JohnC
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Posts posted by JohnC
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3 minutes ago, dudacek said:
I would like nothing better than for you to be right, but he's scored 20 goals in his entire NHL career — 280 games.
He had one 20-goal season in the minors, but his second highest total as a pro is 6. He's smart and determined enough to get chances, but he just doesn't have the hands o finish.
As you seem to suggest Lazar is a utility player. There certainly is a role for that type of player. His signing to a reasonable contract is a good move but it is not an influential move. That's what I will be looking for as the offseason advances with the conclusion of the playoffs and the approaching of the draft.
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32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
Sam Reinhart would rank 5th in points on the Lightning behind Kucherov, Stamkos, Point, and Hedman... all while he spent the year playing for the Sabres.
8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:Actually we don't. You really think Tampa would be in the final if their top wingers were Reinhart and Skinner? They wouldn't be top line players in Dallas, Boston, Colorado, and a fair ways further down the list. We are thin all over and have already overpaid and over valued what we do have.
The stuff about the middle I totally agree with though. We could be better there with the right moves.
Reinhart playing on a Tampa team with its loaded talented roster would be even a better player, and he's a good player right now. And with Skinner moved backed to the Jack line he could be a 35-40 goal scorer. A good player playing on a lackluster roster is a lesser player than the same player playing on a star studded roster. Jack playing on a robust team like Tampa is a better player than he playing on a thin team like Buffalo, even if his stats would not be as good.
When comparing players and stats there is a context. And that context is the overall talent level of the team. It makes a difference that goes beyond individual stats.
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Just now, DarthEbriate said:
Contortion is fun!
Not if you have a bulky back, a fat assss and a lumpy tummy. 🤡
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2 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:
I'm still in agreement that Lazar pencils in as a bottom 6.
For the sake of argument, let's say Lazar becomes Sobotka this year, with just a bit more offense and also health. He drives the net, he works the boards. And now instead of MoJo, it's the Skinner-and-Staal show. Skinner was on fire to start last season, until Sobotka got hurt. If Skinner-Staal-Lazar gets Skinner to his expected 30 goals and Staal to 60 points (And Eichel's line does what they do), that's the 2nd line. If we win, anybody can play with anybody. And if it allows a third line to feature some more scoring threat while on the ice in favorable scenarios, all the better.
There is no need to contort yourself into the "what if" pretzel. My response is still an unequivocal no on Lazar playing on the second-line. If we can't do better than that then its time to put your hands up and yell that you give up. ☠️
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2 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:
I think we are all pretty close on this. As a stand-alone move signing Lazar doesn't make or break this team.
To some of us the jury is still out on Lazars ceiling and/or where he slots in to the line-up. Depending on the overall team chemistry, it is possible he could play an effective 2nd line winger role on good Sabres team. He's fast, creative, defensively responsible, gives'r hard, and comes cheap. That might open up more money for a scoring 3rd line winger.
I respectfully disagree with the assessment that he could be an effective 2nd line winger on a good Sabre team. As I said in my prior posts if he regularly plays as a second line winger then this roster has a dearth of talent and this team will be an inconsequential NHL team. There certainly is a role for this very earnest player. It shouldn't be on any of the top two lines. For too long this franchise has been playing players in roles higher than their talent level. The record reflects this mismatch. If you want to be a competitive team that has to stop.
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17 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:
When constructing the roster, yes, he's a bottom 6 forward.
But once we get into the season, whatever works, works. If Lazar is that perfect complement to a Staal-Cozens combo or Staal-Skinner combo, so be it. We've seen a line fail as often as we've seen a line gel. Girgs was stapled to Eichel a couple seasons back with no real benefit to either. But in the past we've seen Crosby and Sheary be great together (particularly that one playoff run) to the extent that PIT traded back for Sheary, despite him being a 4th liner for PIT before JBot brought him here. And Bure put up 60 with Gino Odjick as his opposite winger. So while Bure might have scored more, it certainly didn't slow him down.
Lines need the flexibility to find what clicks. Heck, if Eichel scores 82 points this year with Lazar on his wing AND we make the playoffs, I won't complain that Lazar's out of place. Until he misses a gaping empty-net tap-in to clinch a series we end up losing, and then I lament Reino's placement with Skinner-Cozens. 'Til then, though, gotta let things shake out.
If Lazar becomes a full time second line player then this team is in trouble. That is not to argue against situationally playing him on the second line on limited occasions. I'm aware that Krueger likes to balance his lines but your top two lines should have scoring capabilities even when the situation calls for the top two lines to accentuate the defensive side of play. I don't see him enhancing that line's offensive role so much as inhibiting it.
I'm not criticizing Lazar as a player. There is a role for him. He's a grinder whose utility is best served on the lower lines. Putting aside Okposo's high salary there is a role for him on this team. It's certainly not on the top two lines. Again, that is not a criticism of him as a player so much as to where his talents are best utilized. You give the example of Eichel scoring 82 points with Lazar on his wing. I got a better example that would be more beneficial to the team: Skinner on his wing with him scoring 95-100 pts.
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1 hour ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:
Everybody mentions him as a 4th liner, but I think that sells Lazar short. He was great at killing penalties, skated hard every shift, converted from a skilled to a banger type player, great attitude, and is the type of player that can complement a lot of lines in different ways. I think he could be effective from the 2nd line down to the 13th forward - depending on line chemistry. This is a great depth signing at a great price that has promising upside. 2for2 Mr. Adams. Well played sir.
I don't think this signing impacts Larry's contract at all at $800K AAV. It's likely going to be what contracts are signed and trades occur for the top 9 forwards that dictate what type of money the Sabres are willing to spend on Larson and/or Girgs...
As Taro stated if Lazar plays any time on the second line this team would not only have a dearth of talent but will be so irrelevant that it will be an invisible NHL franchise.
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39 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:
Kind of like Killorn
I think he can score more.
I think that because he is such a high effort player that he can get between 10-12 or maybe a few more goals. That's fine with me. He has a grinder role and he will fulfill that role and provide energy for the rest of his line mates.
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2 minutes ago, dudacek said:
I really liked Lazar as a junior. His scouting report looked a lot like Anton Lundell's.
Do you believe that Lazar has an upside as a third liner who can give you 12-15 goals? Or is that scoring expectation too high of an expectation? If this team can get some reasonable secondary scoring it will be beneficial.
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1 minute ago, Weave said:
At 17 overall if they expected more than they got out of him their expectations were out of whack. That far into the first round the trend is for guys that make it to be role players. and even at that the success rate is below 50%.
Draft picks are overvalued in general.
I think that Ottawa had higher expectations on him. But whether that is the case or not they made a mistake by rushing him. The Sabres made the same developmental mistake with Mitts, Nylander and to a lesser extent with Tage. Some teams have a knack of having a higher hit rate on their picks. Tampa is a good example of that.
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23 minutes ago, Weave said:
Hustles, hits, forechecks well, good for a few timely goals, skates very well, not well suited to move up the lineup though. He's essentially a more talented version of Matt Ellis. Which isn't a bad thing. He fits the cheap 4th liner role. I think he has a bigger toolbox than Ellis had, but in today's NHL it isn't as effective as it would have been 10-12 yrs ago.
I think his skating and skill level will fit what Kreuger wants to do better than Larsson's skill set will. But he doesn't have Larsson's pest-iness, which we don't have enough of already. Hopefully we bring that back into the lineup in another deal this offseason, preferably with a top 6 player instead.
Lazar is a player who was drafted in the first round and never met the expectations associated with his first round status. After some set backs and bouncing around he found his niche/role and embraced it. When he was sent to the AHL he was a full effort player there who earned his way back up to the NHL. If players with more skill such as Nylander and Mittelstadt had the same passion and drive that Lazar has they would be established NHLers. Passion and effort are talents. You can't win with only grinders on your team but you need them in the mix to have a well rounded roster.
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6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:
They aren't and you are only saying that because you want Buffalo to trade the pick.
If Tampa couldn't work out the finances to keep Cirelli would you trade our first pick for him if a trade proposal was offered? I also want to deal the pick for an established second line player who is in his mid 20s. However, I believe that if we keep the pick we will come away with a good player who will be ready in two years or so.
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59 minutes ago, Brawndo said:
That’s the issue with Risto though. When the decision comes down to delivering a hit or moving the puck to a forward for a zone exit, he more often then not chooses the hit. This results in sustained defensive zone time for the Sabres. Since Ralph does put Risto out with Jack more than he should, those shifts are usually a complete waste.
TBH I think the real reason he hasn’t been moved is the fact that Pegula likes him and doesn’t want him traded.
As you noted Risto's strengths and weaknesses are evident. There has been talk for the past couple of years that his minutes would be curtailed and he would be going against the second rather than top lines. That has not happened to the extent that it needs to. With the development of Dahlin and Joki there is more reason to believe that his role will be lowered a tad and his minutes limited. That should benefit him.
Where I disagree with you is that I believe that it is Krueger more so than the owner who is enamored with his rugged (although not always thoughtful) style of play. Last year was Krueger's first year coaching this team. So there is still a feeling out and learning process going on between the players and the coaching staff. Hopefully, with the better understanding what the players are capable of and what the coach wants the puzzle pieces will fit together better.
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1 minute ago, Brawndo said:
Servalli has contacts around the league and asks what names they are hearing. Given the fact that Risto was removed while Montour was added tells me the Sabres are not interested in moving the former.
Risto certain has his liabilities regarding reading plays and decision-making. But one attribute that he has is that he is a hitter in a unit that lacks it. And that is an attribute that Krueger has acknowledged on more than a few occasions. Other than McCabe the other blue liners are more skaters than physical players. And it should be noted that for a big defender Risto can skate. If Montour is the more likely candidate to be moved Miller is an acceptable replacement. Montour is the better player but he is also the more marketable player.
I like Montour and have felt that he wasn't utilized in a role that accentuated his best qualities. But even when acknowledging that there is still a great need to ship an extra defensive asset out to get a return that adds to the forward line.
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57 minutes ago, Curt said:
He is a 23 year old(turns 24 at end of January) RW/C with offensive skill who seems to have improved yearly since entering the league. He has been stuck in a bottom-6, sometimes 4th line role, but many think he is ready to take on a bigger role in the top 6.
Montour is 26 and coming off his worst season. His play seems to have stagnated, if not regressed. It could be just that he is a poor fit for Krueger and/or he played out of position.
Depending on each of their next contracts, I don’t think the value will necessarily be that different between the two.
With the Montour discussion you bring up a key issue of how to build a roster. The Sabres do have talent (acknowledged not enough). But the talent on the roster is not well distributed. And not only is it not well distributed there is a degree of incoherency to it that doesn't allow for it to be fully maximized. You astutely point this out in the Montour trade discussion. If Krueger is philosophically wedded to a system and is working with players that don't align with his conception of how to play then the pieces have to be moved.
When discussing a trade sometimes the more important issue isn't who is the better player but rather who is the better fit for this team. It is not inconceivable that you can deal the better player for the lesser player and end up upgrading your roster because it ends up being better balanced.
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2 hours ago, Curt said:
Marchessault‘s cap hit is $5M. In actual money he is owed $17M over 4 years, equaling out to $4.25M per. He made $13M combined over the first 2 years of his 6 year deal.
As a Sabre would you consider him worth the price? And do you consider him to be a second-line caliber of player? If he is a second line player and plays a more hard charging style of play then the price quotes that you posted would make him a reasonable player to acquire.
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14 minutes ago, sabresparaavida said:
My bad. My source basically said that the deal at this point is pretty unlikely, that team is unlikely to sell both those assets at this point in time, and now that we have staal, there is no need to sell the farm for them.
My source did say to keep an eye on Vegas and Calgary as possible trade teams- mentioned Marchessault as an under the radar player that could be dealt this offseason.
While I can understand why Vegas would want to trade Marchessault who is making $6 M I don't see the Sabres interesting in such a high cost player.
As you pointed out the acquisition of Staal lessens the need to go all out and deplete the bank of our assets to fill the 2C spot. Although Staal isn't a long term answer he provides the organization more options in scanning the market for good deals this offseason.
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8 minutes ago, dudacek said:
Perry Como.
(How did PA hack my account?)
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2 hours ago, Brawndo said:
Also if Saad is waving His NTC, He probably is doing so with the understanding he plays First Line Minutes with Jack.
That particular account is somewhat unreliable, but there have been other sources who have said the same thing
I'm presenting this question to the more schooled members of this board: Is Saad without question a second line forward? And is his hefty salary commensurate with his production capabilities. I'm not just talking about scoring but including his all around game when evaluating him.
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12 minutes ago, Weave said:
I read this with Mike Tyson's voice in my head.
The tooth gap facilitates the proper pronunciation.
And with Iron Mike I would rather have his voice in my head than his fist in my face. 🤡
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2 hours ago, spndnchz said:
Yes
You are pithy. 🍺
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21 minutes ago, dudacek said:
Saad can and has played right wing. More than just a cap dump, but he shouldn't cost much since the market for $6.5 million salary $6 million cap hit 20 goal scorers ain't big.
He fits the big body veteran forward Jack and Ralph were talking about to a "T"
From a player standpoint he would be a good addition but from a salary and cap standpoint I'm not sure you will be getting enough bang for the buck. However, in order to make this deal or a similar deal to work we wouldn't have to trade away an equal salary away so much as shed a contract that will somewhat offset this relatively high cost player.
What is encouraging is that it seems as if the brain trust is trying to reshape the roster by bringing in tougher players i.e. perimeter and finesse players are not wanted. And what is also encouraging is that in this market there are teams that will be forced to put up for sale good players in order to manage their cap and salary structure. There are options to select from.
https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/video/saads-best-of-2019-20/t-277437096/c-5416567
https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/video/saad-on-offseason-plans/t-277437096/c-5409604
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10 hours ago, Curt said:
Kessel is an odd duck of an NHL player. I think for him so much of his game will be dependent upon his mindset. If he is motivated and working hard, he has all the talent to remain good for a while longer, but if he isn’t things can/will go downhill quick.
Fast is a useful middle 6 player. He fills a position of need for Buffalo. All depends on salary and term though.
I could absolutely see Fast being a better investment than Kessel, especially at their price points.
I am down for like 3 years of Fast, ages 29, 30, 31, at around $3M. Is that close to reasonable?
A firm no thank you on the Kessel consideration. If you have to qualify your position on a player by saying "if he is motivated and working hard" the underlying issue and criticism of the player is that he isn't always a full effort player. The Sabres don't need that uneven attitude and play. The Sabres are far from being a good team. There are going to be predictable periods of struggle with such an incomplete team. We need players who become more resolute and fade less when times are tough. Again, no thank you on Kessel. Let another team deal with this fading odd duck.
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On 9/18/2020 at 12:56 PM, Curt said:
Compare these two.
25 year old guy, on a $5M, 3 year contract, then is a UFA after 2022-23 season.
2020 1st, makes the league in 2021-22, is making only ~$1M until the 2024-25 season, is under team control until something like 2028-2029
The draft pick is literally an asset that you will control longer into the future and for a cheaper price point than that 25 year old. That’s all I said.
If you look at your draft assets primarily through the lense of money and the length of the control of assets then your view is unassailable. But that is a view that is a somewhat detached from what the main goal should be i.e. building a successful franchise. The Sabres are in a situation that is dire. It's on ice performance is currently mediocre and has been for a decade. To make matters even worse it is a boring product in what is essentially an entertainment business.
The fanbase is steadily eroding. Although a large portion of the arena seats are sold through season ticket sales it disguises the reality that a lot of people don't even bother attending the games for tickets that are 10 cents on the dollar. I have heard WGR commentary by the radio hosts say countless times that they don't even like talking about the Sabres because they are tired of repeating the same exasperating storyline. This apathetic attitude comes from a sports station that covers only two pro sports. That's pathetic!
This year the roster will have a number of young players on the roster. Last year, the franchise had two first round draft picks. So using this year's first round pick to acquire a still youthful genuine second line player has to be seriously considered. The argument that it is mortgaging the future is a weak argument. If a fair-value return can't be made for the pick then of course you keep it. If a deal for a player who can immediately contribute can be made then it should be made. This team needs an immediate jolt to wake up a franchise and fanbase that has become something worse than lethargic, namely apathetic. The future is now!
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Sabres Acquire Center Eric Staal from Wild for Marcus Johansson
in The Aud Club
Posted
Staal is a mature person who has been in the hockey business for a long time. He's well aware that being traded and having his family moved is very often an inescapable part of the unsentimental profession he is. That doesn't mean that he is fully happy with what has transpired but he has no choice other than to retire. And I have no doubt that his financial status would allow him to do so if he wanted to take that course. Staal is a very down to earth and low maintenance person. The issue with him is not whether he is going to enthusiastically adapt to his new location but rather is his tank still full? I believe that although he isn't what he was a few years ago he is still a very good player. When you are in a very lucrative profession it is very rational even at the end of one's professional lifespan to eek out another year, and another year. My point is that he's not a person that I am worried about how he is affected about this move.