Kassian quote

[shrader]

Stafford looked pretty good the other night, as did both Roy and Vanek. Stafford's in his contract year, and with (hopefully!) a healthy Vanek and a motivated/maturing Roy, it's not impossible that Stafford has a good year.

 

This is something I meant to mention. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Stafford showed up this year and put up a solid campaign. Obviously the contract year thing is no guarantee, but like I said, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he does show up.

[Patty16]

Yea i know they have to still pay him and i understand how they operate.

 

I guess i was thinking that they like ellis and hes proven and Mccormick has only 100 NHL games in 3 years.

 

So if Kassian pushes for a spot that hard they do whatever they can to make it work. Kinda like myers, if the kid is playing that well cant send him back and some older player is gonna lose a spot (hes not the next myers but you get my point).

[ntjacks79]

It'd be nice to have him on the team but who is he realistically going to replace? The kid has virtually no shot of making the roster based solely on our surplus of forwards. Unless Lindy plans on playing him in our Top 6 and keeping Ennis in Portland, which is obviously not the case. So who comes out? McCormick, Ellis, Gaustad, Kaleta? Grier? Hecht? Neidermayer? There's simply no room on the third/fourth lines, and he certainly isn't going to play top line minutes with Vanek and Roy. Even carrying him as a healthy scratch (not that they would choose that route anyway over letting him develop in Portland) is out of the question if we're going to carry 8 defensemen for a while, along with one of Ellis/McCormick.

I don't think I agree with this. I feel that Kassian is the type of player you make room for, IF he is ready for the NHL (the big word is "if"). But if Lindy thinks he's ready, I don't think the Sabres can possibly say "there isn't room for him". On the other hand, if he's good enough for maybe the 4th line, but the thinking is he's a 2nd line player, maybe more ice minutes in juniors is better for him. Anyway, I guess all I'm disagreeing with is the "who is he going to replace" part. If he's ready I think that will take care of itself.

[thesportsbuff]

I just think you're all giving him way too good of a shot of making the team. Just for some perspective, whether or not Myers was going to make the team was up in the air last year until 5 games into the season, and we're talking a dominant franchise defenseman. I don't think Kassian is anywhere near where Myers was last season (obviously slightly skewed by different positions). Just saying.

[rickshaw]

Stafford will bounce back this year. Really, he will.

[Sterling Archer]

I just think you're all giving him way too good of a shot of making the team. Just for some perspective, whether or not Myers was going to make the team was up in the air last year until 5 games into the season, and we're talking a dominant franchise defenseman. I don't think Kassian is anywhere near where Myers was last season (obviously slightly skewed by different positions). Just saying.

 

 

I agree that Kassian is nowhere near the skill level of Myers but at the same time, he also may have outgrown juniors, just like Myers. I think he should be given the same opportunity Meyers had if he continues to show what he did Saturday night. Especially since he is exactly the player this team has been looking for, other than a 1st line center.

[carpandean]

I just think you're all giving him way too good of a shot of making the team. Just for some perspective, whether or not Myers was going to make the team was up in the air last year until 5 games into the season, and we're talking a dominant franchise defenseman. I don't think Kassian is anywhere near where Myers was last season (obviously slightly skewed by different positions). Just saying.

I think you are giving Myers way to little of chance of making the team at this point last year. I'm quite certain that they knew well before 5 games in that he was staying up. He was probably 50/50 before training camp and quickly shot up almost 100% before the season even started. Two or three games in, there was probably no doubt in there minds. The thing is Darcy may have been saying that they hadn't made a decision, but that's just because they technically didn't have to yet. If the league had only allowed 2 or 3 games for them to decide, is there any doubt that he still would have made it?

 

Kassian definitely has a bigger battle and more to prove. Right now, he's getting one or two games at a time. If he continues to play really well, he'll continue to earn more games. If he continues long enough, then I have no doubt that they'll find a way to get him on the starting roster for the first few games of the season. They have little to lose by keeping him through preseason if his play warrants it and only slightly less to lose by keeping him up to nine more games. If he's still around at that point, then we get the big decision, but also if he's around at that point, he will probably have done enough that they will do what it takes to keep him up.

[spndnchz]

I hoping Phaneuf plays tonight so we can see how Kassian stacks up.

[That Aud Smell]

I agree that Kassian is nowhere near the skill level of Myers but at the same time, he also may have outgrown juniors, just like Myers. I think he should be given the same opportunity Meyers had if he continues to show what he did Saturday night. Especially since he is exactly the player this team has been looking for, other than a 1st line center.

this is a good point.

 

it was interesting to see that the hockeysfutures.com website had myers ranked as an "8.0 C" going into last year's camp (which meant he projected as a top-2 d-man (that was their 8), but was just as likely to fall back to a 5-6 d-man (that was their "C"). the site no longer ranks myers now that he's won the calder and all. i imagine that they last had him ranked as an 9.0 B before they removed his prospect tag (that would make him a #1/elite guy and fairly likely to stay there).

 

fwiw, the same site has kassian and ennis as 7.5 C's (top-6 talent, but on the fence as to whether they fulfill their potential).

[jpgr909]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Stafford showed up this year and put up a solid campaign. Obviously the contract year thing is no guarantee, but like I said, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he does show up.

Apologies for the hijack, but my thinking exactly. Three things: first, this guy knows he blew it last year and by all reports has come in newly committed; second, the guy has the talent, he just needs to learn how to WORK...every shift; third, he's playing for a new contract and needs to at least make an impression on some of the other teams out there, even if he plans on staying put. I agree that he's a sloth who has grossly underachieved and that if, as a professional athlete, it takes a contract year to get you motivated, then you need to be shown the door. I wanted him shipped out last year, and I'm not making a prediction, but I wouldn't be surprised if he comes out swinging.

[Chuck Norris]

if any of you think the sabs will keep matt ellis over kassian you have no business being on this site

[spndnchz]

Penalty shot Gerbe!!!

[carpandean]

if any of you think the sabs will keep matt ellis over kassian you have no business being on this site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD7GMxziOc4

[korab rules]

How is he playing tonight? I take it he wasn't on the ice when the spleefs ran enroth?

[darksabre]

 

Well played :clapping:

[inkman]

if any of you think the sabs will keep matt ellis over kassian you have no business being on this site

Meh, still too soon to tell. I think the two decisions are independent of one another.

[Chuck Norris]

mock me all you want, but why would the sabs suddenly re_open negotiations with Kassian? Mark my words, he will make the team and he is exactly what this team needs

[nfreeman]

mock me all you want, but why would the sabs suddenly re_open negotiations with Kassian? Mark my words, he will make the team and he is exactly what this team needs

No one is mocking you. Settle down and don't tell other people they have no business on this site.

 

I'd be thrilled if Kassian played his way onto the team, and I expect pretty much everyone else here would, too. However, he didn't do anything vs the Leafs tonight. He didn't have much to work with in terms of linemates, but he also didn't play much of a physical game. He was just kinda invisible.

[SwampD]

if any of you think the sabs will keep matt ellis over kassian you have no business being on this site

I think I agree with this. Maybe not the "no business being on this site" part. I mean, you probably have no business being on this site for other reasons, but, whatever. I like this Kassian guy, although, I think need to see him for his nine games in the regular season before I say for sure.

[jabtot]

Excerpt from the NHL Bleacher report....

 

A surprise out of the preseason so far, albeit one that has gone under the radar, has been Zach Kassian of the Sabres. The sky is the limit for him and he could turn out to anther mid-round steal for the Sabres. He is the perfect player for the Sabres and has many drawing comparison to a first season Milan Lucic. One Buffalo blogger even made the far out comparison to Wendel Clark. The thing is, Kassian has the skills to actually fulfill that. I'm betting he reaches the 20 goal, 200 PIM mark this season and quickly becomes a Buffalo fan favorite and the player every North East team wants but hates to play against

[inkman]

How about we let him make the team before we turn him into (insert power forward du jour).

[Patty16]

He may have tons of potential and be all that we think he can be but making the NHL roster this season sounds improbable. At least to begin the season.

He's a rugged winger with some scoring touch but he's not the next scoring power forward were looking for.

[nobody]

Excerpt from the NHL Bleacher report....

 

A surprise out of the preseason so far, albeit one that has gone under the radar, has been Zach Kassian of the Sabres. The sky is the limit for him and he could turn out to anther mid-round steal for the Sabres. He is the perfect player for the Sabres and has many drawing comparison to a first season Milan Lucic. One Buffalo blogger even made the far out comparison to Wendel Clark. The thing is, Kassian has the skills to actually fulfill that. I'm betting he reaches the 20 goal, 200 PIM mark this season and quickly becomes a Buffalo fan favorite and the player every North East team wants but hates to play against

 

 

Here are Clark's stats from his first season when he was 19.

1985-86 Toronto Maple Leafs games:66 G:34 A:11 P:45 PM:227

(playoffs: games:10 G:5 A:1 P:6 PM:47)

 

So even with those lofty numbers that blogger predicts - he still wouldn't compare to Wendel Clark.

[nfreeman]

Excerpt from the NHL Bleacher report....

 

A surprise out of the preseason so far, albeit one that has gone under the radar, has been Zach Kassian of the Sabres. The sky is the limit for him and he could turn out to anther mid-round steal for the Sabres. He is the perfect player for the Sabres and has many drawing comparison to a first season Milan Lucic. One Buffalo blogger even made the far out comparison to Wendel Clark. The thing is, Kassian has the skills to actually fulfill that. I'm betting he reaches the 20 goal, 200 PIM mark this season and quickly becomes a Buffalo fan favorite and the player every North East team wants but hates to play against

Quoting Bleacher Report is like quoting a poster from this board, except that Bleacher Report isn't as knowledgeable or witty.

 

Here are Clark's stats from his first season when he was 19.

1985-86 Toronto Maple Leafs games:66 G:34 A:11 P:45 PM:227

(playoffs: games:10 G:5 A:1 P:6 PM:47)

 

So even with those lofty numbers that blogger predicts - he still wouldn't compare to Wendel Clark.

Wow. 34 goals and 227 PIM as a 19-year-old rookie. That's pretty awesome.

[shrader]

Here are Clark's stats from his first season when he was 19.

1985-86 Toronto Maple Leafs games:66 G:34 A:11 P:45 PM:227

(playoffs: games:10 G:5 A:1 P:6 PM:47)

 

So even with those lofty numbers that blogger predicts - he still wouldn't compare to Wendel Clark.

 

Those kind of comparisons are pretty much always completely useless. Clark played in a completely different league.