Roster Speculation thread - the season is almost upon us.

[joshjull]

Continued from here.....

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...mp-begins-9-13.2539929/page-42#post-149977865

Click to read more...

 

[1972]

I’d love to see Eichel and Thompson together in the future, I think those two would be able to play that Getzlaf/Perry cycle game down low and be a nightmare for teams to match up with. But, at the same time Sam and Jack are so good together.

 

[Snippit]

I’d love to see Eichel and Thompson together in the future, I think those two would be able to play that Getzlaf/Perry cycle game down low and be a nightmare for teams to match up with. But, at the same time Sam and Jack are so good together.

We can put all 3 together.

 

[Club]

We can put all 3 together.

We can, but I think when Sheary comes back he might be on the 1st line. I think that's the reason we got him, he knows how to make people around him better. Not saying Eichel/Reinhart/Thompson line won't work though.

 

[Goathead]

We can, but I think when Sheary comes back he might be on the 1st line. I think that's the reason we got him, he knows how to make people around him better. Not saying Eichel/Reinhart/Thompson line won't work though.

Agreed.

I’d love a Sheary-Eichel-Rhino top line. I think Sheary would complement those two the best. When skinner was on that line I wasn’t impressed by him tbh. Eichel needs to be the one on the top line to shoot not skinner.

 

[nickdawg95]

We can, but I think when Sheary comes back he might be on the 1st line. I think that's the reason we got him, he knows how to make people around him better. Not saying Eichel/Reinhart/Thompson line won't work though.

yeah but they just some K.I.D.S mane

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

The Sheary overhype is getting ridiculous. Hes just a run of thr mill middle 6 forward. "He makes his teammates better" must be some sort of a joke.

 

[Dreakon13]

The Sheary overhype is getting ridiculous. Hes just a run of thr mill middle 6 forward. "He makes his teammates better" must be some sort of a joke.

I feel like Sheary is of a similar mold to ERod... only more NHL established at this point. He's not a driver, he's not making ridiculously good passes or scoring flashy goals, and he doesn't "make his teammates better" in the same sense that elite players do. But he's a smart and reliable player who can keep up mentally and physically with anyone and gets to the right places on the ice to take advantage of the opportunities those high end players make.

Which is why IMO, you pair Sheary with Eichel and ERod with Mittelstadt. Let Skinner drive his own line.

 

[Reddawg]

The Sheary overhype is getting ridiculous. Hes just a run of thr mill middle 6 forward. "He makes his teammates better" must be some sort of a joke.

I’ve only ever heard that Sheary needs elite talent around him in order to be truly effective.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I feel like Sheary is of a similar mold to ERod... only more NHL established at this point. He's not a driver, he's not making ridiculously good passes or scoring flashy goals, and he doesn't "make his teammates better" in the same sense that elite players do. But he's a smart and reliable player who can keep up mentally and physically with anyone and gets to the right places on the ice to take advantage of the opportunities those high end players make.

Which is why IMO, you pair Sheary with Eichel and ERod with Mittelstadt. Let Skinner drive his own line.

Yup. We've all seen first-hand that you can't just slap anyone with an elite C and have it work out because you have an elite C. You need guys who can actually complement your player. Sheary is a guy who's proven he can do that, get to the net, and finish. Once he's healthy, I want him on Jack's LW.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I'm gonna go another route than most in here.

Check this out. Which of the lines below will the opponents focus on shuting down, 1st or 2nd?)

Berglund-Eichel-Nylander

(defensive possession player+elite center+young promising RW with enough on ice IQ to be able to create chemistry with Eichel)

Skinner-Reinhart-Okposo

(scorer + playmaker + physical RW to create room)

Sheary-Mittelstadt-Thompson

(kid line who gets the easiest matchups. Away, lines can look different to not be exploited)

Rodrigues-Asplund-Pominville

(a very good 4th line that can create offence and provide defence&grit)



Trade Larsson, Sobotka, Girg.

 

[Dreakon13]

Sheary-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Berglund-Okposo
ERod-Mittelstadt-Thompson
Wilson/Girgensons/Larsson/Sobotka/Pominville
(make a 4th line out of whoever is least likely to be scratched/waived/traded, I can't decide lol)

 

[OkimLom]

I'm gonna go another route than most in here.

Check this out. Which of the lines below will the opponents focus on shuting down, 1st or 2nd?)

Berglund-Eichel-Nylander

(defensive possession player+elite center+young promising RW with enough on ice IQ to be able to create chemistry with Eichel)

Skinner-Reinhart-Okposo

(scorer + playmaker + physical RW to create room)

Sheary-Mittelstadt-Thompson

(kid line who gets the easiest matchups. Away, lines can look different to not be exploited)

Rodrigues-Asplund-Pominville

(a very good 4th line that can create offence and provide defence&grit)



Trade Larsson, Sobotka, Girg.

If the other teams deploy their lines that way and have matchups, it's going to be Eichel no matter what. They'll take their chances with any of the other lines.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The Sheary overhype is getting ridiculous. Hes just a run of thr mill middle 6 forward. "He makes his teammates better" must be some sort of a joke.

Oh yea man, so much sheary hype around here

 

[truthbluth]

Agreed.

I’d love a Sheary-Eichel-Rhino top line. I think Sheary would complement those two the best. When skinner was on that line I wasn’t impressed by him tbh. Eichel needs to be the one on the top line to shoot not skinner.

I thought Skinner drew lots of attention, leading to more open space by Eichel and Reinhart. So, he had pretty limited time with the puck, but what I saw was that every time he touched the puck, he did something dangerous.

Not sure how I feel about having a line where 2 guys have great chemistry, and the other guy is so individually lethal that he operates like a line of his own, because while it may initially be super effective, you wonder if Skinner could have the same effect with lesser teammates, and you could find someone else to develop chemistry with Eichel/Reinhart.

But either way, my point about Skinner on that line is, he doesn't need the puck all the time to be effective, and that line has been super good. You don't have to play much defense if you keep the puck in the offensive zone for 90 seconds. It was noticeable though, that on the few shifts were they weren't caving in the opposing D, there were getting caved themselves. If that line is a thing, that's going to be what it looks like all season. Not much neutral zone play, or back an forth. Owning, or being owned.

 

[1972]

I don’t see why Casey Mittelstadt can’t play on the wing, he would be unreal if all he had to focus on was the offensive side of the game and producing offense. Then, as he matures move him to centre, but playing down the middle at 20 years old is a tough task for any player. I know someone is going to turn this post into a "but we traded O'Reilly so he has to play there" I don't wanna hear it.

 

[Paxon]

I don’t see why Casey Mittelstadt can’t play on the wing, he would be unreal if all he had to focus on was the offensive side of the game and producing offense. Then, as he matures move him to centre, but playing down the middle at 20 years old is a tough task for any player. I know someone is going to turn this post into a "but we traded O'Reilly so he has to play there" I don't wanna hear it.

I mean, he probably should play wing, like most rookie natural centers. You know what the problem is, though. Who is going to play center? Can we really handle our center spine after Eichel being Berglund, Sobotka, and Larsson? This is assuming they don't try Reinhart at center.

 

[1972]

I mean, he probably should play wing, like most rookie natural centers. You know what the problem is, though. Who is going to play center? Can we really handle our center spine after Eichel being Berglund, Sobotka, and Larsson? This is assuming they don't try Reinhart at center.

Honestly, this isn’t a championship caliber team. As long as we can find respectable centre play behind Jack I think we will be alright. I think the way lines are constructed on opening day may be significantly different come November or December.

 

[kirby11]

I mean, he probably should play wing, like most rookie natural centers. You know what the problem is, though. Who is going to play center? Can we really handle our center spine after Eichel being Berglund, Sobotka, and Larsson? This is assuming they don't try Reinhart at center.

This is gonna get ugly when injuries inevitably hit.

It's also insane that we're at year 4 of Eichel and have, to this point, chosen to punt repeatedly on seeing if Sam could be a legit option at 2/3C.

 

[dortt]

Matt Tennyson, Lawrence Pilut battling for spot on Sabres’ defense

If Tennyson makes the team over Pilut, Botteril and Housley need to be fired immediately

 

[Paxon]

Honestly, this isn’t a championship caliber team. As long as we can find respectable centre play behind Jack I think we will be alright. I think the way lines are constructed on opening day may be significantly different come November or December.

I agree that this season isn't about every decision being geared towards winning because we still aren't a good team. Still, having those three guys at center is gonna be real bad if indications up to this point hold up. No speed, no dynamic ability. I'm not saying Casey will necessarily be any better at center anyhow, but he'd at least bring something different, as would Reinhart or Asplund for that matter.

 

[Dreakon13]

Matt Tennyson, Lawrence Pilut battling for spot on Sabres’ defense

If Tennyson makes the team over Pilut, Botteril and Housley need to be fired immediately

Reading the article it sounds like they're battling over the 7/8 defense spot (if they carry 8 D)... since they say "Nathan Beaulieu, Zach Bogosian, Rasmus Dahlin, Jake McCabe, Casey Nelson, Rasmus Ristolainen and Marco Scandella all have spots locked up". Even assuming Bogo is injured for the opener, the 6 D are there.

I'd prefer Pilut over Beaulieu or Nelson... but that aside, we'd be fuming if Pilut was in the press box over playing bigger minutes in Rochester. Let Tennyson be the 7/8th D.

 

[Aladyyn]

Every decision HAS to be about winning... Or all the culture talk is worthless.

 

[Aladyyn]

Also please don't let Tennyson anywhere near this team thanks

 

[Gabrielor]

Also please don't let Tennyson anywhere near this team thanks

I’ve thought through preseason that he hasn’t only been the worst, but stood out as the worst. Don’t understand why it’s still here