Pokey Jones

If Housley thought Reinhart and Eichel were good compliments for each other they'd be together. I think he feels Reinhart is too slow, he wants Eichel's line to play a faster game and Eichel will be paired with whoever can do that. Probably Kane and Pommer to start, maybe Rodrigues.

Well ya, that's why I said winning in preseason doesn't matter you want to see glimmers of hope and surprise stand outs. Look over the whole board, where is the thread discussing that guy who is wowing us in preseason? There isn't one. Mostly a lot of don't panic yet, and it's only preseason threads. There was a game on the other night Chicago and Boston. Boston came out flying. This guy Bjork - a fifth rounder - looked really good. Boston fans have to be excited over him. And McAvoy - holy .... this guy was all over the ice, looks like a new Ray Bourque. There's hope there. Reasons for their fans to think they will be better than last year. I wanted just a little bit of that feeling, that's all.

Ummm, don't you earn your ice time with your play?

Wasn't thinking right/left so sure. We agree on the 6 though.

if healthy, I predict the opening D will be: Risto - Beaulieu McCabe - Scandella Bogo - Antipin Jorges is on the roster as the injury fill in.

You don't care about wins in preseason. You don't care about some guy destined for the minors making a big mistake. But what you do want to see is a taste of some promised magic between two guys put together or a flash of brilliance from some new guy you've barely heard of. Where is that??????????? In that Leafs game they had guys who probably won't make their team showing flashes and they are already better than us. Who for us has really stood out? Anybody? Back to that French connection era you had a young team with drafted stars in the making but you also got guys showing up nobody expected to shine. Where's our Rick Dudley who came out of nowhere to give us flair and character? Where's our Danny Gare who as a kid sensation completed our second line? I could go on and on over the years but what's the point? Just show me the hope, not on paper, but on the ice.

Hey, this is supposed to be my shtick :)

Hey, I'm a fan. I'm just not one of those fans who doesn't face reality. Show me something to cheer about and I'll be cheering but I've run out of blind optimism. or in other words, still here :)

Well everybody who picked Fasching can move to the back of the class :)

Well obviously this team does not have the depth to handle a lot of injuries and if we get them we are toast for sure, but there's nothing big yet, nobody's out for the year or months, just a few minor issues. The only one that worries me right now is Scandella cause he has a history and I have a small worry maybe we got saddled with damaged goods that can't be fully fixed. But that's just a maybe, no reason to worry about injuries just yet.

until he didn't. So to go with the metaphor, Reinhart before the draft was the guy with the hair and after he got drafted came the loss of all that potential strength. I'd love to be wrong about Reinhart, but I just don't see it and IF we do in fact play in a faster skating system eventually he will look even worse.

Maybe. I didn't see that many games back then. I'm not in the area any more and I didn't have the pay package. I maybe got to see 15-20 games tops that season but in those games most of them had more zip than this. Obviously they sucked so I must have missed a lot of really bad efforts and I'm sure the team quit at times and then lost on purpose (sort of) later. Just thinking about a general tone and effort level. Probably giving Ted the benefit of a doubt based on the red black and white era. Anyway, point is Housley in the morning practice challenged them to show him something, it was a hated rival, and a home game, and what did we get? Nuthin. Believe me, I want to be optimistic. I want signs of life. I want any little glimmers to hang hope onto. I will be the happiest guy around here if you turn to me in April and say boy were you wrong, that'd be great! I want to get on the bandwagon but right now I see a lot of flat tires.

I wouldn't even be upset if they missed the playoffs if they just gave me actual hope to build on. Fire and desire and effort. Not that lethargical crap they showed against the Leafs. Nolan had them playing better than that and he was left with nothing to work with.

Is his name really Samson??? Must have had a bad haircut.

Well I'm old. I grew up on the French Connection. I want that feeling back. the energy and excitement they generated night after night. Upstart kids knocking off Montreal in the playoffs. Destroying the Russians. The reasons I became a fan all those years ago. Now? I am a pessimist about the state of this team.

Marvelo wants to steal my label as resident website pessimist :) I'm keeping my nhl package but I see few signs for optimism. You know in preseason you just want signs, glimmers, flashes or moments to give you hope. there aren't many so far.

Here's the bottom line imo, due to his upbringing he has great hockey sense and can think the situation through really well. one day he could make a great hockey coach BUT he is not physical and he is not fast enough to be a star in this new speed oriented nhl. He will get some points if he plays with true stars, but in no way can this guy become a true star himself. My narrative may be getting old, but if the shoe fits................ Reinhart (I cannot use that Samson nickname cause it's stupid - the guy is weak) does not elevate Jack, he holds him back.

Yup. If this was any indicator of what the season has in store for us I will (sadly) be the one who was right. :P

Because he is the new David Legwand. Legwand was 2nd overall pick and had a decently long nhl career but underachieved and basically amounted to being a utility forward. This is all Reinhart is. Put him on any good team and do you really see him above the 3rd line? I think not.

Uninspired rubbish that looked too similar to last year for my comfort. The announcers said earlier that in the morning Housley had challenged the players along the lines of "if you want to make this team do something....." so I guess not many of them want to make the team. Risto looked good. I think he pairs well with Beaulieu. That could be an upside. Okposo and Eichel were ok but not overly inspiring. Kane had a few brief flashes but also took a dumb penalty like he does. No other forward impressed me, and some of them definitely looked like they do not belong in the nhl. Antipin had a few moments but might not be ready. Lehner was ok but just ok. Easy to write this off as preseason 'who cares' but you'd think you would get a little more effort in a home game. Just a little more of a sense of giving the fans something. But no, it's the Sabres, they looked like they just didn't care at all.

"not much spark" the Sportsnet announcer said. Tell me that doesn't sum it up good. Good thing I don't take preeason seriously or I'd be really depressed about this (cough) effort.

Risto has to be untouchable. I would not trade McCabe either. This team is thin on D to begin with so trading young D would be insane. A Duchene to Sabres trade only happens if it centers on Reinhart or Kane and I don't see those happening. He isn't coming here, probably never was.

I think the top line will likely start as Kane-Eichel-Pommer. Pommer is not destined to stay there, he is a placeholder for Nylander (if he steps up) or somebody else. ROR will play with Okposo and ? Reinhart will centre the third line unless injuries force them to use him on the wing. No idea on the rest right now.

Relax. I'm supposed to be the pessimist around here not you guys. Exhibition game, means less than zero. Housley is going to try players in odd spots, different roles, different combos. None of it means anything.

Or stop thinking of Sam as a top line player...............