Roster Speculation 2014-2015, Part IV

[joshjull]

went and looked...you're correct.

You doubted me? I'm sad now.

 

[Jacob582]

@Hope_Smoke: McKenzie "On merit everyone said Grigorenko made team over Reinhart. The rules are the rules & Buf wanted to get a longer look at Reinhart"

@Hope_Smoke: McKenzie "[Buf] now won't be what the team looks like in a few weeks."

Corey Pronman ‏@coreypronman · 2h2 hours ago
The U20 rules screw Grigorenko by putting him in no man's land, and then screw him once he's not U20 eligible b/c it's someone else's turn!

 

[Heraldic]

I don't think Murray is a huge fan of Tyler Myers. I think Murray is trading him before the 2015 Draft.

We will see who's right in the end.

You said on the Wings board that unless Myers is not playing in Wings' jersey before the draft, you will eat your shoes. I hope you provide some video material for us Sabres fans as well!

 

[leo2892]

What's going on with Zadorov? Is he just a healthy scratch?

 

[joshjull]

What's going on with Zadorov? Is he just a healthy scratch?

Yes.

 

[SundherDome]

What's going on with Zadorov? Is he just a healthy scratch?

Yeah, they seem like they want him to learn the small things that comes with being a pro.

 

[leo2892]

Yeah, they seem like they want him to learn the small things that comes with being a pro.

You would think with Benoit and Meszaros looking like hot garbage, he would get some ice time

 

[joshjull]

You would think with Benoit and Meszaros looking like hot garbage, he would get some ice time

I know many fans hate it but Nolan and his staff want to shelter the young guys. The thinking is the vets and more experienced youngsters need to be the ones tasked with getting this team out of its funk. That it would be unfair to put that burden on the youngsters like Reinhart, Risto and Zads. Thats why Strachan came in to the lineup last night instead of Zads.

 

[SundherDome]

I know many fans hate it but Nolan and his staff want to shelter the young guys. The thinking is the vets and more experienced youngsters need to be the ones tasked with getting this team out of its funk. That it would be unfair to put that burden on the youngsters like Reinhart, Risto and Zads. Thats why Strachan came in to the lineup last night instead of Zads.

Bingo, I'm all for keeping the vets up through at least this upcoming Western road trip, it's going to be physical, demoralizing, and tiring all things that lead to poor play and our younger guys just can't have that right now.

 

[Zip15]

With the moving of Hodgson back inside to center, it looks like they'll roll with Hodgson-Ennis-Girgensons down the middle if (when?) they send Reinhart back to juniors. That also means Grigorenko stays in the AHL for awhile, something he definitely needs.

I could see them calling up Larsson if Reinhart goes back to Kootenay.

 

[Zman5778]

I could see them calling up Larsson if Reinhart goes back to Kootenay.

Given his versatility (winger or C), I very much see this as being the case.

 

[joshjull]

With the moving of Hodgson back inside to center, it looks like they'll roll with Hodgson-Ennis-Girgensons down the middle if (when?) they send Reinhart back to juniors. That also means Grigorenko stays in the AHL for awhile, something he definitely needs.

I could see them calling up Larsson if Reinhart goes back to Kootenay.

Me too since he makes more sense than Grigs centering the 4th line. And maybe even LW with Girgs.

 

[mikemcburn]

With the moving of Hodgson back inside to center, it looks like they'll roll with Hodgson-Ennis-Girgensons down the middle if (when?) they send Reinhart back to juniors. That also means Grigorenko stays in the AHL for awhile, something he definitely needs.

I could see them calling up Larsson if Reinhart goes back to Kootenay.

If they want both Hodgson and Ennis at center, I'm not seeing Grigorenko getting a call up so soon. That's essentially what you have surmised, but I'm not so sure he "needs" to stay in the AHL for his own sake? I can see that a solid stretch (even a year) in the AHL can't be bad for his development, but would a top six role with the Sabres hurt?

Thing is, while the Sabres look to have some depth at center on the surface, I'm starting to think they've got too many of the same two-way type of center and too few of the raw offensive type?

Between them, Hodgson and Ennis would make a sweet 1st line center of the raw offensive type. I mean, imagine Hodgson's vision, playmaking gifts, in-tight soft hands and rock half slapper, mixed into Ennis' foot speed and half-wall grinding heart!

I'm not saying Hodgson is a slow skater, he's actually not any more, but he's topping out average while Ennis is and will always be faster. I'm also not saying Hodgson can't grind along the half-wall or into the corners because he does, but not consistently (that frazzles me too!) the way Ennis is always game to keep digging. Comparably, Ennis just doesn't have Hodgson's consistent knack for finding his linemates, cycling the puck and getting off shots. So yeah, between them, as one player, we'd have a true 1st line center. As it is though, individually neither are suited to the role, and both could be moved down or to wing.

Which puts us into Girgensens' hands... Is he a true 1st line center? I *think* he could be and with his game mentality and drive so far, I'm boggled that Nolan hasn't at least tried him out for a couple games between two talented - and experienced - wingers. Hodgson/Stewart was just one game, and Hodgson isn't exactly the most experienced winger we have - Moulson would fit that though. So why not give Girgensens a few games between Moulson and Stewart - along with the top line minutes and power-play opportunity!!

Instead it seems Girgensens is being groomed for a primarily two-way role (3C or 2C, depending on ice time any given day), but isn't that where Larrson could thrive too? And Reinhart apparently? If Grigorenko is another two-way center type, where is the space for him in all of that? If instead he could be plugged into a more offensively focused role, I'd go with -

Moulson - Girgensens - Stewart
Hodgson - Grigorenko - Stafford
Folingo/Ennis - Larrson/Ennis - Gionta
Folingo/Des - Larsson/Flynn - Insert-A-Name

Who gets the call up, or if there is room for both Grigorenko and Larrson, I think really comes down to how much of an offensive role they're willing to plug Girgensens into and what type of role that opens up for the youth behind him.

I'd like to imagine that they don't hold Girgensens or Grigorenko back just to keep Ennis as a center. If Hodgson can readily slip between wing and center, Ennis will have the same ability - and perhaps even be better suited to wing where his foot speed along the outside will help generate more space.

 

[Ruckus007]

Yeah, they seem like they want him to learn the small things that comes with being a pro.

I know many fans hate it but Nolan and his staff want to shelter the young guys. The thinking is the vets and more experienced youngsters need to be the ones tasked with getting this team out of its funk. That it would be unfair to put that burden on the youngsters like Reinhart, Risto and Zads. Thats why Strachan came in to the lineup last night instead of Zads.

Bingo, I'm all for keeping the vets up through at least this upcoming Western road trip, it's going to be physical, demoralizing, and tiring all things that lead to poor play and our younger guys just can't have that right now.

Wasn't Zadorov paired with Pysyk a bunch in camp? Maybe they'll go in together when Pysyk is back, and two of Weber/Meszaros/Benoit go to the press box?

 

[Zip15]

If they want both Hodgson and Ennis at center, I'm not seeing Grigorenko getting a call up so soon. That's essentially what you have surmised, but I'm not so sure he "needs" to stay in the AHL for his own sake? I can see that a solid stretch (even a year) in the AHL can't be bad for his development, but would a top six role with the Sabres hurt?

Thing is, while the Sabres look to have some depth at center on the surface, I'm starting to think they've got too many of the same two-way type of center and too few of the raw offensive type?

Do you believe for one second that this coach would keep Grigorenko in a consistent top-6 role? I don't. He's trying to win. Outside a few preseason games, some of which were against opponents' JV lineup, the guy hasn't demonstrated he's NHL-ready. I don't think handing him a top-6 role will happen under Nolan.

 

[mikemcburn]

Do you believe for one second that this coach would keep Grigorenko in a consistent top-6 role? I don't. He's trying to win. Outside a few preseason games, some of which were against opponents' JV lineup, the guy hasn't demonstrated he's NHL-ready. I don't think handing him a top-6 role will happen under Nolan.

To be fair to your analysis, I cannot tender even a firm gut instinct one way or the other (much less as rational opinion) on whether Grigorenko is truly NHL-ready or not. I simply haven't followed him enough, and really only base my curiosity about his prospects from those same few pre-season games you have referenced. From that alone, I hunch he may prove to be more of an offensive focused type than guy to groom as a two-way checking pivot.

Whatever though, because your assessment of where he'd fit under Nolan, at least this season, is true enough. The only thing which surprises me about Nolan is that he hasn't plugged in Girgensens ahead of both Ennis and Hodgson.

I see how he prefs Ennis' game style over Hodgson's, but also over Girgensens??? You'd think that kid fit Nolan's definition of a competitor to perfection, and consequently got all the chances possible to shine as this year's 1st line center....

 

[joshjull]

Wasn't Zadorov paired with Pysyk a bunch in camp? Maybe they'll go in together when Pysyk is back, and two of Weber/Meszaros/Benoit go to the press box?

Yes Pysyk and Zads were paired together. The thinking was to have Pysyk basically tutor him. I think you may be right that they're waiting for Pysyk to return.

 

[Moskau]

Yes Pysyk and Zads were paired together. The thinking was to have Pysyk basically tutor him. I think you may be right that they're waiting for Pysyk to return.

What leads you to believe this? Do they just not want to burn some of his 9 games playing with a less than ideal partner?

 

[joshjull]

What leads you to believe this? Do they just not want to burn some of his 9 games playing with a less than ideal partner?

Believe what? I think it might be possible they don't want him out there with a trainwreck or teenager.

But the mentoring part was pretty much said by Nolan.

 

[gallagt01]

Me too since he makes more sense than Grigs centering the 4th line. And maybe even LW with Girgs.

With the moving of Hodgson back inside to center, it looks like they'll roll with Hodgson-Ennis-Girgensons down the middle if (when?) they send Reinhart back to juniors. That also means Grigorenko stays in the AHL for awhile, something he definitely needs.

I could see them calling up Larsson if Reinhart goes back to Kootenay.

Given his versatility (winger or C), I very much see this as being the case.

Yeah. Larsson centering the fourth line as a regular seems like the logical next step for him.

He may be convinced he can contribute as more than a bottom-six talent, but I see him as a third/fourth-liner who kills penalties and skates hard. An important player, just not top-six important.

I'd bring him up and play him the way Chicago plays Kruger.

 

[Djp]

With Zads sitting...I don't recall if the top of my head what the day limit is on the roster before he burns the First yr of the ELC even if he doesn't do 9 games.

Maybe there are more than just phone calls to the Myers rumors. If they trade Myers they keep Zads up.

 

[Jacob582]

With Zads sitting...I don't recall if the top of my head what the day limit is on the roster before he burns the First yr of the ELC even if he doesn't do 9 games.

An "accrued season" is where a player spends at least 40 games on the roster. A player can become an UFA after 7 accrued seasons.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffaloSabres

10 defensemen at practice: Benoit, Gorges, McCabe (no contact), Meszaros, Myers, Pysyk, Ristolainen, Strachan, Weber, Zadorov.

#Sabres

Practice lines:
Moulson-Ennis-Stafford
Foligno-Hodgson-Stewart
Mitchell-Girgensons-Gionta
Deslauriers-Reinhart-McCormick/Flynn

#Sabres

 

[joshjull]

With Zads sitting...I don't recall if the top of my head what the day limit is on the roster before he burns the First yr of the ELC even if he doesn't do 9 games.

Maybe there are more than just phone calls to the Myers rumors. If they trade Myers they keep Zads up.

An "accrued season" is where a player spends at least 40 games on the roster. A player can become an UFA after 7 accrued seasons.

As Jacob582 pointed out, 40gms on the roster is an accrued season. The 40th game of the season is in early/mid January. We are quite far off from that being an issue.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffaloSabres

Defense pairings at practice:
Gorges-Myers
Weber-Strachan
Benoit-Meszaros
McCabe-Ristolainen

Pysyk, Zadorov extras.

#Sabres