LGR4GM Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) He's a 5'8" Finn who is about to turn 23. He centers the top line on Ilves and has 2 goals in 4 games thus far this year. He will have played actual hockey for over a month probably before training camp starts. So the question is should he be in more discussions about this roster? He is a C/LW and could easily slide into either spot on the 3rd line. Edited October 14, 2020 by LGR4GM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Yes we should. Last year, he moved from depth guy to a guy with a legitimate shot, and that could be as soon as this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brawndo Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Yes we should. Are they going to bury him in Rochester this year is the question. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielor Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) Yes, we should. Think Pilut 2 years ago. He's NHL ready now, and should get a shot. People might remember Joel Kiviranta (Dallas game 7 hat-trick Fin). Ruots had a better stat line than him in 18-19 🙂 Edited October 14, 2020 by Gabrielor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 4 minutes ago, Brawndo said: Yes we should. Are they going to bury him in Rochester this year is the question. Did he play there last season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielor Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 1 minute ago, WildCard said: Did he play there last season? Liiga. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 18 minutes ago, LGR4GM said: He's a 5'8" Finn who is about to turn 23. He centers the top line on Ilves and has 2 goals in 4 games thus far this year. He will have played actual hockey for over a month probably before training camp starts. So the question is should he be in more discussions about this roster? He is a C/LW and could easily slide into either spot on the 3rd line. Doubt he'll step right in, but if he does that really helps. And the Sabres need to start hitting on these sort of guys. The TB's of the world do it often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 9 minutes ago, Gabrielor said: Liiga. Then yeah, he should be playing in Rochester next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabrielor Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, WildCard said: Then yeah, he should be playing in Rochester next year. Disagree. When older prospects perform like top tier talent in top-Europe leagues (SHL, liiga, KHL), they can definitely skip that step. Pilut should've been in Buffalo right away when we got him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 It just seems much more likely that he starts in Rochester. If he kills it down there, by all means, bring him up and give him a shot with Eakin and Cozens on the 3rd line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Speaking of Pilut, are we good with our left side if Adams lures him back from the KHL? (Dahlin/McCabe/Pilut/Irwin) Or should we be shopping for better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Gabrielor said: Disagree. When older prospects perform like top tier talent in top-Europe leagues (SHL, liiga, KHL), they can definitely skip that step. Pilut should've been in Buffalo right away when we got him. Respectfully, it's just a different game. Olofsson would not have translated the way he did without AHL experience first IMO. We got Eakin for this reason (not that that was a great get), let Arttu acclimate to NA in the AHL for a little bit. Edited October 14, 2020 by WildCard 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, dudacek said: Speaking of Pilut, are we good with our left side if Adams lures him back from the KHL? (Dahlin/McCabe/Pilut/Irwin) Or should we be shopping for better? Should always be looking for better, but the cap might be too tight to allow anything to actually happen. That would at least be adequate NHL caliber 1-4 on the LH side. And we know the RH side is also NHL quality (even after 1 goes away for a goalie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 With the probable compressed schedule it is likely that more injuries, including nagging injuries that need rest to heal, will require players to fill in. Whether Arttu makes the big club roster or starts off in Rochester there will be a need to have a reserve of players to draw from. Getting him a lot of playing time in Rochester and allowing him to acclimate to NHL sized rinks may be the best route for him. The grind of a compressed schedule is going to take a physical toll on the players. The teams that have the most depth not only on their teams but in their systems will have an advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted October 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games. Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Just now, LGR4GM said: Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games. Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. Granted he's more experience and maybe a better player, but putting him in a new country in a new league with a different style...let the guy play 20g in the AHL first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) 33 minutes ago, LGR4GM said: Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games. Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. According to this article by Chad DeDominicis the answer is yes. https://www.diebytheblade.com/2020/8/5/21355224/buffalo-sabres-loan-arttu-ruotsalainen-back-to-ilves-until-further-notice-liiga Edited October 14, 2020 by JohnC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MODO Hockey Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Some ppl can just step right in, no need for AHL. Some need AHL to translate for sure. I would be fine to have him practice with the boys and play some minutes, would also be fine with 20 games in AHL. He is a good player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthEbriate Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) Arttu! Where are you? Edit: Yes, we absolutely need to talk Ruotsalainen because the possibilities are limitless. Rockets-in-legs and plot-device-gadget limitless. Edited October 14, 2020 by DarthEbriate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhMyDahlin Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 (edited) The lineup is basically set at this point (although I'd like a better 3C, allowing Eakin to move to 4C)... Hall - Eichel - Olofsson Skinner - Staal - Reinhart Thompson - Eakin - Cozens Girgensons - Lazar - Okposo I just don't see where he fits...I think a year in Rochester, playing on the top-line with Mittelstadt, would do both of them wonders. Edited October 14, 2020 by OhMyDahlin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 1 hour ago, OhMyDahlin said: The lineup is basically set at this point (although I'd like a better 3C, allowing Eakin to move to 4C)... Hall - Eichel - Olofsson Skinner - Staal - Reinhart Thompson - Eakin - Cozens Girgensons - Lazar - Okposo I just don't see where he fits...I think a year in Rochester, playing on the top-line with Mittelstadt, would do both of them wonders. I remember when Adams was talking about Rochester being a place for development and some of us were wondering exactly what prospects we had that could be developing. A centre spine of: Casey, Arttu and Asplund. Laaksonen, Bryson, Fitzpatrick, Samuelsson and maybe Borgen on defence Pekar, Murray plus those two college FA kids (Biro and Dipietro) we signed on the wings (along with Oglevie and CJ Smith, if they still count) And Johansson and Luukkonnen in goal. I wouldn't call that stacked, but that's actually a lot more prospect heavy than I was expecting. Add Dalton Smith, JS Dea and Brandon Davidson already signed for veteran help and we're probably looking at most of the Roster 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorner Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Taro T said: Doubt he'll step right in, but if he does that really helps. And the Sabres need to start hitting on these sort of guys. The TB's of the world do it often. This will become so much easier when we have the roster filled in adequately (close now, I think) where we ask little of the players in question, as a starting point. Bogo was the same player in TBay as here, yet he looked "better" there (On a separate note, Dave Poulin called his play "all world" yesterday 😆) Everything depth/prospect wise becomes so much easier with an adequate roster across the board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 Just now, Thorny said: (On a separate note, Dave Poulin called his play "all world" yesterday 😆) Well he is in Toronto now, and the world does revolve around it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 I"ve had him in the back of my mind as a dark horse for next year. I simply think the competition should be open and the best players in camp make the roster and you go from there. If he's good enough, why not play him? The more newness this roster can have the better. Don't want to get stuck in old ways. As for Pilut, I truly do not understand why so many love that guy. I thought he was awful and couldn't care less that he's gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 14, 2020 Report Share Posted October 14, 2020 1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said: I"ve had him in the back of my mind as a dark horse for next year. I simply think the competition should be open and the best players in camp make the roster and you go from there. If he's good enough, why not play him? The more newness this roster can have the better. Don't want to get stuck in old ways. As for Pilut, I truly do not understand why so many love that guy. I thought he was awful and couldn't care less that he's gone. Definitely agree w/ the bolded. Pilut is a good puck moving / offensive D-man that needs IMHO to be paired with a guy that can move people from the front of the net. His best pairing on the Sabres (as currently constructed) is Ristolainen as their strengths are rather complementary & each can cover weaknesses of the other. (Pilut can't move people; Risto isn't great at moving the puck.) On a cheap deal, he's an asset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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