What's Your Sabres Lineup

[PTS]

When everyone is healthy (which looks like it will be soon), two regulars will have to sit in addition to Peters. I gotta feeling Darcy tosses in one of our forwards with Biron in a trade to nab a top notch defensman.

 

Left Wings:

Vanek

Kotalik

Hecht

Pyatt

Peters

 

Centers:

Briere

Drury

Connolly

Gaustad

Roy (W)

Mair (W)

 

Right Wings:

Dumont

Afinogenov

Pominville

Grier

 

Here's My Line-Up:

Vanek-Briere-Dumont

Kotalik-Drury-Hecht

Roy-Connolly-Afinogenov

Pyatt-Gaustad-Pominville

 

Sitting: Grier, Mair, Peters?

[BetweenThePipes00]

If Pyatt is playing and Grier is sitting there will be a locker room revolt ... he has played every game of his Sabres career the way that pyatt played for about a week before the break, all effort all the time. 3 or 4 good games before the break does not earn Pyatt a spot in the lineup over Grier ...

[shrader]

PTS, I'd say that Roy will probably be the odd man out instead of Grier. Take your lines and move Pominville up in place of Roy, then move Grier to the 4th line. I would not complain about that lineup one bit.

 

I still don't see Lindy breaking up the Grier-Drury BU connection though.

[LabattBlue]

PTS, I'd say that Roy will probably be the odd man out instead of Grier. Take your lines and move Pominville up in place of Roy, then move Grier to the 4th line. I would not complain about that lineup one bit.

 

I still don't see Lindy breaking up the Grier-Drury BU connection though.

I don't see Roy sitting. He is starting to show some grit to his game in addition to his offensive skills that will make him a must in the lineup. Odd men out if there are no injuries...

 

Peters, Mair & Pyatt.

[Taro T]

I don't see any way short of him being injured in which Grier is not in the lineup. That being said, my guess is that either Pyatt or Roy joins Mair and Peters in the press box. Since I don't think either one has "earned" his way off the roster, and the team still has Paille (and, if healthy, Mair) to be the 13th/14th forward if one forward is gone; I still expect to see a forward and Marty converted into a top 4 (top 6 at worst) defenseman (not sure what ancillary stuff gets tossed in, but I'd be very surprised to not see this type of trade happen). (Spacek perhaps?)

 

As for who sits, Pyatt or Roy, I think it comes down to how well Pyatt plays. If he plays the way he did just before getting injured and after coming back, he's in. If not, Mr. Roy gets some playoff experience.

[bob_sauve28]

Pyatt sits a head of Grier. I'm thinking Connelly goes to the wing and Roy stays at center.

Wow, what a great problem to have, too many excellent players

 

 

Here's My Line-Up:

Vanek-Briere-Dumont

Kotalik-Drury-Hecht

Roy-Connolly-Afinogenov

Pyatt-Gaustad-Pominville

 

Sitting: Grier, Mair, Peters?

[fushetti]

MIKE GRIER IS MY HERO. HE CAN'T SIT. HAVE U WATCHED ANY HOCKEY THIS YEAR PTS????? ;)

[Bring Back Sanderson]

Vanek-Briere-Hecht

Dumont-Drury-Afinogenov

Kotalik-Connolly-Roy

Grier-Gaustad-Pominville

 

~Hecht is in my opinion the best all around player the team has, and needs to receive as much even strength ice time as possible...I'd put him with Briere and Vanek because those 2 have some pretty glaring defensive shortcomings.

~We need to get Drury going- have him focus more on offense than two-way play for a while to see if he can get hot offensively...hence...a playmaking winger and a finisher for him.

~The best sniper on the team with the best playmaking center....Roy and Connolly would be great at backing the defense off and letting Kotalik's shot fly...

~You can't take Grier out. Give Gaustad a chance to be a "checking" center instead of an energy center....maybe rotate the Gaustad and Drury lines against other teams' top lines. Pominville has to dress...because he has that Luc Robitaille/Glen Murray type ability to be invisible all game then come through with a big goal...plus we're short on wingers that are truly finishers...it's basically just him, Kotalik, Dumont, and hopefully Vanek soon.

 

Come the playoffs, I'd slide Vanek down unless he proves he can be a 30-40 type goal scorer, and put Mair or Pyatt in the lineup, not necessarily on that line, but at least among the starting 12.

 

I know depth is important...and I'm sure Regier wont do anything crazy because plans never work out to perfection- somebody will get injured, it's almost a sure bet...but the team is begging for a #1 defenseman...if they could package Biron, Dumont (who I think is kind of in no man's land- he's not a true 1st line winger, is a decent 2nd liner, but has no business on a checking or energy line), and a defenseman that's not Fitzpatrick for a true #1 d-man, I'd do it...1) it would mean no more Connolly or Pominville on the point on the pp, 2) I have no problem with Fitzpatrick as a #6/7 defenseman if and only if they have a legit #1 guy who'll eat up 25-30 minutes of ice time each night so that Fitzpatrick will only have to play 10 or 12 minutes. I think a Biron, Dumont, Tallinder/Lydman/McKee package legitimately could add one of the 10 best defensemen in the league, without adding payroll...then I'd trade a mid-level prospect or picks for a couple of proven NHL caliber role players who are UFA's at the end of the year to cover in case of more injuries. I know the Sabres window of opportunity is wide open right now...they definitely aren't a team that HAS to win it now, but they really arent that far away from being able to take a legitimate shot at it. And history generally shows that without a true stud defenseman, you won't be hoisting the cup.

[hopeleslyobvious]

 

I know depth is important...and I'm sure Regier wont do anything crazy because plans never work out to perfection- somebody will get injured, it's almost a sure bet...but the team is begging for a #1 defenseman...if they could package Biron, Dumont (who I think is kind of in no man's land- he's not a true 1st line winger, is a decent 2nd liner, but has no business on a checking or energy line), and a defenseman that's not Fitzpatrick for a true #1 d-man, I'd do it...1) it would mean no more Connolly or Pominville on the point on the pp, 2) I have no problem with Fitzpatrick as a #6/7 defenseman if and only if they have a legit #1 guy who'll eat up 25-30 minutes of ice time each night so that Fitzpatrick will only have to play 10 or 12 minutes. I think a Biron, Dumont, Tallinder/Lydman/McKee package legitimately could add one of the 10 best defensemen in the league, without adding payroll...then I'd trade a mid-level prospect or picks for a couple of proven NHL caliber role players who are UFA's at the end of the year to cover in case of more injuries. I know the Sabres window of opportunity is wide open right now...they definitely aren't a team that HAS to win it now, but they really arent that far away from being able to take a legitimate shot at it. And history generally shows that without a true stud defenseman, you won't be hoisting the cup.

 

 

Connolly-Briere-Dumont

Kotalik-Drury-Hecht

Vanek-Roy-Afinogenov (This line works well together!!!)

Grier-Gaustad-Pominville

 

 

I disagree with your trade ideas. We need to bring in defenseman, not ship any out. Especially not Tallinder, Lydman or McKee. Tallinder and Lydman both spend most of their time against the other team's top lines, and for the most part do a good job (not that they don't slip up). McKee has been solid all year. I could see a forward being packaged with Biron, just because we have so many. I also don't think payroll is a concern anymore. The Sabres will only be paying a fraction of their salary...I don't think the salary cap is a concern at all for the Sabres. They have spent most of the season about 10 million under, that gives them a ton of room for the last month. Cap wise, they can have as high of a payroll as they want during the last month, as long as the total salary paid by the team doesn't exceed $39 million for the year...But the team budget is a lot lower than that, so I don't think we will see them get anywhere close to that number. But even if they tried, it would be very tough to do.

[Bring Back Sanderson]

I understand what you're saying...but I want a #1 defenseman that can be here LONG TERM, not a rental player. I don't want to lose Lydman or Tallinder (especially) , but as solid as they are, a true #1...say, Jovanovski, Bouwmeiseter, Brewer, Pronger etc., is what the Sabres could really use. Don't get me wrong, Lydman, Tallinder and McKee are all very good....but you wouldn't miss any one of them in the least if they could pull off a trade for a true #1. And I think losing the goaltending depth and a forward (of which we have 14 or 15 guys who are legit top 10 forwards for a team) would be worth it. After all, McKee is a UFA anyway...Lydman might be...somebody out there probably knows for sure if he's a UFA or not after the season...Tallinder and Kalinin are guys I wouldn't want to see leave either, but if you have to lose a solid top 4 defenseman, top 6ish forward, and a great backup/decent starting goalie to get a #1 defenseman, I think you do it. Especially considering the depth the Sabres have.

[PTS]

MIKE GRIER IS MY HERO. HE CAN'T SIT. HAVE U WATCHED ANY HOCKEY THIS YEAR PTS????? ;)

I detect sarcasm but it really is a tough call when it comes to Grier. He has played superb defensively this season but he has done very little offensively in the past few months. He's also a great team player but when we are 100% healthy, he's one of my bubble guys.

 

Before we toss urine bags at Pyatt like we're crazed Mexican soccer fans, he was supposed to be the next John LeClair. Pyatt has great hands and great speed for a big guy. If Pyatt plays like he has, there is no way you can afford to sit him. Grier needs to step up his game offensively because we already have enough guys to kill over 10 straight penalties. Either way, we have a good problem. Guys will have to produce to stay in the line-up.

[JujuFish]

Vanek-Roy-Afinogenov (This line works well together!!!)

 

I agree. I don't have any particular ideas for lines except this one. I would love to see Vanek, Roy and Afinogenov stay together.

[PTS]

I was reading some of the posts about the defense and I gotta say the future of this team looks great if they can resign everyone. If Darcy is able to make a trade for a stud blue liner, he'll turn the Sabres into the team to beat in my opinion.

 

Seeing the way Numminen and Lydman have played in the Olympics (I'm expecting the same in the playoffs), and having Tallinder, McKee and Kalinin (heathly). Getting that stud will put us over the top.

 

If that lineup stays the same for a year or two, it might become the most solid defense in the league with Miller in net. Similiar to our offense, no big name players just guys that get the job done.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I understand what you're saying...but I want a #1 defenseman that can be here LONG TERM, not a rental player. I don't want to lose Lydman or Tallinder (especially) , but as solid as they are, a true #1...say, Jovanovski, Bouwmeiseter, Brewer, Pronger etc., is what the Sabres could really use. Don't get me wrong, Lydman, Tallinder and McKee are all very good....but you wouldn't miss any one of them in the least if they could pull off a trade for a true #1. And I think losing the goaltending depth and a forward (of which we have 14 or 15 guys who are legit top 10 forwards for a team) would be worth it. After all, McKee is a UFA anyway...Lydman might be...somebody out there probably knows for sure if he's a UFA or not after the season...Tallinder and Kalinin are guys I wouldn't want to see leave either, but if you have to lose a solid top 4 defenseman, top 6ish forward, and a great backup/decent starting goalie to get a #1 defenseman, I think you do it. Especially considering the depth the Sabres have.

Every team wants a #1 defenseman that they can keep long term ... there are fewer than 10 studs of the type you are talking about. Even if the Sabres get one, two years from now he will probably be eating up so much of the payroll they'll have to get rid of him anyway ... guys like Vanek and Miller and Tallinder are not going to get cheaper.

They DO have depth at forward, and someone probably does need to be traded for defensive help. But they can't get rid of a defenseman to do it, and least of all McKee. I understand he might be lost after the season for nothing, but what kind of a message does that send in the room that your best defender, who has been throwing his body in front of shots all season with NO regard for the fact that he could get hurt and cost himself money at the end of the year, is the guy traded because you don't want to pay him next season? On a team that seems so tight, can you really sell that you are making the move to win now and not just thinking about money in the future? If anything, what McKee does comes cheaper than a guy with offensive numbers ... they are better off paying McKee $3-4 million than they are paying someone like Pronger $6 million. Not because he is a better PLAYER, but because they can't afford to tie up $6 million in one guy. If all these young guys keep getting better, they are going to cost more money in the future. If you want to keep the window open as long as possible, you stick to the plan and don't start throwing big money at any one guy. I've said it before, they need to think like the Oakland A's, not the Yankees.

[DrunkenSabre]

it's gonna be tough. someone is gonna get axed. pyatt, Peters will sit. mair im not expecting back this season. if he does come back it will be late and by then it will probably be after the trade deadline.