Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 31 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said: Hoping our team surprises me. I haven't been less interested or hopeful in a projected lineup since September 2014. Man, I'm more hopeful than I have been in the past to be honest. Maybe it's just the unknown factor that keeps me hopeful (as opposed to the knowing they suck factor). But as I mentioned in the other thread, I think there is a large enough influx of youth that this thing can take off. I'm not saying they're going to break out like 2005 but I also had almost no hope for that team going into the season either. A lot of their youth came right in and surprised. I know Mitts didn't put up eye popping numbers in NCAA. But he looks good man. Sad to admit but I actually watched some of his college games I was so desperate for hockey (Sabres were out of it by Halloween) and he looked better than the numbers he put up. It reminded me of Eichel's rookie season where he could of easily had 15 more assists IMO if he played with someone who could finish. Dahlin is suppose to be the real deal. He could transform the defense in year one. I know D take longer to develop yada yada. He really could. Maybe unrealistic but I have high hopes for Oloffson this year. I think he's a regular by the second half of the season. He put up huge numbers last year. Plus, Liger has talked him up all along and he's been right before haha. Pilut. Another guy that could have a nice impact that not many are projecting. The SHL isn't the OHL. It's a very high quality league and he was just named the best defenseman in the league. Maybe he comes in and takes a job in camp. Maybe by December he's in the top 4. I donno, but I can't wait to find out if we have something here. Why the xxxx can't we find our Zaitsev?? I don't know. In years past it was well maybe Bailey or Baptiste will finally take the next step. Now there are like 6 young guys that could be good. I don't know they will be good. But damn, this year feels like more hope to me then in the past. Young man's game. I'm hoping that similar to Toronto, our high end prospects all come together and surprise some people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 The unknown factor is the worst part for me, when I'm looking at guys like Nick Baptiste and Larsson still on the top of the list of potential filler players to grab roles that have been horribly played by fourth lines for the past seven years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 Just now, Randall Flagg said: The unknown factor is the worst part for me, when I'm looking at guys like Nick Baptiste and Larsson still on the top of the list of potential filler players to grab roles that have been horribly played by fourth lines for the past seven years. But that's the thing. I'm believing guys like Larsson (throw in a Pomminstein too) get pushed out of the lineup due to the youth movement. Also, I don't really mind Baptist. Think, no more Matt Moulson (from the get go). No more Matt Tennyson. No more Fedun. No Falk. No Georges. Seth Griffith played 21 games, Josefson played 39. GONE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 6 minutes ago, Derrico said: Man, I'm more hopeful than I have been in the past to be honest. Maybe it's just the unknown factor that keeps me hopeful (as opposed to the knowing they suck factor). But as I mentioned in the other thread, I think there is a large enough influx of youth that this thing can take off. I'm not saying they're going to break out like 2005 but I also had almost no hope for that team going into the season either. A lot of their youth came right in and surprised. I'm pretty optimistic about the teams trajectory because of Mittelstadt and Dahlin up top, and I really like the coming wave of kids for depth roles. I just don't have much belief it'll be especially evident this season. I'm also skeptical Housley puts the kids in positions where they could surprise and flourish sooner than expected. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 You think Nathan Beaulieu is playing 59 games this season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Derrico said: You think Nathan Beaulieu is playing 59 games this season? Yes. I'm not saying that to be snide either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 Just now, TrueBlueGED said: I'm pretty optimistic about the teams trajectory because of Mittelstadt and Dahlin up top, and I really like the coming wave of kids for depth roles. I just don't have much belief it'll be especially evident this season. I'm also skeptical Housley puts the kids in positions where they could surprise and flourish sooner than expected. To the bolded, yes very much agree. But you look at, again, Toronto, more recently New Jersey and Colorado. I don't know about Jersey but I know the Avs have also played a bunch of young kids recently. Look how quickly they turned it around. I keep saying it but it really is a young man's league. Eichel has his warts but he's a hell of a player and (hopefully) entering his prime as early as this year. At some point this has to get turned around and when it does, I think it's going to be faster than anticipated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Derrico said: But that's the thing. I'm believing guys like Larsson (throw in a Pomminstein too) get pushed out of the lineup due to the youth movement. Also, I don't really mind Baptist. Think, no more Matt Moulson (from the get go). No more Matt Tennyson. No more Fedun. No Falk. No Georges. Seth Griffith played 21 games, Josefson played 39. GONE. Right, but then I look at the lineup and don't see anything that makes me feel better than the exact same players we lament after the fact made us feel before we watched them play hockey. Read the threads on Beaulieu, Nolan, Griffith, Pouliot additions last year, along with speculation that Fasching, Bailey and Baptiste will create the true competition THIS TIME around, not like last time. It's impossible to read this list without gagging in hindsight, but the literal exact same things were said. It's the same damn conversation with the same amount of evidence, and until I see it flesh out that way I'm just not biting. FTR, I don't mean to dismiss Berglund as a depth player here, but the vacuum from ROR/Kane's departure sucks him up out of the depth conversation for me, unfortunately. Edited July 16, 2018 by Randall Flagg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 Just now, TrueBlueGED said: Yes. I'm not saying that to be snide either. Avatar bet or charity bet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said: Right, but then I look at the lineup and don't see anything that makes me feel better than the exact same players we lament after the fact made us feel before we watched them play hockey. Read the threads on Beaulieu, Nolan, Griffith, Pouliot additions last year, along with speculation that Fasching, Bailey and Baptiste will create the true competition THIS TIME around, not like last time. It's impossible to read this list without gagging in hindsight, but the literal exact same things were said. It's the same damn conversation with the same amount of evidence, and until I see it flesh out that way I'm just not biting. FTR, I don't mean to dismiss Berglund as a depth player here, but the vacuum from ROR/Kane's departure sucks him up out of the depth conversation for me, unfortunately. I do get it. I've been fooled before also. But instead of adding those guys which were low end signings (I believe those threads still had us recognize it as depth signings) we're talking a 1st overall and 8th overall pick. Plus another pick who is a late round but put up huge numbers in the SHL. I just feel like we have more than snake oil this time. Could easily blow up and it's not the case but I'm still much more excited about this coming season than some of the previous few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Derrico said: To the bolded, yes very much agree. But you look at, again, Toronto, more recently New Jersey and Colorado. I don't know about Jersey but I know the Avs have also played a bunch of young kids recently. Look how quickly they turned it around. I keep saying it but it really is a young man's league. Eichel has his warts but he's a hell of a player and (hopefully) entering his prime as early as this year. At some point this has to get turned around and when it does, I think it's going to be faster than anticipated. I agree the team will be good when the youth surprises us. I just think Housley is going to be like most coaches and keep throwing the vets out there regardless of how poorly they play. Because it's what coaches do. If we start opening night icing a roster with youth in important roles, I'll be more optimistic. But I suspect we're going to be seeing things like Pominville on Eichel's wing. 8 minutes ago, Derrico said: Avatar bet or charity bet? To be honest, I'd like to reserve my betting for something more interesting than Beaulieu. I'm sure you understand! Edited July 16, 2018 by TrueBlueGED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 3 minutes ago, Derrico said: I do get it. I've been fooled before also. But instead of adding those guys which were low end signings (I believe those threads still had us recognize it as depth signings) we're talking a 1st overall and 8th overall pick. Plus another pick who is a late round but put up huge numbers in the SHL. I just feel like we have more than snake oil this time. Could easily blow up and it's not the case but I'm still much more excited about this coming season than some of the previous few years. I'm really only talking forwards for the moment - I get the excitement about Casey. I love Casey and that he's playing this year. I'm supremely unconvinced that the net talent group of our forwards is better, until Casey is in the process of competing for the Calder and the kids meaningfully filled in finally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 Oh God I hope not.....will be an interesting training camp. 1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said: I'm really only talking forwards for the moment - I get the excitement about Casey. I love Casey and that he's playing this year. I'm supremely unconvinced that the net talent group of our forwards is better, until Casey is in the process of competing for the Calder and the kids meaningfully filled in finally. I agree to a certain extent. But I also think our D being much improved will contribute to offense. Be that getting the pucks to forwards in stride, keeping possession out of our end and even contributing more than the almost nothing we got last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 4 minutes ago, Derrico said: Oh God I hope not.....will be an interesting training camp. I agree to a certain extent. But I also think our D being much improved will contribute to offense. Be that getting the pucks to forwards in stride, keeping possession out of our end and even contributing more than the almost nothing we got last year. How did our defense get much improved? I don't think Dahlin's 17 minutes are going to be transformative in the respect. Sorry I'm being bitter. I literally have 12 tabs open from last July, August, and September, and my own optimistic takes are disgusting me ? There was a thread where we voted on our improvement from the previous year. The options did not even contain regression, there were only scaled factors of how much better we were now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, TrueBlueGED said: I think arguing it's a hell of a lot better than last year's is a real tough sell. It's certainly quite a bit different. But better? On paper, eeeeehhhhh don't think so. I think we are worse on paper. Any improvements - and there will be improvements - will come from chemistry and growth from the young guys. But that doesn’t drain my excitement one bit. In addition to Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart stepping into their own, we get to watch Casey #### Mittelstadt and ESPECIALLY Rasmus #### Dahlin. Edited July 16, 2018 by dudacek 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 1 hour ago, Randall Flagg said: How did our defense get much improved? I don't think Dahlin's 17 minutes are going to be transformative in the respect. Sorry I'm being bitter. I literally have 12 tabs open from last July, August, and September, and my own optimistic takes are disgusting me ? There was a thread where we voted on our improvement from the previous year. The options did not even contain regression, there were only scaled factors of how much better we were now. Dahlin is big but I'm also really high on what pilot will bring. I know he's a 'rookie' but isn't he like 22 or 23. No reason he has to start in roch if he impresses in camp. That can lead to more reasonable minutes for Risto. Guhle is knocking on the door. Yes he took a bit of a step back late in the year but there were times he looked pretty damn good imo. Hes at an age where it shouldn't come as a shock if he's a regular and takes the next step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 3 minutes ago, Derrico said: Dahlin is big but I'm also really high on what pilot will bring. I know he's a 'rookie' but isn't he like 22 or 23. No reason he has to start in roch if he impresses in camp. That can lead to more reasonable minutes for Risto. Guhle is knocking on the door. Yes he took a bit of a step back late in the year but there were times he looked pretty damn good imo. Hes at an age where it shouldn't come as a shock if he's a regular and takes the next step. I'll be happy when it all happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted July 16, 2018 Report Share Posted July 16, 2018 1 hour ago, dudacek said: I think we are worse on paper. Any improvements - and there will be improvements - will come from chemistry and growth from the young guys. But that doesn’t drain my excitement one bit. In addition to Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart stepping into their own, we get to watch Casey #### Mittelstadt and ESPECIALLY Rasmus #### Dahlin. This is what I think and could not have said it better myself. And thanks for following my suggestion and manually putting the #### signs, so that it is so much easier for me to follow along without the filter sticking in blanks (insert thumbs up thingie here). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 My feelings for Dahlin actually aren't anything greater than curiosity at this point. That's not an indictment against him, just our team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 13 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said: My feelings for Dahlin actually aren't anything greater than curiosity at this point. That's not an indictment against him, just our team. You're approaching We've's level of dead insideness ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 1 minute ago, TrueBlueGED said: You're approaching We've's level of dead insideness ? Nah, I wasn't like this before the ROR trade ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 1 hour ago, dudacek said: I think we are worse on paper. Any improvements - and there will be improvements - will come from chemistry and growth from the young guys. But that doesn’t drain my excitement one bit. In addition to Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart stepping into their own, we get to watch Casey #### Mittelstadt and ESPECIALLY Rasmus #### Dahlin. I expect plenty of enjoyable individual moments from those players. I just happen to think they're going to be, unfortunately, buried with some pretty bad team play. It's similar to the first post-tank season for me when I was excited to see Eichel and Reinhart as kids with O'Reilly and Kane as good vets, while still having very little expectation for the team in the standings. Only difference is this time Sam and Jack are the vets I want to watch, and Dahlin and Mittstadt are the kids. 7 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said: Nah, I wasn't like this before the ROR trade ? Ha! Fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 12 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said: You're approaching We've's level of dead insideness ? Hey, update the name you're throwing shade at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 13 minutes ago, Weave said: Hey, update the name you're throwing shade at! YOU'RE BACK!!! When did this happen? I'm indescribably happy that you're no longer a contraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 17, 2018 Report Share Posted July 17, 2018 3 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said: YOU'RE BACK!!! When did this happen? I'm indescribably happy that you're no longer a contraction. New software, old Weave. Still waiting for evidence..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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