Buffalo Sabres 2019-2020 Training Camp Thread

[BuzzKillington90]

You're thinking of Antipin, not Pilut.

Ah my mistake then!

 

[BuzzKillington90]

Plus you have to figure the impending Ristolainen trade will bring back one Hunwickian cap dump that Botterill will feel compelled to keep on the roster because he could fetch a 6th round pick at the deadline. Casey Nelson might return a 5th so he's got to stay too. Can't risk losing valuable assets on waivers. So Borgen gets sent down where he sulks, becomes depressed, and loses his love for the game. Before you know it he's delivering meals from the finest restaurants in Buffalo for Uber Eats. Alternatively he hires a couple leg breakers to clear a roster spot for him.

We haven't had anyone Tonya Harding someone in a while....it could happen!

 

[joshjull]

 

[OkimLom]

I’m not sure why posters bring things like this up and think it matters. Pilut was never competing with Mitts or Tage for a spot on the roster.

Its like when posters who were mad because they felt Nylander had a better camp than Mitts. Even if that was true (I don’t think it was) Nylander was never battling Mitts for a center spot. So who cares.

Hell, quite a few posters were okay with putting Pilut in Rochester, as they expected Bogo and other injuries to occur which would open up a roster spot, not to mention the thought of him getting some time getting used to the North America game/ice . I don't remember anybody getting upset he was starting in Rochester.

I've posted in another thread about the Nylander/Mitts/Tage issue. It's not a matter of thinking it was about the same spot, but it was about guys that have earned a spot. Mittelstadt's and Tage's camps were horrible, while Nylander made more plays consistently, and was more effective. Nylander, of the 3, I felt "earned" a spot more than what Mittelstadt or Tage did based on their camp. IMO, Mittelstadt should've been sent down to Rochester. I felt he was a long ways away from being an effective NHL player while Nylander was a lot closer. The same reasoning for "why" Tage and Casey were playing on the roster, could've been said for Nylander as well. To me, it felt more political more than for development purposes. There was nothing about Casey playing center during camp, that showed he was ready for the NHL especially for a center spot, but Botterill felt he needed to get him to the NHL as soon as he could.

If we're discussing about "spots" I felt Nylander outperformed Thompson for a spot.

 

[Dingo44]

Hell, quite a few posters were okay with putting Pilut in Rochester, as they expected Bogo and other injuries to occur which would open up a roster spot, not to mention the thought of him getting some time getting used to the North America game/ice . I don't remember anybody getting upset he was starting in Rochester.

I've posted in another thread about the Nylander/Mitts/Tage issue. It's not a matter of thinking it was about the same spot, but it was about guys that have earned a spot. Mittelstadt's and Tage's camps were horrible, while Nylander made more plays consistently, and was more effective. Nylander, of the 3, I felt "earned" a spot more than what Mittelstadt or Tage did based on their camp. IMO, Mittelstadt should've been sent down to Rochester. I felt he was a long ways away from being an effective NHL player while Nylander was a lot closer. The same reasoning for "why" Tage and Casey were playing on the roster, could've been said for Nylander as well. To me, it felt more political more than for development purposes. There was nothing about Casey playing center during camp, that showed he was ready for the NHL especially for a center spot, but Botterill felt he needed to get him to the NHL as soon as he could.

If we're discussing about "spots" I felt Nylander outperformed Thompson for a spot.

Who thought Tage had a "horrible" camp last year? I remember the opposite.

 

[Beerz]

Who thought Tage had a "horrible" camp last year? I remember the opposite.

He did have a horrible camp. He was impressive in the Prospects Tourney...that's about it

 

[joshjull]

Hell, quite a few posters were okay with putting Pilut in Rochester, as they expected Bogo and other injuries to occur which would open up a roster spot, not to mention the thought of him getting some time getting used to the North America game/ice . I don't remember anybody getting upset he was starting in Rochester.

I've posted in another thread about the Nylander/Mitts/Tage issue. It's not a matter of thinking it was about the same spot, but it was about guys that have earned a spot. Mittelstadt's and Tage's camps were horrible, while Nylander made more plays consistently, and was more effective. Nylander, of the 3, I felt "earned" a spot more than what Mittelstadt or Tage did based on their camp. IMO, Mittelstadt should've been sent down to Rochester. I felt he was a long ways away from being an effective NHL player while Nylander was a lot closer. The same reasoning for "why" Tage and Casey were playing on the roster, could've been said for Nylander as well. To me, it felt more political more than for development purposes. There was nothing about Casey playing center during camp, that showed he was ready for the NHL especially for a center spot, but Botterill felt he needed to get him to the NHL as soon as he could.

If we're discussing about "spots" I felt Nylander outperformed Thompson for a spot.

Mitts made a push last camp as did Tage. Nylander made a push as well. Could have gone either way with Tage and Nylander on who made the team based on camp/preseason. So I can see posters thinking Nylander should have made it over Tage even if I disagree.

But this fairytale where Mitt and Tage were terrible and didn’t do a thing to deserve or earn being here. That has always been utter nonsense it’s quite tiresome to see it brought up again.

 

[Dingo44]

He did have a horrible camp. He was impressive in the Prospects Tourney...that's about it

You know I'm going to go back and read the posts from last year. This is easily proven or disproven. And one or two posters (especially the usual suspects) aren't going to be proof enough. There needs to be a consensus.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Who thought Tage had a "horrible" camp last year? I remember the opposite.

If our post history went back far enough you would find I did. Maybe not horrible but I felt he wasnt deserving of a spot.

I was pretty spot on with my judgments last year in camp, I called Housley being a terrible coach and Botterill playing favorites.

Wasnt very hard to see except for the naive posters who get caught up playing favorites rather than seeing the whole picture.

 

[jc17]

You know I'm going to go back and read the posts from last year. This is easily proven or disproven. And one or two posters (especially the usual suspects) aren't going to be proof enough. There needs to be a consensus.

Amateur.

You're supposed to read it first, then post about it only if it confirms your point.

 

[Aladyyn]

Who thought Tage had a "horrible" camp last year? I remember the opposite.

Tage had a good camp. Started off great, then tailed off by the end but it was overall good. If it was about taking the best 23 players he probably would have fit on the roster out of camp.

 

[jc17]

Quotes in support of Thompson. Not using usernames because i'm not trying to start wars and dont want this to turn into a thing where a person's opinion is discounted based on takes they had in the past. Also tried to use quotes from various posters so its not like one person who kept repeating their support of Tage made all this:

"The idea of Nylander and Tage not making the team bothers me because they have completely stood out this camp/preseason and if accountability is a thing than they earned a spot on the varsity. I know about the waiver bull**** but it still irks me."

"Tage is just a beast and has earned a spot."

think he, Thompson, Asplund, and Nylander (edit: also Dahlin, duh) have earned looks extending into the regular season. I'm excited to see Tage with Eichel tonight.

If Sheary isnt ready, Tage gets that spot. He and Nylander are really battling, it’s very impressive

Tage has looked very good, think he could put up 40-50 points given similar minutes. Nylander might make this team, Rodrigues, etc.

I'm REALLY hoping we see a rookie line of Nylander-Mittelstadt-Thompson

The only two players who have popped for me are Thompson and Nylander, who coincidentally have the most external motivation

I'm not really too worried about losing Bailey or Baptiste or Larsson. No way any of that garbage should start over Thompson/Nylander, even if it means they get waived.

I'll stop there. Obviously it wasnt all positive but much better outlook than now. Those are all quotes from the training camp thread, and roster speculation (training camp thread)

 

[sufferer]

It was Casey who looked lackluster from the prospect games onwards last year whereas both Tage and Alex made strong cases to make the team.

 

[Dingo44]

Quotes in support of Thompson. Not using usernames because i'm not trying to start wars and dont want this to turn into a thing where a person's opinion is discounted based on takes they had in the past. Also tried to use quotes from various posters so its not like one person who kept repeating their support of Tage made all this:



I'll stop there. Obviously it wasnt all positive but much better outlook than now. Those are all quotes from the training camp thread, and roster speculation (training camp thread)

Thanks. I went through all 27 pages of last year's training camp thread and also the Tage thread around the time of training camp and found the same thing - no real negatives about Tage's camp and a few positives. @Beerz can say the opposite, but there is no proof from any articles or from any posters here (even if they remember otherwise) about someone really saying Tage had a "horrible" 2018 training camp.

 

[Beerz]

Thanks. I went through all 27 pages of last year's training camp thread and also the Tage thread around the time of training camp and found the same thing - no real negatives about Tage's camp and a few positives. @Beerz can say the opposite, but there is no proof from any articles or from any posters here (even if they remember otherwise) about someone really saying Tage had a "horrible" 2018 training camp.

To be clear...that was my take on Tage ... i don't claim to know what everyone felt about him.

 

[Zman5778]

It was Casey who looked lackluster from the prospect games onwards last year whereas both Tage and Alex made strong cases to make the team.

If I recall -- maybe I'm wrong: Tage and Alex started out like gangbusters and then faded slightly as the preseason wore on. Casey started slow, but started building and then ended preseason on a high note. I think.

 

[OkimLom]

Who thought Tage had a "horrible" camp last year? I remember the opposite.

Well for one, I did.

He had a few nice poke check plays and showcased his stickhandling, but I didn't see enough from a guy who was playing in his 2nd Training Camp. I expected a lot more rounded game, especially coming from an organization like St Louis that has a better track record of developing guys. I'm looking for more in a prospect, especially one of the higher skilled variety, than just showing what kind of hands a guy has. I saw slow decision making, when his poke check missed he was often left behind in the play, and his support on the play was not as good as it should've been.

I'm okay with people disagreeing with me, but the issues we saw Tage have in the earliest part of the season, before he was sat, these issues were there during camp, and once he got comfortable after the initial dressing, he fell down again in his old habits.

 

[OkimLom]

You know I'm going to go back and read the posts from last year. This is easily proven or disproven. And one or two posters (especially the usual suspects) aren't going to be proof enough. There needs to be a consensus.

This is not a good basis of judgement; see: Phil Housley being a good hire.

 

[Dingo44]

Well for one, I did.

He had a few nice poke check plays and showcased his stickhandling, but I didn't see enough from a guy who was playing in his 2nd Training Camp. I expected a lot more rounded game, especially coming from an organization like St Louis that has a better track record of developing guys. I'm looking for more in a prospect, especially one of the higher skilled variety, than just showing what kind of hands a guy has. I saw slow decision making, when his poke check missed he was often left behind in the play, and his support on the play was not as good as it should've been.

I'm okay with people disagreeing with me, but the issues we saw Tage have in the earliest part of the season, before he was sat, these issues were there during camp, and once he got comfortable after the initial dressing, he fell down again in his old habits.

It's not like you to not have mentioned it at the time but I suppose you kept that to yourself and are just sharing now. Not sure why everyone kept all these thoughts and feelings so quiet - maybe they were shy?

 

[Dingo44]

To be clear...that was my take on Tage ... i don't claim to know what everyone felt about him.

Well, I for one knew at the time the Blues were going to win the Stanley Cup and that the Popeye's Chicken Sandwich vs Chik Fil A Chicken Sandwich was going to be a thing the following summer but I also kept that quiet.

Anyone else want to know other thoughts I remember having last year that I never shared but happen to be true now?

 

[tsujimoto74]

It was Casey who looked lackluster from the prospect games onwards last year whereas both Tage and Alex made strong cases to make the team.

Yup. Unfortunately for us, there was 0 competition at C, so Mittelstadt was gonna be up whether he was ready or not. Thompson v. Nylander was a coin flip based on preseason activities. The team's mistake there wasn't starting Tage in Buffalo; it was keeping him up so long after it became apparent he wasn't ready to play real regular season games.

 

[Aladyyn]

Yup. Unfortunately for us, there was 0 competition at C, so Mittelstadt was gonna be up whether he was ready or not. Thompson v. Nylander was a coin flip based on preseason activities. The team's mistake there wasn't starting Tage in Buffalo; it was keeping him up so long after it became apparent he wasn't ready to play real regular season games.

That was by choice, not by necessity.

 

[Beerz]

Well, I for one knew at the time the Blues were going to win the Stanley Cup and that the Popeye's Chicken Sandwich vs Chik Fil A Chicken Sandwich was going to be a thing the following summer but I also kept that quiet.



Anyone else want to know other thoughts I remember having last year that I never shared but happen to be true now?

Wait...what? ... Because someone didnt post something at the time it invalidates that belief today? ... weird

 

[OkimLom]

It's not like you to not have mentioned it at the time but I suppose you kept that to yourself and are just sharing now. Not sure why everyone kept all these thoughts and feelings so quiet - maybe they were shy?

I wasn't posting much then.

I think part of the problem on my end, is really expanding my standards/expectations on guys on what I want to see out of them. My standard of horrible is not the same for all the guys, it is based on each guy. If I provided that for each guy, I'd be writing a wall of text that takes away from the post. I believe I had Nylander with Tage with the wingers based on who I thought were ready and order of callups, with the idea that they were in the AHL to start the year. If Nylander began the season on a solid pace, after the camp he had, I would've expected him to pass Tage pretty easily. I think I also had Asplund way ahead of Mittelstadt on center positions based on what they looked like in camp and how NHL ready they looked to me.

 

[Dingo44]

Wait...what? ... Because someone didnt post something at the time it invalidates that belief today? ... weird

Well, it's just common here and elsewhere for people to claim they had views about someone or something back at a time that ran contrary to pretty much every other view at the time, and with nothing to back it up.

Not saying you weren't one of the few who felt Tage had a "horrible camp" last year, but you would have been an outlier, based on what we can read from what were the views from everyone else at the time. It's just easy to say a year later "oh I thought this back then".