Taylor Hall signing: 8 million one yr with Sabres

[Huckleberry]

1 minute ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Is Hall a good PP guy? What will PP look like now? Does he get Olofsson’s spot and Olofsson goes to second unit? 

I would keep hall on 2 PP, it needs a puck carrier.

[Gabrielor]

4 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Well I always gave it a little shot with out coach, but he really gives a nice top 6.   Guess we can forget about the internal cap stuff 🙂

It only ever came from the Toronto media.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

15 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I wonder why only 1 year, if we make the playoffs can we woo him to stay 

If I'm Hall I'm only signing for 1 year no matter where it was, but especially Buffalo.  We now have to convince him to stay.

I don't think any Sabre wears #4 now that Bogo is gone.  I'd like to see the Sabres let Hall wear #4.  He wore it in Edmonton to honour Jean Béliveau.

[bob_sauve28]

14 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

https://wgram.prd-radio-drupal.com/media/audio-channel/10-12-sabres-head-coach-ralph-krueger
 

^ this one takes you right to the interview.

This is great! Sounds like Jack and Taylor are line mates. Sabres are officially a fast team 

[nfreeman]

Based on the WGR interview with RK, it seems pretty clear that Hall will be playing with Jack, and pretty likely that VO and Cozens will play RW.  RK stressed the flexibility and multitude of options they have, but I think he's thinking:

Hall-Eichel-VO

Skinner-Staal-Reino

Reider/TT-Eakin-Cozens

Zemgus-Lazar-KO

[MattPie]

Still kinda surprised here. Crazy.

Re the contract, there seem to be a lot of financial aspects that come into play. Without knowing anything outside of an article or two and thinking out load:

• ESPN article implied that short deals are a trend this year, which makes sense for both teams and players; teams don't want to commit to big contracts without knowing what's going to happen, players in Hall's position may choose to take a short contract for this year, light it up, and then hope that by next year things will be back to normal and they'll get more AAV and term
• Hall likes Krueger and Eichel
• Hall may really want to be here and there's a handshake deal in place that the Sabres will pay him after expansion
• Hall may be wary of the Sabres and will decide if he wants to stay
• Hall may like the idea of not shouldering the entire load himself. I don't know, has he not been the best forward on many of the teams he's been on? I know he overlapped with McDavid for a year, but otherwise I'm not sure the Devils or Coyotes had anything going on.

 

[bob_sauve28]

20 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

https://wgram.prd-radio-drupal.com/media/audio-channel/10-12-sabres-head-coach-ralph-krueger
 

^ this one takes you right to the interview.

This is great! Sounds like Jack and Taylor are line mates. Sabres are officially a fast team 

 

 

 

Ralph Kruger: Its an exciting time for the Buffalo Sabres 

[Derrico]

4 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Based on the WGR interview with RK, it seems pretty clear that Hall will be playing with Jack, and pretty likely that VO and Cozens will play RW.  RK stressed the flexibility and multitude of options they have, but I think he's thinking:

Hall-Eichel-VO

Skinner-Staal-Reino

Reider/TT-Eakin-Cozens

Zemgus-Lazar-KO

Wow can you imagine if cozens has an outstanding camp and wins that job beside Jack and Taylor?

[Zamboni]

Just now, Derrico said:

Wow can you imagine if cozens has an outstanding camp and wins that job beside Jack and Taylor?

I wouldn’t mind seeing cozens stay on that third line wing for 3/4 of the season at a minimum… Just to get him acclimated and feeling very comfortable with his skill, his game and with the speed and strength of the NHL. Sure if you want to try him at spot duty for a game or two on the second or first line… Sure go ahead just to see how he fares in that situation… 

[Ruff Around The Edges]

Here is my take on Cozens.

You do have to bring him in slowly. However, when you have a 7th overall pick, you have to surround himself with Top 6 forwards for him to be truly where you want him to be.

I say 2nd line at worst for Dylan.

[miles]

1 hour ago, miles said:

im looking forward to listening to the instigators this morning, i put an entry into my calendar to remind me 🙂

i didnt know they werent on today. meh. i did listen to the sabres interviews, but i HATE football. even listening to it for 1 minute is too long for me

[Scottysabres]

Good signing, addresses scoring depth in top 6.

Don't stop now KA, make the next move.

[Ruff Around The Edges]

3 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Good signing, addresses scoring depth in top 6.

Don't stop now KA, make the next move.

Agree I would say at this point most of not all needs will try to be addressed via trade

[DHawerchuk10]

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

If I'm Hall I'm only signing for 1 year no matter where it was, but especially Buffalo.  We now have to convince him to stay.

I don't think any Sabre wears #4 now that Bogo is gone.  I'd like to see the Sabres let Hall wear #4.  He wore it in Edmonton to honour Jean Béliveau.

Uwe Krupp might get upset.  :)

[Ducky]

Great move by the GM.

How many thought he was going to the Sabres?

Hall wants to make the playoffs so if th eSabres make the playoffs, there's a good chance he'll re-sign.

I'd have a 1st line of Hall- JE- Rheinhart but that's me.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I have been thinking about it a bit and I think this is the biggest UFA signing in the history of the Sabres.

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I have been thinking about it a bit and I think this is the biggest UFA signing in the history of the Sabres.

Absolutely. What's the competition? Okposo, Moulson, Leino, Ehrhoff...(although they technically traded for Ehrhoff's rights before signing him.)

[Sabres Fan in NS]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Absolutely. What's the competition? Okposo, Moulson, Leino, Ehrhoff...(although they technically traded for Ehrhoff's rights before signing him.)

For sure of the recent.  Even over the 50 year (give, or take) history.  I can't think of a bigger name that came in UFA.  The other big ones over the years came by trade.

[Brawndo]

Hall will meet with the Buffalo Media at 2pm

 

[carpandean]

2 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I don't think any Sabre wears #4 now that Bogo is gone.  I'd like to see the Sabres let Hall wear #4.  He wore it in Edmonton to honour Jean Béliveau.

That's one option, but no Sabres player has ever worn #91 (surprised me), so that's a possibility, too.

[That Aud Smell]

2 minutes ago, carpandean said:

That's one option, but no Sabres player has ever worn #91 (surprised me), so that's a possibility, too.

Huh - man, this is surprising. In my mind's eye, I had thought one of Juneau or Gilmour had worn it -- but they wore other #s in the 90s.

[JohnC]

Let's stand back and assess the roster. The top two lines however they end up being constituted are staffed with players who meet the standard of players who genuinely fit those roles. Because of the acquisitions of Hall and Staal it will push players to lower lines where they are better suited. The defensive corps without question has enough quality players to put together a genuine first and second pairing unit. Dahlin, Joki, Risto, Montour and stretching it a bit McCabe. There is enough talent within the group to spread to the third and lower pairing to make this unit a solid to good unit. There will probably be some player shuffling becomes of some overlapping attributes but in general this is a solid to good unit. 

The big question mark that is widely recognized is the goaltending. If Ullmark continues his upward trajectory as he did last season then he should be a solid goaltender. The big question mark and a bigger issue in a season with a compressed schedule is Hutton. Are his eye issues resolved? I don't know. Can he return to form and become an adequate backup? I'm not sure. Marty Biron has often stated that as long as Hutton is not over-used he is not troubled having him as a backup.  

It shouldn't be forgotten that the Sabres brought in some mid-tier players who should help to upgrade the PK, a major deficiency last year. With the added talent, the internal improvement and tightening of play on the PK and goaltending this is a very competitive to good team. 

[bob_sauve28]

8 minutes ago, JohnC said:

 

The big question mark that is widely recognized is the goaltending. If Ullmark continues his upward trajectory as he did last season then he should be a solid goaltender. The big question mark and a bigger issue in a season with a compressed schedule is Hutton. Are his eye issues resolved? I don't know. Can he return to form and become an adequate backup? I'm not sure. Marty Biron has often stated that as long as Hutton is not over-used he is not troubled having him as a backup.  

 

Even if Hutton is decent, the thought of not having some one ready if there is an injury, like last year, is frightening. They need to add someone. It's tricky, because they ill have to be in Rochester, but they need somebody that can play some minutes in the nhl is needed 

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Even if Hutton is decent, the thought of not having some one ready if there is an injury, like last year, is frightening. They need to add someone. It's tricky, because they ill have to be in Rochester, but they need somebody that can play some minutes in the nhl is needed 

Right now the call up option is Jonas Johansson. Is he good enough?  I don't know? I'm queasy about the situation.  

[LabattBlue]

2 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Right now the call up option is Jonas Johansson. Is he good enough?  I don't know? I'm queasy about the situation.  

In a short term pinch, I would think JJ could fill in for a game or two, but if either Ullmark, or whomever 1B is going to be, goes down for any length of time, they would trade have to trade for someone, or risk wasting Hall's season with the Sabres.