Opening night roster has to be ______.

[MacOfNiagara]

Really? How so? That might be our biggest strength.

Agreed. In fact, if you listen to Ruff's post scrimmage presser he specifically says we have 9 NHL ready defensemen (pretty sure he said 9, too lazy to go back and listen for validation)

I expect them to try and work a trade from that strength.

 

[Paxon]

According to Sylvester, the two PP units out there in practice today were:
Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville
Leino-Ehrhoff

Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
Leopold-Myers

This is how he described them (by referring to the our top two lines + the 2 extra players), but it seems likely to me that Leino and Pominville are probably swapped as Pommers has a history as a point man.

 

[Jame]

According to Sylvester, the two PP units out there in practice today were:
Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville
Leino-Ehrhoff

Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
Leopold-Myers

This is how he described them (by referring to the our top two lines + the 2 extra players), but it seems likely to me that Leino and Pominville are probably swapped as Pommers has a history as a point man.

I give Leino 3 games before he's off the PP.... lol

 

[thahamer]

Woah, why does the threadstarter have my AV? I made it from scratch for use on HF..........

 

[DixonWard15]

Woah, why does the threadstarter have my AV? I made it from scratch for use on HF..........

I thought you changed your name or something

 

[heartsabres*]

Really? How so? That might be our biggest strength.

I think our defence is weak too. It was weak last year. We have depth but our top four defenceman, Ehrhoff, Myers, Sekera, leopold/Regher really isn´t that great.

This team really needs to get better and bigger in the back end.

 

[thahamer]

I thought you changed your name or something

I click into this thread and was like Wait.. I didnt write this!

 

[flyingpig]

I think our defence is weak too. It was weak last year. We have depth but our top four defenceman, Ehrhoff, Myers, Sekera, leopold/Regher really isn´t that great.

This team really needs to get better and bigger in the back end.

Dont really agree that it is weak.

I like it, but will like it even more if Myers plays like he is capable.

 

[joshjull]

According to Sylvester, the two PP units out there in practice today were:
Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville
Leino-Ehrhoff

Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
Leopold-Myers

This is how he described them (by referring to the our top two lines + the 2 extra players), but it seems likely to me that Leino and Pominville are probably swapped as Pommers has a history as a point man.

I thought FES with Myers/Leo looked much crisper of the two units.

I give Leino 3 games before he's off the PP.... lol

With how he worked on the PP today it may be sooner than that.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Dont really agree that it is weak.

I like it, but will like it even more if Myers plays like he is capable.

I agree (with your disagreeing).

We have 5 top-4 capable D-men (Myers, Ehrhoff, Sekera, Leopold, Regehr). Hopefully Myers takes the next step and becomes the elite D-man we know he can. We could use a bit more physicality other than Myers and Regehr...but if that's the D we enter the season with, it will be a strength of the team.

It is no coincidence that the Sabres playoff push last year occurred when they were all healthy and playing.

 

[joshjull]

Why would any of Pardy or Weber be waived? Both players would at least have alittle bit of trade value, Buffalo could always move Pardy and keep up to half of his salary.

It would make far more sense to waive him and send him to Rochester. His salary would make it very likely he would clear. There are no longer recall waivers, so he could be called up whenever needed with no risk of losing him. That would be far better asset management than eating half his salary so we can trade him for a low round pick.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

It would make far more sense to waive him and send him to Rochester. His salary would make it very likely he would clear. There are no longer recall waivers, so he could be called up whenever needed with no risk of losing him. That would be far better asset management than eating half his salary so we can trade him for a low round pick.

Not to mention Rochester can use him. I think they get Finley back too...with the Isles claiming Hickey doubt they'll keep Finley and we can reclaim and assign him.

 

[joshjull]

Not to mention Rochester can use him. I think they get Finley back too...with the Isles claiming Hickey doubt they'll keep Finley and we can reclaim and assign him.

Certainly, but to some on here thats not much of an argument to do something unfortunately. So I left it out.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Certainly, but to some on here thats not much of an argument to do something unfortunately. So I left it out.

True

Maybe the better argument is "he can help get McNabb back on track" or something like that

 

[mgeise]

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford
Leino - Grigorenko - Pominville
Scott - Hecht - Kaleta
extra: Ellis
(IR: Gerbe, McCormick)

Sekera - Myers
Sulzer - Ehrhoff
Regehr - Leopold
extras: Brennan, Weber

Pardy waived and sent to Rochester if unclaimed.

Miller
Enroth

If Gerbe and/or McCormick aren't on IR to start the season, it gets a little more interesting. If both are healthy, Ellis would likely be waived and sent to Rochester and they'd either have to send Grigorenko back to juniors or trade/waive Brennan or Weber.

 

[Fire Lindy]

Does anyone see anyway Grigorenko isn't in the lineup opening night and at least gets a tryout in the bigs? The general consensus seems to be he will be on the team opening night.

 

[Jacob582]

Vanek - Hodgson - Ott
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford
Leino - Grigorenko - Pominville
Scott - Hecht - Kaleta
extra: Ellis
(IR: Gerbe, McCormick)

Sekera - Myers
Sulzer - Ehrhoff
Regehr - Leopold
extras: Brennan, Weber

Pardy waived and sent to Rochester if unclaimed.

Miller
Enroth

If Gerbe and/or McCormick aren't on IR to start the season, it gets a little more interesting. If both are healthy, Ellis would likely be waived and sent to Rochester and they'd either have to send Grigorenko back to juniors or trade/waive Brennan or Weber.

I agree with all above. I had Ellis (yesterday's lines) in place of Scott. Today Scott was moved up on a line with Hecht and Kaleta. I think until Gerbe comes back you'll see Scott and Ellis alternating in the lineup depending of the need for muscle.

I'm wondering if they will waive McCormick when he is cleared.

 

[mgeise]

I agree with all above. I had Ellis (yesterday's lines) in place of Scott. Today Scott was moved up on a line with Hecht and Kaleta. I think until Gerbe comes back you'll see Scott and Ellis alternating in the lineup depending of the need for muscle.

I'm wondering if they will waive McCormick when he is cleared.

I agree. I only put Scott in the regular lineup because I believe he is much more likely to be kept on the NHL roster with everyone healthy than Ellis, but I agree that we'll probably see them alternating.

I think it really depends on what happens with Grigorenko and what Gerbe's injury status is, but I wouldn't be shocked. If Grigorenko sticks and everyone (including Gerbe) is healthy, they'd only be able to keep three of Brennan, Weber, McCormick, Scott, and Ellis. It's still to be seen which of the forwards on that list are highest in the pecking order, so it's tough to speculate.

edit: I know Zip floated this idea as well, but I think Brennan should be in the lineup as the 7th defenseman on a lot of nights while Gerbe is out. I think he has the potential to impact the game a lot more than Scott or Ellis with his ability to get a big shot off from the point on the power play. Rotating other wingers at that 4th line left wing spot wouldn't be a big issue on nights when Brennan is in the lineup.

 

[joshjull]

I agree. I only put Scott in the regular lineup because I believe he is much more likely to be kept on the NHL roster with everyone healthy than Ellis, but I agree that we'll probably see them alternating.

I think it really depends on what happens with Grigorenko and what Gerbe's injury status is, but I wouldn't be shocked. If Grigorenko sticks and everyone (including Gerbe) is healthy, they'd only be able to keep three of Brennan, Weber, McCormick, Scott, and Ellis. It's still to be seen which of the forwards on that list are highest in the pecking order, so it's tough to speculate.

edit: I know Zip floated this idea as well, but I think Brennan should be in the lineup as the 7th defenseman on a lot of nights while Gerbe is out. I think he has the potential to impact the game a lot more than Scott or Ellis with his ability to get a big shot off from the point on the power play. Rotating other wingers at that 4th line left wing spot wouldn't be a big issue on nights when Brennan is in the lineup.

I don't like this idea at all (I'm part of the Establishment, see Zip's post if you don' get this ) .


The main issue for the PP last season was puck movement and keeping their legs moving. Something thats really isn't going to be fixed by dressing or not dressing Brennan. Its the 5 guys as a unit that need to fix it. Although its not going to be helped by throwing a rookie out there whose hardly played during a game and then expecting him to get right into the flow of the PP. On top of that his best PP asset (his shot) is not something in and of itself that warrants him dressing. Folks need to remember that our PPs will look a bit different this year. Two of our top 8 PP atoi guys are gone (Roy#4 and Boyes tied #7). We will have an infusion of new blood on the PP with Ennis/Hodgson getting more prominent roles along with Foligno added to the mix. We may also have Grigs at our disposal for the PP as well. Looks as if Pommer may be back to the point again. I don't see a reason to bump the guys currently working the points to shoehorn in Brennan.

 

[Paxon]

I thought FES with Myers/Leo looked much crisper of the two units.



With how he worked on the PP today it may be sooner than that.

So, was he really on the point or was I right in adjusting what Sylvester reported?

Does anyone see anyway Grigorenko isn't in the lineup opening night and at least gets a tryout in the bigs? The general consensus seems to be he will be on the team opening night.

If they feel like those 5 games are going to show he's not ready for a full season + Gerbe/McCormick are both healthy, then maybe they send him back down before getting a taste just to avoid having to make 1 unnecessary cut/waiver exposure. That's a pretty legitimate reason in my opinion, so long as they're quite sure that he'd show he isn't ready in that 5 game trial.

 

[joshjull]

So, was he really on the point or was I right in adjusting what Sylvester reported?

Pommer was on the point with Vanek/Hodgson/Leino up front

 

[joshjull]

Does anyone see anyway Grigorenko isn't in the lineup opening night and at least gets a tryout in the bigs? The general consensus seems to be he will be on the team opening night.

His defensive awareness in our zone could be a reason he doesn't stay. Not saying it will prevent him from staying but if anything could it would be that. He was quite lost on a few drills where that was the focus. But he was talking constantly with the coaches after each time he went through a drill to get a better understanding of what to do.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

Really hope grigs makes it, I think he will. How do vanek and pommers look? I took them on my fantasy team and am a bit worried

 

[joshjull]

Really hope grigs makes it, I think he will. How do vanek and pommers look? I took them on my fantasy team and am a bit worried

I can only speak about practice today but they looked great along Hodgson.

On the attack all of the top 3 lines looked good.

 

[Paxon]

I can only speak about practice today but they looked great along Hodgson.

On the attack all of the top 3 lines looked good.

That's good. Based on what I've seen from Hodgson in the AHL, what I saw from these guys at the end of the year (esp Hodgson-Pom connection), and what's being said so far, I feel really good about this line going into the season. The same, of course, can be said about FES. So long as the 3rd line holds its own then there will be no good -- contrary to popular belief, Ruff usually requires at least a decent -- reason to break things up outside of injury. Hodgson has as good of linemates as you can ask for to help him take "the next step" Ruff has been speaking about and he should help them be productive in turn.