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The New Lineup Thread

GASabresIUFAN

By GASabresIUFAN
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Rasmus_ Second Liner

Rasmus_

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@FriedgeHNIC
Tennyson (BUF) and Walker (WASH) on waivers

 

 

Walker is someone who has decent skating ability.  I'd much rather see him on this roster than some of the other riff raff that's in Buffalo, atm.  Tennyson is going back where he belongs.  

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Doohickie Hall of Famer

Doohickie

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I really don't worry too much about lineups in a practice on a non-game day.

Why? They're usually the same

They've got a couple days off.  Good time for tinkering.

 

 

@WGR550 Another switch up in the lines:

 

Kane-Eichel-Reinhart

Nolan-O'Reilly-Okposo

Pouliot-Criscuolo-Pominville

Girgensons-Larsson-Moulson

 

#Sabres

 

 

See what I mean?

 

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while...

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Thorny Hall of Famer

Thorny

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I'm not saying it's not okay for him to not do better.  I am merely discussing the options for the pieces that he has to work with.  The ONLY options he has are to trade away players (WHO?) or to sign UFAs?  (WHO?).  I don't see a lot of UFA signings that will dramatically change this team either (when do they ever?).  So, if he's trading the question is.. WHO?  WHO has value?

 

We'll judge him on what he is able to do absolutely.  However, you can't fault the guy if he's not able to salvage value from pieces that had no value to begin with.  He didn't bring them to the team.

Exactly, and I agree. He's going to have to get creative.

 

We do have pieces that have value in potential trades though, certainly. Reinhart, Kane, maybe even someone like Larsson or Girgensons or a McCabe (We didn't think Ennis and Foligno would fetch much). And that's not even talking some sort of grander shakeup involving a Ristolainen or O'Reilly.

 

I'm not necessarily saying I want those players traded, but Botterill does have some room to maneuver. I think we can all agree that status quo just won't cut it.

 

---

 

So it looks like the Sabres are finally healthy. I don't think our injury situation, having been better, would have us in any significantly better spot right now, but still good to see.

 

Let's see what they have in a back to back with the defending champs.

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LTS First Liner

LTS

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Exactly, and I agree. He's going to have to get creative.

 

We do have pieces that have value in potential trades though, certainly. Reinhart, Kane, maybe even someone like Larsson or Girgensons or a McCabe (We didn't think Ennis and Foligno would fetch much). And that's not even talking some sort of grander shakeup involving a Ristolainen or O'Reilly.

 

I'm not necessarily saying I want those players traded, but Botterill does have some room to maneuver. I think we can all agree that status quo just won't cut it.

 

---

 

So it looks like the Sabres are finally healthy. I don't think our injury situation, having been better, would have us in any significantly better spot right now, but still good to see.

 

Let's see what they have in a back to back with the defending champs.

 

Yes.. the Sabres have players to trade.  The problem is when you trade them do you get better next year or not?  If you define "better" as the potential for greater future success then perhaps its true.  If you define better as immediate success then probably not so much.

 

Ennis and Foligno had value.  I wouldn't doubt that the deal was primarily Foligno and Scandella and then Pominville and Ennis were thrown in.  Pominville was salary for the Wild with the shorter promise of hope from Ennis.  Foligno gave them the big body they wanted.  I still think Foligno would be a huge benefit here.

 

But let's get into the discussion.

 

Eichel - untradeable

Kane - will be traded for something that helps the team next year

Reinhart - could be traded for something that helps the team next year

Okposo - no way he's traded

ROR - at best he'd be a throw-in on a deal for someone like MIddlestadt.. a weigh to move salary.  I don't think moving MIddlestadt is a good idea (especiallly since Botterill just got him)

Pouliot -  will be traded for something that helps the team in the future

Girgensons - decent trade prospect but can he net something that helps the team next year?

Pominville - not going to be traded

Larsson - could be traded, won't get anything that improves the team next year

Nolan - could be traded, won't be for anything that improves the team next year

Moulson - he's harder to trade than ROR

Josefson - was a potential trade target as a UFA but he's been injured too much

 

Bogosian - see Moulson/ROR

Scandellla - no way he's traded and that would only hurt the team

Ristolainen - no way he's traded and it would only hurt the team

Beaulieu - he's not getting anything that helps the team next year

McCabe - sure, he's tradeable, but at best you are getting his replacement on D.. is that what they need?  No.

 

The assets just aren't there overall.  I think the hope has to be on netting a good return for Kane, and if that's not enough he gets something for Reinhart.

 

Because I was bored today I went at pulled the impending UFA list along with their ages and current salary. 

 

The top UFA D next season are:

  • De Haan (26) - $3.3M
  • HIckey (28) - $2.2M
  • Carlson (27) - $3,9M
  • Erik Gudbrandson (25) - $3.5M

It gets thin quick after that.  The Islanders might lose one of those 2 D given they also have some top UFA forward targets.

 

Top UFA F:

  • John Tavares (27) - $5.5M
  • Josh Bailey (28) - $3.3M
  • James van Riemsdyk (28) - $4.2M
  • Paul Stastny (31) - $7M
  • Rick Nash (33) - $7.8M
  • Jonathan Marchessault (26) - $750k

There are other, older, players that they could sign.  It could shore up the bottom 6 potentially.  Would they be improvements over the upcoming crop of players?  I don't know.  

 

At the moment I'm of the opinion the Sabres are 4-5 players from being a very good team.

 

They need 1 good scoring winger.

They need 2 D, one for the top 1-4, and one for 3-6.

They need 3 bottom 6 players.

 

It sounds like a lot, but it's not really.  However, if the locker room situation doesn't get resolved then it won't matter.

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Weave Hall of Famer

Weave

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They need 1 good scoring winger.

They need 2 D, one for the top 1-4, and one for 3-6.

They need 3 bottom 6 players.

 

It sounds like a lot, but it's not really.  However, if the locker room situation doesn't get resolved then it won't matter.

If you move Kane you now need two good scoring wingers, and that really starts to become alot.

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LTS First Liner

LTS

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If you move Kane you now need two good scoring wingers, and that really starts to become alot.

 

It could be.  I feel like Kane or Reinhart can get you your D player.  The other can get you a scoring winger.  If they keep Reinhart I think he can become that scoring winger.

 

I think the Sabres go after someone like JvR or Bailey (in addition to Tavares).  I could even see them go for Nash.  Nash isn't going to be signing for that same money again.

 

If they can get 1 of those 4 players I think they are in a good spot.  They'll likely go after one of the D as well.

 

The real key will be to clear the locker room of issues.  There's no doubt something going on inside the locker room and there's no doubt that information is known around the league as players talk to each other.  No one wants to end up in a locker room full of problems.

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LTS First Liner

LTS

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Fasching called up

 

It'll be interesting on all these call ups now.  Are they doing it with some hope of a single player providing a spark to the team or are there legitimate trade conversations going on.  Perhaps Fasching will start for Kane?  :)

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TrueBlueGED Hall of Famer

TrueBlueGED

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Wishful thinking, of course, but any chance Matt Moulson retires?

He’d be throwing away $3 million, or so, so I guess not, but he must be miserable.

What is the implication on the cap?

 

Too bad it's not happening

 

If he's told he's 100% going to be in the AHL for the entire season, I think there's a chance he just walks away.

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Thorny Hall of Famer

Thorny

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Reinhart back to the 4th line in practice, if that means anything:

 

9 Evander Kane - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville

67 Benoit Pouliot - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 24 Hudson Fasching

17 Jordan Nolan - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 21 Kyle Okposo

28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 23 Sam Reinhart

 

6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen

19 Jake McCabe - 47 Zach Bogosian

4 Josh Gorges - 93 Victor Antipin

41 Justin Falk

 

40 Robin Lehner

31 Chad Johnson

 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-matt-moulson-scott-willson-evan-rodrigues/c-293662898

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Thorny Hall of Famer

Thorny

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Fasching immediately to O'Reilly's wing is interesting. 

No idea what order those lines really are though. I see a first line but everything after that is kinda...whatever?

  

The way I read that is there are two Top Six lines and two Bottom Six lines.  I think Housley is trying to balance each pair of lines.

Either way, playing with Larsson is certainly a demotion. I'm sure all involved know that.

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Weave Hall of Famer

Weave

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Probably not. New guy is listed as a C/LW so I'm wondering if he's basically there to compete with Pouliot, Nolan and then fill a spot if Kane goes and a LW doesn't come back.

 

Ahhhh... wasn't sure if LW or RW.  Yeah, sounds like Nolan and Zemgus has competition.

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