2000's All Sabres Team

[sweetlou]

Although the last 10 years have been futile, who would be in your all 2000's Sabres team!

 

Forwards-

Vanek, Eichel, Pomminstein

Satan, Briere, Reinhart

Hecht, Drury, Tuch

Foligno, Gaustad, Gionta

 

Defense-

Dahlin, Numminen

McKee, Risto

Spacek, Rivet

 

Goalies-

Miller, Biron, Hasek

 

 

extras- 

forwards-  O'Reilly, Afinogenov, Connolly

defense- Tallinder, Campbell

 

 

[LGR4GM]

Ristolainen wouldn't be anywhere near my team. Tallinder would though. 

[sweetlou]

17 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Ristolainen wouldn't be anywhere near my team. Tallinder would though. 

Pair Risto with a solid defenseman and I still would have him only team.

 

 

[Pimlach]

Top defense of the 2000's would be dominated by the first decade 

Pre Pegula first tier:   Zhitnik, Shmelik, McKee, Campbell, Talinder, Teppo, Lydman, Wooley, Warrener

Pre Pegula Second Tier:  Patrick, Kalinin, Weber, Sekara, Spacek, Myers, Rivet

The only Pegula era defensemen worthy of discussion are Dhalin, McCabe, and Risto.   Of that crew only Dahlin makes the overall 2000 team.   

Overall:  Zhitnik, McKee, Dahlin, Teppo, Talinder, Campbell, 

Edited March 8, 2022 by Pimlach

[mjd1001]

19 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Ristolainen wouldn't be anywhere near my team. Tallinder would though. 

I agree with that on Risto.  He had/has the talent, he worked hard, he spent a lot of time here, but despite the effort and the physical talent, he just wasn't that good.  For me, you don't get an honor just for 'trying hard' and 'having physical tools'...if the technique/hockey IQ is missing in a big way.

[mjd1001]

If we are talking since 2000, On D, take of Risto, maybe replace him with Lydman and I'd even hear arguments for Warrener or Sekera over Risto.

Up front I didn't 'like' Roy as a player, but he did produce, so him and Stafford (based on production) I think you need to consider.  Connolly may have been near the top of the list as far as talent. We only saw it for about a half season and 1 playoff series leading up to his concussion, but at that point, no matter how short of a time that may have been, he may have been the single best player in terms of talent and production we have seen in the last 20 years (even over Eichel).  Too bad that just when he got to that point, he had that serious injury.

[MattPie]

I'm not sure Biron gets on there with a straight face. I love the guy, but he never made it past being a backup (and marginal starter in Philly). I'm not sure who does belong though since the post-Miller era is a lot of mediocre. Maybe Holtby Neuvirth (he played here, right?), Ullmark, or Enroth.

Edited March 8, 2022 by MattPie

[DarthEbriate]

I tried to keep certain players together (Vanek and Pommer; HBD, Hank-Lydman, McKee-Warrener). On D, Campbell should get some ice time, but he's a bit redundant and I'm happy with the left side.

Vanek - O’Reilly - Pominville
Satan - Eichel - Reinhart
Hecht - Briere - Dumont
Drury - Peca - Tuch

Extras: Foligno, Connolly, Afinogenov depending on the style of the opponent

Tallinder – Lydman
Dahlin – Numminen
Spacek – Ehrhoff

Extras: Campbell, McKee – Warrener

Hasek
Miller

Extras: Neuvirth, Ullmark (for shootouts)

[GASabresIUFAN]

Are we going 2000-2009 or 2000 to today?

[Zamboni]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Are we going 2000-2009 or 2000 to today?

Looking at peoples lists … the answer is … yes 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

I tried to keep certain players together (Vanek and Pommer; HBD, Hank-Lydman, McKee-Warrener). On D, Campbell should get some ice time, but he's a bit redundant and I'm happy with the left side.

Vanek - O’Reilly - Pominville
Satan - Eichel - Reinhart
Hecht - Briere - Dumont
Drury - Peca - Tuch

Extras: Foligno, Connolly, Afinogenov depending on the style of the opponent

Tallinder – Lydman
Dahlin – Numminen
Spacek – Ehrhoff

Extras: Campbell, McKee – Warrener

Hasek
Miller

Extras: Neuvirth, Ullmark (for shootouts)

Good job overall but - no way Spacek and Errhof beat out Campbell, McKee or Warrener.  

[Porous Five Hole]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Good job overall but - no way Spacek and Errhof beat out Campbell, McKee or Warrener.  

I’ll take Jaro over Rhett. Spacek had more points in one season (45) than Rhett had in all three of his qualifying seasons (00-01, 01-02, 02-03). However, both were plus players each of their three qualifying seasons and Rhett played a heavier game.  

I suppose it just depends on roles.

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Good job overall but - no way Spacek and Errhof beat out Campbell, McKee or Warrener.  

I kept a self-imposed rule of L-R pairings.

That 3rd pairing was my great dilemma. I didn't want to split McKee-Warrener. So I have them as an alternate pairing. In the playoffs, I think I play McKee-Warrener as the 3rd pair when shot blocking and physicality (and lack of penalties being called) come into play. But in the regular season, Spacek brings a shot and offense that Mckee just never had. Ehrhoff was a possession beast, even on absolute garbage teams he had positive Corsi, and even then in 2013-14 when they traded Miller his relative Corsi was amazing. So for a 3rd pairing, it made sense to possess the puck and make the smart pass to the forwards. Ehrhoff can also run the 2nd PP.

Campbell gets squeezed out because of the forwards and my unwillingness to break up Tallinder-Lydman whose all around game is unsurpassed on a 2000s team. Campbell (and Zhitnik) rushing the puck up ice both became nice-to-have with all that balance up front.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

Looking at peoples lists … the answer is … yes 

That's what worries me.

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That's what worries me.

Meh. Don’t let anything on this board worry you. It’s a silly thread about a silly topic to waste time. Like 90% of the threads 😂

 

I wonder what the best Sabres team that can be created if you only used guys born in odd numbered months. Or odd numbered years. Or their last names begin with vowels only. The useless threads are endless! 😂

Edited March 9, 2022 by Zamboni

[GASabresIUFAN]

32 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Meh. Don’t let anything on this board worry you. It’s a silly thread about a silly topic to waste time. Like 90% of the threads 😂

 

I wonder what the best Sabres team that can be created if you only used guys born in odd numbered months. Or odd numbered years. Or their last names begin with vowels only. The unless threads are endless! 😂

Best USA born team, Best International born team and the best Canadian born team.  Maybe even the best team comprised of players from each country that have ever played for the Sabres.  That last one should be a real interesting challenge with 12 forwards, 6 D and 2 goalies.  Have we had players from 20 countries? 

 

[Zamboni]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Best USA born team, Best International born team and the best Canadian born team.  Maybe even the best team comprised of players from each country that have ever played for the Sabres.  That last one should be a real interesting challenge with 12 forwards, 6 D and 2 goalies.  Have we had players from 20 countries? 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

On 3/8/2022 at 11:48 PM, Zamboni said:

We have actually had players born in 16 different countries.  We have an incredible lack of successful Swedish and Finnish forwards for some reason.  I repeated USA, Canada, Sweden and Czech to complete the 18 player team.  Some of our best players were left off to accommodate D from smaller countries.  Interestingly we have had no players from Norway, Denmark or Switzerland.

Vanek (AUS) Perreault (CAN) Mogilny (RUS)

Satan (SVK) LaFontaine (USA) Hecht (GER)

Girgensons (LAT) Ruuttu (FIN) Kotalik (CZE)

Perry (ENG) Zubrus (LTU) Olofsson (SWE)

Zhitnik (UKR) Hajt (CAN)

Dahlin (SWE) Regehr (BRA)

Antipin (KAZ) Ndur (NGR)

Hasek (CZE)

Miller (USA)

Edited March 10, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Zamboni]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We have actually had players born in 16 different countries.  We have an incredible lack of successful Swedish and Finnish forwards for some reason.  I repeated USA, Canada, Sweden and Czech to complete the 18 player team.  Some of our best players were left off to accommodate D from smaller countries.  Interestingly we have had no players from Norway, Denmark or Switzerland.

Vanek (AUS) Perreault (CAN) Mogilny (RUS)

Satan (SVK) Eichel (USA) Hecht (GER)

Girgensons (LAT) Ruuttu (FIN) Kotalik (CZE)

Perry (ENG) Zubrus (LTU) Asplund (SWE)

Zhitnik (UKR) Hajt (CAN)

Dahlin (SWE) Regehr (BRA)

Antipin (KAZ) Ndur (NGR)

Hasek (CZE)

Miller (USA)

You are way more interested and dedicated to this than I am 😂 I salute your time and interest. Nice list. 

 

 

 

By the way, our current goalies are all Swiss 

 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

You are way more interested and dedicated to this than I am 😂 I salute your time and interest. Nice list. 

 

 

 

By the way, our current goalies are all Swiss 

 

 

Certainly not like Hasek and Miller.

Speaking of Miller.  Here is team USA - The Sabres have had players born in 21 states believe it or not.  I tried to create the best team balanced with good players from the most states

Thompson (AZ) LaFontaine (MO) Drury (CT)

Plante (MN) Eichel (MA) Stafford (WI)

Wood (NJ) Connolly (NY) Holzinger (OH)

Foligno (NY) Gaustad (ND) Grier (MI)

Housley (MN) Ramsey (MN)

Myers (TX) McCabe (WI)

Weber (PA) Fogolin (IL)

Miller (MI) Barasso (MN)

[GASabresIUFAN]

Team Canada using at least one player from all 10 provinces (except NB) and 2 territories.

Martin (PQ) Perreault (PQ) Robert (PQ)

Andreychuk (ONT) Luce (ONT) Ramsay (ONT)

Sanderson (NWT) OTT (PEI) Gare (BC)

Boulton (NS) Cozens (YUK) Pominville (PQ)

Hajt (SASK) Bodger (BC)

Ruff (ALTA) Schoenfeld (ONT)

Patrick (MAN) Pardy (NFLD)

Edwards (ONT) Biron (PQ)

[Sabres Fan in NS]

@GASabresIUFAN really needs a hot date with his hot wife.  No kids hanging around.

[dudacek]

On 3/8/2022 at 9:08 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

We have actually had players born in 16 different countries.  We have an incredible lack of successful Swedish and Finnish forwards for some reason.  I repeated USA, Canada, Sweden and Czech to complete the 18 player team.  Some of our best players were left off to accommodate D from smaller countries.  Interestingly we have had no players from Norway, Denmark or Switzerland.

Vanek (AUS) Perreault (CAN) Mogilny (RUS)

Satan (SVK) LaFontaine (USA) Hecht (GER)

Girgensons (LAT) Ruuttu (FIN) Kotalik (CZE)

Perry (ENG) Zubrus (LTU) Asplund (SWE)

Zhitnik (UKR) Hajt (CAN)

Dahlin (SWE) Regehr (BRA)

Antipin (KAZ) Ndur (NGR)

Hasek (CZE)

Miller (USA)

Had to look that one up. Dont often stumble into a Sabre I’ve never heard of.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=4253
 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

24 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Had to look that one up. Dont often stumble into a Sabre I’ve never heard of.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=4253
 

 

I've mentioned him before in the 1 game Sabres thread.  

Here is a stab at the all Europe team

Vanek (AUS) Ruuttu (FIN) Mogilny (RUS)

Satan (SLV) Hecht (GER) Afinogenov (RUS)

Olofsson (SWE) Girgensons (LAT) Kotalik (CZE)

Varada (CZE) Larsson (SWE) Grosek (CZE)

Zhitnik (UKR) Tallinder (SWE)

Smehlik (CZE) Dahlin (SWE)

Krupp (GER) Ristolainen (FIN)

Hasek (CZE) Lehner (SWE)

5- Czechs, 5 Swedes, 2 Finns, 2 Russians, 2 Germans, and 1 each from Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Latvia.

Hardest choice - Deciding between Risto, Lydman, Kalinin, Sekera and Krupp for the last 2 D spots.  Choose Risto because he is 3rd in games played by an International D and the leader in points.  Choose Krupp for more balance among the nations.  Almost added Hannu Virta.  I was surprised by his output in his limited time here.

Virta: 245 gp. 25g 101a 126 pts (.51 pts/gp)

compare

Dahlin: 253 gp 26g 118a 144 pts (.57 pts/gp)

That's surprising similar production.