2021 Roster Discussion -- The Season Begins!!!!

[joshjull]

If anything, I want Dahlin paired with Risto. At least he'll stand up for Dahlin if he gets elbowed in the face. Heck, maybe Dahlin will learn to defend himself along the way playing with Risto

Risto isn’t good enough to cover for Dahlin defensively. At least not in the minutes they’d play. This is coming from someone who has defended him (Risto) quite a bit the last year or so.

Risto is also not a fighter. He wouldn’t be doing much beyond shoving guys to defend of Dahlin. The only dman in the system who would throw them in defensive of a teammate is Borgen. Maybe Samuelsson has that streak in him as well.

 

[joshjull]

Truth

 

[jc17]

Do people who keep parroting the "Risto is bad at defense" narrative actually watch whole games or just check +/- stats?

Risto makes visible mistakes, there's no question.

Now whether people look at his stats and then criticize his mistakes more often is a different conversation. But insinuating all criticisms of risto are from stat watching is silly

 

[Fjordy]

Truth

Olofsson can only stand and shoot, that's his whole game. He can be very useful on PP, but he can play 3-4 lines in ES and nothing will change. Olofsson is not a legit top 6 winger, especially on a good team. We also have Staal, who looks definitely not like 2C and also Thompson, who is also not a top 6 player. We definitely need help in attacking from outside or at least look at Mittelstadt, R2 or Quinn.

 

[joshjull]

If Okposo is ready to go tomorrow (outside chance based on his comments). I think Cozens will come out based on the line combos

 

[Matt Ress]

He looked like the odd man out on those combos. Keep him hungry.

 

[DJN21]

If we are looking out of it by the deadline I really hope we can maximize our return in young players/draft capitol by trading Victor. We all love his shot but his overall play and impending payday make him any easy subtraction for me from this long term roster. If I had to pick on retaining Sam and/or Hall or paying Victor moving forward that's an easy choice for me. I also think despite how good his shot is on the PP Jack or Hall can replicate it if moved into his spot there as trigger man. Future wise Quinn can help replace that too (even though I concede Victor's shot is better than anyone's on the team).

 

[SundherDome]

Truth

Staal himself hasn't been great either. Victor does not help but man the Staal I remember watching last year here is not the same one that is in Buffalo this year. He looks like he has senioritis. His passes haven't been crisp, shot is weak, his isn't coming away with pucks in the dirty area and his skating is hurting him in transition. Olofsson doesn't help much in any regard as he just floats up and down the half wall waiting for his shot. The line works if you have a center who does the above and another winger who can dig out pucks and draw defenders to him.

 

[Vito_81]

Skinner-Jack-Sam
Hall-Staal-VO.

Easy fix for all

 

[BuffaloKatanas]

Skinner-Jack-Sam
Hall-Staal-VO.

Easy fix for all

I like this, but would prefer Cozens instead of VO

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

@littletonhockeycoach

I don't know who this fellow is. I've always favored a stand 'em up at the blue line approach. Our FWDs defensive play has been a major factor towards applying this style of play. Neither 19 nor 55 are being "hung out to dry" so kudos to them.

As long as the fwds back check and subscribe to their roles this will work. I am anxious to see how well they deal with a blazing "speed team" however.

I believe 19 and 55 have allowed only 2 goals. One the result of a missed hip check by McCabe and the other the result of a bad pinch decision by Risto.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

And that is possible when almost every forward has bought into coming back hard. Call it backchecking, back pressure, good gaps... whatever. The forwards are actually being responsible and it's allowing some aggressive blueline defense.

Precisely. ( I responded to your original post before seeing your response here. We are on the same page.)

 

[EXTRAS]

U guys think jokiharju will ever become a GOOD top 4 dman?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

U guys think jokiharju will ever become a GOOD top 4 dman?

Depends on your definition of good top 4

 

[Jim Bob]

With all the PLD chatter and some people wanting Buffalo to look into it, I get the feeling that Jarmo would ask for something like Staal+Cozens for PLD.

The Jackets are OK everywhere but at center and they aren't pulling the chute on the season. Something like Staal+Cozens gives them help at center in the short term and potentially someone that is comparable to PLD in the medium to long term.

Personally, I don't like that deal for Buffalo given PLD pulling the chute and the bridge deal he received.

 

[Der Jaeger]

If I were going after a center, it’d be Danault. Give up a first and then re-sign him, a la Pageau.

Adams would need to move a defender to make it work against the cap, but so be it.

Adding a legit 2C would take a lot of pressure off Cozens in the future, and give the team legit center depth for this season.

Hall - Eichel - Reinhart
Olofsson - Danault - Thompson
Skinner - Staal - Cozens
Sheahan - Eakin - Lazar/Rieder/Okposo

 

[tsujimoto74]

With all the PLD chatter and some people wanting Buffalo to look into it, I get the feeling that Jarmo would ask for something like Staal+Cozens for PLD.

The Jackets are OK everywhere but at center and they aren't pulling the chute on the season. Something like Staal+Cozens gives them help at center in the short term and potentially someone that is comparable to PLD in the medium to long term.

Personally, I don't like that deal for Buffalo given PLD pulling the chute and the bridge deal he received.

The way he's completely quit on Columbus and the fact that you wouldn't even be able to talk contract extension with him until next year are definitely not factors that would push me to give up a huge package for Dubois. You'd have a real hard time convincing me to give up Cozens for him.

 

[jc17]

0% chance Staal is traded unless he requests one

Olofsson can only stand and shoot, that's his whole game. He can be very useful on PP, but he can play 3-4 lines in ES and nothing will change. Olofsson is not a legit top 6 winger, especially on a good team. We also have Staal, who looks definitely not like 2C and also Thompson, who is also not a top 6 player. We definitely need help in attacking from outside or at least look at Mittelstadt, R2 or Quinn.

He might get better at 5v5, and I think he has shown flashes, but in the offseason I was a big proponent of trading him. Not because he's so bad but because he's one of the few assets we have with value that I think we can afford to part with.

Whether it's a goalie, a 2C, whatever I think olofsson is the guy to move. We are not going to upgrade anywhere by moving mittelstadt, Johnson, Miller, etc. His biggest contribution is the pp, which is significant but if eichel, reinhart, hall, dahlin can't get it done on the pp without him we have bigger issues

 

[is the answer jesus]

If I were going after a center, it’d be Danault. Give up a first and then re-sign him, a la Pageau.

Adams would need to move a defender to make it work against the cap, but so be it.

Adding a legit 2C would take a lot of pressure off Cozens in the future, and give the team legit center depth for this season.

Hall - Eichel - Reinhart
Olofsson - Danault - Thompson
Skinner - Staal - Cozens
Sheahan - Eakin - Lazar/Rieder/Okposo

I like Danault as a target, problem being we're probably 3 months too late to make a deal happen. Once Domi was moved it solidified their center spine of Danault, Suzuki, KK. Pageau was another great target and all you heard was people appalled at what the Isles gave up for him because he's "only a 40 point player."
I really have no idea where the Sabres go from here. This team needed two quality centers this offseason and they traded for one, signed a garbage depth guy in Eakin to a bloated deal and called it good enough. It's always one step forward two steps back with this team.

 

[Fezzy126]

@littletonhockeycoach

The thing that bugs me about observations like this is that it once again isolates the individuals on the team without explaining the 'why'. In my opinion Risto & McCabe haven't changed much, this is all still related to our forward play.

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but in general, Defenseman can control their gaps and aggressively defend zone entry much more effectively when the opposing forwards aren't permitted to come through the neutral zone with speed. So far this year our forwards have done a really good job of disrupting play in the neutral zone, much better than at any point in the last several years.

It's because of our forward play that our defensemens' transition defense has improved. Hopefully it keeps up, but if our forward play starts to decline or opposing coaches identify weaknesses I fear we'll revert right back to blaming individuals instead of the collective team effort.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

The thing that bugs me about observations like this is that it once again isolates the individuals on the team without explaining the 'why'. In my opinion Risto & McCabe haven't changed much, this is all still related to our forward play.

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but in general, Defenseman can control their gaps and aggressively defend zone entry much more effectively when the opposing forwards aren't permitted to come through the neutral zone with speed. So far this year our forwards have done a really good job of disrupting play in the neutral zone, much better than at any point in the last several years.

It's because of our forward play that our defensemens' transition defense has improved. Hopefully it keeps up, but if our forward play starts to decline or opposing coaches identify weaknesses I fear we'll revert right back to blaming individuals instead of the collective team effort.

That's why I can't even follow these guys on twitter anymore...they post these player charts like they're some big mic drop, like they're irrefutable proof on player quality and value, with little-to-no curiosity on why the numbers may not tell the whole story.

 

[joshjull]

Staal himself hasn't been great either. Victor does not help but man the Staal I remember watching last year here is not the same one that is in Buffalo this year. He looks like he has senioritis. His passes haven't been crisp, shot is weak, his isn't coming away with pucks in the dirty area and his skating is hurting him in transition. Olofsson doesn't help much in any regard as he just floats up and down the half wall waiting for his shot. The line works if you have a center who does the above and another winger who can dig out pucks and draw defenders to him.

I agree Staal hasn’t been very effective. I just accept the fact he’ll be centering that line and work out line ideas around that.

I’m just getting tired of the blind spot Krueger has for Olofsson at 5v5. It started last season when he was with Jack.

 

[BFLO]

I'd like to see Staal/Okposo together. I feel like their styles and speed(lack of) would compliment each other. Try all the LW on that line until one of them fits.

Edit: Our biggest problem is still in net. With Better goaltending we at least get 1-2 of these games to OT and get a loser point or 2.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I like Danault as a target, problem being we're probably 3 months too late to make a deal happen. Once Domi was moved it solidified their center spine of Danault, Suzuki, KK. Pageau was another great target and all you heard was people appalled at what the Isles gave up for him because he's "only a 40 point player."
I really have no idea where the Sabres go from here. This team needed two quality centers this offseason and they traded for one, signed a garbage depth guy in Eakin to a bloated deal and called it good enough. It's always one step forward two steps back with this team.

Danault isn't happy being the 3C. He was vocal about that last year. Granted, he's on the top line again playing with Tatar and Gallagher, but how long does that last? If Suzuki and Kotkaniemi really start to come on, and Danault is back at 3C, I think he becomes available.

 

[Fjordy]

Danault isn't happy being the 3C. He was vocal about that last year. Granted, he's on the top line again playing with Tatar and Gallagher, but how long does that last? If Suzuki and Kotkaniemi really start to come on, and Danault is back at 3C, I think he becomes available.

But if we trade for Danault with an extension, and next season, for example, Cozens takes the 2C place (just suppose), then Danault will again be unhappy that he is 3C?

But I like option with Danault, we definitely lack good strikers in the top 6. We have one star link, and then some kind of mess from different players and only Skinner should be a legit top 6 winger, but he plays with Lazar and Sheahan somewhere in the bottom 6.