Is Buffalo's Roster Better Than Montreal ?

[Tak7]

Buffalo has the better core, but Montreal has the better roster.

In 2 years time, Buffalo will have just SEVEN guys signed. They are far from a complete roster, so this is a pretty simple question to answer.

 

[Matt Ress]

Lightly disagree. Sabres definitely have the better high end assets (Eichel/Dahlin) but passed that they are a bit light.

Skinner and Okposo contracts are bad. Skinner is a good player, but 15m in those two is rough.

Romanov <<< Dahlin
Weber/Petry >> Ristolainen/Montour/Jokiharju
Caufield, Kotkaniemi, Suzuki >>>> Cozens, Mittlestadt

Montreal with good drafting in the 2nd (Poirier pls) likely end up adding similar value this draft despite Buffalo having a better pick (Lapierre + a good 2nd rd vs Perfetti/Sanderson/Holtz) --- Montreal also has some of the best wing depth in the NHL once they actually add top 6 wingers. Montreal just needs to bring back Thompson and hope Kotkaniemi can fill the 2C shoes, trade Domi + for a more effective winger, and add a top 6 guy (Dadonov?)

X/Suzuki/Dadonov
Tatar/Kotkaniemi/Gallagher
Drouin/Danault/Armia
Lehkonen/Thompson/Byron

Romanov/Weber
Chiarot/Petry
Edmundson/Fleury

Price
Allen

Prospects: Caufield, 15/47/48/56th overall picks, Poehling, Ylonen, Brook, Norlinder, Cayden Primeau.

vs

Olofsson/Eichel/Reinhart
Skinner/Staal/Kahun
X/Mittelstadt/Okposo
X/X/Thompson

Dahlin/Risto
McCabe/Jokiharju
Montour/Miller

Ullmark
Hutton

Prospects: Cozens, 8th/38th, Samuelsson, Johnson, Luukkonen.

I think Buffalo has the two best pieces between the two teams, but after that it is Montreal for awhile.

I mean, Reinhardt is pretty good and you can probably slide Cozens right into the top 9. No chance he's heading back to the W. Wouldn't be too much of a reach for him to become an impact player as soon as this season. Skinner is also a good player but yeah, paid too much. Staal will probably add some much needed scoring depth.

Are you saying that Montreal had a better 2020 draft, even though it doesn't start for another half hour?

 

[Bouboumaster]

Better high end pieces for Buffalo.

But Habs absolutly smoked them in depth, and we have Carey Price.

Montreal Canadiens is a team that is filled top to bottom with 2nd liners lol

 

[DaPhazz]

Even with top names, Sabres are a sad team to look at, shame on the management.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

At center yes because Eichel, overall no, not even remotely close

 

[Sugi21]

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?

Games aren’t played on paper and when was the last time Buffalo made the playoffs?

 

[CartographerNo611]

No, MTL has heart players on every line. Buffalo has Eichel who gives up after all star break because no one else cares. Ill take a MTL roster over Buffalos anyday.

 

[Demon Wolf]

Habs - ice cream with a few cherries.

Buffalo - cherries but no ice cream.

 

[explore]

Habs - ice cream with a few cherries.

Buffalo - cherries but no ice cream.

Terrible analogy. Those chemical-tasting cherries are disgusting, no one wants them.

Better analogy: Sabres have the ice cream, but no bowl to serve it in. Montreal has a bowl, but no ice cream.

 

[HuGo Sham]

At center yes because Eichel, overall no, not even remotely close

At C it will even out VERY quickly if kotkaniemi and suzuki reach their potential fast

 

[HuGo Sham]

Terrible analogy. Those chemical-tasting cherries are disgusting, no one wants them.

Better analogy: Sabres have the ice cream, but no bowl to serve it in. Montreal has a bowl, but no ice cream.

Montreal as always on these boards, is underrated because the fanbase is so huge on here people feel they need to be contrary regardless. It's a deep team with a large and nasty defence now. With Romanov coming, Anderson to insulate the two young C's...a legit backup for the first time in 8 years so carey plays 55 games. They need another scoring winger and they will make some noise - and with other pieces coming, they will be a threat in the east. They even have price's heir in Primeau

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

At C it will even out VERY quickly if kotkaniemi and suzuki reach their potential fast

I'm not sold on Kotkaniemi for me if your #3 overall pick needs time in the AHL for anything more than a conditioning stint that's a problem.

3rd overall picks are expected to play and perform

 

[HuGo Sham]

I'm not sold on Kotkaniemi for me if your #3 overall pick needs time in the AHL for anything more than a conditioning stint that's a problem.

3rd overall picks are expected to play and perform

that's your prerogative. when he was 18, his numbers were equivalent to high end C's like Barkov at same age. Year 2, he was injured the entire year - went to A for rehab and was a point a game player until he was cheap-shotted again and missed rest of season. There was no reason for him to return to the NHL even if he didn't get injured. Habs were a circus last year. He came back bigger, older and stronger for play-in and play-off and was physically dominant. I think he'll be just fine.

 

[stppnmd]

I'm not sold on Kotkaniemi for me if your #3 overall pick needs time in the AHL for anything more than a conditioning stint that's a problem.

3rd overall picks are expected to play and perform

this is a very dumb take. What about Mitch Marner, #4 of 2015 (and who would've been top-2 in most draft years)? He spent D+1 in OHL. Or suddenly, if you're #4 you're allowed to not play and perform?

 

[Jee]

Habs made the playoffs, Sabres didn't. Easy maths here.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

this is a very dumb take. What about Mitch Marner, #4 of 2015 (and who would've been top-2 in most draft years)? He spent D+1 in OHL. Or suddenly, if you're #4 you're allowed to not play and perform?

not a good example because he did perform the second he got to the NHL

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I think both have pretty big holes and last years standings showed that. Long term I like the Sabres better because they have the young franchise C and D but they still need to add a lot of pieces.

 

[Buff15Sabres]

Habs made the playoffs, Sabres didn't. Easy maths here.

31-31-9

vs

30-31-8

Pretty close record wise, and I think you can easily chalk up the difference to coaching. "Better" is subjective, just comes down to whether or not you prefer a roster with high end talent that has holes, or a roster with no high end talent that does not have holes.

 

[Jee]

31-31-9

vs

30-31-8

Pretty close record wise, and I think you can easily chalk up the difference to coaching. "Better" is subjective, just comes down to whether or not you prefer a roster with high end talent that has holes, or a roster with no high end talent that does not have holes.

Did you make the playoffs tho?

 

[Aurinko]

If Sabres had any decent coaching, they should smoke Habs with that roster.

 

[enthusiast]

Did you make the playoffs tho?

If they’d had the luxury of one more game I’m sure they would have~

 

[aufheben]

Ya’ll realize this thread was made a year ago?

 

[Byron Bitz]

Montreal has the better current roster but Buffalo has more valuable assets. A competent GM could make Buffalo a better team than Montreal in one offseason.