2021 Offseason Roster Speculation Thread, pt. 3

[Kevbeau]

Mittelstadt with 19.

Skinner will be 2nd with 14. I think VO gets traded at some point, I’d say he gets 9 goals on Buffalo.

crying gif didn’t work....sigh

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

Here's a question. Who leads the Sabres in goals next year and how many?

A) Mittelstadt
B) Skinner
C) Olofsson
D) Cozens
E) Thompson
F) Not on the roster yet

I'm going with Olofsson. 21 goals.

Skinner: 29
Olofsson: 24
Mittelstadt: 19
Cozens: 17
Thompson: 12

 

[joshjull]

Skinner: 25 goals
Olofsson: 17 goals
Cozens: 15 goals
Dahlin: 14 goals
Mittelstadt: 12 goals

It's gonna be a long ass year.

Mitts with only 12 goals?

I know the sky is falling with all things Sabres for you. But Mitts scored 12 goals his rookie year. The season when he hardly played, wasn’t on PP1 and wasn’t physically or mentally prepared for the NHL.

 

[enthusiast]

People still score, even on bad teams.

 

[Snippit]

Here's a question. Who leads the Sabres in goals next year and how many?

A) Mittelstadt
B) Skinner
C) Olofsson
D) Cozens
E) Thompson
F) Not on the roster yet

I'm going with Olofsson. 21 goals.

Mittelstadt - 24
Olofsson - 19
Cozens - 17
Skinner - 12
Ruotsalainen - 12

 

[DJN21]

This is a depressing game to play....

 

[joshjull]

Here's a question. Who leads the Sabres in goals next year and how many?

A) Mittelstadt
B) Skinner
C) Olofsson
D) Cozens
E) Thompson
F) Not on the roster yet

I'm going with Olofsson. 21 goals.

At minimum we need to know what their roles/usage are. Maybe their line-mates as well before we can start making guesses at this. We won’t start getting an idea about these things until camp.

Mitts is the only one I feel confident about predicting his role/usage. He’s going to be our top offensive center and on PP1. That along with his skill level should get him to at least 20 goals. Scoring goals beyond that would hinge on how well he adapts to his role/usage, his linemates and how good the PP is.


Outside of Mitts, I’m not really sure how things are going to shake out with the others.

 

[TehDoak]

Mitts with only 12 goals?

I know the sky is falling with all things Sabres for you. But Mitts scored 12 goals his rookie year. The season when he hardly played, wasn’t on PP1 and wasn’t physically or mentally prepared for the NHL.

I mean

A) He's not going to play with any line drivers (we don't have one). Right now he's most likely line mates are Skinner and Thompson.
B) His 82 game average is 14G, 18A for his career
C) He's not going to get the sheltered deployments he received previously (66% OZ starts before this year)

I guess I didn't take expanded PP time into it, that probably ups his totals a bit. Maybe in the 15-17 range. I just don't see him as more than a middle 6 center being thrust into a top line center role without very good line mates. I think his upside is a 20-25G/20-30A if he had better linemates and a bit of a sheltered deployment. #1C usage isn't going to up his totals that much with the quality of competition going up considerably.

 

[joshjull]

I mean

A) He's not going to play with any line drivers (we don't have one). Right now he's most likely line mates are Skinner and Thompson.
B) His 82 game average is 14G, 18A for his career
C) He's not going to get the sheltered deployments he received previously (66% OZ starts before this year)

I guess I didn't take expanded PP time into it, that probably ups his totals a bit. Maybe in the 15-17 range. I just don't see him as more than a middle 6 center being thrust into a top line center role without very good line mates. I think his upside is a 20-25G/20-30A if he had better linemates and a bit of a sheltered deployment. #1C usage isn't going to up his totals that much with the quality of competition going up considerably.

Yes the role can bump a players production when they’ve played lesser minutes/roles previous. It provides them many more opportunities to produce offense than they’ve had before. That doesn’t change because the player in question might not be suited to the top offensive center role.

A great example would be Girgs. As a 20yr old during the 14-15 tank year he scored 15 goals in 61gms (20 goal pace). He was playing the same role Mitts is likely to get and no one viewed him as a potential top line offensive center. He also did this on one of worst teams ever assembled.

Mitts will be 23yrs old, much better prepared to take a shot at this role, is more offensively talented and has more offensive talent around him on the roster. He shouldn’t have any issues scoring at least 20 goals (barring injuries of course).


You also seem to be confusing my argument about his possible goal totals with me arguing Mitts is already a top line offensive center. We’ll find out this year if thats the case. Jury is definitely still out on that.

 

[joshjull]

I’m really curious to see what they do with Cozens.

He has the skill set to develop into a two center. Do they start that process this year? Its a development year after all. Let the kid get his feet wet in that role with little pressure and not having to worry about his offensive production. Or do they try to maximize his offensive game? Maybe have him play wing, maybe even on Mitts line.

The Eichel return will impact this as well if one of the prospects that get mentioned come back like Zegras or Krebs. They would likely slot in as our secondary offensive center.

 

[TehDoak]

I’m really curious to see what they do with Cozens.

He has the skill set to develop into a two center. Do they start that process this year? Its a development year after all. Let the kid get his feet wet in that role with little pressure and not having to worry about his offensive production. Or do they try to maximize his offensive game? Maybe have him play wing, maybe even on Mitts line.

The Eichel return will impact this as well if one of the prospects that get mentioned come back like Zegras or Krebs. They would likely slot in as our secondary offensive center.

In my "ideal" world

A) We get a veteran center back in the Eichel deal. Maybe Strome from the Rangers, Rask from the Wild, Henrique from the Ducks, etc.
B) We add a defensive center. That could also be part of the Eichel deal depending on the team. Or it could be a separate deal or signing. Bozak, Zajac, Tierney from the Sens, (longshot) Dvorak from the Coyotes, etc.

Once we have that in place, we move Cozens to RW, maybe opposite Skinner? Let him focus on learning the speed of the game and developing face off skills, etc.

As is, I think he's deployed as a center because we simply don't have many.

 

[TehDoak]

Yes the role can bump a players production when they’ve played lesser minutes/roles previous. It provides them many more opportunities to produce offense than they’ve had before. That doesn’t change because the player in question might not be suited to the top offensive center role.

A great example would be Girgs. As a 20yr old during the 14-15 tank year he scored 15 goals in 61gms (20 goal pace). He was playing the same role Mitts is likely to get and no one viewed him as a potential top line offensive center. He also did this on one of worst teams ever assembled.

Mitts will be 23yrs old, much better prepared to take a shot at this role, is more offensively talented and has more offensive talent around him on the roster. He shouldn’t have any issues scoring at least 20 goals (barring injuries of course).


You also seem to be confusing my argument about his possible goal totals with me arguing Mitts is already a top line offensive center. We’ll find out this year if thats the case. Jury is definitely still out on that.

I just don't see the team scoring that much. We're going to be relatively easy to defend and we will be spending a lot of time in our own zone with that defense. I do think Skinner probably gets back to at least a OK-ish production level over a long season and basically as much offensive TOI as he can handle. You are right deployments and usage are going to matter.

 

[joshjull]

I just don't see the team scoring that much. We're going to be relatively easy to defend and we will be spending a lot of time in our own zone with that defense. I do think Skinner probably gets back to at least a OK-ish production level over a long season and basically as much offensive TOI as he can handle. You are right deployments and usage are going to matter.

I don’t think they’re going to have trouble scoring. Its going to be a lot of transition counter punching with all 5 guys joining in the attack. Its right in the wheel house of most of the players on the roster.

But their d-zone play and goaltending are open questions. I agree they will likely struggle in their own end. I’m expecting a collapsing/protect the house approach. In simplist terms it helps them reduce grade A chances while waiting for a counterattack opportunity. But it can lead to the other team maintaining possession in our end for longer than we’d want.


Specific to Mitts, as the top offensive center he will be out a lot 5v5 with Dahlin/Mitts the top d-pair. That should be a 3 man combo thats fairly successful producing offense off the rush

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

MaJo and Kahun are still available

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

MaJo and Kahun are still available

As they should be. The Sabres sure knew how to pick em.

 

[nickdawg95]

Think we should go after domi, good buy low candidate that could insulate the youth at the centre position

 

[Buffaloed]

MaJo and Kahun are still available

Vladimir Sobotka wants to be the first never was to make a comeback.

 

[Jacob582]

Think we should go after domi, good buy low candidate that could insulate the youth at the centre position

Does he have negative value...cap dump?

Making $6M.
$5.3M cap hit.

Out until November or December with shoulder surgery.

Domi and a 2nd for Robert Hagg?

 

[Buffaloed]

What's the story with goalie Anders Nilsson? Is he ever going to play again? Remember he was here for a cup of coffee for the tank. He's a good goalie if he's over the concussion.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

What's the story with goalie Anders Nilsson? Is he ever going to play again? Remember he was here for a cup of coffee for the tank. He's a good goalie if he's over the concussion.

Lindback was here during the tank and he is in the KHL. Nilsson was our backup a few years ago and played pretty well for us but hasn't been good since.

 

[K8fool]

I just don't see the team scoring that much. We're going to be relatively easy to defend and we will be spending a lot of time in our own zone with that defense. I do think Skinner probably gets back to at least a OK-ish production level over a long season and basically as much offensive TOI as he can handle. You are right deployments and usage are going to matter.

Skinner rebounds playing w r2 and hinestroza .. Or w cozens and asplund.. Word is he was injured.. We'll see

 

[K8fool]

Think we should go after domi, good buy low candidate that could insulate the youth at the centre position

We'll need something for cozens and mitts to shine and not be overwhelmed.. Best case they get their confidence and surprise after 20 games..

I also believe until if we start going below 500 we will get competant goaltending from Anderson in his swan song year. Whether Dell or Ukka step up , well Hutton is a low bar to be better off than last two years at backup.. Nobody gets tobe lame for long w granato

 

[K8fool]

Sabres need to add more impact forwards to prospect pipeline

 

[K8fool]

Buffalo Sabres at eliteprospects.com

 

[sabremike]

If you want to use the Moneyball/Billy Beane playbook you look for undervalued assets. Right now the biggest undervalued assets in the league are forwards. If you are a smart team you try and acquire forwards right now before the market corrects itself.