Future Sabres: Identifying the core

[TrueBlueGED]

I would argue that Pysyk's defensive IQ and decision making is miles ahead of McCabe's right now. McCabe has several defensive gaffes a game where I'm utterly flabbergasted as to what he was even thinking. Just last game he had a brutal giveaway where he cut in front and gave it right to the attacking forward. A number of times he has seemed to be directly responsible for goals against. Pysyk doesn't make errors like that very often at all.

 

Now, McCabe is young and still developing, and I think he is going to become a really good defenseman for us. I think both him and Pysyk have the potential to be a part of our future core. In fact, I see our future top 4 hopefully becoming:

 

xxx - Ristolainen

McCabe - Pysyk

 

I think with McCabe offering more of an offensive presence, Pysyk being a more steady D-man would result in their games complementing eachother's very well.

I'm with this guy.

I think McCabe, in his first NHL stint, has shown substantially more game than Pysyk has despite Pysyk's greater experience.

 

In particular, while I agree that Pysyk has been pretty good at using his quick feet, brains and passing to get out of the defensive zone, he has no offensive game to speak of (and has not shown any at the AHL level either), and isn't physical enough to clear the crease, kill penalties, or instill any intimidation factor into the opposition. McCabe's defensive IQ is pretty much equivalent to Pysyk's, he's at least as fast as Pysyk (although Pysyk is perhaps a bit quicker), he plays a much tougher game and, most importantly, he has much, much more offensive game than Pysyk does.

 

I'd guess that DDB also prefers McCabe, as he gets about 2 min more ice time per game than Pysyk does.

Thanks, good response.

 

In addition to what Thorny said, I take issue with the notion that Pysyk has no offensive game. Sure he doesn't have a booming shot, nor has he shown a ton of moxy with driving the net off a rush, but what he does is crucial to team level offense. His ability to get the puck out of the zone under pressure and transition it up ice quickly and accurately is crucial to pushing possession and the team scoring. I don't think he'll be putting up 50 points from the blue line anytime soon, but I do think his offensive contributions will be critical to the team.

[qwksndmonster]

The way things are going, you have to include Auston Mathews in the core group.    

Pi, at first I liked your crazy. You were so captivating, like Nic Deslauriers going after anybody.  Then you turned my heart to the specific universe of the specific dimension where it's blackest of all.

 

Now I'm swinging back towards being crazy in love with your crazy ass.

Edited December 10, 2015 by qwksndmonster

[dudacek]

Surprised that outer core doesn't have Ullmark in it, TB

I am surprised by the number of posters who have given their hearts to Ullmark based on such a small sample size.

I am also surprised by the number have people who have already written off Lehner.

 

I like Ullmark, but Tim Murray gave up a first-rounder for Lehner, whose credentials are far superior.

Lehner was acquired to be the guy. Nothing Ullmark has done so far is going to prevent lehner from getting every chance to seize that opportunity.

 

Come January, Lehner will be here and Ullmark will be in Rochester.

This time next season, same thing.

[North Buffalo]

I too dont get the Yandle love, not great on D, too many turnovers with the puck, yes he can skate and shoot, but he is not a physical presence. Combine Yandle with Bogo and then you have a core hockey player!

[Huckleberry]

I too dont get the Yandle love, not great on D, too many turnovers with the puck, yes he can skate and shoot, but he is not a physical presence. Combine Yandle with Bogo and then you have a core hockey player!

 

Or a great defensive pairing :p

[Doohickie]

I too dont get the Yandle love, not great on D, too many turnovers with the puck, yes he can skate and shoot, but he is not a physical presence. Combine Yandle with Bogo and then you have a core hockey player!

 

He's the best thing since sliced Bogo!

The way things are going, you have to include Auston Mathews in the core group.    

 

:flirt:

[Drunkard]

Using the inner core, outer core outlook I would say our inner core definitely consists of:

 

Eichel

Reinhart

O'Reilly

Ristolainen

 

We desperately need a young left handed defenseman to pair with Ristolainen long term as well as a stud winger to pair with our wealth of centers (assuming one of Reinhart or O'Reilly continues to play winger into the future).

 

Right now, I would say our outer core consists of:

 

Kane

Ennis

Moulson

Gionta

Bogosian

Pysyk

McCabe

 

These guys are important cogs but no where near are critical as the inner core. They could develop into inner core guys (Kane, Psysk, McCabe), remain in the outer core (Ennis, Bogosian), or will eventually be replaced/upgraded (Gionta, Moulson).

[Taro T]

I don't have the time to prove the letter of what I'm saying. But the spirit of it is that as a board there was a lot of optimism that the team would be significantly better than last year, perhaps a team on the playoff bubble or even a playoff team. Taro's prediction of 90-ish points comes to mind. I don't recall he got any WTFs for that. I don't know how we could go from that to, "Yeah, they finished 30th, what did you expect? It's going to take time." It's OK to admit the record is disappointing, to be virtually out of the playoffs by Christmas again, to be only three points ahead of last year's pace. Murray's not happy, unless the point of this season was to have a good shot at the number one pick.

And I still expect them to come close to it.

 

They need 65 points in 52 games to get to 92. They were 2 points below my expectation through 10, a point above after 20, and back to 2 below through 30. Going 5-3-2 like in their 2nd 10 and splitting the other 2 puts them at 89. There's 6 teams in the west w/ above 0.500 records; the Sabres are done w/ 1/2 of them. The other team out west they're done w/ sits at 0.500. They only have 1 b-t-b game left on their 3 remaining WC road trips. They're done w/ their long distance EC road trips.

 

The goaltending is still suspect (last night's outing not withstanding). If it solidifies (via any means available), playing slightly above 0.600 (w/ 1 point for losing after 60 minutes) is quite doable. If it doesn't, then mid to upper-80's is where they end up.

 

And 8 points is "virtually out of the playoffs" w/ 104 still available? By the time they're 40 games into the season that 3 points ahead of last year's pace will probably be ~10 points ahead of last year's pace and though 50 games they'll be 20+ points ahead of last year.

 

-----

 

As to the more interesting Q about the core: O'Reilley, Eichel, & Ristoleinen will definitely be expected to be in the inner core. I'd expect that TM sees Reinhart & Kane rounding that out. And there is that hope that at least 1 of Bogosian, Pysyk, McCabe, Guhle, Lehner, Ullmark, and Fasching make it a 6 player core.

 

3-4 of those others will need to be support core as will 2 of Girgensons, Ennis, and Larsson. Of those support core, they could be support by being flipped for other assets. At least 2-3 will be. Will not be at all surprised if Ennis, Larsson, & Bogosian are traded w/in the next 2 seasons.

 

I'd also expect Deslauriers to be a fixture on the 4th line for a long time. He'll stay cheap and is the sort of player top teams have on the 4th line. Not sure where Foligno fits into the core discussion. Hope he ends up in the Deslauriers category. McGinn is a good player to have, but he's not "core."

[JohnRobertEichel]

Definitely part of the future (4): Reinhart, Eichel, O'Reilly, Ristolainen

Probably part of the future (5): Pysyk, McCabe, Girgensons, Ennis, Kane

Maybe part of the future (7): Lehner, Ullmark, Bogosian, Larsson, Foligno, McGinn, Deslauriers

Definitely not a part of the future (10): Johnson, Franson, Weber, Gorges, Colaiacovo, Schaller, Legwand, Moulson, Gionta, McCormick

Legitimate prospects who could be part of the future (4): Guhle, Bailey, Baptiste, Fasching

 

To me, it looks like the Sabres are really only missing a top defenseman prospect to pair with Ristolainen (plus a top 6 winger prospect if neither Bailey nor Baptiste can project as a 20+ goal scorer in the NHL). 

 

 

[That Aud Smell]

To me, it looks like the Sabres are really only missing a top defenseman prospect to pair with Ristolainen (plus a top 6 winger prospect if neither Bailey nor Baptiste can project as a 20+ goal scorer in the NHL). 

 

From the random stuff I've picked up on (maybe an incomplete picture), seems like Fasching is the best bet to become a top-6 winger. He's certainly a GM TM guy -- seeing McNabb this weekend reminded me that Murray gave up quite a bit to get Fasching (and Deslauriers (sp?)).

[Doohickie]

Deslauriers (sp?)

 

Yes, you spelled it right.

[TrueBlueGED]

From the random stuff I've picked up on (maybe an incomplete picture), seems like Fasching is the best bet to become a top-6 winger. He's certainly a GM TM guy -- seeing McNabb this weekend reminded me that Murray gave up quite a bit to get Fasching (and Deslauriers (sp?)).

I guess. I dunno, I kinda think I would look like a decent NHL defenseman if I got paired with Drew Doughty.

[That Aud Smell]

I guess. I dunno, I kinda think I would look like a decent NHL defenseman if I got paired with Drew Doughty.

 

I didn't mean to overstate who he was/is as a player. I just recall him being a well-regarded prospect. That sort of asset and two 2nd rounders for a good 4th line guy and a prospect seemed to indicate what Fasching's value was.