Crusader1969

As I said talent and lack of depth are the real issues for this team Why is depth a problem? Since 2010, the only 2nd round or later pick that has made any contribution at all to the Sabres is McCabe. Justin Bailey will hopefully become the 2nd. That's just brutal drafting!

He is "banged up" and isn't playing tonight.

It's funny cause when I see that list I see 5 of the last 6 Stanley cup winners. If you include the 2.overall picks as well, you would find the last 6 and 8 of the last 9. So you might be right that "most" tanks don't work but it is true that if you want to lift the cup -you better have had tanked at some point

Why do people still question Tanks? Remind me who won the last 2 cups and how did they acquire their top players? You only have to look an hour up the QEW to see that the "tank" usually does work.

I won't go tank mode again as I like the "core" of the current roster but I'm almost to the point of being indifferent to wins and loses. That's a pretty sad statement for a team that has played 8 games The teams depth outside of the core was terrible last season and yes it was over-hauled, but it looks like on Scandella is going to be around long term. Sabres really need youth to be pushing th current roster for jobs and that just isn't happening right now. On a tangent here but I'm starting to think the Kane decision is going to have to come soon. If you don't think you can sign him, you really have to try trade him. You can't lose him for nothing, especially when you gave up so much to acquire him

This is an easy one : Lack of talent - plain and simple Bottom 2 lines are terrible. 4th line is consistently stuck in their own end, 3rd line brings absolutely nothing. On D - Tennyson is an AHLer, Beaulieu is constantly making bad decisions or turning the puck over The team has zero depth. Guys who should be in press box are in the line-up, there isn't competition for jobs I don't think it's lack of effort , it's they just aren't good enough especially to play housleys system Bylsmas ultra conservative system would probably be better for the current roster but long term the team will be better off with Phil behind the bench. He just needs to horses to play Bottom line: long and frustrating season ahead.

Here is a guy from overseas - Dahlin with another goal today https://mobile.twitter.com/tsnbobmckenzie/status/921747324711223296

Bad News for Svechnikov https://twitter.com/TSNHockey/status/921458549439586304 Hopefully back for the WJC. This is the best OHL draft rankings you will find: https://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2017/10/preliminary-top-50-for-2018-nhl-entry.html

Top 20 draft eligible playing in Europe https://www.draftineu.com/2017/10/2018-draft-october-top-20.html/ the name to keep an eye on is Kotkaniemi. Ranked 14th by hockey prospect.com, otherwise usually ranked in the 20's or not at all (ISS).

Player Profile: Quinton Hughes: https://www.nhl.com/news/2018-nhl-draft-quintin-hughes/c-291996100 Ranked: 10 Hockey Prospect 7 ISS 9 Future Considerations 7 Recrutes

i still think you can add Baptiste to the list of long term core. Plus the guy you draft in 2018, as its probably going to be a lottery pick. But your point is right on the mark, the corner will be turned relatively soon for this group.

zadina with another 2goal game last night https://mobile.twitter.com/hfxmooseheads/status/920419568048328704 He has 10g 8a, 2nd in points in the "q", in first 11 games.

does him having the team best Corsi at 58.4% make anyone feel better about him?

I think he needs to be moved back to Jack's wing. Pomminstein doesnt have the play making ability (vision) that Reinhart has. Saw it last night in the one shift Jack and Sam played together last night. Jack driving to net and Samson puts it right on this stick for the tip.

Im assuming they just miss the playoffs and have the lowest chances to win the lottery but finally the ping pong balls go their way and they get the 2nd overall pick

probably but he is avg 17 mins a night. Gorges gets about 14 mins. Could they bury Gorges to the minors?

Kane is the only one that I could see returning. Nolan, Josefson, Gorges, Faulk, Pouliot and Johnson are the others. Griffith is an RFA and would doubt he gets a contract.

He is an AHL player, waive him when ERod comes back. Hopefully he clears because he can help out the Amerks. Actually, an interesting question is who gets waived when Bogo returns?

True, Id probably take Mittelstadt, Kapanen and Liljegren over the entire pool even if you put Nylander and Guhle on the Leafs. but still give the nod to Nylander / Guhle over Kapanen / Liljegren but i'll admit it could go either way. 7 UFA's and 5 RFA's

If Sabres want to corner the market on all players named Rasmus - Rasmus Sandin (potential 2nd rounder) transfers to OHL from SHL https://twitter.com/eliteprospects/status/920337797243920384

sure, as long as its my Canadian dollars on par with your american! lol I will bet that all 4 of those players (barring injury) are on the Sabres opening night roster. I think there is a chance Guhle and Nylander play enough games this year not to be eligible for rookie status next year. WHat is it 25 games?

true but you need a 4th center for tonight. both guys who could potentially fill that spot (ERod and Josefson) are hurt.

I agree that's its a little thin but I would also argue that its still in the top 10 of the league. It will really dry up next season once Nylander, Asplund, Mittelstadt, (Svechnikov?, and Guhle all make the Sabres. We always want to compare to Toronto: Here are there top prospects as per an article on Hockey Writers - order is debatable 1) Timmothy Liljegren - probably a NHL player but still considered a tire fire in his own end 2)Kasperi Kapanen – RW/LW - will probably be a top 9 player for them soon 3) Carl Grundstrom – LW probably will end up in the NHL playing but wouldn't consider him top 6 candidate 4) Andreas Johnsson - LW already 22 and is a steal for the 7th round but not again more of a bottom 6 guy 5) Andreas Borgman – LD another 22 year old FA pickup, with Leafs and played in 4 games Jer 6) Calle Rosén – LD 23 year old, played 3 games for Leafs this season 7) Jeremy Bracco - RW with the Marlies - a marginal NHL prospect at this point 8) Travis Dermott – LD lots of high expectations for Dermott, playing with Marlies - could be top 4 IMO, I would take Mittelstadt, Nylander and Guhle over their entire prospect pool,

If Josefson wasn't hurt put him back to 4th line center, flip Girgensons with Pouliot and I woulnd't mind this line-up.

Former Sabres prosepct Brendan Lemieux gets his first call up to the the NHL today. Not that I would want to redo that trade...