22-23 opening day line up

[JohnC]

19 minutes ago, Taro T said:

True dat.

(Providing it's not Comrie that goes down.)

I'm more than happy with the Comrie signing. If I had my druthers, I would have preferred a second goalie being added. I'm just queasy about Anderson's durability as a backup. My sense is that KA is comfortable with UPL being next man up. We shall see if he is worthy of that trust.  

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I'm more than happy with the Comrie signing. If I had my druthers, I would have preferred a second goalie being added. I'm just queasy about Anderson's durability as a backup. My sense is that KA is comfortable with UPL being next man up. We shall see if he is worthy of that trust.  

To the bolded 100%.  But, with as deferentially as Adams speaks about Anderson, really doubt it was in the cards unless it was something like the nearly executed Murray trade.  And not convinced that Adams signs Comrie if he has Murray, though it's possible & would've made the whole platoon that much more likely to be able to be good enough w/ Murray assuming last year's Dell role.  (I.e., given a legit shot to be on the Sabres but more likely Ra-cha-cha bound had they still then signed Comrie.)  Would trust Murray way more than UPL or Subban should 1 of the top 2 need relief for injury or exhaustion or whatever.  

[dudacek]

I think the unspoken plan is that this is the year UPL stays healthy, puts it together and graduates to the big club full-time.

Anderson holds the fort until he gets there. I think that was the plan last year after Ullmark surprisingly walked.

Comrie is them hedging their bets with a 2nd potential breakout guy, rather than more stopgaps like Dell and Tokarski.

I don’t think they are favouring one guy or the other, they’re hopeful for both.

Its put up or shut up for UPL basically. Unless either completely implodes, he and Comrie will be next year’s duo in some fashion and the Sabres are hoping it happens sooner.

[SwampD]

On 7/16/2022 at 4:13 PM, Taro T said:

With Skinner, Thompson, Tuch, Asplund, Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Cozens, Okposo, Girgensons pretty much locks to be in the top 12 on opening night and Krebs, Quinn, Peterka, & Hinostroza vying for the other 3 spots; and with Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power, Jokiharju, & Lyubuskin pretty much locks to be in the top 6 with Bryson, Pilut, Fitzgerald, & the 3 tweeners vying for the 6th spot; and Comrie & Anderson between the pipes; this lineup when healthy might actually finally have ALL 20 spots filled with ACTUAL NHLers and if the don't IMHO at most they're only shy a 6 D, 12th F, or backup goalie (or some combination).  And this is with Adams still having nearly 3 months & $19MM in cap space to fill those last holes/ all depth.

It seems this will at most be the 2nd time since the Pegulas owned the team and possibly only the 1st time since then that we've been able to say the entire game night lineup is comprised of NHLers.  Which is a good thing to finally have once again.

Were there any other Sabres teams since we were told there will be suffering that are this deep?  Ottomh, can't think of any.

That really should be on their opening night posters-

            The Buffalo Sabres
  Welcome to the ‘22-‘23 Season!
       You Have Suffered Enough
 We’re Finally Icing an NHL Roster!

                               (We Think)

[Taro T]

Just now, SwampD said:

That really should be on their opening night posters-

            The Buffalo Sabres
  Welcome to the ‘22-‘23 Season!
       You Have Suffered Enough
 We’re Finally Icing an NHL Roster!

                               (We Think)

Thought about giving the crying reaction for this, but is is spot on, so went w/ the laugh instead.

🍺

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Opening Day lineup

Skinner TnT Cozens

VO Mitts Tuch

Asplund Girgensons KO

JJP Krebs Quinn

[Marvin]

6 minutes ago, SwampD said:

That really should be on their opening night posters-

            The Buffalo Sabres
  Welcome to the ‘22-‘23 Season!
       You Have Suffered Enough
 We’re Finally Icing an NHL Roster!

                               (We Think)

 

4 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Thought about giving the crying reaction for this, but is is spot on, so went w/ the laugh instead.

🍺

 

Sad to say, both of these are true.  I had to laugh in the vein of, "nervous acknowledgement of an uncomfortable fact."

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Opening Day lineup

Skinner TnT Cozens

VO Mitts Tuch

Asplund Girgensons KO

JJP Krebs Quinn

Where's Vinny?

[tom webster]

38 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Where's Vinny?

This is why I continue to expect Mitts not to be here in October. I continue to hear rumblings that they are looking to add 1, maybe even 2 forwards and they are already over 12. We all know that they will need 14/15 to cover injuries but who are they sitting if they sign a scoring winger and a more defensively inclined center.

[GASabresIUFAN]

45 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Where's Vinny?

on the bench.  Where else when Quinn and JJP make the team?

[nfreeman]

29 minutes ago, tom webster said:

This is why I continue to expect Mitts not to be here in October. I continue to hear rumblings that they are looking to add 1, maybe even 2 forwards and they are already over 12. We all know that they will need 14/15 to cover injuries but who are they sitting if they sign a scoring winger and a more defensively inclined center.

I would be pretty surprised if this were to happen.  I haven't been a fan of Mitts', but trading him now would be selling him when his value is quite low.  It just seems much more prudent, and likely, to get him in the lineup and producing regularly so DG and KA can see what they have in him when he's healthy and in a non-dysfunctional situation.

I suppose they could've decided that they've seen enough from Mitts and they are pretty confident that he's going to wash out, but this just doesn't seem likely.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Opening Day lineup

Skinner TnT Cozens

VO Mitts Tuch

Asplund Girgensons KO

JJP Krebs Quinn

That 4th line will get caved in. 

Skinner-Tnt-Olofsson

Quinn - Mitts - Tuch

Asplund - Cozens - JJP

Hinostroza - Krebs - Okposo 

Zemgus is the spare for whichever of the 3 kids,  Krebs, Quinn or JJP need a night. Could flip Quinn and Krebs and make asplund the 4th center.

[tom webster]

10 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I would be pretty surprised if this were to happen.  I haven't been a fan of Mitts', but trading him now would be selling him when his value is quite low.  It just seems much more prudent, and likely, to get him in the lineup and producing regularly so DG and KA can see what they have in him when he's healthy and in a non-dysfunctional situation.

I suppose they could've decided that they've seen enough from Mitts and they are pretty confident that he's going to wash out, but this just doesn't seem likely.

To be clear, no one has told me he’s gone, I just think he’s the most likely if they do add someone 

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

That 4th line will get caved in. 

Skinner-Tnt-Olofsson

Quinn - Mitts - Tuch

Asplund - Cozens - JJP

Hinostroza - Krebs - Okposo 

Zemgus is the spare for whichever of the 3 kids,  Krebs, Quinn or JJP need a night. Could flip Quinn and Krebs and make asplund the 4th center.

Alternative

Skinner - tnt - Olofsson 

Krebs - Cozens - Tuch

Quinn - Mitts - Okposo 

Zemgus/Hinostroza - Asplund- JJP

 

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, SwampD said:

That really should be on their opening night posters-

            The Buffalo Sabres
  Welcome to the ‘22-‘23 Season!
       You Have Suffered Enough
 We’re Finally Icing an NHL Roster!

                               (We Think)

 

If Comrie doesn't implode, they're likely going to be able to do this.

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

This is why I continue to expect Mitts not to be here in October. I continue to hear rumblings that they are looking to add 1, maybe even 2 forwards and they are already over 12. We all know that they will need 14/15 to cover injuries but who are they sitting if they sign a scoring winger and a more defensively inclined center.

I just don't see your expectations regarding Mitts coming to fruition. Granato said last year that Mitts was one of the best players in last year's training camp. Then he got hurt and was shelved until late in the season. I see him being either our 2C or 3C vying with Cozens for the higher role. In addition, Mitts, like Cozens, has the ability to play wing. So, his versatility would be an additional argument to keep him. Another reason that I can't foresee him be moved is that he fits the profile of how the GM wants to build this roster i.e. mostly building from within the system. I just see the organization counting on both Mitts and Cozens making the leap into becoming established players for this hopefully emerging team. 

[tom webster]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I just don't see your expectations regarding Mitts coming to fruition. Granato said last year that Mitts was one of the best players in last year's training camp. Then he got hurt and was shelved until late in the season. I see him being either our 2C or 3C vying with Cozens for the higher role. In addition, Mitts, like Cozens, has the ability to play wing. So, his versatility would be an additional argument to keep him. Another reason that I can't foresee him be moved is that he fits the profile of how the GM wants to build this roster i.e. mostly building from within the system. I just see the organization counting on both Mitts and Cozens making the leap into becoming established players for this hopefully emerging team. 

You keep bringing up Granato’s statement and KA’’s statement about building from within. You shouldn’t put such absolute trust into their public statements. 
KA has obviously tried to make moves that run counter to that. In addition, they just drafted 22 guys in the last two years alone. They won’t keep everyone.

Finally, they know they owe it to the players to continually try to get better. I am 100% convinced that they are still trying to add and simple math says that if someone comes, someone has to leave.

[thewookie1]

I’m curious as to why a number of people here have a vendetta against Mitts. It seems like anytime rosters are created some of you are always finding some reason why Mitts must be traded or will be traded. It’s the same issue on CapFriendly. 

[JohnC]

11 minutes ago, tom webster said:

You keep bringing up Granato’s statement and KA’’s statement about building from within. You shouldn’t put such absolute trust into their public statements. 
KA has obviously tried to make moves that run counter to that. In addition, they just drafted 22 guys in the last two years alone. They won’t keep everyone.

Finally, they know they owe it to the players to continually try to get better. I am 100% convinced that they are still trying to add and simple math says that if someone comes, someone has to leave.

I'm don't consider their comments absolute and ironclad. That would be naive on my part to rigidly hold them to their comments. However, Mitts, as does Cozens, fits the profile of players who are in the system and have been developed. It would not make sense (at least for me) to deal off a young player that appears (hopefully) has made the step up. Another reason that I can't foresee Mitts being dealt is due to his versatility. He not only can play both the center and forward position but has also expressed a willingness to do so. 

I'm not questioning whether other players will be brought in. I just don't see Mitts be subtracted in order for another addition. 

[tom webster]

2 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm don't consider their comments absolute and ironclad. That would be naive on my part to rigidly hold them to their comments. However, Mitts, as does Cozens, fits the profile of players who are in the system and have been developed. It would not make sense (at least for me) to deal off a young player that appears (hopefully) has made the step up. Another reason that I can't foresee Mitts being dealt is due to his versatility. He not only can play both the center and forward position but has also expressed a willingness to do so. 

I'm not questioning whether other players will be brought in. I just don't see Mitts be subtracted in order for another addition. 

I’m hoping Mitts makes the jump just as TT did last year. I’m just reading the tea leaves and if the stuff that I’m hearing coupled with the things that we’ve seen reputable “insiders” report, I think he’s the odd man out.

[triumph_communes]

48 minutes ago, tom webster said:

You keep bringing up Granato’s statement and KA’’s statement about building from within. You shouldn’t put such absolute trust into their public statements. 
KA has obviously tried to make moves that run counter to that. In addition, they just drafted 22 guys in the last two years alone. They won’t keep everyone.

Finally, they know they owe it to the players to continually try to get better. I am 100% convinced that they are still trying to add and simple math says that if someone comes, someone has to leave.

That’s just due diligence. 

[tom webster]

22 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

That’s just due diligence. 

I agree. Sometimes that due diligence leads to something.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

I’m curious as to why a number of people here have a vendetta against Mitts. It seems like anytime rosters are created some of you are always finding some reason why Mitts must be traded or will be traded. It’s the same issue on CapFriendly. 

It's because if he had not played OK when he was first out of college, then they think that he was responsible for the Ryan O'Reilly trade.  Think of him as the current version of Tim Connolly ca. 2003.

[bg17]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

I just don't see your expectations regarding Mitts coming to fruition. Granato said last year that Mitts was one of the best players in last year's training camp. Then he got hurt and was shelved until late in the season. I see him being either our 2C or 3C vying with Cozens for the higher role. In addition, Mitts, like Cozens, has the ability to play wing. So, his versatility would be an additional argument to keep him. Another reason that I can't foresee him be moved is that he fits the profile of how the GM wants to build this roster i.e. mostly building from within the system. I just see the organization counting on both Mitts and Cozens making the leap into becoming established players for this hopefully emerging team. 

On top of Mitts versatility, he is absolutely relentless out there. Even if he doesn’t meet the early expectations there’s a place for guys that play the way he plays. 

[Digger]

Here's my suggestion.  Still see Cozens and Mittelstadt as 2nd line centers and sometime this season we'll see which lines work together.  I like Krebs and Cozens together (maybe even switching at center from time to time or game).  With what's available right now on the roster I see Peterka pushing Asplund and Hinostroza for playing time.

Skinner                 Thompson          Tuch                     

Krebs                    Cozens              Quinn

Asplund               Mittelstadt         Olofsson

Hinostroza          Girgensons         Okposo

Peterka