Remaining players on the 30 man roster

[Barnabov]

Per the article on sabres.com 30 players remain. I get 30 if you count Tim and don't count Jillson (anyone know his status yet?) but considering Tim will be on IR and Jillson is practicing lets call it 31. 18 Forwards counting Connolly, 11 D (counting Jillson) and 2 Goalies (who I won't write anything on as it's a settled situation).

 

Here's who is a lock for a roster spot (IMO):

 

Forwards:

1. Afinogenov

2. Briere

3. Drury

4. Gaustad

5. Hecht

6. Kotalik

7. Mair

8. Peters

9. Pominville

10. Roy

11. Vanek

IR: Connolly

 

That leaves the following battling for 2-3 spots (with 1 to go away when Tim returns)

Subject to clearing waivers: Novotny, Thorburn, Ryan

Exempt from clearing waivers: Paille, MacArthur, Stafford

 

 

Defense:

1. Campbell

2. Kalinin

3. Lydman

4. Numinnen

5. Spacek

6. Tallinder

 

That leaves the following battling for 1-2 spots:

Subject to clearing waivers: Paetsch & I guess Jillson (who knows as far as he's concerned)

Exempt from clearing waivers: Funk, Sekera & I guess Strazzabosco (status unknown)

 

Based on above, what do you all think will shake out?

 

I think Paetsch becomes the 7th D and only one to stay up - with the rest being waived.

 

Forward situation is a bit trickier:

Novotny I would say stays up for sure (unless he's failed to impress Mgmt/Coaching).

I haven't heard much about Paille's preseason nor MacArthur/Stafford - at least not enough to indicate they are locks for roster spots. So that leaves Thorburn & Ryan as being retained so as to not be lost maybe to waivers. What's the book on Thorburn & Ryan? I agree with an earlier posting that I'd rather lose Peters (or even Mair) than a prospect - I seriously doubt either would be picked up at the end of training camp flurry of waiver cuts.

 

Feedback please....

[LabattBlue]

Subject to clearing waivers: Novotny, Thorburn, Ryan

Exempt from clearing waivers: Paille, MacArthur, Stafford

 

Of the remaining forwards, this is how I see it...

 

Novotny...Pretty much a lock to make the club. Solid player who shows a willingness to hit. Hopefully he will display some offensive skills when given the chance to be a fulltime player.

 

Thorburn...Big physical player who could offset the loss of Dumont, Grier and Pyatt in that regard.

 

Paille...I like what I have seen from him. He appears to be a gritty 3rd line two way player with 20 goal potential.

 

Ryan...still a mystery to me. I don't know how he went from "why is he still in the organization" to "he has a decent shot to make the roster" is beyond me. I know he skates well and cannot stay healthy. Beyond that...who knows.

 

MacArthur...skilled offensive forward who had a very good rookie season last year.

 

Stafford...by far, he has the most upside of these six prospects. I saw him earlier in training camp and the guy has serious skills.

 

 

In summary...

 

Novotny is a lock and if they choose to keep a second player from this group on the roster it will come down to Thorburn or Paille. Ryan is on the outside looking in and Stafford and MacArthur will both have solid years in Rochester and should be on the Sabres roster by the beginning of next season at the latest.

[shrader]

Ryan...still a mystery to me. I don't know how he went from "why is he still in the organization" to "he has a decent shot to make the roster" is beyond me. I know he skates well and cannot stay healthy. Beyond that...who knows.

 

At this point, what more can he gain from being in Rochester? He's decent enough to be the last guy in the press box, a guy who is almost never going to play. Why keep a guy like MacArthur or Stafford in that slot when they could be playing each night at the AHL level, gaining experience? I don't see him making the team, but I think that's the main argument in his favor.

 

Novotny's a lock and Thorburn gets the last spot.

[Barnabov]

Yeah - I'd like to see Thorburn skating the 4th line regularly. Gives us someone to drop the gloves when Peters is press boxing it and I don't think Mair can/should fight anymore. If Thorburn could hit double digit goals in the NHL he'd be pretty secure on the 4th line.

[Taro T]

Per the article on sabres.com 30 players remain. I get 30 if you count Tim and don't count Jillson (anyone know his status yet?) but considering Tim will be on IR and Jillson is practicing lets call it 31. 18 Forwards counting Connolly, 11 D (counting Jillson) and 2 Goalies (who I won't write anything on as it's a settled situation).

 

Here's who is a lock for a roster spot (IMO):

 

...

 

Feedback please....

Jillson is still unsigned. He has an offer to play in Europe and apparently an offer from the Sabres. My guess is if he makes the Sabres roster he'll sign a deal. If the Sabres try to send him down, I'd expect him to go to Europe.

[Swedesessed]

If the Sabres try to send him down, I'd expect him to go to Europe.

 

 

Let's hope Mr. Jillson sends us some postcards from overseas :P

[Allan in MD]

I saw Ryan play last pre-season against the Caps. He really impressed me. He was like a buzz saw out there, a seemingly perfect fit for the "new NHL." Perhaps those who watched him play throughout the season have different perspectives. But I can see why he may have caught some eyes in camp this year.

 

However, we need some bangers. So all things considered, some of the other prospects (not Peters) may make more sense.

[Eleven]

I'm not a Jillson hater by any means, but if we've got to protect a D-man from the waiver wire, it's Paetsch.

 

More interesting is at F. I'd rather see Paille up with the big club, but protecting Novotny and Thorburn might be more important. But there's a way to keep all three....

 

If it were up to me? Keep Paille, Novotny, Thorburn, and Paetch up to make up a 23-man roster (with the 17 plus Biron and Miller that Barnabov mentioned). If and when Connolly gets well, it's a choice between Mair and Peters. If Mair is healthy, well, Mr. Peters, here's $20 and a bus ticket.

[WanderingEye]

Yeah - I'd like to see Thorburn skating the 4th line regularly. Gives us someone to drop the gloves when Peters is press boxing it and I don't think Mair can/should fight anymore. If Thorburn could hit double digit goals in the NHL he'd be pretty secure on the 4th line.

 

I'd say that Mair will most likely continue to fight despite the concussion. Provided he doesn't have his bell rung that badly in a scrap, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Gaustad can still drop the gloves too, and if Thorburn sticks it will be three "middleweight" scrappers on the roster. Peters is probably on borrowed time once Connolly is prepared to play again.

[MLH]

I'm not a Jillson hater by any means, but if we've got to protect a D-man from the waiver wire, it's Paetsch.

 

More interesting is at F. I'd rather see Paille up with the big club, but protecting Novotny and Thorburn might be more important. But there's a way to keep all three....

 

If it were up to me? Keep Paille, Novotny, Thorburn, and Paetch up to make up a 23-man roster (with the 17 plus Biron and Miller that Barnabov mentioned). If and when Connolly gets well, it's a choice between Mair and Peters. If Mair is healthy, well, Mr. Peters, here's $20 and a bus ticket.

 

We don't have the cap room to keep a 23-man roster. In fact, if we don't get long-term injury cap relief for Connolly from the NHL we don't even have enough cap room to even keep 22. I'm assuming Connolly's injury will be longer than 24 days (10 games) and we'll get relief (though Ruff did say best case scenario is four to six weeks today) and be able to keep 22 players.

 

Forwards (13)

 

Briere, Roy, Vanek, Pominville, Drury, Kotalik, Hecht, Drury, Gaustad, Mair, Peters, Novotny, Thorburn

 

Defense (7)

 

Tallinder, Lydman, Numminen, Spacek, Campbell, Kalinin, Paetsch

 

Goalies (2)

 

Miller, Biron

 

IR (1)

 

Connolly

 

Paille, MacArthur, Stafford, Funk, and Sekera get sent to Rochester without having to clear waivers.

 

We try and sneak Ryan through waivers. Despite what everyone thinks, it's likely that he clears. '

 

Jillson can go to Europe and I wouldn't mind the Sabres offering an AHL deal to Strazzobosco. Making the Amerks was the reason he came to the States anyway.

 

When Connolly comes back, because of our cap situation, we have to send Novotny or Thorburn down. Obviously, this could be very risky if both are playing well. If we don't have any long-term injuries, we could lose one of the two. It's much more dangerous sending a prospect down in the middle of the season than the first week of October. Darcy could get creative and send Ryan and Thorburn down now in hopes that they would both clear, which would allow him to call up/send down them until they play a set amount of games. Obviously, this is a big risk.

 

It will be very interesting what happens, but there is no feasible way we can have a 23-man roster without making a trade.

[shrader]

Dave has already posted a couple scenarios where we could carry a full roster of 23. It doesn't make much sense to do so, but they can do it if they want.

[MLH]

Dave has already posted a couple scenarios where we could carry a full roster of 23. It doesn't make much sense to do so, but they can do it if they want.

 

In what threads?

 

There's no realistic way for the Sabres to keep 23 players unless they make a trade or someone else comes down with a long-term injury.

[Taro T]

Dave has already posted a couple scenarios where we could carry a full roster of 23. It doesn't make much sense to do so, but they can do it if they want.

I'm pretty sure you are probably thinking of a post discussing Connolly's being placed on the BLTI-IR. With him on BLTI-IR, the Sabres would have room to keep 23 players on the active roster. With Connolly on the active roster or normal IR, unless the Sabres make a trade or cut someone, they cannot have a 23 man active roster.

 

As an aside, Darcy is on record as stating that the Sabres will go w/ 22. I assume an injured Connolly isn't included in the 22.