2021-2022 Roster Speculation Thread, pt. 4

[WiHockeyGuy]

They have 2 goals in the last 123 minutes of hockey. Wouldn't really say any of the four lines are scoring. Must be still waiting for Eichel to score.

9th in the league in goal differential though...

 

[elchud]

How did you come to the head scratching conclusion that R2 is one dimensional? Or that he has much in common with Olofsson?


1) R2 is a NHL rookie who is three years younger than VO. He is one of the NHL ready forward prospects you're talking about.

2) R2’s pedigree when he came over was as a top line all situations center. He will be in the mix at center , wing, PP and PK for us. Thats not someone who can be pigeonholed at the moment as one dimensional player. Time will tell which areas he helps with this season.

3) R2’s goal production 5v5 last season compared to VO is another example of their differences.

R2 —> 5 goals in 17gms as bottom 6 winger
VO —> 4 goals in 56gms as top 6 winger

I understand viewing VO as one dimensional. He has struggled mightily to score goal 5v5 while getting prime minutes yet tears up the PP with his shot. But there is little cause to refer to R2 in the same way.


R2 is a better/faster skater and also stronger on his skates than VO. These things gives him a leg up on VO at being a more effective overall player. But especially at 5v5.

I agree that R2 would be most effective at 5v5. He did have five 5v5 goals last season. Not sure if there is a spot for him on PP2 once we ice a really solid line up in a couple years.

He is small and as a tweener wing/center I dont see his utility as anything other than a 13th forward after this season. If we can do better at every top-9 forward slot, we should. If we can't do better than Olofsson or Ruotsalainen that's fine I guess. Im not saying they should be dumped for 6th round picks. I can see an Asplund as a 3rd line forward on a Stanley Cup contender. Not an a Arttu. Thats my point. Every season it should be clear that a couple forwards aren't in our long term plans.

We are going to add a forward or 2 in the Eichel trade and we should sign a UFA to help the top 9 next season. We are in a good position to have more forwards than slots. With a probable Skinner buyout we need to have several prospects who have the potential to play for cheap for a few seasons. Peterka will be an effective example of that. We will need more of players like that.

It isn't dumping everybody for picks. I wouldn't dump Tage for a pick. As we can see he is developing still. I dont know if Olofsson and Ruotsalainen will develop much more. I dont think Granato sees much more development from those two either.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I can certainly see the Sabres adding bodies to Eichel to a team who needs to replace the players sent to Buffalo.

Vegas as a simple example:

Smith
Tuch
Krebs
Plus

for

Eichel
Hinostroza - 50%
Eakin - 50%

Out of all that you're only getting Krebs because Smith is 30 and doesnt fit the age group, Tuch is nearing UFA and the plus if its a 1st will be in the 20's, the only positive you get out of this deal is Eakin being removed yet we are still retaining on two players so essentially we are taking money back in Smith, retaining money on two players while giving them a 1C in Eichel and getting their 1st and Krebs.

I really hope this isn't the deal.

 

[EXTRAS]

When is joker coming back?

 

[nickdawg95]

They have 2 goals in the last 123 minutes of hockey. Wouldn't really say any of the four lines are scoring. Must be still waiting for Eichel to score.

talking about the compete level (hustle) I'd love to see the relationship with eichel be magically mended and run something like this next year

Skinner-Eichel-Cozens
Peterka-Mittlestadt-Thompson
Oloffson-Wright-Quinn
Bjork-girgenson-Okposo
Hino

Samuelsson-Dahlin
Power-Jokiharju
Johnson/Bryson-Hagg/psysk

 

[joshjull]

I agree that R2 would be most effective at 5v5. He did have five 5v5 goals last season. Not sure if there is a spot for him on PP2 once we ice a really solid line up in a couple years.

He is small and as a tweener wing/center I dont see his utility as anything other than a 13th forward after this season. If we can do better at every top-9 forward slot, we should. If we can't do better than Olofsson or Ruotsalainen that's fine I guess. Im not saying they should be dumped for 6th round picks. I can see an Asplund as a 3rd line forward on a Stanley Cup contender. Not an a Arttu. Thats my point. Every season it should be clear that a couple forwards aren't in our long term plans.

We are going to add a forward or 2 in the Eichel trade and we should sign a UFA to help the top 9 next season. We are in a good position to have more forwards than slots. With a probable Skinner buyout we need to have several prospects who have the potential to play for cheap for a few seasons. Peterka will be an effective example of that. We will need more of players like that.

It isn't dumping everybody for picks. I wouldn't dump Tage for a pick. As we can see he is developing still. I dont know if Olofsson and Ruotsalainen will develop much more. I dont think Granato sees much more development from those two either.

The point with R2, like a lot of other young guys, is we don’t know what we have in them yet. This season of development is all about figuring that out.

Let’s wait and see what we have in R2 first before we decide if he fits in going forward or not.

You’re very much putting the cart before the horse.

 

[elchud]

The point with R2, like a lot of other young guys, is we don’t know what we have in them yet. This season of development is all about figuring that out.

Let’s wait and see what we have in R2 first before we decide if he fits in going forward or not.

You’re very much putting the cart before the horse.

I see your point. My point is how do you make room for Peterka/Quinn and whoever comes back in an Eichel trade.

You can't hold on to every prospect, and I'm just identifying a couple who I dont see as roster pieces in a few years.

I am all for keeping Quinn or Peterka on the farm all season if it means giving Ruotsalainen more playing team. He is centering the 4th line 2nite...

 

[Chainshot]

When is joker coming back?

He is in a boot, so probably another 4-5 weeks (or more) if it is some sort of sprain.

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

Sabres lost what was considered the core of their team

Eichel, Reinhardt, Hall, Lazar
Risto, McCabe
ULmark

top goalie
Top pair defence
Top line.

went from last to competitive. All of our supposed best players and labeled as “tanking”. And got better

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

If you put last year's line up in front of this year's goaltending they'd look like a fearsome squad.

When they regress back to the mean it'll look ugly at times.

 

[BFLO]

You guys are worried about next seasons cap floor? Should be easy to get above it by signing a UFA goalie. We’re spending league minimum in the position at the moment.

 

[jc17]

You guys are worried about next seasons cap floor? Should be easy to get above it by signing a UFA goalie. We’re spending league minimum in the position at the moment.

Our pending UFAs are averaging like 1.5M, so that shouldn't be hard to meet.

I VO gets a raise, and so does R2 but a small one. Teams are always looking to unload salary, so I don't think the floor will ever be a real concern

 

[brian_griffin]

I made a new thread

 

[Dirty Dog]

I made a new thread

good thread making!