Better future: Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Better future


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Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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I wouldn’t wanna bet on him putting it together either, but I’m not that low on him. I think there was a point before he got overwhelmed by it all where he was a lot better defensively than Gardiner has ever been. Even with my concerns about him I see a good 2/3 who’s a nice partner for Dahlin or Guhle in their top 4, in the long run

Gardiner is fine defensively. His defensive struggles are really overrated. Risto's aren't, and are far more pervasive than the occasional blunder that leads to a scoring chance/goal like Gardiner's. I like his 5 on 5 offensive game better than Risto's too.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
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Gardiner is fine defensively. His defensive struggles are really overrated. Risto's aren't, and are far more pervasive than the occasional blunder that leads to a scoring chance/goal like Gardiner's.

That’s accurate right now. But Risto has regressed defensively the past two seasons. He used to be pretty good against the puck
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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Agreed at this point. But Risto has regressed defensively the past two seasons. He used to be pretty good defensively

Sabres have given up far more shot attempts with him on the ice for his entire career. It's hard to argue he was ever "good" defensively when the Sabres were constantly hemmed in their zone with him on.
 

Voodoo Child

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Jun 16, 2009
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Let's see...

Forward core: Leafs.

Even if you think Eichel is better than Matthews (it's very close), Marner, Nylander, Kadri, Brown, Marleau, Kapanen and Johnsson >>> Reinhart, ROR, Mittelstadt, A. Nylander, Okposo, Pominville and Girgensons.

D core: Leafs right this second, likely Buffalo future.

Rielly is the best on either team until Dahlin pops, and he is better than Risto, his counterpart in Buff.

Dermott, Gardiner, Zaitsev, Hainsey and Carrick is better than Guhle, Falk, Bogosian, Beaulieu and Scandella.

Neither is exactly a sterling set up, and Dahlin can and likely will tilt the scales...but again what if the Leafs bring in another capable RHD?

Goalkeeping: Leafs

Andersen is much better than Lehner and Sparks is the best G prospect on either team.

Prospects: Buffalo

They're a worse team so of course they have better players in the minors.

Guhle, Dahlin, Mittelstadt and Nylander >Liljegren, Bracco, Johnsson and 2018 25th overall.

Coaching: Leafs AINEC

Management: Leafs

Resources: Leafs

Market Appeal: Leafs

Current Cap Structure: Leafs AINEC. Buffalo has a few bad contracts, Bogosian and Okposo immediately spring to mind, the Leafs have Zaitsev which isn't really crippling and he could easily bounce back...the Leafs are actually in a position to take a bad contract back to farm additional assets. Were I Kyle Dubas I would be on the phone with Minny offering a futures package to take Ennis and one of Coyle or Brodin so they can more easily sign Dumba and Zucker.

Buffalo has some nice young pieces, very nice young pieces actually, but let's see them make some noise before we say they're better than a similarly aged 105 point team.
 
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Halla

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He does still have time but it needs to start clicking by the end of the decade...aka this season or next...or I worry he’ll forever be one those “all tools, no toolbox” types like Phaneuf.

Fortunately for Buffalo I’m very high on Dahlin & Guhle, and so expect having one them to do the thinking for him will be a major boon to his development

getting him away from the other teams top players might help as well. Dahlin could step in as the best dman right away so other teams might target him. good for risto
 

Team Cozens

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Oct 24, 2013
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Let's see...

Forward core: Leafs.

Even if you think Eichel is better than Matthews (it's very close), Marner, Nylander, Kadri, Brown, Marleau, Kapanen and Johnsson >>> Reinhart, ROR, Mittelstadt, A. Nylander, Okposo, Pominville and Girgensons.

D core: Leafs right this second, likely Buffalo future.

Rielly is the best on either team until Dahlin pops, and he is better than Risto, his counterpart in Buff.

Dermott, Gardiner, Zaitsev, Hainsey and Carrick is better than Guhle, Falk, Bogosian, Beaulieu and Scandella.

Neither is exactly a sterling set up, and Dahlin can and likely will tilt the scales...but again what if the Leafs bring in another capable RHD?

Goalkeeping: Leafs

Andersen is much better than Lehner and Sparks is the best G prospect on either team.

Prospects: Buffalo

They're a worse team so of course they have better players in the minors.

Guhle, Dahlin, Mittelstadt and Nylander >Liljegren, Bracco, Johnsson and 2018 25th overall.

Coaching: Leafs AINEC

Management: Leafs

Resources: Leafs

Market Appeal: Leafs

Current Cap Structure: Leafs AINEC. Buffalo has a few bad contracts, Bogosian and Okposo immediately spring to mind, the Leafs have Zaitsev which isn't really crippling and he could easily bounce back...the Leafs are actually in a position to take a bad contract back to farm additional assets. We're I Kyle Dubas I would be on the phone with Minny offering a futures package to take Ennis and one of Coyle or Brodin so they can more easily sign Dumba and Zucker.

Buffalo has some nice young pieces, very nice young pieces actually, but let's see them make some noise before we say they're better than a similarly aged 105 point team.

I agree with most of your points but you did miss 3 of the Sabres top prospects after Dahlin and Mittelstadt. All from Sweden.

Olofsson- Top goal scorer in the SHL
Pilut - Defensive player of the year in SHL
Asplund - Almost a lock 3c prospect

Keep in mind Leafs are most likely losing their top goal scorer in JVR, Bozak and Leo.
Leafs need to sign JT to balance that back out. It’s going to be a very interesting 2018/19 season and Sabres have the potential to sneak up on lots of teams if they get goaltending.
 

Voodoo Child

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Jun 16, 2009
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I agree with most of your points but you did miss 3 of the Sabres top prospects after Dahlin and Mittelstadt. All from Sweden.

Olofsson- Top goal scorer in the SHL
Pilut - Defensive player of the year in SHL
Asplund - Almost a lock 3c prospect

Keep in mind Leafs are most likely losing their top goal scorer in JVR, Bozak and Leo.
Leafs need to sign JT to balance that back out. It’s going to be a very interesting 2018/19 season and Sabres have the potential to sneak up on lots of teams if they get goaltending.

I hear you, but Komarov - who at the beginning of the year I wanted to keep - has become almost 100% non-essential to the team, he's slowed down dramatically and could miss an open soccer net, Johnsson was taking his minutes in the playoffs. Either he signs a 1 year deal as a show me to another team or he goes back to the KHL.

Bozak I can see them offering him maybe 3 years at 3 a year. I don't necessarily see him taking it (he has a 3 year old kid), but then there's Willy, who I think is ready to be a full time C, albeit a sheltered one this year, which we can do, can easily run a Brown Nylander Johnsson/Kapanen 3rd line.

No one is saying JvR will be easy to replace, but he's going to command probably at least 6.5 and we can't afford that with the kids to sign. Even with him gone, we still have Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Marleau, Hyman, Kadri and Brown as established forwards and intriguing incoming depth in the form of Kapanen and Johnsson, still plenty of offense. Do I think Kapanen or Johnsson can pot 36 goals next year? I don't, but I think between them they can, and they also PK and play defensively sound hockey, which JvR, while he scores a lot, does not do.

You guys are in the final stage of assembling your core. Ours has been assembled and allowed to congeal for a few years, we just need a piece or two to push us into the realm of the contenders.

It's basically Matthews Marner Nylander Kadri Rielly (RHD) Andersen vs. Eichel Reinhart Mittelstadt ROR Risto Dahlin (goalie).
 
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Chainshot

Give 'em Enough Rope
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Feb 28, 2002
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Doesn't Buff have to actually win a bit before anyone can seriously vote for them? This poll is absurd.

At some level even -- the Leafs are better in the NHL and of course the Marlies are crushing the AHL yet again. I'm not sure how this is even a poll.
 
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Snippit

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Dec 5, 2012
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Doesn't Buff have to actually win a bit before anyone can seriously vote for them? This poll is absurd.

If you made this poll on the Sabres board, the Leafs would probably be winning by a way greater margin.
 

nobody

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Aug 8, 2017
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I agree with most of your points but you did miss 3 of the Sabres top prospects after Dahlin and Mittelstadt. All from Sweden.

Olofsson- Top goal scorer in the SHL
Pilut - Defensive player of the year in SHL
Asplund - Almost a lock 3c prospect

Keep in mind Leafs are most likely losing their top goal scorer in JVR, Bozak and Leo.
Leafs need to sign JT to balance that back out. It’s going to be a very interesting 2018/19 season and Sabres have the potential to sneak up on lots of teams if they get goaltending.

I have been waiting for 3 years for this off-season. Don't jinx it. The only one of the three I'll actually miss is Uncle Leo. Good guy Uncle Leo.
 
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nobody

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Aug 8, 2017
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Pretty sure I’d even take the Marlies over Buffalo at this point.
Not to sound like a dick and I'm hoping I don't jinx the Marlies but honestly as of this very moment if the Marlies played a best of 7 series against the Sabres w/ Dahlin, they'd spank em. Marlies are a juggernaut team. Andreas Johnsson would probably be pencilled in as a #1 LW for the Sabres right now. I'm praying Babs doesn't waste him on the 4th line next year. Won't hold my breath though. Maybe having him on the 4th line will be a blessing when Marner/ Willie inevitably end up down there for a solid stretch of the season

All the Sabres fans clamouring on about Babs and Leafs coaching, this guy makes us pull out f***ing hairs out with his stupid personnel/ lineup decisions. And we've been through even more worse times and coaching than the Sabres recently have.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

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Jun 17, 2010
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Not to sound like a dick and I'm hoping I don't jinx the Marlies but honestly as of this very moment if the Marlies played a best of 7 series against the Sabres w/ Dahlin, they'd spank em. Marlies are a juggernaut team. Andreas Johnsson would probably be pencilled in as a #1 LW for the Sabres right now. I'm praying Babs doesn't waste him on the 4th line next year. Won't hold my breath though. Maybe having him on the 4th line will be a blessing when Marner/ Willie inevitably end up down there for a solid stretch of the season

All the Sabres fans clamouring on about Babs and Leafs coaching, this guy makes us pull out ****ing hairs out with his stupid personnel/ lineup decisions. And we've been through even more worse times and coaching than the Sabres recently have.

Babcock does do things that annoy me, but he'd a better coach than Buffalo has EVER had
 

nobody

Registered User
Aug 8, 2017
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So you hate 36 goal scorers
No, but JVR and Bozo together were a defensive black hole and Babs refused to break them up so gooodbye. I will miss those soft hands around the net and the 36 goals tho. Good luck to them where ever they land.
 

lifeisruff

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Oct 29, 2009
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I hate to admit this but Toronto has an AHL dynasty right now, and Buffalo is trying (as of this year) and failing to replicate. That's going to be tough for Buffalo to overcome.
 
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haulinbass

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Mar 6, 2014
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I hate to admit this but Toronto has an AHL dynasty right now, and Buffalo is trying (as of this year) and failing to replicate. That's going to be tough for Buffalo to overcome.

Griffins have won 2 Calders in the past 5 years. Hasn't exactly put the Red Wings over the top.
 
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