Speculation: Roster Speculation Part VII

[Hasekperreault23]

His biggest problem is effort away from the puck. When the puck is on his stick, he flies all over the ice and looks really engaged and like a pro. When the puck is not on his stick, he's stuck in 2nd gear, and looks almost lost out there.

Like a 20 year old

 

[Jim Bob]

The guy is 21. Is it fair to say he has a track record at all?

He looks awesome to me. Big guy with really good hands. Strips pucks from guys regularly in both zones. His conditioning is improving.

His problem is that he is stuck with crap line mates.

Tage Thompson at eliteprospects.com

I'm going back to his time with the NTDP and up through this season.



Thompson reminds me of this, honestly.

 

[Zip15]

This is the bizarre story why Hoffman got booted out of Ottawa. You still want this guy and his gf?

"Wishing my unborn child dead": NHL star's wife says teammate's fiancée harassed couple

Why are you citing the first article and not any of the recent articles that aren't written strictly from the POV of the Karlssons? Also, please point me to Hoffman's wrongdoing - aside from possibly being with a terrible person. This is not a reason to blacklist a player. As an aside, even assuming his fiancee did these things, do you think she's going to continue to do so knowing that she is going to be under a microscope with other WAGs everywhere she goes?

That story is a nothingburger as it pertains to whether we should pursue Mike Hoffman.

 

[Reddawg]

Tage Thompson at eliteprospects.com

I'm going back to his time with the NTDP and up through this season.



Thompson reminds me of this, honestly.

Love that movie so much.

 

[dasaybz]

Like a 20 year old

Are you implying that all 20 year olds are disengaged when they don't have the puck on their stick? If so, that's a pretty inaccurate thing to say.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Anyone get a chance to see Nico Sturm play for Clarkson? Quite a lot of Rochester guys are coming off the books this season. Could plug in there right away. I hear they call him the German Jochen Hecht.

 

[Jim Bob]

Anyone get a chance to see Nico Sturm play for Clarkson? Quite a lot of Rochester guys are coming off the books this season. Could plug in there right away. I hear they call him the German Jochen Hecht.

Ummmmmm

Sturm and Clarkson goalie Jake Kielly are two guys that will get wooed by NHL teams to make the jump to the pro game and not go back to Potsdam for their senior seasons.

Sturm Named League’s Best Defensive Forward

Rising Sturm

Sturm was the ECAC Best Defensive Forward and he leads Clarkson in scoring this season.

I think NHL teams are looking at how well Sheldon Rempal made the jump from Clarkson's leading scorer last season to the pro game with the Kings this season and they think that is another good sign for Sturm.

As a Clarkson grad, I would be sad to see him forego his senior year. But, if he does turn pro, I do think that the Sabres should go after him.

Worst case scenario, he is a solid bottom 6 center at the NHL level.

 

[TehDoak]

Why are you citing the first article and not any of the recent articles that aren't written strictly from the POV of the Karlssons? Also, please point me to Hoffman's wrongdoing - aside from possibly being with a terrible person. This is not a reason to blacklist a player. As an aside, even assuming his fiancee did these things, do you think she's going to continue to do so knowing that she is going to be under a microscope with other WAGs everywhere she goes?

That story is a nothingburger as it pertains to whether we should pursue Mike Hoffman.

Well, hold on. A players wife/girlfriend's actions creeping into the locker room by her interactions with other players families is a problem, even if it wasn't Hoffman directly that caused the issue. Assuming they are still together, it's a consideration before making any trade.

 

[Jim Bob]

Well, hold on. A players wife/girlfriend's actions creeping into the locker room by her interactions with other players families is a problem, even if it wasn't Hoffman directly that caused the issue. Assuming they are still together, it's a consideration before making any trade.

Hopefully the Sabres front office would be using their network to see if there has been any issues within the Panthers WAGs since the trade if they are thinking about trying to trade for Hoffman.

This whole mess is hard to know how much to put into this.

Nobody really knows who was behind those burner accounts.

 

[Aladyyn]

I really don't think Sobotka is the issue with Tage...

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Are you implying that all 20 year olds are disengaged when they don't have the puck on their stick? If so, that's a pretty inaccurate thing to say.

Iam saying MOST 20 year olds are not great defensively.It is something that is taught.MOST 20 year olds are in the minors for that very reason.They have to learn how to play without the puck, get stronger etc

 

[sabrebuild]

Iam saying MOST 20 year olds are not great defensively.It is something that is taught.MOST 20 year olds are in the minors for that very reason.They have to learn how to play without the puck, get stronger etc

Oh the minors. Who needs that crap anymore when s prospect can play 60 games score 9 goals and surrender 30. Development works yo.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Ristolainen to LA for Kupari, Grundstrom, and Martinez.

 

[Team Cozens]

Random, but I had a dream in which we had traded Nylander in a deal for MoJo and Miles Wood. The dream wasn't about hockey or trades, but I recall that particular background fact from the dream.

I've suspected a potential trade for those 2 players for a while. Given our need, Miles being from Buffalo and Botts relationship with Shero.

 

[debaser66]

This my biggest issue with Botterill.He talks about culture change, earning a spot and does the exact opposite unless he traded or drafted you unless your Beaulieu.Here is the great quote from Sparky Anderson on a good locker room/culture.."If you win you have a great locker room, you lose you have a bad locker room that talk is overated its just an excuse when you lose and magnified when you win"

Beaulieu has been last year.
Scandella is the problem this year.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Beaulieu has been last year.
Scandella is the problem this year.

Correct

 

[Royal Thunder]

Beaulieu has been last year.
Scandella is the problem this year.

I still don't think Scandella has been nearly as bad as Beaulieu, McCabe, and Bogosian were last year. He still makes a lot of positive plays in the D zone, he's just a guy you don't notice much until the puck is in our net. He's definitely struggled quite a bit this year but I don't think he's been a total disaster. I still trust him more than Beaulieu if we are trying to hold a lead.

 

[debaser66]

If you are happy with Thompson being better than Jordan Nolan as a 4th line winger, then I guess he is living up to expectations.

I thought most people were hoping for more from him given where he was drafted and the talk about how the ROR trade was about adding depth to the team.

Exactly.
There is a difference in drafting a guy like Thompson or trading for him a year later.
So our scouting should have had a better look and they could already observe him in the AHL and NHL so there is much less excuse if he shouldnt turn out.
I am still not sure why they took on a project instead of a more surefire prospect.
I rather would not have had the pick and a better player instead.
Now there is a lot of uncertainties and we could end up with not much.
Its an unecessary risk you shouldn't take when trading your 2nd best player.

 

[debaser66]

I still don't think Scandella has been nearly as bad as Beaulieu, McCabe, and Bogosian were last year. He still makes a lot of positive plays in the D zone, he's just a guy you don't notice much until the puck is in our net. He's definitely struggled quite a bit this year but I don't think he's been a total disaster. I still trust him more than Beaulieu if we are trying to hold a lead.

Beaulieu hasnt played really that much this year.
Scandella has been easily the worst of the guys who play a lot.
Optic and analytic wise.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

I really don't think Sobotka is the issue with Tage...

The numbers at the bottom without both Sobotka and Tage look like a damn good team.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Tage Thompson at eliteprospects.com

I'm going back to his time with the NTDP and up through this season.



Thompson reminds me of this, honestly.

This is so spot on.

 

[Chainshot]

I really don't think Sobotka is the issue with Tage...

Every time he has played up the lineup, he capitulated immediately.

 

[Fezzy126]

I really don't think Sobotka is the issue with Tage...

The numbers aren't good no matter how you slice them, but there's positive signs when you get him away from Vlad and don't pair him with another overmatched rookie:

SCF & HDCF needs dramatic improvement, but those numbers are also attached to a 31% Ozone start and a stupidly unsustainable PDO. That's the reason I wanted to see a larger run with Jack/Jeff instead of Pommer.

 

[truthbluth]

I’m comfortable projecting 0 trades before the deadline. This is the team.

 

[Zip15]

I’m comfortable projecting 0 trades before the deadline. This is the team.

At minimum, I think Botterill will address the blueline glut and trade away Beaulieu - even if it means retaining some salary to do so.