Is Buffalo's Roster Better Than Montreal ?

[Gjman2019]

Busy offseason for the Sabres ...Lots of changes...

Montreal stronger in net but what about the rest ? You guys think Buffalo passed them on paper and in that division?

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[TOGuy14]

I think Montreal way overachieved last year and Buffalo underachieved, so yes I think Buffalo has a better roster.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I don't really see an argument for it honestly

 

[Tage2Tuch]

It depends on if jokiharju plays and the wildcArds olofsson and pilut, due to the sabres concerns with depth up front.

Habs have intriguing prospects for sure too.

I’d say buffalo has a better roster but Montreal plays a better team game.

But regarding oloffson and pilut I could see Them Being a surprise to almost everyone but sabres fans and if they do that whilst Casey Mittlestadt and Ullmark with a years experience improve under new coaching to boot, it’s possible. Any new coach would be better then housley, we said that about bylsma but at least he tried to coach. Housley did nothing at all so even if Ralph is mediocre he’s better and he’s walking into a better situation with Eichel And Dahlin a year older (closer to prime level) whilst Montreal’s two guys (price Weber) Are a year older in the wrong way and Injury prone.


Also Johansson was a big grab, Colin Miller and jimmy vesey are decent but not exactly big grabs. Bruins and caps fans loved MJ though and his work ethic shuld help, Reinhart and hutton are in contract years, Montour will be getting a full training camp with the team and we may even see ukko pekka Luukonen in net.

There is an argument but the habs are well coached and have great chemistry, fast team that works well together.


I honestly wouldn’t be surprised If these two teams give Florida and dare I even say Toronto a run at third or fourth. Laugh all you want but there are surprises every year and I want to see Florida improve before they actually improve, if that makes sense.

 

[Just Linda]

I'd take Habs forwards, D, goal, coaching, and prospect pool over Buffalo's current. Long term, Buffalo have better D but there's not one part of the team (other than LD) that they are better

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Buffalo has the 2 most valuable commodities and hardest things to find, franchise center and D in Eichel and Dahlin.

But MTL has been depth and more of a winning culture.

Wouldn’t be shocked if either finished ahead of other in standings but would put more weight in MTL doing so.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Buffalo has the 2 most valuable commodities and hardest things to find, franchise center and D in Eichel and Dahlin.

But MTL has been depth and more of a winning culture.

Wouldn’t be shocked if either finished ahead of other in standings but would put more weight in MTL doing so.

Basically what I was trying to say, the two biggest two guys on the habs are are a tad more injury prone and older in the wrong direction, but Montreal is Well coached, they fit today’s game and just for some reason “work” maybe it’s that’s winning culture or just a right fit of guys. Like Vegas had a right fit of guys that’s how I sAw Montreal last year to a lesser extent.

 

[LeafChief]

On paper, maybe.

Montreal is well coached and they have a franchise goaltender. Buffalo has proven to be a constant disappointment.

I'd say Montreal.

 

[MackAttack26]

Goalie is Montreal easily.

Defense I'd rather Buffalo by a fair bit.

Offense Buffalo has the better top end but Montreal has much better secondary scoring.

I'd give the edge to Montreal for now seeing as how well they played a team game last year.

Until Buffalo can mesh together to find wins (which could happen as soon as this year under Krueger), I'd bet on Montreal.

 

[izzy]

i think on paper buffalo is a decent bit better than montreal but they just have a losing culture, worse coaching and no goaltending

 

[Zeke and luther]

Definitely not. Buffalo only has high end talent on Montreal. Goaltending, defence and depth all go to the habs.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Depends how the secondary scoring shapes up for the Sabres. If guys like Johansson, Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Vesey, Thompson etc. bring overall positive impact then i don’t see any argument for the Habs having the better team, at least if goalies aren’t factored in.

And they certainly are capable. Just a matter of the young guys taking a step and the vets proving their worth.

 

[Gjman2019]

Gotta think the Panthers, Leafs, Bruins and Lightning take the first 4 spots unless one of them gets hammered with injuries.....

I think the Sabres are better on paper but will they be tougher to play against as the season goes on ?

Very very ugly finish for them....We'll see if Krueger can turn this around

 

[Bouboumaster]

I love what Buffalo is becoming, but I can't vote against the Habs.

 

[3074326]

I think Buffalo has a higher ceiling (not necessarily this season), but Montreal is better right now. Montreal only missed the playoffs last year because the east was insane.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Nope. Eichel is better than any of Montreal's forwards and Skinner might be also but their depth is pretty ass, a lot of young guys on defense and their goaltending is atrocious, while Montreal has real good veterans on D and an elite goalie.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I think Montreal will be Montreal, but Buffalo will be like Florida this past season. Should have done better, but mostly goaltending and a little bit of fault on the D cost them.

For Montreal they need the team to mesh together fairly well again. Even if it does, the East is looking like you might need 100 points to make it because it's going to be tight.

If Montreal does worse than Buffalo, hopefully it's a lot worse as this is the season you'll want any top 5 pick. Possible any top 10 pick.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

In my opinion, Montreal is a play-offs/near play-offs team, Buffalo is a bottom feeder team (yet again).
Montreal's roster is better, has more depth and a prospect pool light years ahead of Buffalo's counterpart.

 

[PeteWorrell]

Buffalo has better top talent like Eichel but there are too many passengers on that team.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Every year for the past several, I look at the Habs roster and think "they gonna suck" and every year I'm wrong.

I'm going to assume they are playoff contenders, maybe they miss but I won't underestimate them anymore.

Buffalo on the other hand is kind of the opposite. They should be really good but they aren't. But things change and maybe They'll be better than Montreal.

 

[Aladyyn]

I like our best 20 better than Montreal's but I think the Canadiens will field the better team on most nights if that makes sense.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

In my opinion, Montreal is a play-offs/near play-offs team, Buffalo is a bottom feeder team (yet again).
Montreal's roster is better, has more depth and a prospect pool light years ahead of Buffalo's counterpart.

Montreal’s prospect pool is “light years” ahead hey, buffalo has a top ten 25 and under team including talent on the team and prospects league wide.

So that automatically disqualifies any team let alone the habs being light Years ahead as far as prospects. Could it be leafs fan that are letting you dislike of buffalo and ignorance on their Young players/prospects getting in the way of fair judgment?

There’s nothing wrong with thinking buffalo will be a bottom feeder again (doubt it but nothing wrong with that) it that they are worse then Montreal (it’s a toss up) but you won’t find ten teams with better talent 25 and under then Buffalo.


Dahlin
Eichel
Ristolainen
Montour
Olofsson
Pilut
Ukko pekka Luukonen
Mittlestadt
Reinhart
Jokiharju
Cozens
Johnson
Samuelsson
Asplund
Pekar
Borgen
Ullmark
Thompson


I could be forgetting some but that’s a pretty disgusting under 25 crop. So I get Montreal’s prospects, really I do they went from being in bad shape to pretty good shape that way in the last couple years but again whilst 25 and under isn’t prospects it’s still a group of players in which you establish core based on potential. And buffalo if established right is clearly a hot bed of just that.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Buffalo’s culture is doodoo, my habs have no hands whatsoever but they seem to always play hard for eachother and with Carey in net anything is possible. Buffalo still a bottom team in my mind until they can prove otherwise for at least just one season. Sabres were god awful last year

 

[aufheben]

Every year for the past several, I look at the Habs roster and think "they gonna suck" and every year I'm wrong.

I'm going to assume they are playoff contenders, maybe they miss but I won't underestimate them anymore.

Buffalo on the other hand is kind of the opposite. They should be really good but they aren't. But things change and maybe They'll be better than Montreal.

Yeah I was just coming in to say it seems like Montreal usually finds a way to be decent even if the roster doesn't look like much. That jersey comes with big expectations. Buffalo's free-fall last season is a red flag too; stuff was pretty wild. But, Montreal's roster looks stronger to me anyway.

 

[Just Linda]

Montreal’s prospect pool is “light years” ahead hey, buffalo has a top ten 25 and under team including talent on the team and prospects league wide.

So that automatically disqualifies any team let alone the habs being light Years ahead as far as prospects. Could it be leafs fan that are letting you dislike of buffalo and ignorance on their Young players/prospects getting in the way of fair judgment?

There’s nothing wrong with thinking buffalo will be a bottom feeder again (doubt it but nothing wrong with that) it that they are worse then Montreal (it’s a toss up) but you won’t find ten teams with better talent 25 and under then Buffalo.


Dahlin
Eichel
Ristolainen
Montour
Olofsson
Pilut
Ukko pekka Luukonen
Mittlestadt
Reinhart
Jokiharju
Cozens
Johnson
Samuelsson
Asplund
Pekar
Borgen
Ullmark
Thompson


I could be forgetting some but that’s a pretty disgusting under 25 crop. So I get Montreal’s prospects, really I do they went from being in bad shape to pretty good shape that way in the last couple years but again whilst 25 and under isn’t prospects it’s still a group of players in which you establish core based on potential. And buffalo if established right is clearly a hot bed of just that.

Challenge accepted.
Toronto (Matthews, Marner)
Calgary
Vancouver
NJ
NYR
Florida
Edmonton (McDavid, Drain, Nurse)
Carolina
Colorado
Boston
And with Kucherov barely missing the cutoff, Tampa is still close (Point, Vasi)