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

[sabrebuild]

Smyth was one of the biggest heart and sole players in the last 20 years, guy was a complete warrior. It's not a slight on Sam in the least bit.

I didn’t think it was an insult. I just don’t see the distinction between the two other than length of career.

Perhaps I don’t understand how you define “warrior” or “heart and soul”.

But if you are using Smyth as the standard, my understanding of who that player is, means a guy who plays in the dirty areas. It’s a player who takes an absolute pounding night in and night out and keeps coming. It’s a guy who plays with injuries.

So I assume you don’t mean guys like Peca or Stevens, or other thumpers.

Smyth comparable type guys like Andreychuk or Vanek to a degree. And Reinhart is that guy. He physically gets his ass kicked regularly and keeps getting back up. A Smyth specialty.

Perhaps you could expound to make what you mean more clear. I watched a ton of Smyth during his career so I’m familiar with his player type.

 

[sabrebuild]

The only similarity between Ryan Smyth and Sam in their penchant for scoring around the net and their average to below average footspeed. Sam is much more dynamic as a playmaker. He reminds me a bit of Cory Stillman and Ray Whitney, if we're to compare him to 90s-00s geezers.

He’s a tough comparison, not a lot of net front grinders also have top notch vision for playmaking.

He and Vanek share a lot of positives and negatives, in front of the net, passing and skating. But Vanek had an elite shot and couldn’t care less about defense, while Reinhart is good defensively and would need to sacrifice a virgin to the gods to get Vanek’s shot.

 

[Irving Zisman]

I didn’t think it was an insult. I just don’t see the distinction between the two other than length of career.

Perhaps I don’t understand how you define “warrior” or “heart and soul”.

But if you are using Smyth as the standard, my understanding of who that player is, means a guy who plays in the dirty areas. It’s a player who takes an absolute pounding night in and night out and keeps coming. It’s a guy who plays with injuries.

So I assume you don’t mean guys like Peca or Stevens, or other thumpers.

Smyth comparable type guys like Andreychuk or Vanek to a degree. And Reinhart is that guy. He physically gets his ass kicked regularly and keeps getting back up. A Smyth specialty.

Perhaps you could expound to make what you mean more clear. I watched a ton of Smyth during his career so I’m familiar with his player type.

Besides they're ability at tipping pucks and not being the quickest guys in the world, Smyth and Reinhart are completely different players. He also played in far more physically demanding eras where referees let a lot more abuse go in front of the net (especially cheap shots to the head/neck).

I love Sam and he's great at what he does, but I doubt he's in front of the net as often as Andreychuk and Smyth during the mid to late 1990's. In league that features less Chris Pronger and more Erik Karlsson, however, Reinhart is plenty effective at the top of the crease.

Props to the Stillman/Whitney reference.

 

[sabrebuild]

Besides they're ability at tipping pucks and not being the quickest guys in the world, Smyth and Reinhart are completely different players. He also played in far more physically demanding eras where referees let a lot more abuse go in front of the net (especially cheap shots to the head/neck).

I love Sam and he's great at what he does, but I doubt he's in front of the net as often as Andreychuk and Smyth during the mid to late 1990's. In league that features less Chris Pronger and more Erik Karlsson, however, Reinhart is plenty effective at the top of the crease.

Props to the Stillman/Whitney reference.

I don’t know they both have kind of a lopey weird stride, but ya overall different players. The comparison was from tweet, saying both guys are surprisingly excellent due to optics.

I would agree, by era no one has to play with the kind of animals that roamed around in the 90s and early aughts. But for this era I doubt there are many top 6 skill guys in the league who take as many big hits and go to the dangerous, if tamer, areas of the ice.

Much like the scoring differences in different eras, toughness is on a scale. Smyth never had to play without a helmet or fight 50 times a year like he might have in the 50s.

Particularly his first couple years in the league, Reinhart went to the front of the net or into the corners with zero chance of not getting dropped hard. And he kept going. Girgs is the only Sabre in the last decade that I can remember taking as many hits and routinely popping back up and into play.

 

[jcbeze]

If Pommer misses a game or more and we just sub in Elie.... ugh

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Bring up Nylander period. If this team can scratch Berglund they can scratch Okposo. Just awful for 6 million.

Okposo is only going to get worse from this. 4 more years at 6 per ugh. Luckily his $$ owed his less then his AAV so I have hope Botts can use his magic and finesse another GM to take Okposo.

I would package the STL 2021 2nd+Davidsson+another Buffalo 2nd for someone to take Okposo off out hands.Essentially 3 2nd rounders for someone to take Okposo is fair. Okposo,2 2nd round picks and a good prospect picked in the 2nd for a conditional 7th.

He is just awful. He is slow, cannot skate at all, does not PK, does not play physical, has an average shot, takes some penalties because he is too slow and is just worthless outside of the 35-40 points at best he will put up from here on out.

with the way the league is going, we should not be afraid handing out max term deals, it is only when we hand out max term deals to slow as molasses players. If you are above average or better at skating then I have no issue giving a player in their late 20s a long term deal.

Okposo is just bad. Very bad. If we can move him off the roster with no $ coming back that means we have around 25 million in cap space off the books the next 2 years in Poms, Moulson, Bogo, Okposo and Beaulieu. The only one who will be missed is Bogo and that is only this years version. We can spend that 25 mil far far better then those scrubs. Like say when Dahlin is ready to sigh his 8 year, 12 mil per extension.

 

[Moskau]

If Pommer misses a game or more and we just sub in Elie.... ugh

And Scott Wilson will be back soon. And then we trade Berglund for another teams cap dump and he subs in. Then Pominville is back.

 

[EichelsJockStrap]

Okposo needs to go we need actual 2nd line players sheary and mittlestadt are not

 

[Gabrielor]

Depth scoring is no longer a need. It's a NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

 

[vcv]

If Sam can manage another multi-point game, we will have 3 players at >= 1ppg after 35 games. Wonder when the last time that happened.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Two trade thoughts:

Re-unite Berglund with Hitchcock?
Berglund and Elie to Edmonton for Spooner and Kassian. Shorter term contracts for the Sabres, roughly cap even, and Sabres get some grit for the playoffs.

Florida trade?
Berglund and Sabres 2020 1st for McCann and Pysyk. Also cap even with two players who are younger and with term.

 

[toomuchsauce]

I feel confident in saying that this team isn't going to get any *better* in the remaining 47 games of the 2018-2019 season unless the GM makes some moves.

 

[thewookie1]

Two trade thoughts:

Re-unite Berglund with Hitchcock?
Berglund and Elie to Edmonton for Spooner and Kassian. Shorter term contracts for the Sabres, roughly cap even, and Sabres get some grit for the playoffs.

Florida trade?
Berglund and Sabres 2020 1st for McCann and Pysyk. Also cap even with two players who are younger and with term.

The 1st has merit but I still wouldn't be interested since we'd be adding a hot potato and a glorified grinder

The 2nd is a hell no, not trading a 1st to get Pysyk back.... that's insanity

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

A few years ago, we could have gotten Spooner + for Stewart and Flynn and Mitchell, right? No thanks to adding more to the "wow I wish we could have gotten this guy 3 years ago" squad. (Sobotka and Berglund are enough)

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

I would not mind Pysyk back in 2020 when Bogos deal expires...remember Dahlin prefers RD and Pysyk would not play anymore then he did the first time here with Risto and Bogo here...

2020-2021..

Dahlin-Risto
McCabe-Pysyk
Pilut-Guhle

but that cost is too high. I only move a 1st for a legt 20g,50p+ top 6 forward with term or an #3 with term...either way I am not moving a 1st for Pysyk. He is comparable to Scandella and he did not return a 1st. No interest in moving one for Pysyk and a 35-40 point 3rd liner. Not opposed to acquiring those 2, in fact it is a realistic target but if anything they should cost what we moved in the Scandella trade not a 1st. We need our 1sts to plug into the lineup with elcs.

in 2-3 years we are going to be very top heavy...

eichel - 10
Skinner-8.5
Reinhart - 6-6.5
Dahlin- 12
Risto - 5.4

around 40-45 mil for our top line and top 2 D. if the cap is stagnant and only say in the high 80s in 2020-2022 era we need those ELCs if half our cap goes to 5 out of 23 roster spots...damn you the Okposo contract . Stellar human and a good guy. A not so good player.

 

[Moskau]

No interest in moving one for Pysyk and a 35-40 point 3rd liner.

WHO?

 

[Yatzhee]

Hoping Bailey gets a call up to slot on the 4th line.
Girgensons-Larsson-Bailey.
Big bodies and Bailey has decent speed.

Would also like CJ Smith on Mitts LW

 

[DJN21]

Two trade thoughts:

Re-unite Berglund with Hitchcock?
Berglund and Elie to Edmonton for Spooner and Kassian. Shorter term contracts for the Sabres, roughly cap even, and Sabres get some grit for the playoffs.

Florida trade?
Berglund and Sabres 2020 1st for McCann and Pysyk. Also cap even with two players who are younger and with term.

Let pysyk go!

2020 first for pysyk
2019 first for Tierney
2019 first for fabbro

boom top end talent for premium pieces...

Again I jest, you're one of my favorite posters on this site and are very well informed but some of your trade proposals just leave me scratching my head lol. Please don't be offended at my candor lol

 

[DJN21]

Hoping Bailey gets a call up to slot on the 4th line.
Girgensons-Larsson-Bailey.
Big bodies and Bailey has decent speed.

Would also like CJ Smith on Mitts LW

Bailey has waiver implications no? I could be wrong. (He wouldn't be my call up regardless but I'm curious)

 

[Der Jaeger]

Let pysyk go!

2020 first for pysyk
2019 first for Tierney
2019 first for fabbro

boom top end talent for premium pieces...

Again I jest, you're one of my favorite posters on this site and are very well informed but some of your trade proposals just leave me scratching my head lol. Please don't be offended at my candor lol

Take the entire deal in context. Who is taking Berglund w/o retention? And we’re asking for a RHD and a Center? Gotta pay for that.

 

[DJN21]

Take the entire deal in context. Who is taking Berglund w/o retention? And we’re asking for a RHD and a Center? Gotta pay for that.

Berglund reports or we get his contract space voided. I know I'm jinxing us all saying this but theres no other alternative.

McCann doesn't solve anything long term.
Pysyk doesn't solve anything long term.
Tierney would be nice but not worth the assets needed, and is not a 2c on a good team.
Fabbro is redundant.

Either pony up these assets for impact players now or save the assets and stay the course.

I gte your pysyk deal is predicated on having to move him at full cost so I'm sorry for cutting it down I just cant fathom how we possibly end up on the books for him.

 

[dotcommunism]

Bailey has waiver implications no? I could be wrong. (He wouldn't be my call up regardless but I'm curious)

He can be up for up to 10 games played, or 30 days on the roster, without having to pass through waivers again to be sent back down.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

WHO?

McCann. And calling him a 35-40 point player is stretching it. But since he gets bottom 6 minutes, does not have that much talent to play with outside the big guns on Florida and is still only 22 I will give him the benefit of the doubt but McCann would not help this teams biggest need which is goals outside of 2 players.

I still think Botts will have Nylander and/or Olofsson up after the new year. If neither of them can make an impact then I can see Botts going shopping for a 20 goal forward. As long as they have a deal expiring by July 2020 then there really is no issue. Skinner can be kept just using Moulson/Poms $ and Sam and Dahlin have 1 and 2 more years left. Mitts also will be cheap to keep.

This team can very possibly finish 2nd or 3rd in the division. And as Edmonton showed us nothing is guaranteed. Everyone thought the Oilers had arrived after McDavids 2nd season and they went right back to the lotto. If help can be added without moving a 1st or a top prospect then hopefully Botts is making some calls. This may not be the year we contend for a cup but I would like the team to be able to get out of the first round. A postseason extending into May would be great for Jack and Rasmus' development. This is Jacks 4th season and will likely be his first playoff. Hopefully he gets more then 5-6 games this spring.

 

[thewookie1]

A few years ago, we could have gotten Spooner + for Stewart and Flynn and Mitchell, right? No thanks to adding more to the "wow I wish we could have gotten this guy 3 years ago" squad. (Sobotka and Berglund are enough)

It was Stewart for Spooner + a 2nd from Boston I believe

 

[Chainshot]

Hmmmm.... cap space and a need for a center you say? Well, this Christmas season just got more interesting!