Why aren't we talking more about Lukáš Rousek

[GASabresIUFAN]

43 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Okposo took his spot 

Rousek's issue is that he is already 24.  KO slides in to where I envisioned a possible place for Rousek.  I don't see him as a Z type player.  Is he good enough to win a job on Mitt's 3rd line?

[Taro T]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I see it here, I see it there, I see it most everywhere. Lukáš Rousek isn't promoted to Buffalo, instead we see Kulich or Savoie. I don't think that will be the case. I think Rousek will have a spot on this roster to open the season and we should be talking about how he might actually be fairly decent. 

Rousek will spend time in Buffalo this season.  No doubt about it.  And he likely will look good in a bottom 6 role when he gets the opportunity.  But with the numbers at F that they have, unless Savoie looks like he did in the AHL playoffs during camp and doesn't earn a 9 game look (which is possible, but still would be leaning against him dropping the ball) don't know that there'll be room for Rousek on the opening night roster.  Though could see him as the 14th F should they go 14-7-2 rather than 13-8-2.

Not necessarily what the expectation for the lines will be, but on opening night realistically could be

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch

Quinn - Cozens - Peterka

Mittelstadt - Krebs - Greenway

Savoie - New 4C - Okposo

w/ Jost as the spare (presumes Girgensons doesn't re-sign; and simply don't see Olofsson back this year).

Rousek would be the next man up, so if they go 14 he'd be sitting in a press box flying to games rather than playing a key role and bussing to them.

Agree that Rousek will get the look before Kulich does unless something unexpected happens this summer.

EDIT: And IF Savoie doesn't earn that 9 game look, Rousek likely leaps Jost and is in the opening night lineup.  But right now, that's still a relatively big if.  (And it grew with the 2 game AHL stint.)

Edited June 19, 2023 by Taro T

[USMCSnyper]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Switching Rousek for Z probably helps the offence and opens cap space while making us slower, smaller, weaker on the forecheck and worse defensively.

Not exactly robbing from strength to address weakness

I prefer players who remain on their skates while forechecking lol

[Hank]

49 minutes ago, Taro T said:

 

Agree that Rousek will get the look before Kulich....

Curious why you think that?  In my opinion Kulich was the better player. 

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Hank said:

Curious why you think that?  In my opinion Kulich was the better player. 

Mainly because Kulich is only 19 and would be better served getting top line minutes in the AHL rather than being an 8 minute per game 4th liner or healthy scratch.  Don't see there being an opening on W in the top 9 available for either guy and expect Rousek will transition to 4th line better than Kulich will.

Rousek looked good in his very brief callup last year and is ready IMHO for the NHL.

Expect Kulich will be a mid-season callup when an injury hits in the top 9.  Which of the 2 stays in the lineup when all are healthy again, no idea.  But it is good to see the Sabres finally having enough depth again that guys that can actually play in the NHL will be on the farm team.  Been a long time since we saw that.

[Hank]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Mainly because Kulich is only 19 and would be better served getting top line minutes in the AHL rather than being an 8 minute per game 4th liner or healthy scratch.  Don't see there being an opening on W in the top 9 available for either guy and expect Rousek will transition to 4th line better than Kulich will.

Rousek looked good in his very brief callup last year and is ready IMHO for the NHL.

Expect Kulich will be a mid-season callup when an injury hits in the top 9.  Which of the 2 stays in the lineup when all are healthy again, no idea.  But it is good to see the Sabres finally having enough depth again that guys that can actually play in the NHL will be on the farm team.  Been a long time since we saw that.

I understand. Can't argue with any of that, thanks for responding. From what I saw of Kulich my opinion is he could fit on a line with Krebs and Okposo if Girgs doesn't come back or he could fit on a line with Mitts. I just think this kid is different. I don't think he's limited at all by his age. Maybe I overvalue him?  I dunno, I guess we'll see. 

[B-U-F-F-A-L-O]

5 hours ago, Night Train said:

 Probably true. Assumption that the PP goals by Victor O need to be replaced but I want players with well rounded games and not to be rushed. 

I hope KA doesn’t trade VO before we can replace him…. I think fans underestimate his value…

[Taro T]

18 minutes ago, B-U-F-F-A-L-O said:

I hope KA doesn’t trade VO before we can replace him…. I think fans underestimate his value…

He's already been replaced.  13 or 14 on the depth chart at the end of the year.  Only 1 guy ahead of him in the top 12 MIGHT not be back (Girgensons).  There are at least 3 kids knocking on the door to try to take Girgensons' spot if it is in fact open plus they might grab a 4C that can work a PK and knows what his side of the blue line looks like.

And, expect you're right that fans underestimate his value and he'll bring back something good either as part of a package or in a 1 for 1 deal.  (More likely the former.)  A fair amount of fans don't expect him to return anything particularly valuable.  Personally, expect that's incorrect.  But, though he has value, he doesn't have much here as he cannot get onto the top PP unit nor into the top 6 F's and he isn't enough of a line driver to make his being on the 3rd line a mismatch for opposing teams though if he has a line driver he could create mismatches for the other team. 

Not his fault he's a goal scoring specialist on the 3rd highest scoring team in the league and a team that still got outscored (barely) by its opponents.  There are a LOT of teams that could use his skill set and put a good value on him.  The Sabres happen to be a team with different holes to fill and he could be a big part of filling them (either today or in the future as a prospect/high pick).

[Huckleberry]

Kulich and Savoie will be both start the year in AHL/WHL.   If we didn't resign Kyle I could see a spot for Rousek, unless KO becomes 13th forward.

And for future cap, I think Savoie and Östlund having their ELC's slide is the best thing possible.

[Buffalonill]

54 minutes ago, B-U-F-F-A-L-O said:

I hope KA doesn’t trade VO before we can replace him…. I think fans underestimate his value…

I won't miss him 

[Thorner]

Why? Because the system is completely loaded. Even our future-loving, analytical prospects gurus don’t have time to hype up all these dudes. 

Time for a trade! 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Thorny

[RochesterExpat]

4 hours ago, Hank said:

I understand. Can't argue with any of that, thanks for responding. From what I saw of Kulich my opinion is he could fit on a line with Krebs and Okposo if Girgs doesn't come back or he could fit on a line with Mitts. I just think this kid is different. I don't think he's limited at all by his age. Maybe I overvalue him?  I dunno, I guess we'll see. 

He could play with Okposo and Krebs and would likely fit in, but I don’t think that’s the correct move. It’s like using your Ferrari to pick up groceries. I watched the majority of Amerks regular season and post-season games. Kulich is the better player on paper and he has seemingly far more potential than Rousek. He is faster and has a harder shot. Rousek is the more complete player right now though.

Kulich needs another stint in the AHL to work on his defensive zone play. He also needs to continue to improve his pace of play. He jumps the boards and goes 100mph for 15 seconds before he’s gassed and suddenly lagging the play. Pretty expected for an eager 18/19 year old who played double the number of games last season than he’d ever played in a season. But both his defensive zone play and his pace of play dramatically improved over the course of the season and he looked solid (for the most part) in the playoffs.

Give him a chance to start the season in Rochester and demonstrate he’s taken the next steps. Then when the first injury in the top 6 happens, call him up and run the Ferrari around the track. Burying him with Krebs and Okposo might help his defensive game, but it might also blow his confidence when he doesn’t get the same offensive opportunities.

Rousek is solid in the D-zone and a smart player offensively. He moves the puck well in transition. He is consistent. He fits anywhere in the bottom 6. I don’t think Kulich should be put on our 4th line. Kulich may see a spot on the 3rd line depending on how camp works out, trades, and free agent signings, but for now I think he is best served in Rochester to start.

[klos1963]

10 hours ago, tom webster said:

I’ve said it before, I fully expect him to be in Buffalo next year.

besides you, why aren't we talking more about him?

[MattPie]

3 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

besides you, why aren't we talking more about him?

He's not as flashy and doesn't have the draft pedigree. But I agree with a bunch here that he's more likely to be playing in the bottom-6 this year than the younger guys in the [AW]HL.  Those other players probably benefit more getting lots of top-line work in their leagues. The Sabres are *finally* at a point where they don't need 20 year old high-level offensive prospects playing 3rd and 4th line minutes because there's no one else to put in there, hopefully they'll use that.

[Drag0nDan]

18 hours ago, B-U-F-F-A-L-O said:

I hope KA doesn’t trade VO before we can replace him…. I think fans underestimate his value…

I mean - he doesn't backcheck at all, not much forecheck, doesn't do much on the walls, isn't a very good passer in neutral zone, and he's streaky as hell.  He has a good shot, and the one-timer on the power play can be great - but he's the person most targeted in our power play to pressure since he gives it up more than tage or dahlin.  I can do without that player in my bottom 6. 

[bob_sauve28]

The way people were talking up Tyson Kozak I thought he might be the type of player that replaces Z, or is it too soon to be thinking that? 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, bob_sauve28 said:

The way people were talking up Tyson Kozak I thought he might be the type of player that replaces Z, or is it too soon to be thinking that? 

Too soon IMHO.  Not a given yet that he'll be an NHLer but he still could grow into one.

[RochesterExpat]

5 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

The way people were talking up Tyson Kozak I thought he might be the type of player that replaces Z, or is it too soon to be thinking that? 

Filip Cederqvist might be the better replacement for Z based on last season, but he's also 2 years older than Kozak and has the muscle mass to show for it--so I guess not surprising? Neither of them will be in Buffalo next season though. I'd bet money that Cederqvist has a 'breakout' season in the A next season (although I don't mean 'breakout' in terms of goals scored as much as presence in front of the net, play disruption, PK minutes eaten, and the like).