2018-19 Roster Speculation Pt. 3: Started from the bottom now we're here

[Buf fan in Nash]

A friend of mine who is also a huge Sabres fan just threw this out - would you trade one of our firsts straight up for Jesse Puljujarvi if he was available?

It's a good question. I'm in favor of keeping those firsts, but he's a young guy who will be team controlled for a while and for some reason hasn't put it together in Edmonton (like so many others).

Yes, the guy was drafted in the top 5 a little more than 2 years ago and the Oilers are awful at developing their own players. Its a risk i'd take considering we could have as many as 3 picks in the first round this summer.

 

[Djp]

What kind of value can the Sabres get for Scandella? I think most would agree he's an average 2nd pairing D-man, and there are certainly some teams who could use upgrades on the back end, but if we're moving him, are we re-filling the Skinner picks or are we going after a legitimate player?

Tampa Bay only has three NHL D-men locked up for next year IIRC. I wonder if there's a fit there.

Sobotka at % retained making him around $1M in full season salary next year actually has positive value.

 

[Reddawg]

Yes, the guy was drafted in the top 5 a little more than 2 years ago and the Oilers are awful at developing their own players. Its a risk i'd take considering we could have as many as 3 picks in the first round this summer.

Not me...his draft pedigree is going to boost his next contract higher than it should reasonably be, and 1 goal in 13 games is 1 goal in 13 games regardless of who's developing you. Benoit Pouliot was a 4th overall once upon a time too.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

Not me...his draft pedigree is going to boost his next contract higher than it should reasonably be, and 1 goal in 13 games is 1 goal in 13 games regardless of who's developing you. Benoit Pouliot was a 4th overall once upon a time too.

I mean if the guy wants a lot in his next contract then he needs to produce first. I think you bring the guy in and let him compete with nylander/oloffson in Rochester and show him he isn't going to be gifted a NHL roster spot.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

Not me...his draft pedigree is going to boost his next contract higher than it should reasonably be, and 1 goal in 13 games is 1 goal in 13 games regardless of who's developing you. Benoit Pouliot was a 4th overall once upon a time too.

I mean if the guy wants a lot in his next contract then he needs to produce first. I think you bring the guy in and let him compete with nylander/oloffson in Rochester and show him he isn't going to be gifted a NHL roster spot.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

Not me...his draft pedigree is going to boost his next contract higher than it should reasonably be, and 1 goal in 13 games is 1 goal in 13 games regardless of who's developing you. Benoit Pouliot was a 4th overall once upon a time too.

I mean if the guy wants a lot in his next contract then he needs to produce first. I think you bring the guy in and let him compete with nylander/oloffson in Rochester and show him he isn't going to be gifted a NHL roster spot.

 

[Buf fan in Nash]

Not me...his draft pedigree is going to boost his next contract higher than it should reasonably be, and 1 goal in 13 games is 1 goal in 13 games regardless of who's developing you. Benoit Pouliot was a 4th overall once upon a time too.

Wow triple whammy post

 

[Reddawg]

I mean if the guy wants a lot in his next contract then he needs to produce first. I think you bring the guy in and let him compete with nylander/oloffson in Rochester and show him he isn't going to be gifted a NHL roster spot.

Right, but that isn't the kind of player we should be spending a 1st on. Not when we already have Olofsson and Nylander and both of them need a new contract after next season which will not go for rookie max.

I'm not an advocate for letting go of those picks at all, but if one of them is traded it should be for an upgrade on Sobotka's spot in the lineup this year and beyond or for a long-term upgrade on Bogosian as he only has one more year left and likely won't be resigned.

*Edit* I guess Nylander slid twice, he's not due for a new deal until 2021.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Larsson is going to get a new contract from the Sabres with the way he's been playing.
Botterill is going to have to consider moves as the season heads for the half way to deadline mark given the contract situations with pressure from the pipeline yout's.

Here is my guess on in season moves...…
Girgensons, traded by deadline. While Girgs appears solidified on the 4th line, with the expected return of Wilson and his inability to find consistency in so far as play, he's expendable.
Rodriguez, traded by deadline. While ERod shows flashes of good to great game play, more often than not he disappears for long stretches, or worse, is actually a detriment to the team while on the ice. There are full on replacements in CJ Smith, A. Nylander and V. Olofsson waiting in the AHL for a chance to come up and take a spot on the team. Smith would be my guess as the one to fill in.

The albatross in the room is the Scandella/Pilut situation.
Scandella, I truly believe there is a hockey trade brewing where Botterill sends out Scandella for something of roster significance back. Be it a 1 for 1 or package deal.
I don't believe Scandella plays out in a Buffalo jersey past the deadline, regardless of where Buffalo is at in the standings. The emergence of Beaulieu and his coming off season contract as well as McCabe and his coming off season contract lead me to believe Buffalo will be moving on from Scandella with Pilut waiting in the wings.

There are issues to address with the 2nd scoring line for sure, specifically consistent contribution on the score sheets as well as chemistry. If we are building up Mitts as a line 2c, he'll need wingers better than he has now, and let's face it, Buffalo needs to have 2 sustainable, contributing scoring lines to gun with some of the Eastern Conference powerhouses longer term.

Girgs and ERod are marginally minimal moves off the roster given their respective roles. Scandella however, I would consider a larger move in an effort to further increase the Sabres scoring, while at the same time solving some of the D log jam they have going on in the organizational pipeline, top to bottom.

In your opinion when Wilson comes back who do you think goes whether its wsivers or Rochester bound?

 

[Reddawg]

In your opinion when Wilson comes back who do you think goes whether its wsivers or Rochester bound?

Vogl was asked about this today and he said Scott Wilson will push Elie out of the 13th spot. For whatever it's worth. I think Elie has looked really good in limited action. He's no offensive threat but he's fast as hell and good on defense.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

This team is going to go on a long losing streak soon. We should sell some guys while their value is high. I bet if we moved Skinner right now, we'd get at least a 1st in this year's draft. I hear the draft is pretty deep.

 

[brian_griffin]

Hell of a first post. Nail on the head.

Unless that is Haseoke with a new account / handle, in which case, it's not truly a first post.

 

[Reddawg]

This team is going to go on a long losing streak soon. We should sell some guys while their value is high. I bet if we moved Skinner right now, we'd get at least a 1st in this year's draft. I hear the draft is pretty deep.

Fire Phil! The team is about to start losing and we should get out in front of it.

 

[Dingo44]

Fire Phil! The team is about to start losing and we should get out in front of it.

This team is going to go on a long losing streak soon. We should sell some guys while their value is high. I bet if we moved Skinner right now, we'd get at least a 1st in this year's draft. I hear the draft is pretty deep.

Honestly, now is the perfect time for a full rebuild. Can you imagine all the picks we could get for Eichel/Skinner/Hutton/Dahlin/Reinhart/Risto/Ullmark etc. right now? We might have ALL the picks the next three drafts!

 

[Reddawg]

Honestly, now is the perfect time for a full rebuild. Can you imagine all the picks we could get for Eichel/Skinner/Hutton/Dahlin/Reinhart/Risto/Ullmark etc. right now? We might have ALL the picks the next three drafts!

Exciting times! Hockey!

 

[Dingo44]

Exciting times! Hockey!

Plus, if anyone wanted Matt Moulson back in Blue & Gold, then they'd get their chance...

 

[Reddawg]

Plus, if anyone wanted Matt Moulson back in Blue & Gold, then they'd get their chance...

We could even trade for Vanek and let them fight it out for the #26, since Dahlin won't be needing it anymore after we flip him.

 

[Sabre the Win]

This team is going to go on a long losing streak soon. We should sell some guys while their value is high. I bet if we moved Skinner right now, we'd get at least a 1st in this year's draft. I hear the draft is pretty deep.

I don't see us going on a long losing streak because of the pride this team has and how we can easily rally back. I think we maybe see 3-4 games at the most as the biggest losing streak we endure.

Now if we sell Skinner than we will be a bottom 5 team because no one on this team is anywhere near his production.

If this team is in the playoff hunt there is no reason to sell off Skinner, that would be management telling the team they dont believe in them or him.

How do you think the team will respond to that?

 

[Reddawg]

I don't see us going on a long streak because of the pride this team has and how we can easily rally back. I think we maybe see 3-4 games at the most as the biggest losing streak we endure.

Now if we sell Skinner than we will be a bottom 5 team because no one on this team is anywhere near his production.

If this team is in the playoff hunt there is no reason to sell off Skinner, that would be management telling the team they dont believe in them or him.

How do you think the team will respond to that?

They'd probably all print and cut this emoji out and attach it to tongue depressors so they could wear it around the locker room like a mask.

 

[Dingo44]

We could even trade for Vanek and let them fight it out for the #26, since Dahlin won't be needing it anymore after we flip him.

Well one could wear #26 and the other #62 and they would end up being centered by Glotov and now I'm starting to like this idea???

 

[Yatzhee]

In your opinion when Wilson comes back who do you think goes whether its wsivers or Rochester bound?

Elie is the most popular choice, but you signed and brought in a 6'1" 215-220 lb. Young checker for that reason. I say its him.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Vogl was asked about this today and he said Scott Wilson will push Elie out of the 13th spot. For whatever it's worth. I think Elie has looked really good in limited action. He's no offensive threat but he's fast as hell and good on defense.

Moving forward i have a concern with pominville when he is not with eichel/skinner.I feel with Pominville and Skabotka there is dead weight there.What is the consensus here on this board concerning these two? I feel Wilson would be a better fit with Middlestadt and Thompson as he adds speed and forechecking more so than poms and vlad.Want to know what others feel about this and more importantly what do you think Housley does.

 

[Matt Ress]

Seems like Phil is okay with bouncing players around so, I'd bet he gives Wilson a few different looks before settling in.k

 

[Chainshot]

Moving forward i have a concern with pominville when he is not with eichel/skinner.I feel with Pominville and Skabotka there is dead weight there.What is the consensus here on this board concerning these two? I feel Wilson would be a better fit with Middlestadt and Thompson as he adds speed and forechecking more so than poms and vlad.Want to know what others feel about this and more importantly what do you think Housley does.

Poms without the skating tempo of Skinner/Eichel is not nearly as productive since he doesn't get to post up in quality shooting locations while others are handling the proverbial mail. His start, much like his start last season, dovetails with playing opposite Jack. There are red flags, signs of concern that he's only scored 1 goal in the last 11 games, much like his long, painfully unproductive run of 33 games with only 1 goal last season.

As for Sobotka, it seems he has Phil's confidence for some reason. He seems like the player observers would most like to upgrade, but given that he's getting ToI early in OT's, it seems the coach is on his side.

Having the Larsson line generally play tough matchups and be even is fine. Okposo's been playing better and that's helping Mittelstadt's adjustment. Skinner is filling the net and Jack seems to be finding ways to set the table regularly.

That Sheary is still #3 in goals on the team with only 6 is both fascinating and troubling at the same time, given how Poms' 9 are almost all a product of working on Jack's wing.

 

[haseoke39]

Unless that is Haseoke with a new account / handle, in which case, it's not truly a first post.

Oui, c'est moi.

I took a hiatus. In my next life, I resolve to post less often, more thoughtful.