes when the era they played in, and the style they played, was so different?   I could not think of two more different players.  
 

 At least when looking for a checking center you can try to compare Luce and Peca - they did some of the same things but in different eras - how can you say who is better?  
 

Best Sabres center is Gil Perrault at #1.   Then Patty, and Dale. Hawerchuk was awesome  and has the gaudiest stats but he is last in my ratings “as a Sabre“ due to time played.    Eichel will someday join this group.  

Turgeon is not in the same category as these three.  The Sabres playoff record with him at #1C is abysmal for a lot of reasonS and he is one of them.  He is in a tier lower with Briere/Drury, etc. IMO. Turgeon is a player I never warmed up too, and yes I know he has HOF numbers, there is a reason he is waiting.   

[Pimlach]

On 4/6/2020 at 7:02 PM, dudacek said:

I’m taking Martin over Mogilny, but I’m really struggling over Foligno versus Gare. I’m thinking Danny was a better player, but Mike was very good, and I struggle with a 5’9” power forward.

I don’t remember Danny losing puck battles, but how much attention was a really paying? Was he like Marchand in this area (without the douchiness)?

Gare won puck battles.  He was tenacious and he did not back down.    
 

He had a gifted wrist shot which is why he scored 50 twice and he did it on the checking line. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Can pick two from column B.  I’d want Pommers and Lorentz

[French Collection]

Picked Connolly for his pure skill. He had magic hands at his peak.

Andre Savard was my choice in the second box for sentimental reasons. My wife’s family grew up near him. He could play a solid two way game. His skill set would be ideal at 3C for the current team.

[dudacek]

Tim Connolly adds style to your Sabres and Jason Pominville adds substance.

 

 

Next up: ensuring our team has enough strength down the middle.

Poll #9 is the 4C, the unsung grinder who does the little things well and can make the difference between winning and losing.

Poll #10 is probably the toughest matchup in the thread, in my opinion: the matchup centre. This is big-game game guy who doesn't have the talent to be a top centre, but has what it takes to play against the other team's top centres and shut them down. The Sabres have had some very good ones over the years.

Edited April 15, 2020 by dudacek

[Eleven]

Gaustad gets my vote because of the face-offs.

O'Reilly barely beat Peca in my vote.  It's a really tough call.  Both wanted out when things weren't going their way personally, so there's some selfishness on both sides.  Peca's hits were crushing, but I'll bet O'Reilly's would be just as much so with the same rules.  Peca was the better leader; O'Reilly the more talented player offensively.

I think there will be enough leaders on this hypothetical team, so I went with O'Reilly.

[Pimlach]

I would pick all the players in question 2 (Luce, Peca, Drury, and ROR) over all the players in question 1 ( Peterson, Hannan, Gaustad, and Larsson).   None of the players in Question 1 should make it over any of the players in Question 2.    

I guess I don’t understand how this exercise builds the best Sabres Team ever?  

[dudacek]

On 4/4/2020 at 11:01 AM, dudacek said:

We've done polls on the best Sabres ever, but teams aren't built with stars alone, they have a variety of players used in a variety of roles: snipers, grinders, playmakers.

This thread is designed to build the perfect Sabre team, role by role. Basically, I'll identify a role, and a handful of Sabres who seem best-suited for that role. You vote for the one player you'd like to cast in that role as you build your perfect Sabre team.

We start with two polls and will add new polls every day or two until we have built a complete 21-man roster:

Poll #1: the franchise centre

This is that rare elite player who provides world-class talent with the gamebreaking ability to carry a team on his back. He can score, set other guys up, and elevate the play of those around him. He is the guy the opponent game plans against and you want on the ice with the game on the line.

Poll #2: the 1B centre

Perhaps not elite, but capable of filling that role in a pinch. Basically, an elite 2C — the offensively-gifted guy who has most of the attributes of the franchise centre, and would be a 1C on all but the most elite teams.

Have at it.

 

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I would pick all the players in question 2 (Luce, Peca, Drury, and ROR) over all the players in question 1 ( Peterson, Hannan, Gaustad, and Larsson).   None of the players in Question 1 should make it over any of the players in Question 2.    

I guess I don’t understand how this exercise builds the best Sabres Team ever?  

It's not about the 20 best Sabres, its about the Sabres who performed the best in specific roles.

You’re picking your matchup centre in Q2 and your 4C in Q1

Edited April 15, 2020 by dudacek

[Weave]

Came down to Brent Peterson or Dave Hannan for me.  I chose Hannan.  But I could have flipped a coin and been OK with the result.

Chose ROR over Peca because Peca's greatest asset, his fearless hits, are outlawed today, and I think he'd be too defanged under these rules.  Otherwise I think they are nearly equal.

[nfreeman]

IMHO it's crazy to pick anyone other than Drury for #2.

I went with Peterson for #1.

[dudacek]

Brent Peterson is getting more love than I thought he might and Don Luce getting less. Both were very good in their roles.

But I have to go Peca as one of the smartest and most competitive Sabres ever and Gaustad for adding the size to the other qualities all four had.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

17 hours ago, dudacek said:

Tim Connolly adds style to your Sabres and Jason Pominville adds substance.

 

 

Next up: ensuring our team has enough strength down the middle.

Poll #9 is the 4C, the unsung grinder who does the little things well and can make the difference between winning and losing.

Poll #10 is probably the toughest matchup in the thread, in my opinion: the matchup centre. This is big-game game guy who doesn't have the talent to be a top centre, but has what it takes to play against the other team's top centres and shut them down. The Sabres have had some very good ones over the years.

How in the blazes did I miss a poll?  I have been #stayingtheblazeshome ...

Edited April 16, 2020 by New Scotland (NS)
Connolly and Pomminstien for the record ...

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Is the first poll for the 4C?  And the second poll for the 'matchup guy'?

Anyway ...

Goose at 4C (that's the way I am voting)

Drury for the matchup guy.

 

[dudacek]

Need someone to break the tie#breaker here please.

[Weave]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Need someone to break the tie#breaker here please.

Most exciting Derby finish ever.

[#freejame]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

Need someone to break the tie#breaker here please.

I thought about changing my vote from Drury to either Peca or ROR but just couldn’t do it. Maybe if it’s still tied several drinks from now I’ll throw on my Peca sweater and change but I always resented Peca for the holdout (right or wrong I was like 10) and ROR is no Chris Drury. 

[Neo]

On 4/15/2020 at 9:52 PM, dudacek said:

Brent Peterson is getting more love than I thought he might and Don Luce getting less. Both were very good in their roles.

But I have to go Peca as one of the smartest and most competitive Sabres ever and Gaustad for adding the size to the other qualities all four had.

I don’t know why,  but I liked what Brent brought, night after night.   I chose him over Gaustad, certainly a “like value” guy.  I think Paul suffers a little from Andreychuk syndrome.   That is, he was big but didn’t pummel, jar, pound, or beat you to a pulp.   Gaustad left me wanting more.  His fight with Lucic, next game, was a Sabres low point for me.   “OK, if I have to ....”

Edited April 17, 2020 by Neo

[dudacek]

And @GASabresIUFAN breaks the tie for the matchup centre, with his second choice, Chris Drury, and Paul Gaustad is your choice for the 4C

 

 

The next two roles have gone out of fashion in recent years, but have a long history with the franchise: the disturber, and the enforcer.

The disturber is the relentless rat who stirs the pot, getting the other team to lose its focus by antagonizing with whatever he has at his disposal: his stick, his body, his fists, or his mouth. The enforcer is the feared pugilist who answers the bell when the going gets nasty and "keeps the opponent honest."

[Eleven]

Brad May was much more than a fighter.  If I want a fighter, I'm taking Ray or Playfair.  If I am building a team, I'm taking May.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Eleven

[Neo]

Now, THESE are my boys, and every poster who picks someone other than who I chose is going to change my mind.

I went with hockey players who could also mix it up.  Robbie Ray is on my all time favorite list, but didn’t make my cut.

Varada gives me more than the other choices in his group.  He got dirty and under the skin of others.  I felt he became a victim of his own reputation player.   Playfair was a top four defenseman who could play.  His mere presence discouraged “liberties”.  Brad May won fights.  Larry Playfair prevented them.

[Eleven]

17 minutes ago, Neo said:

Now, THESE are my boys, and every poster who picks someone other than who I chose is going to change my mind.

I went with hockey players who could also mix it up.  Robbie Ray is on my all time favorite list, but didn’t make my cut.

Varada gives me more than the other choices in his group.  He got dirty and under the skin of others.  I felt he became a victim of his own reputation player.   Playfair was a top four defenseman who could play.  His mere presence discouraged “liberties”.  Brad May won fights.  Larry Playfair prevented them.

I went with Barnaby but Varada was a very, very close second.  

[Neo]

I liked Barnaby, I grew tired of him, and later in life I became sympathetic.  He was a perp and a victim.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Neo

[Pimlach]

I picked Barnaby, the nastiest of the instigators, and Ray - the guy who dropped them the most.  I grew up with Playfair, and he was more deadly in his prime ... I reall6 want both and I would prefer to go back to the 70’s and take care of a few things.