2019-20 Roster Speculation Pt. 8

[Dubi Doo]

We played great against Montreal and Florida.

Ehhhh...we played two good periods against Florida, and then they took it to us in the 3rd. I'd be happy if they didnt play many more games like that.

 

[Aladyyn]

He has been fine. In your mind, TOI over a 5 game sample reflects rankings of talent or something. And that is the extent of your strawman beef (no one is arguing risto is better than Dahlin). TOI reflects things you are apparently unaware of, like context.

"Context" isn't some magic word that makes everything okay. There is no context in which Ristolainen should play 25 minutes in any game. A month ago literally everyone on this board agreed on that but now some of you are just overreacting. He hasn't even been good ffs, it's like with Sobotka, they get credit for the absolute bare minimum.

 

[Fjordy]

We had a losing record before our 10 game win streak in November.

Nevertheless, the team was at the top of the table and then fell off the cliff. Now we have started well, but 5 games is too small to draw serious conclusions, and even for these 5 games there were disturbing moments of the past seasons.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ehhhh...we played two good periods against Florida, and then they took it to us in the 3rd. I'd be happy if they didnt play many more games like that.

Well lets hope the Sabres can just play teams completely devoid of talent so you can be happy.

 

[slip]

"Hey these guys are playing really well lets just stick with what works,"

"Dude you’re coming off as a real big jerk check yourself, also this isn't working the coach is not giving dahlin special treatment and people like you and the coach are stupid im smart"

 

[threeVo]

Who are the Sabres 6 best D regardless of side? Dahlin>Montour>Joki>Risto>Miller>McCabe?

Its not the worst problem, but a RD will need to play the off side once Montour comes back into the lineup. I would send Pilut down to rehab and get some games in, but I guess its a good problem to have.

 

[Dirty Dog]

"Context" isn't some magic word that makes everything okay. There is no context in which Ristolainen should play 25 minutes in any game. A month ago literally everyone on this board agreed on that but now some of you are just overreacting. He hasn't even been good ffs, it's like with Sobotka, they get credit for the absolute bare minimum.

You have some preconceived axes to grind. Keep at it

 

[Fjordy]

Mediocre moments? You act as if Montreal and Florida have no talent and we should have walked all over them.

I dont like Sobotka in the top 6 either but he hasnt made that line a liability and that 3rd line, well I dont know what to do about it because as much as I don't like Vesey he isnt going anywhere.

Of course they have talent, but I’m rather not talking about their talents, but about our players and the game, about individual mistakes that haven’t gone anywhere, about lines or some players that don’t work. There are positive moments after these 5 games and there are many of them, but there are also negative ones. I hope there will be more positives this season and we will finally get into the playoffs, but still have no margin of safety.

 

[joshjull]

Ehhhh...we played two good periods against Florida, and then they took it to us in the 3rd. I'd be happy if they didnt play many more games like that.

Agreed. Baby steps though. The first 2 periods were good. They need to work on reducing the hair on fire panic that ensues when they try to shut games out.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

I'd rather have either Ritchie or Comtois over Jones.



I don't think the Sabres need to add a ton to the NHL roster at forward right now. Maybe follow up a Ristolainen trade with a trade for Tierney or JPG out of Ottawa?

Buffalo has one of the most effective lines in hockey in Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo. Shades of that line with Berglund on it.

Eichel and Olofsson make a good line. So do Johansson and Skinner. Add in Reinhart, Vesey, Sheary as wingers on those lines, and they are effective.

That leaves a 4th line for Mittelstadt and two wingers. Or one of the Ottawa centers, for example. Fleet up Asplund, Smith, Thompson as necessary.

Imagine Ristolainen and Rodrigues for Comtois and Larsson. Then a 2nd to Ottawa for JPG.

Vesey - Eichel - Olofsson
Skinner - Johansson - Reinhart
Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo
Mittelstadt - JPG - Sheary
x Sobotka

Dahlin - Montour
Larsson - Jokiharju
McCabe - Miller
x Scandella, Gilmour

Drop Mittelstadt down to Rochester and maybe bring up Wilson or Lazar if Mittelstadt continues to struggle.

That's a really balanced lineup, with three distinct defensive pairs: offensive, defensive shutdown, physical. And the team still has Cozens, Thompson, Asplund, Smith, Davidsson, and Pekar coming at forward. With Laaksonen, Borgen, Pilut, Johnson, Samuelsson, and Bryson on defense. Then Luukonen in net.

I said Richie AND Jones for Risto

 

[Dubi Doo]

Well lets hope the Sabres can just play teams completely devoid of talent so you can be happy.

Relax, we've seen them play lights out in the third period. They sucked in the third against the Panthers. It's okay to admit. It was only one game.

 

[Chainshot]

So does perspective, context and rational analysis

I was responding to Dreakon's comment about why people aren't happy yet. Sample size matters. The season is only a few games old. It's going to take a lot before people will be firmly back to feeling this team is entertaining/good.

 

[Gabrielor]

Might be a call up soon.

 

[Dreakon13]

I was responding to Dreakon's comment about why people aren't happy yet. Sample size matters. The season is only a few games old. It's going to take a lot before people will be firmly back to feeling this team is entertaining/good.

My point wasn't questioning why people aren't happy yet. I know why people aren't happy. Some of you aren't very subtle.

My point was that the relentless onslaught of just how awful this team was going to be this year was met with a pleasant surprise to start the season. There's a lot of hockey left to play and plenty of room to improve on this team... but maybe we can use this moment to take a breath, and appreciate that this new coaching staff may know what they are doing and there may be little moments (ie. the handling of Dahlin early on) that we may not entirely understand/agree with, as fans who don't get to see behind the curtains.

A little benefit of the doubt for the new group here. They've done good so far.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I said Richie AND Jones for Risto

Got it thanks!

 

[joshjull]

Might be a call up soon.

Figured it would be him or Wilson to make sure the youngsters stay with the Amerks

 

[BananaSquad]

I know we don’t want to break up LOG line but I really like

68-9-23
Skinner- MoJo - Girgensons
Mitts - Larsson - Okposo
Vesey - ERod - Sobtoka/ Lazar

 

[Buffaloed]

Mittelstadt should be on a scoring line. You don't use 8th overall pick to develop a 3rd line checker. The Sabres are ruining him by not putting him in a situation where he can develop his offensive game. If they can't use him in Buffalo where he can be developed properly, send him to Rochester. An easy solution is to swap him with Sobotka. You'd have a line with 3 players who can play any forward position.
Mitts - MoJo - Skinner

 

[lauraP]

You broke my heart Sobotka

 

[joshjull]

I was responding to Dreakon's comment about why people aren't happy yet. Sample size matters. The season is only a few games old. It's going to take a lot before people will be firmly back to feeling this team is entertaining/good.

If only that was the issue. That would be great.

 

[Team Cozens]

Lazar recalled.

 

[joshjull]

Mittelstadt should be on a scoring line. You don't use 8th overall pick to develop a 3rd line checker. The Sabres are ruining him by not putting him in a situation where he can develop his offensive game. If they can't use him in Buffalo where he can be developed properly, send him to Rochester. An easy solution is to swap him with Sobotka. You'd have a line with 3 players who can play any forward position.
Mitts - MoJo - Skinner

Mitts line is used as a scoring line and gets the easiest most offensively skewed minutes. Mojo’s line gets tough defensive deployment.

I’m all for getting Mitts some help but those lines aren’t deployed in the manner you described. Could Mitts be effective in such an defensive skewed role? Maybe. He would certainly have better offensive players to work with.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Lazar recalled.

Good, I was getting tired of cracking my whip down on Vesey.. now I can spread the lashings.

 

[OkimLom]

I was responding to Dreakon's comment about why people aren't happy yet. Sample size matters. The season is only a few games old. It's going to take a lot before people will be firmly back to feeling this team is entertaining/good.

I think the entertainment factor is there. They are more entertaining than most years.

Whether they are good may be happening right now, but the acceptance from some fans that they are a good team may come later when there’s is a larger sample size.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

My point wasn't questioning why people aren't happy yet. I know why people aren't happy. Some of you aren't very subtle.

My point was that the relentless onslaught of just how awful this team was going to be this year was met with a pleasant surprise to start the season. There's a lot of hockey left to play and plenty of room to improve on this team... but maybe we can use this moment to take a breath, and appreciate that this new coaching staff may know what they are doing and there may be little moments (ie. the handling of Dahlin early on) that we may not entirely understand/agree with, as fans who don't get to see behind the curtains.

A little benefit of the doubt for the new group here. They've done good so far.

A number of posters are too dug in to offer any benefit of the doubt. Even if they acknowledge that the team is better, and even possibly "good", they will refuse to acknowledge why if those reasons climb the hill they chose to die on.