2018-19 Roster Speculation: Tis the season

[Moskau]

Destroyed by Boston and Colorado.

Played poorly and barely beat a terrible New York team.

Played one good period against a Vegas team that is losing to everyone.

30% of our roster shouldn't be in the NHL anymore.

10% of our roster shouldn't be in the NHL yet.

20% of our roster shouldn't have ever been in the NHL to begin with.

Easily the worst coach in the entire league who didn't make a single adjustment after being down 3-0 in the 1st.

But please continue to tell me that being positive will magically turn our team around. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this team is set up for another top 5 pick and when you look at the RoR trade it almost feels like that was by design. Obviously Botterill doesn't mind pissing away ELCs.

 

[brian_griffin]

I wonder if Mats Zucarello could be a target for this team. He is in the last year of his contract, shouldn’t cost a ton, and can slot in as one of our better RWs by default.

Thoughts?

Why does he sign in BUF unless he is getting overpaid? I'd prefer a younger player and/or bigger player, regardless, if they go outside the organization. I think it more likely they draft and develop vs. sign a UFA. If they go after UFA, I want it to be for defense. Sabres need defensive upgrades / insurance policies for their depth / prospects.

 

[slip]

Yea but even if they signed Skinner and another guy at $7M each, they’d still be about a couple million under the cap, even with Bogosian on the roster, along with Sobotka.

I would prefer to keep a Skinner deal to five years. Seems like the going rate for a lot of the term unless the guys are franchise players.

The guy has zero points in the first four games. I'm in no rush to throw Kane money at him just yet.

 

[Man of Principles]

Not at all concerned about Skinner. He's bringing the energy and speed we expected. Goals will come.

 

[sabrebuild]

I’m betting Pilut gets called up after the west coast swing.

See if he can be ppg in the ahl for 8-10 games.

 

[Djp]

even if we are in the wild card hunt by deadline I can't see this team making any deadline acquisitions when management knows we aren't there for a cup run yet.

no premature splashes needed.

Only acquisions I see them doing....

1 trade Skinner for picks and prospects because no chemistry or asking is to high
And then they trade fir a player under contract next year at least who also is a winger.

Any other deals would be trading off UFAs this year or next with retained salary for futures.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Some trade targets:

Chris Tierney. Would slot real well as the 3C in a Bonino role. Pushes Berglund to 4C.

Colton Sissons. Same idea as Tierney, except as more of a bottom 6 swing player.

Sam Bennett. Change of scenery might do him good.

 

[HaNotsri]

Who’s the better passer:
Mittelstadt on his backhand
Okposo on his forehand
?

Just a possible argument regarding R HW on the powerplay.

 

[1972]

Some trade targets:

Chris Tierney. Would slot real well as the 3C in a Bonino role. Pushes Berglund to 4C.

Colton Sissons. Same idea as Tierney, except as more of a bottom 6 swing player.

Sam Bennett. Change of scenery might do him good.

I liked Sam Bennett, but he’s the exact time of player this team needs to avoid. Let’s get some smart hockey players in this organization, not more dumb dumbs. I had Bennett ranked second in his draft year, yep I missed there...

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Fearnot]

Don't change anything, this is our cup winner right here. Washington just lost 6-0 so we are even better than the defending champs so far!

 

[1972]

Sabres should hire Adam Oates. My goodness should some of our players be giving him a call.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

Colton Sissons would be fabulous, but IDK why Nashville would be open to deal him.

 

[nickdawg95]

Something around Hamonic and bennet would be cool. don't know what we have to give up


Sheary-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Mittlestadt-E-rod
Bennet-Berglund-Okposo
Elle-Larson-girgenson

Scandella-Dahlin
Hamonic Risto
Mccabe-beaulieu

 

[cybresabre]

Sabres should hire Adam Oates. My goodness should some of our players be giving him a call.

Looks like you caught him on the pod. Jack has worked with him, so you have to imagine Sam biked him there and had to have learned something.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Destroyed by Boston and Colorado.

Played poorly and barely beat a terrible New York team.

Played one good period against a Vegas team that is losing to everyone.

30% of our roster shouldn't be in the NHL anymore.

10% of our roster shouldn't be in the NHL yet.

20% of our roster shouldn't have ever been in the NHL to begin with.

Easily the worst coach in the entire league who didn't make a single adjustment after being down 3-0 in the 1st.

But please continue to tell me that being positive will magically turn our team around. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this team is set up for another top 5 pick and when you look at the RoR trade it almost feels like that was by design. Obviously Botterill doesn't mind pissing away ELCs.

How is it possible for Buffalo to continue to hire bad coaches?

 

[kirby11]

Who’s the better passer:
Mittelstadt on his backhand
Okposo on his forehand
?

Just a possible argument regarding R HW on the powerplay.

I'd take Mitts there if only because it doesn't take him 10 seconds to load up for a standard wrist shot

 

[OkimLom]

How is it possible for Buffalo to continue to hire bad coaches?

Take a typical caller on WGR, and ask him to oversee the hiring process of our head coach. That is how we are continuing to hire bad coaches...Unfortunately, that "caller" so happens to be the team's owner.

 

[drew5580]

We miss on Boudreau cuz we had Bylsma in place.
We Miss on Trotz because Housley is here.
I’m waiting for Quenville to be on the market and we can’t approach him because our wagons are hitched to Phil

 

[1972]

Looks like you caught him on the pod. Jack has worked with him, so you have to imagine Sam biked him there and had to have learned something.

Growing up playing hockey I always got pissed off at guys going offside and thought it was a selfish play, Adam Oates hit the nail on the head, NHL players should almost never go offside, count how many times Buffalo goes offside in a game, I bet it’s the same few players almost every time.

Another annoyance of mine is guys like Risto and Okposo who constantly fumble the puck at theblue line. Those mistakes cost your team, the more they happen the bigger the cost.

Guys in this team are not sharp, and routinely f*** up simple players because they are probably not working on their skill development the way they should be.

If each player stopped selfishly going offside and stopped fumbling routine plays we would see a significant improvement.

 

[Team Cozens]

I would assume Mittelstadt on PP1 is an attempt to get him going. But I would’ve moved Okposo, not Sheary. That being said, it’s early, try anything.

With all the PP time vs the Avalanche, Kyle played over 20 minutes. Ouch.
Ristolainen back over 27 minutes.
Couldn’t Dahlin start on the PP1 in a couple of the 7 man advantages???

Just horrible bench management.

 

[1972]

David Quinn just scratched their highest paid skater, Phil Housley would have that player on the number one PP with zero consequences for poor performance.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

With all the PP time vs the Avalanche, Kyle played over 20 minutes. Ouch.
Ristolainen back over 27 minutes.
Couldn’t Dahlin start on the PP1 in a couple of the 7 man advantages???

Just horrible bench management.

These aren’t even the worst decisions of the night. ERod and Poms player less than Larsson/Okposo at ES.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Dork for Handedness is my death metal band name

It's more of a Descendents-style pop punk moniker to me.

Who's running the PP though? Is it Payne?

That's fair, but Phil was involved in the PP in Nashville, so I think he has at least some input in Buffalo as well. Either way, I think there's some degree of organizational commitment to an RH shot there, which is why Okposo has been so locked in.

Getting back to the "getting Casey more opportunity" part of my post, it looks like Phil's vision is for him to center Skinner rather than scale him up to PP1. That's not great given how he's been decent with talent, how bad Berglund + depth units have looked in limited run, and how Pat probably won't play with Rodrigues, who is needed at 4C.

 

[dkollidas]

How long before we see Okposo really trimmed down for time?

20games?

40?

Do we have to wait for Nylander to come up and consistently outplay him?

I like the person, but the player is so frustrating.

Also, can’t wait for Pilut to get up here either. I think he’ll be a nice addition to the defense. Him Dahlin, Scandella, Ristolainen, McCabe and Bogosian/Nelson isn’t a terrible top-6 and gets Beaulieu out of the lineup.