CheckingLine

Fair point on sv%, who are you putting in goal? I am not sold on Ullmark after the playoff fiasco this year. I am definitely not a Lehner fan. I might try to explore what it would take to pry Grubauer out of Washington. Looking at sv% out of 95 goalies who played goal this year. Includes 1 game wonders. Ullmark - AHL 2017-18: .922 (would have been #31 this year in NHL) NHL (career -26 games, 3 yrs): 9.17 (would have been #31 this year.) NHL 2017-18: .935 (7th this year - only 5 games) 2017-18 Calder Cup Playoffs: .800 (3 games). Lehner - NHL 2017-18: .908 (#55 this year) Career NHL: .915 (would have been #34 this year) Grubauer - NHL 2017-18: .923 (#21 this year) Career NHL: .923 (#21 this year) (101 games over 6 seasons) Bernier - NHL 2017-18: .913 (#38 this year) Career NHL: .914 (#37 this year)

The idea of the thread is to use numbers to support the line-up. You can propose fills for the empty spots or replace my choices. For instance filling in the D with players that can move the needle from 18 to 30 or finding a line mate for Mitts. Use possession stats, plus minus, shooting percentage, etc. For goalie using scoring chances they see vs what they’ll see as a Sabre and adjusting their save pct accordingly. Use current players, prospects or reasonably acquired players.

Getting from last to respectable is not easy or likely, however here is what it will take based on 2017-18 numbers. 2017-18 Numbers Average Goals For by Playoff teams: 256 Average Goals Against by Playoff teams: 225 Sabres Goals For: 198 (over 47% by 4 players- one traded) Sabres Goals Against: 278 Sabres Fwds scored: 180 Sabres Defense scored: 18 Playoff Teams Goals Against Average: 2.74. I noticed lately the GM spot for the Sabres is seasonal, so here is my shot at the title... (not sure format would stay so I attached a jpg). Core Players in Bold/Italics. Average Goals per line assuming 30 by the D. Target average per line and player/slot is shown. Earning or keeping a spot would be dependent on likelyhood of hitting the target. Goalie has to be <2.74 GA/G. Team below 225 GA for the season. Left Wing Center Right Wing Avg E-Rod Eichel ------ 29 28/40/19 ------ Mitts Okposo 17 14/17/20 ------ ROR Reinhart 21 15/21/27 ------ ------ ------- 9 8/13/6 LHD RHD 30 Scandella Risto Dahlin ------ Guhle ----- Total GA/G ------- <225 <2.74 Granted there are no numbers supporting E-Rod's or Mitt's targets. It is pure speculation. That's what GM's get fired for paid for doing.

Please send me the link for the Game. Thank you.

Here's a thought....the first sorority girl who was shot at and missed, if she had been practiced and packing, dude would not have made more than the local news. Unless some of you bleeding heart libs felt sorry that he never got the chance to express himself. Ask yourself why is it that these cowardly sobs go after schools and other soft targets. In this guys rant he talks about killing his roommates in their sleep, doesn't even have the stones to face them awake. If more people were potentially packing fewer of these incidents would occur and they would be less deadly...at least for potential victims. People need to stop looking to government to fix their problems and rely more on themselves and each other and this county will return to greatness.

Agreed, there are some warts on some of the candidates. Five spots to fill in one off-season is a lot. Sabres will still be very young and a couple more vets, leaders especially will help. I'll answer your last question first. Vanek is a 30-40 goal scorer consistently, when you find one you keep him. Unless, at the trade deadline you know 100% he will leave and the team is still a tire fire. I know he will be worth less at the trade deadline as a rental, however without him there is no chance for less than 3-5 year rebuild. With him there is a chance for a 1-3 year rebuild. I like Ennis too. However the way he plays, turning at the last minute, he will not play long. What does your opening day line-up for next year look like?

The first post has core team identified with 5 open spots. The second post has 26 options to fill 5 spots. Trades to fill one or more of the 5 spots were left open with the tradeable players listed.

X.Benedict Armia and Drouin were two separate options to fill the top 6 wing hole. Trade up would involve picks and/or the trade assets at the bottom. The last post had free agent and prospect option separated by commas.

Mustard? Green dresses? I would better understand hot sauce and Green Beer. Now the plan... Top 6 wing candidates: FAs targeted: Horton, Alfredsson, Clarkson, Jagr, Filppula, Dupuis, Penner, Ryder Prospects: Armia, trade up to get Drouin Return to form: Stafford TopD candidates: Hainsey, Regehr, Hamrlik, Steit, White, Scuderi Prospects: Pysyk, McNabb 3rd/4th center candidates: Bozak, Weiss, Wellwood, Elias, Cullen Prospects: Larsson, Girgensons Open to trade: Miller, Ennis, Stafford, Ruwedel, Sekera

Successful endeavors start with good analysis, then a plan. Here is my 2 cents of analysis. Most winning teams have two lines that can score, a line that can stop the other team's top line, an energy line, at least 4 top D-men, 2 NHL ready D men and a serviceable goalie. As GM, here is my core and summer To-Do list. Top six: Top 4 D Vanek Hodgson Leino. Ehrhoff. ? ? Grigorenko ? Myers. Weber Checking Line. NHL Ready D Foligno. ? Ott/Flynn/Stafford Pysyk. Sekera Energy Line Scott/Kaleta ? Tropp Holes to fill this off season: -Two top six wings -Third line center -Forth line center -Top D-man Filling can be thru trades, free agents, prospects, return to form, etc Yes, there are some names missing...and I did not discuss goal tendering.