Hi everyone, new guy checking in. I am a long time Sabres fan but until recently I have been pretty out of touch with whats been going on within the Sabres organization due to traveling/moving with the military and dealing with server health issues with my children. However, I am now out of the military, the kids are all healthy, and I am living back in NY (Rochester), I figured it's time to get back into watching some hockey.
Glad that all is well with your children, though you may want to reconsider leaving the military for the living hell that is being a Buffalo sports fan
1.) What is the general feelings of Sabre fans toward the front office and coaching staff. Doing good? They suck? Time to clean house? Whats going on there?
Keep in mind that our GM Tim Murray was hired in December/January of last season, so he's only been on the job for a year and some change. He was left by previous GM Darcy Regier with a terrible NHL team but a great situation to build from. He walked into a situation where the team had several highly-touted prospects/young players, a great depth of viable potential NHLers in the prospect pool, and a ton of extra draft picks either already accumulated or ready to be accumulated by selling expiring players at last year and this year's trade deadlines. So it's hard to judge how he's done. He hasn't had time to show what he's made of. He's playing with house money so far. What he has shown is that he puts his balls on the table. He's not afraid to give up a lot in trades to get what he wants, which is a bit of the reverse of how Darcy was. There are positives and negatives to both approaches but I would say Murray's approach is probably needed to properly build a team, so long as that approach is used carefully and not with every single trade. What almost everyone agrees on is that Murray is a great interview. He carries himself with some swagger and bluntness. It's a breath of fresh air.
Most aren't all too hot on Ted Nolan. He's a good guy who keeps the players motivated and on track, but few are optimistic about his ability to coach an effective strategy that gets after the play rather than hangs on by a thread. From the outside it looks like he and Murray don't have the best working relationship. It seems quite likely Nolan is a stopgap coach for us.
2.) I'm fully aware this team has not been very good these past few years, how is the future outlook? Bright? Dark? We'll see? I know the Sabres are in tank mode right now to land either McDavid or Eichel in the draft and McDavid is the projected to go first, but how much better is he projected to be than Eichel? Are we going to be just fine with Jack if we don't win the lottery? Also, correct me if I'm wrong but if the Sabres finish in last place we still get at least the second pick if we don't win the lottery right?
The outlook is very bright, but it's too early to say how bright. Getting McDavid makes it much easier to say "we look like a future long-time contender". Getting Eichel does that as well. But we have a bright future without either of those guys. I'll try and breakdown the big picture below.
3.) Final question. Of the players currently on the roster or prospects, which are going to be the biggest factors in this teams success. I saw we got E. Kane along with Bogo this season. Aren't there a few young d-men and forwards on this team that look fairly promising in the years to come? Finally, what is the goalie situation looking like. After Miller and Enroth were both traded I have no clue who these new guys are.
Forwards: Sam Reinhart (prospect), Zemgus Girgensons, Evander Kane
Defensemen: Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian
+ whomever we draft with our first pick. To me those guys are the clear core components, but that's with a strict definition. There are many more guys who have a future with us and
could become part of the real core group, then there are a group of guys who have a solid shot at being NHLers, whether that means with us or with someone else. Off the top of my head I'll try and just list everyone worth mentioning in the organization:
Sam Reinhart (C): To me he's a guaranteed good 2nd liner, but with the possibility of being a franchise center. Somewhat average in size and skating, has elite hockey IQ, great stickwork, a great passer who puts the puck in great spots almost immediately after having it on his stick. He's a guy who makes everyone better, like a pure PG in basketball. A couple of current NHLers he most reminds me of are Henrik Sedin and Patrice Bergeron.
Zemgus Girgensons (LW/C): Fan favorite from day 1. He was voted into the All-Star game this year because Sabres and Latvian fans went nuts and voted for him 10 times a day. He's a high-motor guy who plays balls out. He plays a power two-way game. Great on the forecheck, good but not fantastic offensive skills, should be a very strong defensive player in time. He played mostly wing his rookie season (last year) but has been at center this season. Most believe he will be a winger so that he can stay in the top 6 should we have guys like McDavid/Eichel and Reinhart holding down the top 2 center spots. To me he's equally good at either position.
Evander Kane (LW): Fantastic talent. Elite skater with a good shot. Among the best puck retrievers in the game. Plays 100% and highly physical. There are questions about how strong his hockey sense is, that he shoots too much rather than making a smarter play with the puck, etc, but even if those areas don't improve he's one of the best wingers we've had in a long time. This team desperately needs players who can help with puck possession.
Tyler Ennis (RW/LW/C): He's played at center but I think those days are finally over. He is much better as a winger. He's really breaking out this season as a much better all-around player than he had been in the past, one who plays much more effectively offensively. There's debate about whether he necessarily fits long-term but no one questions he's one of the best players on the team right now and that unless and until a trade that makes sense comes along, he'll be a good player for us.
Matt Moulson (LW): Very good goal-scorer in the slot and in front of the net. He's pretty average at best at everything else (skating, most obviously). After putting up 30 goal seasons playing with Tavares his production obviously dropped a lot playing here without legit NHL centers. Once the team is respectable he will provide valuable scoring. Put him on a line with two more adept two-way players to mask his short-comings.
Marcus Foligno (LW): Still something of an enigma as to what level of player he is. When he's on his game he looks like he could deserve playing higher in the line-up, but sometimes he looks like nothing but a 4th liner. Tim Murray and Ted Nolan are both very high on him. There's definitely a place on the team for him, but I wouldn't count on him for much offense unless and until he puts it together. I see him as a viable third liner going forward.
Nicolas Deslauriers (LW): Before last season he was a defenseman with the Kings' AHL team. They converted him to forward where he got off to a hot start scoring goals down there. We traded for him at the deadline last season and he's been with the big club ever since. He is a very aggressive hitter, big body, and is a hell of a fighter. There's some offensive talent there as well but right now I'd project him comfortably as a 4th liner.
Johan Larsson (LW/C): A prospect we got in the Pominville trade. He's had stints with the team where he looked good but didn't generate offense. This latest stint he started out on the 4th line... then the 3rd... then the 2nd... now he's on the 1st. He's looking very confident out there and is finally getting some results on the scoresheet. His game is as a tenacious forechecker and two-way player with the skill to be an offensive player. I'd pencil him in as our 3rd line center going forward.
I'm going to cut this short right now but in a bit I'll continue listing players if you're interested. You might notice a theme with the forwards so far. One of the main models Murray wants to build the team around is the LA Kings. The Kings are loaded with big forwards (especially at wing) who are tough on the puck, tough to play against; strong forecheckers who are defensively responsible but have offensive talent. Not every player is in that vein but it is very much how the bulk of the team is being built, which you'll see with the prospect pool even moreso.
