Speculation: Roster Speculation 2014-2015, Part III

[jBuds]

I thought McCabe needing another maintenance day was the latest word, while the locker thing came earlier in the day. I also didn't see/hear their plan for Zadorov addressed today either, so idk if they're penciling him over a vet or what.

This from the Reinhart article:

"I can't predict how long [Reinhart] will be with us, but in training camp you just want to make sure you're doing the right thing with young players for their development," Nolan said. "We're also evaluating Nikita [Zadorov]. He's physically big enough and needs to work on parts of his game; we'll evaluate that decision."

I took that to mean they're both getting the tryout.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/m_blogs.htm?id=32317

 

[Zip15]

Sabres PR ‏@SabresPR 8m8 minutes ago
#Sabres roster moves: Matt Hackett, Patrick Kaleta, Johan Larsson, Jake McCabe and Mark Pysyk have been placed on IR.
_____________

Down to 23.

 

[sabres4ever]

So let it be written, so let it be done.

 

[Woodhouse]

This from the Reinhart article:



I took that to mean they're both getting the tryout.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/m_blogs.htm?id=32317

I just have a hard time seeing Zadorov's pairing playing Thursday with practice pairings like this:

4 Josh Gorges – 57 Tyler Myers
61 Andre Benoit – 41 Andrej Meszaros
6 Mike Weber – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
51 Nikita Zadorov – 24 Tyson Strachan

I could better envision him getting into the lineup if it were more like:

4 Josh Gorges – 57 Tyler Myers
61 Andre Benoit – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
51 Nikita Zadorov – 41 Andrej Meszaros
6 Mike Weber – 24 Tyson Strachan

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Perhaps there will be several off-nights in between the 9 games in order to maximize practice time and/or allow as long as possible for the IR guys to get healthy.

 

[Djp]

Perhaps there will be several off-nights in between the 9 games in order to maximize practice time and/or allow as long as possible for the IR guys to get healthy.

game 9 is at San Jose at the end of a western swing. Reinhart plays in the WHL. If they send him back that would certainly be a good time.

With the injuries...the forwards are Kaleta and Larsson. Larsson goes to Rochester when healthy. Kaleta may take a few months.

i dont see any sort of rush to decide on him because a player that is injured is coming back.

 

[Paxon]

I think we'd all agree we'd rather see Zadorov on the ice than Weber, but I don't have a problem with him sitting out opening night if that's the case. I wouldn't even really care if they send him own when Pysyk is back without having had a game, but hopefully he does get an honest look since he's here.

 

[Paxon]

Strange to see 8 defensemen on the roster with Pysyk set to return before long. I don't get why they haven't waived Strachan so he can be sent down without issue when the time comes.

Imagine if Zadorov shows he should stay. The hell do they do then? Send Strachan down and carry 8 D? I hate carrying 8 defensemen but I guess if one of them is Zadorov you might be putting him in the pressbox every so often.

 

[Bearbait]

I've often wondered why the Sabres don't try moving 57 to the wing, he can skate, he can handle the puck...let him unleash that shot from 20 feet from the goal instead of 50...lets see what happens.

Let Myers bang away in front of the net for a few nights to force him to play more physical, see how Chara does it up close and personal, that way when he does move back to the blue line he clears the net a little more forcefully.

Nows the perfect opportunity.

And before you write this idea off, might I point out that Phil Housley put together a pretty nice career under the same circumstance.

 

[Paxon]

I've often wondered why the Sabres don't try moving 57 to the wing, he can skate, he can handle the puck...let him unleash that shot from 20 feet from the goal instead of 50...lets see what happens.

Let Myers bang away in front of the net for a few nights to force him to play more physical, see how Chara does it up close and personal, that way when he does move back to the blue line he clears the net a little more forcefully.

Nows the perfect opportunity.

And before you write this idea off, might I point out that Phil Housley put together a pretty nice career under the same circumstance.

He's more effective as a defenseman than he'd ever be as a forward. Not that they're comparable players, but people always say this about Karlsson which is madness, because his value is being able to rush up the ice from the backend where he can see everything, while he'd get dominated physically as a forward. Myers is obviously bigger and stronger but he's still better suited for swooping into the play with a few long strides than he is playing down low. He's not that skilled with the puck to where I think he'd be very successful down low where he has less space to work with, especially being so long. Instead he can find space from his vantage point and cause havoc.

Part of why people always say Karlsson should move to forward is because they believe he's not good defensively, which is nonsense. Myers too is effective defensively, if not perfect. He uses his tremendous combination of reach and skating to keep from getting beat outside, he's become increasingly better at muscling guys on the boards and in front of the net; check the roughing, boarding, etc penalties he gets now, many of which are unfair calls that are simply due to his leverage advantage overpowering others, as happens to Chara. His biggest drawback is that his hockey IQ is average at best, which might get masked a bit as a winger, but then you're really neutering his biggest advantages offensively which are his ability to rush up ice and his ability to swoop in from the point (we call that "going condor").

 

[ZeroPT*]

One of Myers main strength's is skating INTO the zone, he wouldn't be nearly as effective as a winger.

 

[Jacob582]

I think we'd all agree we'd rather see Zadorov on the ice than Weber

I don't agree...

 

[Paxon]

I don't agree...

Unless the reason is that you think Weber is better than Zadorov then that (development, contract status, etc) isn't what I'm talking about. I just mean in a vacuum I think everyone would feel better with Zadorov playing rather than Weber.

 

[Man of Principles]

One of Myers main strength's is skating INTO the zone, he wouldn't be nearly as effective as a winger.

He has the hands to score 20 goals but rather keep him on D. He's slowly becoming a rock back there, and players who can play a solid defensive game while maintaining solid offensive production are rare. Most cases it's a one or the other type thing.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He has the hands to score 20 goals but rather keep him on D. He's slowly becoming a rock back there, and players who can play a solid defensive game while maintaining solid offensive production are rare. Most cases it's a one or the other type thing.

His D game has really progressed nicely in the last year or so. Last year, I think we saw him become really solid at defending rushes, effectively leveraging his size, reach, and skating. In the preseason this year, I thought he looked much better at maintaining his coverage when the other team had possession in the offensive zone than he has been in the past. If he can keep working at those aspects while continuing to do what he does best (skating the puck out, jumping into the rush), he'll be a real force on the blue line. It'd be a waste of his talent to throw him on the wing, not to mention something that would probably cause him a world of confusion, having to learn an entirely new position.

 

[Man of Principles]

Does Buffalo get first crack at Panik? Was a roster casualty. A project with some upside? Are we too crowded right now? I'd give him a shot on the 4th line.

 

[dotcommunism]

Does Buffalo get first crack at Panik? Was a roster casualty. A project with some upside? Are we too crowded right now? I'd give him a shot on the 4th line.

Buffalo's got first crack at anyone on waivers through November 1st. After that point it's based on this season's standings

 

[sabrefan27]

Buffalo's got first crack at anyone on waivers through November 1st. After that point it's based on this season's standings

They should take a flyer on him. Better than Flynn or Deslauriers.

 

[mgeise]

They should take a flyer on him. Better than Flynn or Deslauriers.

They should claim him and waive Strachan. Then they can wait to make a roster decision until Pysyk comes back. If they decide to send Zadorov back at that point, Panik could stay here at least until Kaleta comes back. I'm not sure if I'd keep him up over Flynn or Deslauriers, but I don't think he'd necessarily have to be to stay here. I'd want him here over Kaleta at this point.

 

[Bps21*]

Unless he's worse than Kaleta...I vehemently disagree.

 

[mgeise]

Unless he's worse than Kaleta...I vehemently disagree.

I really don't think Kaleta is in the future plans with his injury issues. I like him a whole lot and I'd like to see him have a role here, but the injuries are starting to become too much. I don't necessarily think Panik would fill a future role, but he's got a much better chance than Kaleta to do so. If Panik doesn't prove that he belongs, he could just be waived when Kaleta gets back.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I really think we will put in a claim for Panik. He's still young, still has potential. It seems like a Murray move.

Then I'd assume Strachan would be waived.

 

[joshjull]

I really think we will put in a claim for Panik. He's still young, still has potential. It seems like a Murray move.

Then I'd assume Strachan would be waived.

I don't see it happening. If claimed he needs to be on the NHL roster and they have no need for him there. But with his age maybe Murray does it anyway. Too bad there is no one to claim him and send him straight to Rochester. He would be a great add there.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I don't see it happening. If claimed he needs to be on the NHL roster and they have no need for him there.

I'd rather have him than either Mitchell or Flynn.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

They should take a flyer on him. Better than Flynn or Deslauriers.

I'd rather have him than either Mitchell or Flynn.

If the Sabres don't put in a claim, there's no need for Panik.