Current Projected 2024-25 roster

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

For our summer amusement:

First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT]

Zucker - Thompson - Tuch
Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup.

Peterka - Thompson - Benson
Quinn - Cozens - Tuch
Zucker - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich
(Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

There are going to be some interesting camp questions, such as how high or low does Zucker play in the lineup.  

Your Rufferized lineup brings back the question of how does Ruff like to create lines.  My impression was always a playmaker coupled with a grinder and a goal scorer/sniper.  For that reason, and noted that KA mentioned playing Krebs on the wing, I can see Krebs as the 4th line playmaker based upon the current roster.  Not sure the current roster is ideal for that type of line creation with Benson and Tuch probably our best playmakers on the current roster.  Go and get Zegras and our playmaking jumps significantly.

 

Edited July 13 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

3 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

For our summer amusement:

First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT]

Zucker - Thompson - Tuch
Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup.

Peterka - Thompson - Benson
Quinn - Cozens - Tuch
Zucker - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich
(Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

The bold won't happen for a very obvious reason, Ruff isn't going to have 3 forwards who all shoot right on the same line. Especially when he doesn't have to. 

[PerreaultForever]

Benson's the wild card and I don't know if Ruff will stick with anything we saw before so there might not be any continuity with the old lines but I'm pretty sure your centers will be Thompson, Cozens, McLeod and Lafferty in that order with Krebs as the 13th man. 

If there is continuity,

Peterka-Thompson-Tuch

Benson-Cozens-Quinn

Zucker-McLeod-Greenway

Melantsyn-Lafferty-Aube-Kubel

That is what I would start with though. If Benson can't cut it yet adjusts would have to be made. Or if we do trade for a forward without losing roster players then you have the luxury of dropping Benson to 13th man while the kid fills in for injuries and "develops" under a new coach and system. Gets to take the baby steps he might still actually need. 

(Trouba for picks/prospects, then that allows Samuelsson for Farabee as an example of how that could be tweaked) 

[Thorny]

9 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That bottom 6 is wrong. 

Benson - McLeod - Greenway 

Malenstyn - Rafferty - Kubel

Kubel shoots right and a blackhole for opponents when it comes to offense. 

Agree, though I’m missing the joke with the repeated Rafferty thing 

I see two useful lines w/your formatting. With the other I see a 3rd line weakened by Rafferty and a spare parts 4th line with Krebs. Your combinations leave a shutdown 4th line 

7 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

For our summer amusement:

First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT]

Zucker - Thompson - Tuch
Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup.

Peterka - Thompson - Benson
Quinn - Cozens - Tuch
Zucker - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich
(Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

Quinn has been almost exclusively on the right at the nhl level so maybe switch Quinn and Benson 

[DarthEbriate]

20 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

The bold won't happen for a very obvious reason, Ruff isn't going to have 3 forwards who all shoot right on the same line. Especially when he doesn't have to. 

16 hours ago, Thorny said:

Quinn has been almost exclusively on the right at the nhl level so maybe switch Quinn and Benson 

Agreed on both accounts. Purely for fun I was matching up the players to their (somewhat) equivalents of past Ruff lineups. What I can really see with Ruff are those grinder-on-each line setups that may have us scratching our heads because so-and-so isn't a top 6, but it works on the ice. And the grinder gets no PP time and someone else (Briere/TNT) gets double-shifted so the TOI makes sense for the top forwards. Malenstyn-Cozens-Quinn, for example.

Myself, I'd start the preseason with the admittedly boring lines that everyone else is already predicting:

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Zucker - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

[dudacek]

22 hours ago, Thorny said:

I see two useful lines w/your formatting. With the other I see a 3rd line weakened by Rafferty and a spare parts 4th line with Krebs. Your combinations leave a shutdown 4th line 

 

5 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

 Purely for fun I was matching up the players to their (somewhat) equivalents of past Ruff lineups. What I can really see with Ruff are those grinder-on-each line setups that may have us scratching our heads because so-and-so isn't a top 6, but it works on the ice. 

If I remember things correctly, peak Lindy back in the day didn’t really have a conventional 4th line.

That line on the depth chart was more about where he kept his “tools”

Gaustad was the “4th-line centre”, but he didn’t really anchor a line that got rolled over every 4th shift. Instead he was used situationally: big draws, times when we need a stop, plugging in for a less-defensive guy on a higher line as needed.

Mair was the scud: he got sent out when Lindy wanted pound a forecheck. Peters sat on the bench until his “skills” were needed.

I think we’d be shocked to see what little time these 3 were on the ice together.

There was no “top 6” either; 5-on-5, the co-captains were usually out with “3rd-liners”: Briere/Hecht, Drury/Grier.

Nobody was saying “Kotalik can’t play on the 3rd line.” Those teams had Kotalik, Connolly, Roy, Vanek, Afinogenov, Dumont, Pominville all in the mix for 5 spots and top nine minutes. Again, Lindy deployed them situationally based on health and performance. They competed against each other for ice time.

Its not the same mix of players and Lindy is not the same coach, but I wouldn’t get to invested in a heirarchy-style depth chart. I don’t think that’s how the coach thinks, and he’ll always be tinkering.

I think the pre-game opening night lineup chart won’t be much more than starting point.

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I think the pre-game lineup chart won’t be much more than starting point.

 

Edited July 14 by dudacek

[Thorny]

6 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Agreed on both accounts. Purely for fun I was matching up the players to their (somewhat) equivalents of past Ruff lineups. What I can really see with Ruff are those grinder-on-each line setups that may have us scratching our heads because so-and-so isn't a top 6, but it works on the ice. And the grinder gets no PP time and someone else (Briere/TNT) gets double-shifted so the TOI makes sense for the top forwards. Malenstyn-Cozens-Quinn, for example.

Myself, I'd start the preseason with the admittedly boring lines that everyone else is already predicting:

Peterka - Thompson - Tuch
Zucker - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

Agree 

[dudacek]

To start, I'm sorta looking at the lineup less in terms of lines, and more in terms of situations.

I think these guys are going to get leaned on a ton by Lindy:

• Thompson as the go-to goal scorer, 1st-line centre and top PP weapon (Briere)
• Cozens and Tuch as all-situations players (Drury, Roy)
• McLeod and Malenstyn as the primary stoppers and PK anchors (Hecht and Gaustad)

I think these guys will looked to first to provide more offence, as long as they can be responsible defensively

• Quinn, Peterka (Vanek, Afinogenov)

I think these guys will looked to first to provide more defence, as long as they chip in a few goals

• Greenway, Lafferty (Grier, Mair)

I think these guys will be charged with filling in the holes and keeping the above 4 accountable

• Benson, Zucker, Aube-Kubel, Krebs (Pominville, Kotalik, Kaleta, Paille)

What I like about this is the every player has someone below him on the depth chart pushing for his ice time and Ruff will not hesitate to give it to him. Quinn can join Tuch and Cozens, or even vault over them. Malenstyn can lose time to Greenway, or Greenway to Aube-Kubel. Peterka gets sloppy, up comes Zucker. Benson can (and probably will) push past just about anybody.

There appears to be a lot of situational options, a lot of replaceable parts and a lot of accountability baked in.

Edited July 15 by dudacek

[Doohickie]

On 7/13/2024 at 8:59 AM, DarthEbriate said:

For our summer amusement:

First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT]

Zucker - Thompson - Tuch
Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway
Peterka - Cozens - Quinn
Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel
(Krebs)

Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup.

Peterka - Thompson - Benson
Quinn - Cozens - Tuch
Zucker - McLeod - Greenway
Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich
(Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

I think we're all assuming that the top 6 remains similar to past seasons.  But we really haven't see a "Rufferized" lineup yet.  I think Ruff will try to maximize existing chemistry but may create some unexpected lines that don't show in a basic depth chart approach to line building.  If the top line isn't physical enough I could see Lindy moving a so-called 4th liner up to give the line some backbone.

Lindy was always good at finding chemistry in the lines in his previous tenure.

[spndnchz]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

I think we're all assuming that the top 6 remains similar to past seasons.  But we really haven't see a "Rufferized" lineup yet.  I think Ruff will try to maximize existing chemistry but may create some unexpected lines that don't show in a basic depth chart approach to line building.  If the top line isn't physical enough I could see Lindy moving a so-called 4th liner up to give the line some backbone.

Lindy was always good at finding chemistry in the lines in his previous tenure.

I really wonder why he was let go

[Doohickie]

On 7/14/2024 at 9:14 AM, DarthEbriate said:

(Krebs)

Everyone has Krebs as 13F.  And that might be so.  I think it comes from the impression that players that have been brought will be playing most nights.  But maybe one or more of the acquisitions have been brought in will serve in more of a depth or rotational role.

I think most people see Krebs as our 13th best forward, but until we see how the team lines up under Ruff, we don't really know.

[Archie Lee]

I don't know how Ruff managed his lines and match-ups in Jersey the last few years.  That, though, is likely a better indicator of what we will see than what he did here nearly two decades ago. 

[Doohickie]

7 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

I really wonder why he was let go

From the Sabres or from the Devils?

I was a huge Lindy fan when he coached the Sabres but with the crap rosters he had to work with during the tank and going into the aftermath, I think it was time he moved on.

From the Devils, I think he was a bit of a scapegoat; NJ had some key injuries and Lindy couldn't squeeze enough out of what remained.  But he'd given them a good team the previous season.

[dudacek]

16 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I don't know how Ruff managed his lines and match-ups in Jersey the last few years.  That, though, is likely a better indicator of what we will see than what he did here nearly two decades ago. 

Perhaps. You can easily slide Hughes, Hischier and Haula in for Thompson, Cozens and McLeod to start.

I think Lindy's history is to utilize the pieces he's given and I think part of why he took the job is Kevyn's promise to provide him with the pieces he thought this team was missing.

I think he got fired for having a contending team morph into a team with 3 rookie defencemen and some of the worst goaltending the NHL.

Edited July 15 by dudacek

[GASabresIUFAN]

52 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think he got fired for having a contending team morph into a team with 3 rookie defencemen and some of the worst goaltending the NHL.

GM’s do tend to fire coaches instead of looking inward and admitting bad roster and depth decisions.  

[mjd1001]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

Perhaps. You can easily slide Hughes, Hischier and Haula in for Thompson, Cozens and McLeod to start.

I think Lindy's history is to utilize the pieces he's given and I think part of why he took the job is Kevyn's promise to provide him with the pieces he thought this team was missing.

I think he got fired for having a contending team morph into a team with 3 rookie defencemen and some of the worst goaltending the NHL.

Lets not forget his team was anchored by 2 of probably the top 10 forward under 25 years old (Hughes and Hischier) and both of them missed significant time with injuries.  And they fired Ruff to see if it would 'jump start' the team, but I believe the team actually got worse once Ruff was fired.

With Ruff:  30-27-4 (86 point pace, ahead of the Sabres at the time with a game in hand). With no legit NHL goaltender, Hughes, Hischier, Meier, and Dougie Hamilton missing 82 games between them)

After Ruff fired:  8-12-1 (66 point pace) With having Meier and  Hischier playing every game, and Hughes playing most of them. (still no good goaltending though.)

Edited July 15 by mjd1001

[triumph_communes]

8 hours ago, spndnchz said:

I really wonder why he was let go

He didn’t want to tank?

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

(still no good goaltending though.)

Who knew that goaltending matters?  Certainly not Kevyn Adams.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

21 hours ago, spndnchz said:

I really wonder why he was let go

He refused to work for a team the choose to lose on purpose, IMO.  

I don't think Ruff was 'fired'.  He was given the choice and he left.

[PerreaultForever]

This would be good for the Sabres, but I think it's probably bull-

https://www.nhltraderumor.com/buffalo-sabres-boston-bruins-trade-rumor/

 

[triumph_communes]

Carlo for Johnson? 
 

I’m actually really high on Johnson and think it’s bad cap management. Though I assume I’m in the minority 

[dudacek]

Over the years I've come to realize 'on paper' don't mean *****.

On paper, are we really 25 points worse than the Hurricanes?

• Aho Thompson
• Svechnikov Tuch
• Staal Cozens
• Jarvis Quinn
• Necas Peterka
• Drury McLeod
• Martinook Greenway
• Fast Zucker
• Roslovic Benson
• Kotkaniemi Krebs
• Carrier Malenstyn
• Jost Lafferty
• Robinson Aube-Kubel
• Slavin Dahlin
• Orlov Power
• Burns Byram
• Walker Samuelson
• Gostibehere Jokiharju
• Chatfield Clifton
• DeAngelo Gilbert
• Anderson Luukkonen
• Kochetkov Levi

You want to tell me coaching and culture don’t matter?

Come on Lindy, let's get these guys playing the right way.

[PerreaultForever]

I'm not going over all of it but your player comparables are not even close in numerous cases. I mean Koktaniemi - Krebs as equal? That's some serious crack. That's just one example. 

Oddly, I look at your list and when laid out that way I think man, the Sabres aren't even close. (only a few exceptions like Dahlin is better than Slavin and some of the bottom guys don't measure up for them either). 

[dudacek]

36 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I'm not going over all of it but your player comparables are not even close in numerous cases. I mean Koktaniemi - Krebs as equal? That's some serious crack. That's just one example. 

Oddly, I look at your list and when laid out that way I think man, the Sabres aren't even close. (only a few exceptions like Dahlin is better than Slavin and some of the bottom guys don't measure up for them either). 

I wasn't trying to say anyone is 'equal', i was trying to match them in their current roles on their team.

I think Kotkaniemi is better than Krebs too. But he also had 27 points last year and was the subject of buyout rumours, so 🤷‍♂️.

I guess it's all about personal perspective, but to say "numerous cases aren't even close" is what sounds like serious crack to me, but I also know that you will never give the Sabres the benefit of the doubt on anything.

I'm not interested in boiling it down to a 1-to-1 of this guy is better than that guy, but I see very few cases where the players aren't on similar or the same tier.

And I see nowhere near a 25-point talent difference.

I hope our new coach can eat into the Brind'Amour advantage and we'll get a better look at what the margin really is.

Edited July 17 by dudacek

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I wasn't trying to say anyone is 'equal', i was trying to match them in their current roles on their team.

I think Kotkaniemi is better than Krebs too. But he also had 27 points last year and was the subject of buyout rumours, so 🤷‍♂️.

I guess it's all about personal perspective, but to say "numerous cases aren't even close" is what sounds like serious crack to me, but I also know that you will never give the Sabres the benefit of the doubt on anything.

I'm not interested in boiling it down to a 1-to-1 of this guy is better than that guy, but I see very few cases where the players aren't on similar or the same tier.

And I see nowhere near a 25-point talent difference.

I hope our new coach can eat into the Brind'Amour advantage and we'll get a better look at what the margin really is.

There’s a nice reading balance when I watch you 2 go back and forth 

I mean it. Makes for a good thread read