Roster Speculation '17-'18: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime

[sabrebuild]

Do I really need to explain that two people don't have to be good at their jobs to be on the same page?

You shoehorn this exact same jab into any conversation that mentions Lindy, even if the post had nothing to do with Lindy's line usage. People have forgiven murders in less time than you can forgive line usage. Are you going to emblazon it on your tombstone?

Get over it man, it was a decade ago.

I chuckled

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Do I really need to explain that two people don't have to be good at their jobs to be on the same page?

You shoehorn this exact same jab into any conversation that mentions Lindy, even if the post had nothing to do with Lindy's line usage. People have forgiven murders in less time than you can forgive line usage. Are you going to emblazon it on your tombstone?

Get over it man, it was a decade ago.

A team trotting out an inefficient roster for over a thousand days kind of contradicts the whole idea that there was cohesion between the front office and staff. The organization also struggled to integrate deadline acquisitions or scale up developing players throughout their tenure. Between 7/1/07 and Lindy's firing, the biggest debate on this board was which of the two you wanted to give a fresh look with a new partner.

Plus, this season has featured many of the worst aspects of the Ruff/Regier years, so I'm not sure why they're getting presented as a standard of competence:

• Maintaining an inefficient forward duo; Roy/Vanek -> Kane/Eichel
• Expecting players to maintain/linearly improve on performance in scaled-up roles; RVA, Sekera, Myers, GGK, FES -> Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart
• Overrliance on depth acquisitions in major roles; Montador, Niedermayer, Morrisonn -> Pouliot, Beaulieu
• That overpaid depth player you were fine with at the time, but now the team is left holding the bag on; Rivet, Boyes -> Pominville
• That perpetually injured guy the organization still relies on; Connolly -> Bogosian
• Graduating a random player to a role they washed out of by the end of the season -> Kennedy, Adam -> Griffith
• Over-relying on player development to fill vacant roster spots
• Injuries exposing organizational depth
• Fans pining for insulatory moves that didn't come

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Shit, Jason & Phil are speedrunning the Ruff/Regier era.

 

[Gabrielor]

Can you send a copy of that to Terry?

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Wait they even nailed "get a subpar return for a productive offensive player with perceived cultural issues" with the Roy/Kane trades.

 

[brian_griffin]

Wait they even nailed "get a subpar return for a productive offensive player with perceived cultural issues" with the Roy/Kane trades.

you're on a roll...

 

[Sabre Dance]

It took 3 years longer than expected but next years roster should be young, fast, and fun.

 

[DJN21]

Wait they even nailed "get a subpar return for a productive offensive player with perceived cultural issues" with the Roy/Kane trades.

Can you further explain what you mean about Roy? I wanna make sure I get your point before commenting.

 

[brian_griffin]

Can you further explain what you mean about Roy? I wanna make sure I get your point before commenting.

Roy for Ott.

 

[ende]

It took 3 years longer than expected but next years roster should be young, fast, and fun.

Anyone who thought a rebuild would be over 3 years ago is delusional. What we’re experiencing is closer to the norm.

 

[Chainshot]

The Sabres are the 2000-2012 Columbus Blue Jackets.

 

[sufferer]

The Sabres are the 2000-2012 Columbus Blue Jackets.

Why can't we be our own shitstain?

 

[joshjull]

We were saying the same things about TM/Bylsma. It's has been a problem since Pegula arrived...maybe it's not a coincidence.

And yet the football team got it right with...... wait for it......

A rookie head coach and a rookie GM.

Maybe a “rookie owner” takes time to find the right guys as they try to get it right.

Maybe, despite all the complaining about everything Botts and Housley do. That we may get on the right path by next season with these two. Or not. We’ll find out next year. I think the hole we need to crawl out of is bigger than some want to admit. Cue usual suspects being appalled I suggested this.

 

[joshjull]

Why bother spending anytime seeing if these waiver eligible Rochester guys can play with Eichel before next season, when you've got studs like Pouliot and Pominville that need that ice time....

A 3rd straight season without spending anytime figuring out the future... ****

Actually the problem is finding players that can produce offense away from Jack (and ROR). Thus lessening the burden offensively for our top two lines.

If we can actually find a 3rd line that can produce offense instead of being a black hole. That will do FAR more for the teams long term success.

Almost everyone produces offense with Jack. Do we really need to trot each of these guys out with him to confirm what we already know? Or should we actually try to create a bottom 6 offensive threat. Something that hasn’t existed on this team for a very long time. They may not be the answer but let’s take a look at least.

Not to mention aren’t you and others arguing Jack needs defensive players with him. Something none of those three guys are.

This board is something else. There were posters getting angry, in advance, at the idea that Housley wouldn’t keep them together after our last game. He does keep them together and some posters still get angry as evidenced by the likes for your post.

 

[DJN21]

Roy for Ott.

That's what I thought bit I wanted to be sure. Ott brought more than Roy ever would have. One lasted longer in the league...one was part of a decent deal for us...

 

[Jame]

Actually the problem is finding players that can produce offense away from Jack (and ROR). Thus lessening the burden offensively for our top two lines.

If we can actually find a 3rd line that can produce offense instead of being a black hole. That will do FAR more for the teams long term success.

Almost everyone produces offense with Jack. Do we really need to trot each of these guys out with him to confirm what we already know? Or should we actually try to create a bottom 6 offensive threat. Something that hasn’t existed on this team for a very long time. They may not be the answer but let’s take a look at least.

Not to mention aren’t you and others arguing Jack needs defensive players with him. Something none of those three guys are.

This board is something else. There were posters getting angry, in advance, at the idea that Housley wouldn’t keep them together after our last game. He does keep them together and some posters still get angry as evidenced by the likes for your post.

No

But we don’t need to keep having the same conversation.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

And yet the football team got it right with...... wait for it......

A rookie head coach and a rookie GM.

Maybe a “rookie owner” takes time to find the right guys as they try to get it right.

Maybe, despite all the complaining about everything Botts and Housley do. That we may get on the right path by next season with these two. Or not. We’ll find out next year. I think the hole we need to crawl out of is bigger than some want to admit. Cue usual suspects being appalled I suggested this.

All I'm gonna say is that if Botterill/Housley identified & coached up any position or role the way McDermott & Beane rebuilt the secondary, there wouldn't be "usual suspects."

 

[OkimLom]

That's what I thought bit I wanted to be sure. Ott brought more than Roy ever would have. One lasted longer in the league...one was part of a decent deal for us...

Brought a different role which turned out that meant nothing to “rebuilding the culture” of the team with zero lasting impact on the organization but Roy was a much better offensive player than Ott, and played the type of game that we lack.

Shoot, if he still has some tread on the tires, I would take a flyer for 4th line duty. I’m dead serious.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Anyone who thought a rebuild would be over 3 years ago is delusional. What we’re experiencing is closer to the norm.

Some did expect the Sabres to be good right away after drafting Eichel. The hardest part since Eichel was how boring the team has been on the ice. I think next year the team should be fun, but probably still lose games.

 

[Chainshot]

Trying to see something optimistic here -- hard for me, I know -- and at least they can look at some of the youngsters down this last dozen games to have a feel for the offseason.

 

[Chainshot]

I'm pretty sure I don't want them to throw big money at any UFA wingers. Work to get clear of the current bad contracts they already have but don't take on more bad term and bad money.

 

[darcyRegier]

Do Nylander or Smith get looks in the last 10 games?

If they do and get put on the 4th line for 8 minutes imma be mad. If you call up either of them they should go straight to Eichel or Erods line, not the 4th line with Nolan and Larsson...

 

[Chainshot]

Do Nylander or Smith get looks in the last 10 games?

If they do and get put on the 4th line for 8 minutes imma be mad. If you call up either of them they should go straight to Eichel or Erods line, not the 4th line with Nolan and Larsson...

There is nothing to gain by giving them 4th line minutes. I'm not sure where they are at for recalls since the trade deadline -- Bailey and Ullmark and Guhle I think make 3, so they only have one more non-injury related (unless the Bailey one is deemed an injury recall), but sure, getting a look, especially at someone like Smith makes sense. I'd rather they let Nylander continue to work toward the playoffs and not upset the nest there.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I read the ESPN article about the Jets going with youth and letting it ride. I wonder if the Sabres could do somethiing similar?

Replace Pouliot, Pominville, Nolan with Mittelstadt, Olofsson. Replace Beaulieu with McCabe.

Girgensons - Eichel - Okposo
Olofsson - O'Reilly - Reinhart
Rodrigues - Mittelstadt - Baptiste
Wilson - Larsson - Bailey

Scandella - Ristolainen
Guhle - Nelson
McCabe - Antipin

Lots of speed in that line-up.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Actually the problem is finding players that can produce offense away from Jack (and ROR). Thus lessening the burden offensively for our top two lines.

If we can actually find a 3rd line that can produce offense instead of being a black hole. That will do FAR more for the teams long term success.

Almost everyone produces offense with Jack. Do we really need to trot each of these guys out with him to confirm what we already know? Or should we actually try to create a bottom 6 offensive threat. Something that hasn’t existed on this team for a very long time. They may not be the answer but let’s take a look at least.

Not to mention aren’t you and others arguing Jack needs defensive players with him. Something none of those three guys are.

This board is something else. There were posters getting angry, in advance, at the idea that Housley wouldn’t keep them together after our last game. He does keep them together and some posters still get angry as evidenced by the likes for your post.

I think a lot of the problem leads back to the defence. The breakout pass and transition game is just terrible. Seeing this team with quick breakout passes from the defense leading to scoring chances rarely happens.