OhMyDahlin

Sheldon Keefe. He wins everywhere he goes, and he continues to win with the Marlies despite constantly losing his best players to the Leafs. “I’m a guy that asks a lot of the players, expects a lot of the players,” said Keefe. “But at the same time, (I) try to focus on my role and focus on the individual player, and recognize my role in development. Sometimes the two can counteract one another and you have to keep things in perspective. Sometimes it’s a little more individual than team philosophy and I try to find that balance, but ultimately you want to respect your guys and at the same time give them the freedom and ability to be themselves and let their skill come out and try to help them find their way.” https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/05/14/marlies-coach-sheldon-keefe-tries-to-balance-minor-league-life-with-major-goals.html Players love playing for the guy too... https://theathletic.com/686504/2018/12/03/current-and-former-marlies-on-how-sheldon-keefe-develops-players-and-set-a-franchise-record-along-the-way/ "Today, Keefe’s players and colleagues, past and present, characterize him as an intense coach, a master of offence and detail, and someone who knows the game as well as anyone." https://theathletic.com/233808/2018/02/16/the-marlies-master-of-detail-how-head-coach-sheldon-keefe-has-led-the-leafs-ahl-affiliate-to-historic-heights/ “I’ve been around for a little bit, but I feel this is probably the most I’ve grown in the seven years that I’ve played,” said Brennan, 27. “To me, that’s all the credit towards the coaching staff and Sheldon. He’s done a great job. He demanded respect right away and never settles for less than the best out of us. He’s always expecting a little bit more and has high expectations. He’s a great coach and I’ve really loved playing for him.” Added Frattin: “He’s very knowledgeable in games and he can kind of sense how the game is going (and) switch things up.” https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/jrhockey-buzzing-the-net/sheldon-keefe-brings-winning-touch-to-marlies-job--leafs-system-165851668.html “The biggest change for the Greyhounds was in the style of player which was appealing to Kyle. The way it worked out, it’s become the same type of player I’m attracted to and see value in. So our visions aligned,” says Keefe. “For us, the value of speed and skill and hockey sense would far outweigh any physical attributes. We wanted people who have the ability to make plays and have speed. “The foundation is the understanding that when we carried the puck over the blue line offensively, we created more offence,” he says. “Within that, we understood there was a correlation between carrying puck over our own blue line and how it influenced what we could do at the other team’s blue line, so we worked on different schemes and mechanisms to do that. After that, it just made sense we had to try and prevent the opposition from doing the same. I’ve enjoyed watching it a lot. It’s been fun to see the whole thing develop.” https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2015/03/27/sheldon-keefe-builds-second-career-out-of-second-chance.html There are so many articles about him that I could post...but the guy can develop players, he relates to young players, he is all about creating offense and he knows how to accomplish that with his teams, and he's always trying to prove the people who hired him right. “Much of my motivation on a daily basis is to prove those people right.” (Someone is going to hire this guy and get a great, young coach...I wish the Sabres would jump at the chance.)

It'll fold when Hillary Knight wants to be paid as much as Connor McDavid.

The gave us Dahlin, but didn't give us McDavid. Maybe they can make up for that 2015 draft and give us Hughes? ?

Yes, they should lose out...but I doubt it will improve their position that much to make a difference. No, I should not want them to lose out at this point. I rooted for the tank, but not for Eichel...I rooted for McDavid and was devastated when we didn't get him.

Throw Bogosian, Scandella, WIlson and Hunwick in with Larsson and Sobotka...Hutton too. I can't stand any of them, and I can't wait until they are replaced...they're not good enough. On good teams, Bogosian and Scandella would be 6th/7th defensemen...Wilson, Hunwick, Larsson and Sobotka would be in the AHL, or depth players that sat in the pressbox at best. (Hutton would be nothing more than a backup.) EDIT: Throw Okposo in that group too.

Where is Johnny Walker from ASU? Kid is a natural goal-scorer. I'd love to pick him up. He's 2nd in the NCAA in goals, right behind Diego Cuglietta. Josh Teves, the defenseman from Princeton, is another one. And Erik Brown from RIT would be good depth for Rochester in the playoffs if they could get him to sign an AHL deal. (46 goals in his last 70 games.) The Sabres should try to get a goal-scorer and a goalie, at the very least.

Scandella, yes, he's awful...I think Bogosian is too. But I think Ristolainen could be a very good 2nd-pairing defenseman...the problem is, Housley overuses him because there are not enough good defensemen on this team yet. (Being paired with guys like Gorges and Scandella hasn't helped either.) I think in a couple years Dahlin-Borgen, Pilut-Ristolainen, Samuelsson-Montour could be a very good top-6. Eventually Laaksonen could replace Ristolainen when his contract is up...Dahlin-Borgen, Samuelsson-Montour, Pilut/Bryson-Laaksonen. It'd be nice if we got lucky like Nashville and Anaheim (among other teams) have in the past with our defensive prospects turning into quality players.

I think next offseason will be the "we're ready to go for it" offseason... Coming off the books: Bogosian, Scandella, Sobotka, Sheary, Wilson, Hunwick, Nelson. 2020 projected cap space: $53.6M (Minus: Skinner, Rodrigues, McCabe, Ullmark, Smith, plus maybe O'Regan, Malone, and Dougherty.) 2020 RFA's: Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Montour, Thompson, Olofsson, Pilut. (Maybe: Oglevie, Hickey, and Johansson.) *Dahlin will be one year from the end of his ELC, so he will be extended long-term. At that point, all of the core players will be locked up long-term, and the dead-weight will be gone...it will (SHOULD!) be the team Botterill wants. (***The rest is me just kind of thinking out-loud.***) Decisions are needed this summer on prospects: Fitzgerald, Brown, Hurley, Chukarov, and Willman. (The only decision is Fitzgerald, I think he leaves.) Decisions will be needed next summer on: Bryson, Glotov, and Nyberg. (The only decision is Bryson, I think he signs this summer.) Decisions in the summer of 2021 will be needed on: Davidsson, Laaksonen, Murray, and Weissbach. (Davidsson and Laaksonen will be signed before then.) Decisions in the summer of 2022 will be needed on: Cronholm, Kukkonen, Samuelsson, and Kreu. (Samuelsson will be signed before then.) So, let's say in the summer of 2020 the players under contract will be: Forwards: Eichel, Skinner, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Thompson, Rodrigues, Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund, Smith, Davidsson, Pekar. (Maybe O'Regan, Oglevie, and Malone.) Defense: Dahlin, Ristolainen, Montour, McCabe, Borgen, Pilut, Samuelsson, Laaksonen, Bryson. (Maybe Hickey and Dougherty.) Goalies: Ullmark, Luukkonen, Hutton (*I think they find a way to get rid of Okposo within two years, probably to Seattle with a draft pick...or, simply, a buyout.) (**Cronholm and Weissbach sign in the summer of 2021...all the rest of those unsigned prospects walk.) That's 25-30 players, depending on O'Regan, Hickey, Oglevie, Dougherty, and Malone...so they have a lot of room to make additions between now and next summer. EDIT: No trades were taken into account, obviously those would play a factor too. (Ie. Ristolainen, Nylander, etc.)

The lack of quality prospects on this team is scary. They're going to need cheap talent once they extend Skinner, Dahlin, Reinhart, Mittelstadt, Montour, and whomever else they get. People killed Murray for trading 1st round picks, now it's okay for Botterill to do it? And saying it's okay because it's in the 20's is an easy excuse, given some very good (some great) players have been found in the 20's in recent years. Shea Theodore, Anthony Mantha, Andre Burakovsky, David Pastrnak, Kasperi Kapanen, Nick Schmaltz, Robby Fabbri, Colin White, Brock Boeser, Travis Konecny, Anthony Beauvillier, Jack Roslovic, Jacob Larsson (who made Montour expendable in Anaheim), Dennis Cholowski, Henrik Borgstrom, Max Jones, Brett Howden, Sam Steel, Robert Thomas, Filip Chytil, Ryan Poehling, Henri Jokiharju, Eeli Tolvanen, Klim Kostin (who made Tage Thompson expendable in St. Louis), and it's a guarantee that some from the 2018 and 2019 drafts will join this list. (I would take any one of these players.) I'm happy to get a decent RHD. I'm okay giving up Guhle to get a decent RHD. But I am not happy giving up a 1st round pick for a decent 2nd-3rd pairing RHD.

Skinner isn't signing for anything below $9M per year...especially after Stone just got $9.5M on an 8-year deal.

Coyle was traded, so take him off your list...Botterill should've traded for Coyle and Neiderreiter, who were traded for peanuts. As for the Amerks, they don't need help...they will get it in the form of Mittelstadt, Thompson, Smith and Pilut. (Plus Nylander, Criscuolo, and Malone will be back from injuries.)

He's already run Bylsma and O'Reilly out of town...who's next, Housley and Botterill? Better hope Dahlin doesn't take too much spotlight away from Eichel in the next couple years, Eichel will have him run out of town too.

I think we'd be much better with O'Reilly...Kane, I loved his game, but he wasn't sticking around here. O'Reilly would be much happier on this team since it's more competitive. Anybody who thinks this team is better because O'Reilly is gone, is crazy. This team is better because Eichel and Reinhart have taken steps in their development, Skinner is here, the goaltending is improved, the defense with Dahlin is improved, the special teams are better, there's an actual 4th line on most nights that plays well, Bogosian and McCabe are healthy, the defense is scoring goals, there is more depth, Rodrigues has started to break out, and they can win in shootouts and overtime. Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart Sheary - O'Reilly - Pominville Smith - Mittelstadt - Rodrigues Girgensons - Larsson - Okposo McCabe - Ristolainen Dahlin - Bogosian Scandella - Nelson/Pilut Ullmark - Hutton I think that would be a much better team. (And if Thompson was a player that Botterill really wanted, find another way to get him and put him in Rochester.)

Vegas is in 2nd place in the Western Conference with 58 points, 2 points out of 1st place. (Tied for 3rd place in the entire NHL.)

Waiting for his balls to drop...the kid is soft like charmin, especially for his size.

I really like this site too... https://www.rosterresource.com/nhl-buffalo-sabres/

People are going to pick Skinner because they simply don't like Kane. But, Kane can and does stick up for his teammates, and he plays a heavy game...while scoring the same amount of goals. I'm worried this team is going to get pushed around. (In an ideal world, you keep Kane and bring in Skinner/Sheary.)

Kane and Skinner is a wash...but I'll take O'Reilly over the package they got for him every single time. (*Tage Thompson better be VERY GOOD.) They should've tried giving O'Reilly a winger like Skinner or Sheary before they gave up on him. (It's just weird how soon people forget that O'Reilly was mentoring the kids every day after practice, then they found their egos and stopped showing up.)

For what it's worth, here's some tidbits on Jack Hughes that I've seen in a magazine... A write-up I saw on him said, "Supposed to be with the U-17's, but such an offensive dynamo that he centers the top line on the U-18's. He's too fast for opponents and he's torching the USHL." A scout said, "He's electric, the next Patrick Kane. Undeniable vision and creativity. Best player on the U-18's. Overcomes his lack of physical strength with his skating and smarts." As for the 3 first round picks, I would either keep our pick and trade the other two to move up, or just use all three. My targets would be Nolan Foote (LW), Kaapo Kakko (LW) or Alex Turcotte (Center) in the top-10. Nobody is trading the right to draft Jack Hughes. Peyton Krebs is another LW, but I like the other two due to their size. If I was going to trade two of them, it would be to move into the top-10 for another one of these kids, assuming the Sabres' is in the top-10. I wouldn't mind a top-pairing RHD either, a future partner for Dahlin. (I'd also love to see the Sabres snag Spencer Knight (G) next year, in the 2nd round...I think he's going to be an absolute stud.) Either way, I'm excited how the future is shaping up...I look forward to watching this all come together. (And I'm REALLY happy to see that the Amerks are mostly going to be a young team like Toronto and Syracuse, I'm thinking about getting season tickets again.)

Some of you are jumping way ahead of yourselves... Reinhart having a good tournament didn't translate to the NHL, because after two very solid years he's having a bad year while being screwed around and inserted all over the lineup? Nylander having a good tournament hasn't translated so far because he had one uninspiring season as an 18 year old in the AHL, and he hasn't blown the roof off after a long-term injury as a 19 year old? Should we want expectations to be met immediately? Sure. But not that many players do such a thing, and most don't fully show what they are going to be until they are 23-24 years old. As for our past draft picks, most of them aren't even old enough to be in the AHL yet, or they have now just gotten there. Guhle and Asplund seem like great 2nd round picks. Fitzgerald and Pu could be very good 3rd round picks. Borgen in the 4th round. Hagel in the 6th round could be a steal. Olofsson in the 7th could be an even bigger steal. Cornel, Johansson, Stephens, Budik and Glotov are all still too young to truly make a call on them. We won't know for 2 more years or so who they really are as NHL players. William Karlsson was a 2nd round pick in 2011, and now in 2017 he is finding who he is and has become a hell of a player...up until now he had not really done much with 50 points in 183 NHL games and 33 points in 61 AHL games. Vladislav Namestnikov was a 2011 1st round pick who just now, at 25 years old, is breaking out into being a top-6 player. (He only had 79 points in his first 201 NHL games before this season.) Give these kids time...and in the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (The one thing this team does need to do better is find the next Panarin or Donskoi, or the next Zaitsev...keep mining for players overseas.)

It's going to happen again since Jason Botterill took Oskari Laaksonen over David Farrance. Laaksonen better be a stud, because I would bet that Farrance turns into one. (And it's no surprise that, of all the teams, the Predators drafted Farrance four spots after the Sabres took Laaksonen.)

Agreed. The top two lines of this team in 1-2 years should be made up of some combination of Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Okposo, Mittelstadt and Nylander. Nylander - Eichel - Mittelstadt O'Reilly - Reinhart - Okposo

Like everyone says...if they get that far, there's no point in them not going to free agency. Cal Petersen signed with the Kings for 2 years, so he got a year taken off an ELC as a free agent. I just don't think it's something that should be ignored.

I would say Borgen is...The Hockey News has him as the Sabres' 7th best prospect, #2 among defensemen. He was also voted as a top-31 NCAA player this season by the college scouts at SB Nation College Hockey...above Vecchione, Brickley, Pionk and some other high quality players. https://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2017/3/22/15015850/2017-top-100-nhl-prospects-in-the-ncaa-31-35-brickley-lindgren-foley-novak-borgen 31. Will Borgen, Defenseman, St. Cloud State(Buffalo Sabres) After a breakout freshman year, Borgen had a bit of a difficult transition in his sophomore season. With the departure of all-American and Hobey Baker finalist Ethan Prow on the SCSU blue line, Borgen got off to a very tough start to the season by trying to do a little too much of everything. He settled down as the season progressed and played much better by letting the game come to him rather than trying to force plays Borgen’s skating ability and athleticism is excellent for a defender that plays a physical, defense-first style of hockey. He’s able to win one-on-one battles for the puck and skate his way out of tight situations to start transition offense. He sometimes struggles with discipline, but his refusal to not back down from opponents, even if it means sometimes crossing the line, likely won’t be seen as a negative in the pro game. He doesn’t project to provide much offense at the pro level, but he moves the puck well enough that he won’t be a liability. He has potential as a good second pairing defenseman at the NHL level that provides a nice stay-at-home complement to a more offensive-minded defenseman.

What? Florentino never had more than 16 points, while Butcher had above 30 the past two seasons. Florentino is more of a defensive defenseman, Butcher is an offensive defenseman. Florentino - 54 points in 131 games. Butcher - 103 points in 158 games.