Sabres Sign Forward Riley Sheahan to a Two Way Deal; 950k

[Drag0nDan]

12 minutes ago, JohnC said:

It's not even assured that Sheahan will be on the NHL roster. And if he is he will at best be a marginal fourth line role player. Why so much fretting over at best a depth player? If he is better than our current depth role players, then what's the complaint? Getting marginally better is better than not getting marginal better!

Bit of an outdated statistic but he was a plus player on the Kraken of all teams.  Kills Penalties.  Immediately the best available player for d-zone draws.  

Not to mention - we had over 150 games played by Eakin/Bjork/Hayden because of injuries.  This guys better than all 3, and when injuries strike is a decent 4th line center option.  

[Taro T]

45 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Signing Sheahan doesn't waste the season, but yes he is a another JAG. Hopefully he's now the team's 14th forward.  We could do worse for a 14th forward.  Honestly with Malone (2 NHL games), Murray (21) and Biro (1) as our depth with at least some NHL experience in Rochester, it's not a huge surprise this move was made.  Riley's 635 NHL games has value.

Yep.  This is the bigger bright spot of the signing for me.  

You can call him the 14th forward, but unless Granato is being very creative (and he might) Sheahan will be slotted in as the 4C.  It'd be cool to see the checking line be a true 2 way line with say Asplund- Cozens-Okposo (& Girgensons as the fill in when things slot around) in which case Riley is the 14 but not expecting that.

Expecting him to C Girgensons & somebody.  Okposo is an obvious choice, but expect him slotting higher.  Maybe Hinostroza, maybe Asplund, maybe ???.

[Taro T]

With Sheahan, could see:

Skinner - Thompson - Olofsson

Quinn - Cozens - Okposo

Krebs - Mittelstadt - Tuch

Girgensons - Sheahan - Asplund/Hinostroza

to start opening night if everyone's healthy.

[GASabresIUFAN]

16 minutes ago, Taro T said:

You can call him the 14th forward, but unless Granato is being very creative (and he might) Sheahan will be slotted in as the 4C.  It'd be cool to see the checking line be a true 2 way line with say Asplund- Cozens-Okposo (& Girgensons as the fill in when things slot around) in which case Riley is the 14 but not expecting that.

Expecting him to C Girgensons & somebody.  Okposo is an obvious choice, but expect him slotting higher.  Maybe Hinostroza, maybe Asplund, maybe ???.

I couldn't disagree more.  The only way Sheahan starts the season in the top 12 is injury.  I think JPP and Quinn are ready. KA is adamant about giving the kids an opportunity to play and develop.  None are sitting in favor of a JAG vet.  With JJP and Quinn ready, who are you pushing out of the lineup to play Sheahan? Krebs? Girgensons? Asplund? 

Asplund isn't sitting.  He is our best defensive forward and is improving offensively.  Girgensons is a 50% faceoff guy just like Sheahan, is decent defensively, a team leader and our most physical forward.  Krebs was one of the key pieces from the Eichel trade and one of most skilled playmakers.  Sorry, I just don't see any of these guys sitting in favor of Sheahan.  

Edited August 11, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I couldn't disagree more.  The only was Sheahan starts the season in the top 12 is injury.  I think JPP and Quinn are ready. If they are who are you pushing out of the lineup to play Sheahan? Krebs? Girgensons? Asplund? 

Asplund isn't sitting.  He is our best defensive forward and is improving offensively.  Girgensons is a 50% faceoff guy just like Sheahan, is decent defensively, a team leader and our most physical forward.  Krebs was one of the key pieces from the Eichel trade and one of most skilled playmakers.  Sorry, I just don't see any of these guys sitting in favor of Sheahan.  

And for how many years did we expect Eakin to not be in the opening night lineup?  Agree that he shouldn't be top 12, but expecting on opening night he is.

Until he's actually made this year's Jankowski, will expect he's this year's Eakin.  And Eakin did actually get healthy scratched at times by Granato.  But he was in the lineup on day 1 every time.

As for Asplund, expect he'd get that slot, but could see Hinostroza there as well.  (Which is why he was listed 1st of the 2.)

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I couldn't disagree more.  The only way Sheahan starts the season in the top 12 is injury.  I think JPP and Quinn are ready. KA is adamant about giving the kids an opportunity to play and develop.  None are sitting in favor of a JAG vet.  With JJP and Quinn ready, who are you pushing out of the lineup to play Sheahan? Krebs? Girgensons? Asplund? 

Asplund isn't sitting.  He is our best defensive forward and is improving offensively.  Girgensons is a 50% faceoff guy just like Sheahan, is decent defensively, a team leader and our most physical forward.  Krebs was one of the key pieces from the Eichel trade and one of most skilled playmakers.  Sorry, I just don't see any of these guys sitting in favor of Sheahan.  

This is what I was trying to say to Weave in the other thread: the fact there is nothing close to consensus her on the roster is evidence the competition is real.

[Weave]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is what I was trying to say to Weave in the other thread: the fact there is nothing close to consensus her on the roster is evidence the competition is real.

And as I said in the other thread, it is not at a high enough baseline.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

This is what I was trying to say to Weave in the other thread: the fact there is nothing close to consensus her on the roster is evidence the competition is real.

I generally agree.  As I pointed out in the Krebs thread, we have 12 forwards entering camp drafted in the top 34 with 5 drafted in the top 10.  VO is the only player drafted outside of that group guaranteed a starting job.  We haven't had this much legit forward talent in 2 decades.  The only issue with the talent is a lack of experience. 

While there won't be many camp battles to actually make the roster as I think the top 14 are set (with Bjork now the odd man out), the battle for PT is going to be fierce.  Outside of Girgensons, (Vinnie and Sheahan), you can make a very reasonable argument that the other 11 forwards could earn a top 6 job.  This will the first season since 2005/6 and 6/7 that we will have 4 lines that can score at any time and we could have 11 forwards score 10+ this season.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I generally agree.  As I pointed out in the Krebs thread, we have 12 forwards entering camp drafted in the top 34 with 5 drafted in the top 10.  VO is the only player drafted outside of that group guaranteed a starting job.  We haven't had this much legit forward talent in 2 decades.  The only issue with the talent is a lack of experience. 

While there won't be many camp battles to actually make the roster as I think the top 14 are set (with Bjork now the odd man out), the battle for PT is going to be fierce.  Outside of Girgensons, (Vinnie and Sheahan), you can make a very reasonable argument that the other 11 forwards could earn a top 6 job.  This will the first season since 2005/6 and 6/7 that we will have 4 lines that can score at any time and we could have 11 forwards score 10+ this season.

They're only going to keep 13 F's on the roster when everybody is healthy.  Someone besides Bjork will be in Ra-cha-cha IF they come through TC unscathed.

[nfreeman]

Leaving aside potential injuries, I think JJP will be in the opening night lineup and Sheahan won't, but I won't be super-surprised if I'm wrong about that.

It will be a disappointment though if JJP isn't in the starting lineup by game 10 or so.  I guess at that point they'd send him down anyway rather than healthy-scratching him.

[dudacek]

29 minutes ago, Weave said:

And as I said in the other thread, it is not at a high enough baseline.

To be a true contending team this season, sure. To develop a true contending team, disagree.

[Drag0nDan]

19 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I couldn't disagree more.  The only way Sheahan starts the season in the top 12 is injury.  I think JPP and Quinn are ready. KA is adamant about giving the kids an opportunity to play and develop.  None are sitting in favor of a JAG vet.  With JJP and Quinn ready, who are you pushing out of the lineup to play Sheahan? Krebs? Girgensons? Asplund? 

Asplund isn't sitting.  He is our best defensive forward and is improving offensively.  Girgensons is a 50% faceoff guy just like Sheahan, is decent defensively, a team leader and our most physical forward.  Krebs was one of the key pieces from the Eichel trade and one of most skilled playmakers.  Sorry, I just don't see any of these guys sitting in favor of Sheahan.  

Agreed.  Send Bjork... wherever else is not in the realm of NHL playing time.  Players get hurt, he'll get some time with the big club as a depth forward who can center a bottom 6 line, kill some penalties, and help keep the puck out of the net. 

[sweetlou]

would like to see a little of this on the fourth line.

 

a little of this...

 

 

 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, JohnC said:

It's not even assured that Sheahan will be on the NHL roster. And if he is he will at best be a marginal fourth line role player. Why so much fretting over at best a depth player? If he is better than our current depth role players, then what's the complaint? Getting marginally better is better than not getting marginal better!

It just feels like a step backward. Or at best status quo. 

As I've stated elsewhere, Adams timeline and mine are not in sync. He has a year 3 perspective, mine is year 11. 

[Thorner]

18 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Sheahan is kinda of a JAG.  He is a step down from even Vinnie.  On the plus side, I do remember him being reasonably solid defensively.  He is also a little highly pricey for KA, maybe 950K is the new 750K.

And tweener, more than true NHLer. 

I mean it’s a reasonable signing haha, but if Sheehan is sparking “finally! The Sabres are a real team! posts, it says more about the futility of the last decade than any kind of sign of aptitude.

[Buffalonill]

Last time he was in buffalo  We finished last over all 

[Carmel Corn]

I might be in the minority, but I sort thought Buffalo should have brought him right back after his first season.  Thought he was quietly effective and defensively responsible...given the rest of the bottom six we had at the time.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

36 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Last time he was in buffalo  We finished last over all 

And ??

His absence would not have made any difference as his presence made no difference.

[Norcal]

Rochester is gonna be over budget

[dudacek]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

And tweener, more than true NHLer. 

I mean it’s a reasonable signing haha, but if Sheehan is sparking “finally! The Sabres are a real team! posts, it says more about the futility of the last decade than any kind of sign of aptitude.

Speaking only for myself, it is fully this.

Maybe this year he becomes a tweener (heck, I’m the one envisioning him in the Jankowski role) but over the past decade, Sheahan has played about 600 NHL games and 4 in the minors.

These are the guys we want in 14th forward spot, as opposed to the #10, where they would have been over most of the past decade.

Edited August 11, 2022 by dudacek

[DarthEbriate]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

These are the guys we want in 14th forward spot, as opposed to the #10, where they’d be over most of the past decade.

Only a few years ago, Sheahan would’ve been asked to play in our top 6… like Girgensons or Carrier or Kubalik or Deslauriers. 

Edited August 12, 2022 by DarthEbriate

[inkman]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Only a few years ago, Sheehan would’ve been asked to play in our top 6… like Girgensons or Carrier or Kubalik or Deslauriers. 

[matter2003]

23 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Seattle didn't want him back, but we did. Sure. Why not. Another wasted season. 

Uhh...what part of two way contract don't you understand?

9 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

It just feels like a step backward. Or at best status quo. 

As I've stated elsewhere, Adams timeline and mine are not in sync. He has a year 3 perspective, mine is year 11. 

Understandable but the goal isn't to make the playoffs once, it's to build something sustainable to be able to do it year after year.

[DarthEbriate]

Errrr, uh, errrrm... you know, Kubalikahun. Kahun. My mistake, it was sunny and beery and I couldn't remember his name. Kahun was immediately in the top 6 and then we didn't even tender his RFA. 

That same 2019-2020 season, Sobotka and Vesey spent a lot of time on the 2nd line with Skinner-Johansson as well.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Uhh...what part of two way contract don't you understand?

Understandable but the goal isn't to make the playoffs once, it's to build something sustainable to be able to do it year after year.

and signing Sheahan helps with that? okay.