Sabres Best player?

[grinreaper]

6 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

In a dispersal draft age and contract would be important factors in who you choose.  Tage is already 25 and Tuch 26.  Everyone else is 22 and younger.

You make a good point but how many of our young players can we expect to actually reach Tage's ceiling? It's rather odd in a way but in most instances the knowledgeable fans here are much more aware of the abilities and potential of the young guys on the team than most of the so called national experts. We generally like our guys. As far as our evaluations go, they need to be tempered with the fact that we are also homers. Tage is showing that he is elite. Tuch is showing that when on a line with top players he is not out of place and is worthy of #1 line status. The whole 2nd line and 3-4 of our defensemen have the fanbase salivating. The rest of the league isn't going to get overly excited by players who haven't put up more games than what these guys have. Any other team is going to choose Tage for his high floor and ceiling and marvel at his long term team friendly contract. The first choice would be between him and of course Dahlin who is the kind of defenseman that is just not easy to find and one worthy of building a team around.

[Thorner]

23 to 23? Headed for a runoff ala warlock and Warner bros

[grinreaper]

24 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Lies!

All your account sabrebase now belong to us
 

Mom liked me best! Don't try to tell me that she couldn't tell us apart and that was why she like me better. I have a secret birthmark, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let a self proclaimed Toilet Brush see it. 

[Refuting]

4 hours ago, grinreaper said:

You make a good point but how many of our young players can we expect to actually reach Tage's ceiling? It's rather odd in a way but in most instances the knowledgeable fans here are much more aware of the abilities and potential of the young guys on the team than most of the so called national experts. We generally like our guys. As far as our evaluations go, they need to be tempered with the fact that we are also homers. Tage is showing that he is elite. Tuch is showing that when on a line with top players he is not out of place and is worthy of #1 line status. The whole 2nd line and 3-4 of our defensemen have the fanbase salivating. The rest of the league isn't going to get overly excited by players who haven't put up more games than what these guys have. Any other team is going to choose Tage for his high floor and ceiling and marvel at his long term team friendly contract. The first choice would be between him and of course Dahlin who is the kind of defenseman that is just not easy to find and one worthy of building a team around.

This guy wrote the book 

[HeftyLefty]

4 hours ago, grinreaper said:

You make a good point but how many of our young players can we expect to actually reach Tage's ceiling? It's rather odd in a way but in most instances the knowledgeable fans here are much more aware of the abilities and potential of the young guys on the team than most of the so called national experts. We generally like our guys. As far as our evaluations go, they need to be tempered with the fact that we are also homers. Tage is showing that he is elite. Tuch is showing that when on a line with top players he is not out of place and is worthy of #1 line status. The whole 2nd line and 3-4 of our defensemen have the fanbase salivating. The rest of the league isn't going to get overly excited by players who haven't put up more games than what these guys have. Any other team is going to choose Tage for his high floor and ceiling and marvel at his long term team friendly contract. The first choice would be between him and of course Dahlin who is the kind of defenseman that is just not easy to find and one worthy of building a team around.

Sports Illustrated isn't in your garbage

[Richard Noggin]

10 hours ago, Thorny said:

Does this really have to be another Eichel thing? I don’t think Tuch would have the points he does if he wasn’t playing with the guy 3rd in league scoring. Regardless, let’s for sake of argument call offensive production this year a “wash”. Cause at this point, statistically it is. I’m glad you acknowledged how good Eichel has been defensively this year because we are only getting Eichel like production from Tuch if you are talking offensive output specifically, and aren’t using production as analogous to “impact”, as, when accounting for the entire game, their defensive impacts aren’t close. 

Agree with this sober criticism of Tuch's game: he does not play with the tenacity or physicality that dictates a shift. He IS skilled enough to be a productive member of an effective offensive line. I like him, but my 80s and 90s hockey programming has me upset at every forecheck he doesn't finish (or even START lol). 

[grinreaper]

9 hours ago, HeftyLefty said:

Sports Illustrated isn't in your garbage

Why does it not surprise me that you know what's in other people's garbage? 

[nfreeman]

I said Tage, but really it's too close to call.  Both guys are elite at their positions, both are capable of being the best player on the ice in a playoff series and the Sabres would be screwed if either one were injured.

I will say, in response to @bob_sauve28, that I don't think Power will be as good as Dahlin.  I'm confident that Power will be a very good defenseman for a long time, and maybe great, and I think he's a somewhat better skater than Dahlin, but he doesn't have the puck skills that Dahlin has.

[Taro T]

5 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I said Tage, but really it's too close to call.  Both guys are elite at their positions, both are capable of being the best player on the ice in a playoff series and the Sabres would be screwed if either one were injured.

I will say, in response to @bob_sauve28, that I don't think Power will be as good as Dahlin.  I'm confident that Power will be a very good defenseman for a long time, and maybe great, and I think he's a somewhat better skater than Dahlin, but he doesn't have the puck skills that Dahlin has.

Am still hoping that w/ Power & Dahlin we end up w/ both Robinson AND Potvin.

Dahlin was billed as generational and, though it took a while to show more than just glimpses of it, he might actually be.

Power was never billed THAT highly.  He merely steps in & dominates after a short acclimation period.  He's the defenseman version of Quinn.  And totally off on a tangent, when's the last time a team had a F & a D that were that young that ramped up their play that quickly?  Honestly don't have an example immediately springing to mind.  (Maybe Bourque & Pederson before the wrist surgery?)

[sabresparaavida]

Just now, Taro T said:

Am still hoping that w/ Power & Dahlin we end up w/ both Robinson AND Potvin.

Dahlin was billed as generational and, though it took a while to show more than just glimpses of it, he might actually be.

Power was never billed THAT highly.  He merely steps in & dominates after a short acclimation period.  He's the defenseman version of Quinn.  And totally off on a tangent, when's the last time a team had a F & a D that were that young that ramped up their play that quickly?  Honestly don't have an example immediately springing to mind.  (Maybe Bourque & Pederson before the wrist surgery?)

Seider and Raymond last year for Detroit? (57 points for Raymond, 50 for Seider) 

[Crusader1969]

We can debate all we want between Dahlin and Thompson but no matter which way you rank them #3 on the list has to be Samuelsson.   
 

think their record is 13-4-2 with him in the lineup

Im still dreaming of a line up that includes Chychrun 

dahlin   Samuelsson 

Power  Henri 

Chychrun Lyubushkin 

That’s a D that can win you a Stanley cup 

 

[mjd1001]

40 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

We can debate all we want between Dahlin and Thompson but no matter which way you rank them #3 on the list has to be Samuelsson.   
 

think their record is 13-4-2 with him in the lineup

Im still dreaming of a line up that includes Chychrun 

dahlin   Samuelsson 

Power  Henri 

Chychrun Lyubushkin 

That’s a D that can win you a Stanley cup 

 

Others agree, at least about the top 3....

 

[PerreaultForever]

At this point in my book Samuelsson has officially reached Bill Hajt status and is heading towards Jay McKee. We need one more just like him and the D will be all set. 

[French Collection]

32 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

At this point in my book Samuelsson has officially reached Bill Hajt status and is heading towards Jay McKee. We need one more just like him and the D will be all set. 

I like the name DG has given him a few times, the antidote.

I watch him and sometimes want him to deliver crunching hits and to be in guys’ faces but that isn’t his game. He eliminates the man, takes the puck and moves it to the right spot. Those big hits would be good for highlights but would wear him down or injure him.

I seem to be able to relax knowing he is on the ice.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, French Collection said:

I like the name DG has given him a few times, the antidote.

I watch him and sometimes want him to deliver crunching hits and to be in guys’ faces but that isn’t his game. He eliminates the man, takes the puck and moves it to the right spot. Those big hits would be good for highlights but would wear him down or injure him.

I seem to be able to relax knowing he is on the ice.

Exactly. That was what Bill Hajt did. Not the best D man we ever had but I'd say the most consistent and reliable. 

[Thorner]

On 12/16/2022 at 2:07 PM, Thorny said:

Does this really have to be another Eichel thing? I don’t think Tuch would have the points he does if he wasn’t playing with the guy 3rd in league scoring. Regardless, let’s for sake of argument call offensive production this year a “wash”. Cause at this point, statistically it is. I’m glad you acknowledged how good Eichel has been defensively this year because we are only getting Eichel like production from Tuch if you are talking offensive output specifically, and aren’t using production as analogous to “impact”, as, when accounting for the entire game, their defensive impacts aren’t close. 

@Hankcare to respond directly for a discussion rather than just giving, well, every one of my posts an “eye roll”? Why do I get eye rolls for pointing out his defensive game when brawndo doing the same gets “agree” reactions? 

5 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

We can debate all we want between Dahlin and Thompson but no matter which way you rank them #3 on the list has to be Samuelsson.   
 

think their record is 13-4-2 with him in the lineup

Im still dreaming of a line up that includes Chychrun 

dahlin   Samuelsson 

Power  Henri 

Chychrun Lyubushkin 

That’s a D that can win you a Stanley cup 

 

I think Cozens is getting close to having an argument for 3, but ya I had Samuelsson there too for now. 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Thorny

[Sabres Fan in NS]

How'd I miss this.

Just voted Dahlin, but would have voted for him back then too.

[Thorner]

Did anyone post this in a thread somewhere? Kinda cool 

* if you click the tweet and go to twitter instead of clicking the play button below which takes you to the full Pod, on Twitter it plays a short clip of Ferraro and Adams talking Dahlin 

I’ve been impressed by the consistency as well. Night in, night out he’s delivering. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by Thorny

[Thorner]

Gap has closed of late in the poll, interestingly enough 

At least we know we wouldn’t be removing Rasmus Dahlin for a single playoff game sooner than Samuelsson haha

edit: we have a new leader 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Thorny

[GASabresIUFAN]

Dahlin is our best all around player.

[Scottysabres]

Right now? Today?

I see Jost as the best player on the ice right now. Guy has been a force since his arrival and, at least in my view, has been a play driver as well as an in game attitude setter through his shift by shift play.

[Rasmus_]

The best player on the team is Rasmus Dahlin, by leaps and bounds.  His ability to lead the break, to settle things down and to create, distribute and defend all are elite.  Yes he still has some lapses, but everyone does.  

[HumanSlinky39]

On a night-in, night-out basis, it’s Dahlin. He’s in the discussion for the best D-man in the NHL.

[Thorner]

And he simply plays more minutes. That’ll only increase in the playoffs. In that vein I think it’s just naturally easier for a D man or a goalie to be your MVP. 
 

Tage has a good argument becomes he simply scores so many goals. But on a well constructed team with depth (that we have) we probably have at least 8 other forwards in the lineup who have, at least, the job of trying to do what Tage does: they are players who’s strengths primarily or at least equally rely on contributing offence. With a deep offence more likelihood the slack gets picked up to at least a reasonable degree, if Tage has a low sh% night 

How many guys do we have even trying to do what Dahlin does for this team? Power? Bryson I guess? 

Dahlin’s the foundation. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

Man, all the hate last year on Dahlin being a bust and not generational and yadda yadda is so quiet now. Anyways...