Confirmed with Link: Amerks sign Tyler Randall to AHL contract, PKer, fighter and exempt vet

[joshjull]

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[joshjull]

Someone to protect the youth?

 

[sabrefan27]

This would be fine had they not re-signed Dalton Smith. They were definitely soft last year and have a lot of skill players, so I guess they need some grit.

 

[joshjull]

This would be fine had they not re-signed Dalton Smith. They were definitely soft last year and have a lot of skill players, so I guess they need some grit.

Genuinely curious why the signing of Dalton Smith would matter to signing Randall? LGA said something along those lines as well. Are they going to be direct competitors for playing time ?

 

[ek93]

Genuinely curious why the signing of Dalton Smith would matter to signing Randall? LGA said something along those lines as well. Are they going to be direct competitors for playing time ?

For me it's the fact that only one of these guys in the lineup is enough, you don't really need two tough guys in today's softer AHL. So IMO two of these-type players is overkill and he could take a spot in the lineup from someone else who actually has potential to develop into an NHLer, or someone who at least brings something to the table other than what Smith already brings. Then you factor in the veteran issue, and it makes it even more complicated.

That's the way I see it I guess, but I don't really follow the Amerks. As a Sabre fan, I don't understand it, but I guess protecting the youth isn't a bad thing.

 

[old kummelweck]

Here's hoping Sexton and Botterill have the same approach to address team toughness. If you look at the playoffs this year, the teams that were successful didn't get pushed around. The roster in BUF looks pretty soft to me, so hopefully this means there is an organizational understanding that toughness is still important.

 

[joshjull]

For me it's the fact that only one of these guys in the lineup is enough, you don't really need two tough guys in today's softer AHL. So IMO two of these-type players is overkill and he could take a spot in the lineup from someone else who actually has potential to develop into an NHLer, or someone who at least brings something to the table other than what Smith already brings. Then you factor in the veteran issue, and it makes it even more complicated.

That's the way I see it I guess, but I don't really follow the Amerks. As a Sabre fan, I don't understand it, but I guess protecting the youth isn't a bad thing.

I thought they were both exempt vets.

 

[sabrefan27]

Genuinely curious why the signing of Dalton Smith would matter to signing Randall? LGA said something along those lines as well. Are they going to be direct competitors for playing time ?

Similar players, both veterans when they’re already at the limit.

 

[SundherDome]

With the amount of d that will be down, it might be insurance if Smith is in the press box. You could still roll out an enforcer type to play limited minutes.

 

[sufferer]

Here's hoping Sexton and Botterill have the same approach to address team toughness. If you look at the playoffs this year, the teams that were successful didn't get pushed around. The roster in BUF looks pretty soft to me, so hopefully this means there is an organizational understanding that toughness is still important.

It can change year to year. Pittsburgh repeated with a charmin soft line-up and took Washington to G7 OT. However, I would prefer much more physicality throughout the lineup as long as it didn't come at the cost of hockey playing ability.

 

[dotcommunism]

I thought they were both exempt vets.

"Exempt vet" is kind of a misnomer. AHL teams are allowed to play 5 "vets", players who have played 320+ professional games, plus one "exempt vet" who's played 260-319 professional games. All other skaters must have played fewer than 260 professional games (these numbers are as of the start of the season). So having two "exempt vets" is redundant, especially in a case like this where both are role players. Having both in the lineup at once would force out another vet (presumably one who's better)

 

[joshjull]

"Exempt vet" is kind of a misnomer. AHL teams are allowed to play 5 "vets", players who have played 320+ professional games, plus one "exempt vet" who's played 260-319 professional games. All other skaters must have played fewer than 260 professional games (these numbers are as of the start of the season). So having two "exempt vets" is redundant, especially in a case like this where both are role players. Having both in the lineup at once would force out another vet (presumably one who's better)

Thanks for the clarification.

So the oddity here is we have two guys in the role of "exempt vet".

 

[joshjull]

It’s officially official

 

[valet]

Here's hoping Sexton and Botterill have the same approach to address team toughness. If you look at the playoffs this year, the teams that were successful didn't get pushed around. The roster in BUF looks pretty soft to me, so hopefully this means there is an organizational understanding that toughness is still important.

I never thought about this but the NHL roster does look pretty soft. Eichel did drop the gloves once tho, so maybe he'll just step up and be the enforcer