Sabres Training Camp 2022

[Flashsabre]

33 minutes ago, dudacek said:

And Okposo Girgensons Asplund would be among the best "4th" lines in the league.

 

Skinner Tage Peterka

Mitts Cozens VO

Quinn Krebs Tuch

Asplund Girgs KO

Vinny

I’ll submit it to Donny on our behalf😀

[Porous Five Hole]

😂😂😂

[bob_sauve28]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

And Okposo Girgensons Asplund would be among the best "4th" lines in the league.

 

Yes

[nfreeman]

2 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Skinner Tage JJ

Quinn Krebs Tuch

Mitts Cozens VO

That is an interesting top 9. 

It just seems impossible that they would put a rookie on the top line.

Having said that, I'd be counting the minutes until opening night if DG were to announce that lineup and that JJP and Quinn have earned those spots.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

And Okposo Girgensons Asplund would be among the best "4th" lines in the league.

 

I don't get the whole KO thing. On one hand people want him named captain and consider him a valuable player and on the other they want him dumped on the (presumably) lowest minute line with the leftovers. If the line is that good and plays more it's not the 4th line is it?  idk, I suppose how that shakes out depends on how well the kids play. 

Questions I have and wait to see how they unfold (many answers are probable or expected but Granato pulled surprises last year so who knows?):

1. Will Tage stay at center? (likely yes)

2. Will Dahlin play the right side? (probably, maybe?)

3. Who will Power pair with and where does he end up in the hierarchy?

4. Will Quinn, Peterka, and to some extent Krebs be in the starting line up? 

Those are the biggies for me. 

Personally, I'd want to try Cozens on the wing, I think his play is suited to it more than Mitts or Krebs but idk. Perhaps a line of Asplund-Cozens-Peterka could be a 2 way line? All 3 have a bit of an edge to their games. While Quinn-Mitts-VO could be a speed oriented offensive line. Depends on how ready the kids are I guess. 

Ultimately I'd like to see identities develop for each line and more continuity this year where they can develop chemistry and fulfill their assigned roles. Less juggling all around is my hope. It's the next step forward imo. 

[Brawndo]

Since nothing else is going on Sunday Afternoon, the Sabres-Caps Game is being broadcast on NHL Network

[dudacek]

39 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't get the whole KO thing. On one hand people want him named captain and consider him a valuable player and on the other they want him dumped on the (presumably) lowest minute line with the leftovers. If the line is that good and plays more it's not the 4th line is it?

 

Thus the "?"

Personally I'm looking forward to the possibility this might be the first year in a decade where I can watch a Sabres game without a gaurantee I will spend 10 minutes a night begging for a line to get off the ice.

Assuming Peterka and Quinn don't flame out, the healthy Sabres should have 13 forwards I will be happy to watch.

That's not something you can say about a lot of teams and one of the primary reasons I think they will be better than most outside Buffalo think.

Edited September 23, 2022 by dudacek

[French Collection]

14 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

Thus the "?"

Personally I'm looking forward to the possibility this might be the first year in a decade where I can watch a Sabres game without a gaurantee I will spend 10 minutes a night begging for a line to get off the ice.

Assuming Peterka and Quinn don't flame out, the healthy Sabres should have 13 forwards I will be happy to watch.

That's not something you can say about a lot of teams and one of the primary reasons I think they will be better than most outside Buffalo think.

Wanting JAGs to get off the ice has caused me some stress the last few years. I agree wholeheartedly that being able to roll 4 lines will be nice to watch. If a line is cold there are three others that can pick up the slack.

Whoever ends up as the 13th forward will be interesting as well. For example, Vinny draws in and is raring to go, generates some action. Way better than hoping Hayden doesn’t get stuck in his own end every shift.

[Eleven]

58 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't get the whole KO thing. On one hand people want him named captain and consider him a valuable player and on the other they want him dumped on the (presumably) lowest minute line with the leftovers.

He's the battle-scarred veteran.  The two ideas aren't incompatible, from that angle.

[Flashsabre]

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Source-At-Least-2-teams-Considering-Jason-Robertson-Offer-Sheet/1/118788

YES it is Eklund but speculation Sabres might offer sheet Robertson. It won’t happen, Dallas would match but maybe they call about a trade if negotiations still go nowhere.

[Brawndo]

 

[Eleven]

5 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

This is big.  The cheap seats on Stubhub for Sunday's game are about $60 right now.  (For preseason?!)  And yeah, I was thinking of going.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

This is big.  The cheap seats on Stubhub for Sunday's game are about $60 right now.  (For preseason?!)  And yeah, I was thinking of going.

Couldn't give preseason tix away last year, so sold 'em at $20 a pop this year.  Could've got more, but still feel like that was stealing money almost as bad as the Sabres making STHers pay for them in the 1st place is stealing.  

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

I don't get NHLN on YouTubeTV. And I can't see it on demand later because, obviously, I'll be watching the Bills.

[Thorner]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

And Okposo Girgensons Asplund would be among the best "4th" lines in the league.

 

Okposo obviously on the right side.

Who plays C and who plays LW between Asplund and Girgensons? Does it matter? 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't get the whole KO thing. On one hand people want him named captain and consider him a valuable player and on the other they want him dumped on the (presumably) lowest minute line with the leftovers. If the line is that good and plays more it's not the 4th line is it?  idk, I suppose how that shakes out depends on how well the kids play. 

Questions I have and wait to see how they unfold (many answers are probable or expected but Granato pulled surprises last year so who knows?):

1. Will Tage stay at center? (likely yes)

2. Will Dahlin play the right side? (probably, maybe?)

3. Who will Power pair with and where does he end up in the hierarchy?

4. Will Quinn, Peterka, and to some extent Krebs be in the starting line up? 

Those are the biggies for me. 

Personally, I'd want to try Cozens on the wing, I think his play is suited to it more than Mitts or Krebs but idk. Perhaps a line of Asplund-Cozens-Peterka could be a 2 way line? All 3 have a bit of an edge to their games. While Quinn-Mitts-VO could be a speed oriented offensive line. Depends on how ready the kids are I guess. 

Ultimately I'd like to see identities develop for each line and more continuity this year where they can develop chemistry and fulfill their assigned roles. Less juggling all around is my hope. It's the next step forward imo. 

I thought we might be done w/ the bolded thinking after the Larsson days. It didn’t matter how many times we lined him up on the “4th” line, he still came in as a top 2 C by way of minutes. 

[inkman]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't get the whole KO thing. On one hand people want him named captain and consider him a valuable player and on the other they want him dumped on the (presumably) lowest minute line with the leftovers. If the line is that good and plays more it's not the 4th line is it?  idk, I suppose how that shakes out depends on how well the kids play. 

Those are two different people.  One part of the fanbase has grown to love KO, understand and appreciate the vet, the other fan thinks he’s meh, overpaid, washed up, yada yada.  

[Curt]

5 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

😂😂😂

I know it’s kind of dumb, but I absolutely love stuff like this.

Sabres marketing/social media team never used to do stuff like this a few years ago, but there have obviously been a lot of changes/improvements over the past 1-2 years.

Also, I think they have more to work with regarding the personalities currently on the team compared to a few years ago.

[Digger]

I suspect Okposo will be playing with Cozens or Krebs or Mittelstadt depending who's at center on the 2nd and 3rd lines.  That's not my choice but I do expect Granato to give him more than 4th line minutes and line-mates especially if he's named Captain.

[LGR4GM]

5 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

😂😂😂

Greatest. Video. Ever. 

[Thorner]

44 minutes ago, Curt said:

I know it’s kind of dumb, but I absolutely love stuff like this.

Sabres marketing/social media team never used to do stuff like this a few years ago, but there have obviously been a lot of changes/improvements over the past 1-2 years.

Also, I think they have more to work with regarding the personalities currently on the team compared to a few years ago.

I’ve mentioned this before, to my mind the marketing and pr shift is well undersold as a factor in the change of direction of the team. As much as any factor, arguably, at this stage, due to how much of the outlook on the current team is driven by “vibes”, to date. 

I’d wager the revamp is significantly more in the “cause” category than it is “symptom”. 

It’s been a masterclass. 

[Curt]

31 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I’ve mentioned this before, to my mind the marketing and pr shift is well undersold as a factor in the change of direction of the team. As much as any factor, arguably, at this stage, due to how much of the outlook on the current team is driven by “vibes”, to date. 

I’d wager the revamp is significantly more in the “cause” category than it is “symptom”. 

It’s been a masterclass. 

I think it is a factor in fan outlook.  I think the way they finished the season is also a big factor.  It’s having an effect on fan perception, but also on the team internally, I believe.

I honestly give Adams a lot of credit for this.  It can cynically be viewed as a bunch of new age office culture speak BS, but I believe that it can have a real effect on team mindset if it is perceived as genuine, especially for earnest young guys who haven’t been through the ringer of the business of hockey.

Adams appears to have gotten buy in from the team and fan base (to a certain extent).  That’s what I want from a guy leading the organization.  I think Adams is a very good manager.  I hope he proves to be a good NHL general manager.

That came out more jumbled than I intended but I think you get the idea.

[dudacek]

4 hours ago, Digger said:

I suspect Okposo will be playing with Cozens or Krebs or Mittelstadt depending who's at center on the 2nd and 3rd lines.  That's not my choice but I do expect Granato to give him more than 4th line minutes and line-mates especially if he's named Captain.

I think this mindset — "you can't play (insert name here) 10 minutes a night with 4th-liners" — needs to shift.

First off, look at the coach and how he has used his players: Anders Bjork got 12 minutes a game. Brett Murray got 13. Cody Eakin and Mark Jankowski 13 1/2. Even John Hayden, the least-used forward on the team got just under 11 minutes.

Secondly, who are these 4th-liners people are worried about? Girgensons? Hinostroza? Okposo? Asplund? Quinn? Peterka?

The first 4 are all guys who played 13:52 or more last year, and who have demonstrated the ability to score 10 or more goals and 30 or more points over a full season. The final 2 are two of the best forward prospects in the game. Our "top 13" has no outright plugs any more.

There's no rule that your 4th line has to remain nailed to the bench, or that it can't have 3 good players on it.

Edited September 24, 2022 by dudacek

[Curt]

8 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think this mindset — "you can't play (insert name here) 10 minutes a night with 4th-liners" — needs to shift.

First off, look at the coach and how he has used his players: Anders Bjork got 12 minutes a game. Brett Murray got 13. Cody Eakin and Mark Jankowski 13 1/2. Even John Hayden, the least-used forward on the team got just under 11 minutes.

Secondly, who are these 4-liners people are worried about? Girgensons? Hinostroza? Okposo? Asplund? Quinn? Peterka?

The first 4 are all guys who played 13:52 or more last year, and who have demonstrated the ability to score 10 or more goals and 30 or more points over a full season. The final 2 are two of the best forward prospects in the game. Our "top 13" has no outright plugs any more.

There's no rule that your 4th line has to remain nailed to the bench, or that it can't have 3 good players on it.

This is true.  The Sabres don’t have a 1st of players who are going to get 22 mins per night like a McDavid might, and the 4th line isn’t scrubs skating 9 mins a game.  They have run a pretty even ice time distribution, with basically all the forwards getting between 18 and 13 mins per game.  I see that continuing this season.

[Digger]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think this mindset — "you can't play (insert name here) 10 minutes a night with 4th-liners" — needs to shift.

First off, look at the coach and how he has used his players: Anders Bjork got 12 minutes a game. Brett Murray got 13. Cody Eakin and Mark Jankowski 13 1/2. Even John Hayden, the least-used forward on the team got just under 11 minutes.

Secondly, who are these 4-liners people are worried about? Girgensons? Hinostroza? Okposo? Asplund? Quinn? Peterka?

The first 4 are all guys who played 13:52 or more last year, and who have demonstrated the ability to score 10 or more goals and 30 or more points over a full season. The final 2 are two of the best forward prospects in the game. Our "top 13" has no outright plugs any more.

There's no rule that your 4th line has to remain nailed to the bench, or that it can't have 3 good players on it.

That's not what I said.

My point when looking at the expected lineups this season is that many fans just take Girgensons, Asplund, Okposo and throw them together on a line.  My point is that I think Granato will play Okposo with one of the young centers.  It will be interesting.