PerreaultForever

the game changed and left him behind.

will it leave you with a feeling of satisfaction or emptiness? that is the question.

Sorry but Hutton in net is not a strange or bad move unless Ullmark does not play against Calgary, the tougher team. If we want to even hope for the playoffs we need to come out of this western trip with a winning record. Will be interesting to see if we can handle these teams with big bodies. I'm not sure we can.

The Coutourier deal is a joke (price would be way higher and I doubt they move him at all) but the Ferland idea is a good one.

lol. I'll try to do better.

Agree totally. A big body in front of the net might help as well, but if our identity is supposed to be speed and such we should bring that to the Pp as well.

2-3 years. Eichel will not be too old. Entertaining game. They simply have more talent and scored big goals when they needed them. If we had a good PP we could have gone ahead and maybe won this game. Sign Skinner. Sign 1-2 forwards in free agency. Develop our own and use our draft picks wisely, and we will be a real cup contender in that time. Given where we were, that is not unreasonable.

Since it's January, isn't this thread over?

Is it a false impression I have or does Hutton seem to have poor peripheral vision? Seems solid and focused when the play is coming towards him but when it's behind the net or off the boards he seems to have no idea where the puck is. is that valid? Not sure. Tonight's game was a classic case of the superstar is back so everyone forgets they also have to play. Seen it many times before. Last game when Eichel; was out they played a team game and everyone gave effort. Tonight there were too many floaters and spectators early on. Simply didn't work hard enough. Upside was they didn't quit, but as the season goes on the lack of depth is what's killing us. Cant' roll lines when half the team is marginal nhl at best. give it time. We are still much better than last year.

Personally I think we should cut bait and trade him to someone who thinks he has upside. I know they are not the same person, but the so called "good Nylander" has been atrocious for Toronto since landing the big contract and I question the character of both siblings. Hoping he sinks Toronto's cap but can the lesser brother be relied on for what we want in the future? I say no.

and most of the talking heads around the league questioned or even scoffed at the Eichel deal but so far JBot seems to be right. The past does not dictate the future, and none of those terrible deals are on current management.

If JBot signs him to a reasonable contract for a long term I will consider this season for him a total success regardless of whatever else happens or if he doesn't do another thing until the draft.

Okposo plays his best along the wall but we're not that kind of team so he simply doesn't fit. I think he's a team guy though and that's good, we want some veteran leadership with the kids. I'd move him if there was a deal to be had, but I doubt there is so he just plays it out dropping down the lineup until he's gone like Pommer. I simply don't trust Duchene so I say pass. Good in a contract year, trouble before that. No thank you. Character is needed in any free agent we sign. The guy I would target, as I've said in other places, is Simmons. Exactly what this team needs. Size, good hands, great in front of the net and on the PP with decent speed and a bodyguard for Skinner and Jack so that Bogo doesn't have to fight everybody. The team I'd look at for deals however is Tampa. No way can they keep and sign that roster for long. Talent to be had there with the right creative deal(s).

I don't think Scandella is any worse than last year, I just think the D is so much better and his style is less suited to this aggressive attacking D. So Scandella moving down the depth chart is a good thing isn't it? Personally I really liked Bogo/Dahlin as a pair but I suspect it's part of Housley's development program to play Dahlin with many different partners to learn from all of them. I would not break up Skinner/Eichel, they have chemistry and you want a dynamic duo like that so you can give them lots of ice time and make teams defend them. I think Thompson-Mitts-Samson might make a good line. Mitts is a playmaker, Thompson likes to shoot, and Sam is strong positionally and goes to the net. I could see some more rebounds and garbage goals if Thompson had a front of the net guy with him. Too often now he shoots and that's it, they take the puck. As for Sobodka, he's never been an offense guy and should be on a pure checking line. I'd make our third line a checking line but since Housley's plan is roll all lines all the time (or so it was said way back) he doesn't really fit and I can see him being moved out at some point. Overall I'm content with what Housley has done and the system works, we just need more talent.

I think Elie's faster, so maybe they see more upside.

Pah, that was simply fun to watch and I was entertained (and amused by Bogo just sitting on a guy :)) Good things happen when everyone plays the system and they play with energy and like a team. This is what the future holds. When we add a few more scorers to this mix we will see greatness. The plan is working.

yes.

Agree. Good roster at the top end and at the bottom end, D decent and improving, goaltending solid and still improving but the middle of the roster is still REALLY WEAK. Our second line simply cannot compete with the second units of Tampa, Toronto, or any of the other big teams, and the 3rd line is a mess. We still need more talent to develop before we are a real contender.

I suspect at this stage with a new GM Philly will trade of all they can, but imo Coutourier is likely one of only a few they'd hang on to. More likely they move Giroux. Simmons is an UFA think, if you want one addition from them for a playoff run he'd be my choice. Skinner-Eichel-Simmons would be a pretty formidable force to deal with and it might help the PP too, not to mention physicality we lack. But I really don't want JBot to give up much of anything in the youth department or high picks. I think his primary concern might be can he sign Skinner. To me that's an elephant in the room. I have to think Carolina let him go for what they did knowing he'd want more than they were willing to pay. With the success this year his price might be through the roof. If he offers him a max contract prior to the deadline and he turns it down, then what? If anything keeps JBot up at night it's probably that.

Yes, that's one, but the only one. imo you can't have too many young goalies in the system. Personally I would draft one (almost) every year.

Not with the wingers we have. For us, but for JBot, it's only the second year of a rebuild. You can't hold the Murray era on him and he won't abandon a long term plan for that frustration. I think Nylander is a bust and should be forgotten about. As for Mitts/Olofsson I think they are hedging their bets. One in Rochester, one up, two development paths. see which one works out (if either). One of them will eventually be the #2 center but for now I think the plan faltered with Berglund being a bust. He was supposed to hold the spot with average/decent play for a year or two. As is, the roster is thin. I still hold much of this on Reinhart. Absolutely useless without Eichel. Skinner still gives it a go without him but what does Reinhart ever do on his own??? Not enough for a #2 overall pick. D is better, Goaltending is ok, We have a better team attitude, but we are not very deep, and the second and third line wingers are just not very good. Sobodka should be on a pure checking line, that's what he has always done, and nothing more expected of him, that's all he is. Asking for more is unrealistic. We simply need more talent.

Oh I think I get the confusion. By "we" I didn't mean Canada, I meant the Sabres. I wish the Sabres had more promising goalies in their system.

Ya, cause overall he played really well and was the only reason they were winning 1-0 towards the end.

I thought the lame PP on the 2 man advantage would sink us but Skinner showed his stuff again. So much energy and effort in that guy and fast as lightning. I sure hope we sign him long term. We could use a few more guys like him.

Allstar games are stupid.