Buffalo vs Edmonton

[mjd1001]

I was having a discussion at work today (actually, a few) regarding the future of the Sabres and most people are pretty happy if the Sabres keep the #2 pick and take Eichel.  However, it was brought up, more than once, that this Sabres team in a few years might have the feeling of the late 1980's/early 90's Bills team, and Edmonton will be like Dallas that just has too much talent and keeps Buffalo from the ultimate prize.  

 

With that in mind, how do you compare the key pieces of each team?

 

-McDavid will be comparable to Eichel, but with the Edge to Edmonton and McDavid

 

-Eberle is pretty comparable to Ennis, in terms of position, age, where taken in the draft, production so far...etc. Pretty even there. Who would you rather have?  Eberle has better career stats so far. Slight edge  Edmonton?

 

-R.N. Hopkins would be comparable to Girgensons (Reinhart too young yet).  Hopkins is a higher pick with more offensive skill, but is he better all around?  I think many give Edmonton the edge, but it is debateable. Once again, in a one-up trade between the two, who would you pick? Hopkins or Girgensons?

 

-Taylor Hall is a high end, top tier talent on Wing. Compare to Evander Kane? Edge?  I think Edmonton with the slight edge, but that can change.  Again, who would you rather have?

 

-Yakupov...who is comparable on the Sabres?  While he has been up and down, if you want to compare him to Larson or Grigorenko I think you have to give Edmonton the Edge there. If Reinhart develops, maybe that matches Yakupov.

 

-Defense.  Nurse is up and coming next year for Edmonton, but can they match Risto, Pysky, and Bogosian?  Big Edge for Buffalo.

 

-Veteran leadership.  I'm not sure who Edmonton has, but I'd say with Gionta, Moulson, Gorges, Buffalo has the definite edge there.

 

-Coaching and minor league development?  Wide open, but hopefully Pegula's $ over Edmonton will lead to a much better development system.

 

-Goalies?  Nothing to go on.

 

I think Edmonton has a clear edge in young talent up front, but while clear it isn't overwhelming. Buffalo has at least as much of an edge on the Blueline.  I think the fear of Edmonton being a team that is one good coach away from blowing away the league for the next decade is overblown. If Buffalo keeps on developing talent, they might be able to match the talent Edmonton has top to bottom in the next 4-5 years.

 

Any different thoughts?

Edited April 20, 2015 by mjd1001

[Neo]

MJD ... Thank you for the effort. I'll not go toe to toe with the players, but I certainly like rivalries around great players. Kelly vs Marino, Bird Vs Johnson, and so on. It was one of the reasons I hoped the Leafs would get #1 if we did not. One of the more interesting aspects of the rivalry you describe is the high end flash seems west, and the accountable two way seems east. I simplify. Could be great fun.

[Kruppstahl]

It's way too early to make a fair comparison of what these two teams will look like when they compete with one another for the Cup, should that happen.

 

I think Edmonton will trade some of its forward talent soon in favor of defensive talent.  The Sabres are not nearly done forming the core of what will hopefully become "the team" that competes for Cups.

 

For example, my gut tells me COHO and Grigorenko will be gone, sooner than later, and we still have a whole bunch of top draft picks coming our way.

 

I certainly hope Edmonton doesn't "out talent" us though!  

[dudacek]

McDavid takes away the flaw in Oil's top end: the franchise centre.

If they can parlay Hall or Eberle into a stud defenceman, their core is set.

 

They still have to do a lot work filling in the Tonellis and Sutters and Nystroms.

But those guys are easier to find than the core.

A good GM would have them contending in a year or two.

[LGR4GM]

McDavid takes away the flaw in Oil's top end: the franchise centre.

If they can parlay Hall or Eberle into a stud defenceman, their core is set.

 

They still have to do a lot work filling in the Tonellis and Sutters and Nystroms.

But those guys are easier to find than the core.

A good GM would have them contending in a year or two.

Gonna be bold and say advantage Buffalo. Edm does not have a good gm... or management. 

[Brawndo]

I would give the forward edge to Edmonton but the Sabres D Corp is much better. Goalies to be determined of course. I would expect the Oilers to be a serious cup contender, assuming they upgrade their D and goalie situation, by 2017 with the Sabres following a year later.

 

The interesting thing will be how Edmonton handles the their salary cap, both McDavid and Nurse's ELCs will expire one year before Hall, Eberle and Nugent Hopkins become UFAs. Still a nice problem to have.

[darksabre]

Edmonton would be smart to look to the Islanders model for something to emulate. They added some real solid players in New York and it turned them from laughing stock to playoff contender overnight.

[TrueBlueGED]

I'd take the Oilers top-6 forwards, the Sabres botton-6 forwards and the Sabres blue line. It's probably a coin toss as to which is the better total team setup going forward. With some competent supplemental moves (insert joke about Edmonton's management here) and a good coaching hire (very possible), the Oilers could definitely emerge as a force.

[LGR4GM]

I'd take the Oilers top-6 forwards, the Sabres botton-6 forwards and the Sabres blue line. It's probably a coin toss as to which is the better total team setup going forward. With some competent supplemental moves (insert joke about Edmonton's management here) and a good coaching hire (very possible), the Oilers could definitely emerge as a force.

I'd take Buffalo's top 6 if we are including Reinhart, Kane, and Eichel.  I think Edmonton's top 6 lacks 2way play and grit. 

[IKnowPhysics]

Sabres blueline in two years.  All day, erry day.

[TrueBlueGED]

I'd take Buffalo's top 6 if we are including Reinhart, Kane, and Eichel. I think Edmonton's top 6 lacks 2way play and grit.

I think the Oilers top-6 not-named-Yakupov are underrated defensively. Their goals against is a product of the blue line and hilariously bad goaltending.

[GoPre]

Sabres blueline in two years.  All day, erry day.

 

As they say, build from the goalie out. Buffalo's defense is going to be scary good very soon. May possibly, if they reach their potential, have one of the better group of centers in NHL. Having Girgenson, Kane, Ennis and Moulson on the wings form a quality top 6. Time will tell. Major question mark is goaltending. There is no telling of what Murray has in mind. I have a lot of faith in the guy. 

Edited April 21, 2015 by GoPre

[dudacek]

If you combined the two rosters, the forwards would be a nice balance of the two teams — not to mention scary good.

The defence would be all Sabres.

And the goalies would just be scary

[LGR4GM]

I think the Oilers top-6 not-named-Yakupov are underrated defensively. Their goals against is a product of the blue line and hilariously bad goaltending.

True.  I think one of the issues with Edmonton is that their forward group is severely lacking in grit.  They don't have a Zemgus, Eichel, or Kane type of forward.

 

btw everytime I type Eichel I smile a little.  

[Weave]

True.  I think one of the issues with Edmonton is that their forward group is severely lacking in grit.  They don't have a Zemgus, Eichel, or Kane type of forward.

 

btw everytime I type Eichel I smile a little.  

 

 

I just went through Edm's roster and they have more grit at forward than I realized.  Matt Fraser and of course, Gadzic, but they're 4th line plugs, Hendricks, Perron is no wilting flower, Pouliot too.  Only Perron is s skilled enough guy for the top 6 really, but the team has grit.  Their dysfunction lies elswhere IMO. 

[LGR4GM]

I just went through Edm's roster and they have more grit at forward than I realized.  Matt Fraser and of course, Gadzic, but they're 4th line plugs, Hendricks, Perron is no wilting flower, Pouliot too.  Only Perron is s skilled enough guy for the top 6 really, but the team has grit.  Their dysfunction lies elswhere IMO. 

With their top 6 however you don't have a single player that has a 2 way gritty game who can net you 20-30goals.  Part of edmontons problem is they really lack any kind of team identity. 

 

As for their dysfunction, it starts with the forwards and intensifies with the defense.  They just lack in so many areas. 

[darksabre]

I just went through Edm's roster and they have more grit at forward than I realized.  Matt Fraser and of course, Gadzic, but they're 4th line plugs, Hendricks, Perron is no wilting flower, Pouliot too.  Only Perron is s skilled enough guy for the top 6 really, but the team has grit.  Their dysfunction lies elswhere IMO. 

 

Except for the part where Perron plays for the Penguins. 

[Weave]

With their top 6 however you don't have a single player that has a 2 way gritty game who can net you 20-30goals.  Part of edmontons problem is they really lack any kind of team identity. 

 

As for their dysfunction, it starts with the forwards and intensifies with the defense.  They just lack in so many areas. 

 

I think you nailed their identity just fine.   :P

Except for the part where Perron plays for the Penguins. 

 

Ahhhh.  traded this year, eh?

 

I hated this season.  

[thewookie1]

Edm is a classic example of what not to do, they've drafted the exact same player type almost exclusively in forwards in recent history.

 

 

Hall & Nugent-Hopkins are both high skill forwards with varied 2 way play.

Yakopov & Eberle are offensively great, defensively lacking

All four have about as much grit combined as Girgensons does in any given game.

 

McDavid is going to be Hall on steroids but still little grit

Drasital is the alone in that he has physicality to his game and can play offense (in theory)

 

Then they essentially signed grinders with a varied amount of skill to fill the Bottom 6.

 

Defensively they lack any hopeful #1 D man

 

Goalies seem to go there to die.

 

 

Let's say McDavid boosts their goal output enough that they make it to the playoffs, they'd be physically manhandled by 85% of Western Conference teams.  The only legitimate ?? would be Chicago but they have other ways to outplay you and their experience alone would likely rule the day.

[Thorny]

This is a good read, I'll post it here in case people missed it, @fakegorbyportwinestain posted it in another thread: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/why-buffalos-mcdavid-less-future-is-still-brighter-than-edmontons/

 

Also, great post mjd1001. 

 

Good comparison overall, if we are talking about the future teams though I'd say you gotta match Reinhart up with Nugent-Hopkins, they are similar in quite a few ways I think. If he develops as hoped, I would even say we would have the advantage there, which helps off set the difference between Eichel and McDavid (which I don't think will be that big). It looks like Edmonton might have a slight advantage at forward overall, but as others have said, I think our D will be better and we should be able to more than make up the forward difference through the back-end.

 

In the hypothetical situation where we are matching up with the Oilers in the final, I wouldn't rule out the possibilty of preferring Eichel to McDavid in a grueling 7 game series, either.

 

Oilers I'm pretty sure will be a powerhouse. I think we can match up though!

[BagBoy]

New Oilers CEO is their only hope to overcome the ABYSMAL performance of Oilers management over the last decade or more.

 

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/04/20/nicholson-oilers-boss-of-everything

 

If he keeps Lowe (and he seems to like him), then I expect more of the same.

 

Personally, I wouldn't trade the Sabres' future for their future for all the tea in China. In spite of that, I think Darnell Nurse is going to be a good NHL D-man.

[LGR4GM]

New Oilers CEO is their only hope to overcome the ABYSMAL performance of Oilers management over the last decade or more.

 

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/04/20/nicholson-oilers-boss-of-everything

 

If he keeps Lowe (and he seems to like him), then I expect more of the same.

 

Personally, I wouldn't trade the Sabres' future for their future for all the tea in China. In spite of that, I think Darnell Nurse is going to be a good NHL D-man.

not as good is Risto  :flirt:

[BagBoy]

Not by a long shot!

(although he is faster)