Confirmed with Link: Sabres sign CJ Smith (UMass-Lowell LW)

Der Jaeger

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IDK. Forward development tends to differ from winger, so that might not be it. However, GMBOT was part of the group that developed Rust and Sherry. Maybe.
 

Chainshot

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I'm suspecting he gets his recall sooner rather than later. He's been one of the more productive Amerks and in the same way Criscuolo got his, Smith will too. Bailey and Baptiste have not grasped the opportunity and Fasching wasn't good to start the season in Rochester, although things are rounding into form now for him.
 

itwasaforwardpass

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It isn't the Guhle treatment. It's the "you have never even played 1/3 of a season in the AHL yet" treatment. Although he's older than guhle, this is smith' s first AHL season, too.

Guys like baptiste and Bailey, and even guys like griffith and criscuolo, redmond, have had one or more productive seasons in the AHL, thus they get called up first.

For better or worse Botts will go with those with more AHL experience over those more talented but yet to finish most of an AHL season yet.

That said, I expect to see some of Guhle and smith at some point this year. But the more seasoned AHL guys are getting called up first.
 

Snippit

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One of very few bright spots right now - point per game in his rookie AHL season.

He also looked quite good at camp.

Send Griffith down and bring this kid up.
 

Sabre Dance

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One of very few bright spots right now - point per game in his rookie AHL season.

He also looked quite good at camp.

Send Griffith down and bring this kid up.
Leave Smith right where he is. Let them win down there. Send Griffith down though.
 

HaNotsri

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One of very few bright spots right now - point per game in his rookie AHL season.

He also looked quite good at camp.

Send Griffith down and bring this kid up.
I’m an advocate for keeping all talent possible on Rochester. Let Nylander and Smith stay there next year as well but with some call ups. Add Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Asplund, Pu and Davidsson to the team as well as some good AHL veterans. Rochester is our opportunity to teach young players about winning. Playoff experience etc.
 

1972

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I’m an advocate for keeping all talent possible on Rochester. Let Nylander and Smith stay there next year as well but with some call ups. Add Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Asplund, Pu and Davidsson to the team as well as some good AHL veterans. Rochester is our opportunity to teach young players about winning. Playoff experience etc.

You can’t do that if the big club is terrible.
 
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HaNotsri

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You can’t do that if the big club is terrible.
It is exactly what you should do when the big club is terrible.

Even the Bible says so:
”And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Let the kids learn about winning in Rochester, playing meaningful games. The big club is a bunch of vets waiting around to die - don’t let them poison our new talent.

Bring them up when we have a solid chance of winning games.
 

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I've been wondering why he hasn't been called up yet with his production so far. Could he be viewed in a better light than Bailey or Baptiste and is getting the Guhle treatment? As in they are working on his game and letting it blossom in the minors, so when he finally gets called up he stays up. (Taylor's comments on Guhle's development and what I'm calling the Guhle treatment). Or am I reading too much into this?

EDIT: Watch he gets called up for Saturday's game after his huge game Friday. :laugh:
I was just about to post the same thing. Glad I checked I few posts back in this thread.
 

Yatzhee

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I believe CJ is going to be one of the LW's the Sabres will need next season.

Line 2? Line 3?
Or, Eichels future LW?

Hard to say really, but I fully expect this kid up next year for sure.

Decent speed, have seen him play on a couple of line configurations but I'm unsure of who he's formed real chemistry with as far as a RW'er liberate goes. Any one watch the Amerks regular, I've only caught a half dozen games or so?
 

Icicle

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Martin St Louis went undrafted. Smaller guys are always overlooked. They’re worth the gamble if you have the contract slots to make them.

This guy has the vision for the game and doesn’t rely on his stick skills to play hockey. He knows how to dish the puck even if he has limited touches.

He’s worth a good look and a top 6 role is still a ceiling.
 
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Der Jaeger

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For all the trouble Murray went to to find Eichel's winger (Nylander, Vesey), I think Smith, Olofsson, or Asplund ends up producing with him.
 

Chainshot

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For all the trouble Murray went to to find Eichel's winger (Nylander, Vesey), I think Smith, Olofsson, or Asplund ends up producing with him.

I don't think there was all that much more effort put into finding Eichel wingers than any other roster location.
 

Sabre Dance

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I’m yet to see much of him but his numbers are fantastic. For any Rochester viewers, does he have top 6 NHL potential?
Sure, but more likely he is a career top scoring AHLer.

When I say we need some luck, Smith becoming a top 6 player for the Sabres would be extremely lucky.
 

Jame

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I don't think there was all that much more effort put into finding Eichel wingers than any other roster location.

Really? I always felt like that was the deciding factor between Nylander and D in the draft.

I'm recalling that quote right around draft time, paraphrashing, "I'm not sure Eichel's wingers are on the roster right now"
 

Chainshot

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Really? I always felt like that was the deciding factor between Nylander and D in the draft.

I'm recalling that quote right around draft time, paraphrashing, "I'm not sure Eichel's wingers are on the roster right now"

They had Keller and Nylander splitting hairs at the draft from what was reported. Is that actually pushing for Eich wings harder than any other position? Okposo's signing never seemed like a move to shore up one of Jack's sides specifically. Rodrigues maybe or pushing on Vesey, but was that really going hard after positional players without regard for other parts of the lineup? I don't think so.
 

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