Thorny Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Looks like first two lines are: Kane - Eich - Pommer Girgs (or somebody) - ROR - KO After one game, Pomminstein just seems to fit seamlessly with Jack. In the early going it looks like: Kane - Eichel - Pominville Girgensons - O'Reilly - Okposo Pouliot - Reinhart - Rodrigues Moulson - Larsson - Fasching Scandella - Ristolainen McCabe- Antipin Beaulieu - Bogosian Lehner Johnson (Josefsson, Gorges) If the top line clicks in a very real way, the Sabres will have a chance to be a very good team. Nylander, Baptiste, Bailey, Guhle - all on a hopefully much improved AHL squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) If we were to start tomorrow? Based on what we've seen and Housley has said: Kane - Eichel - Pominville Girgensons - O'Reilly - Okposo Pouliot - Reinhart - Z (Griffith, ERod, Bailey) Josefson - Larson - Fasching Deslauriers Moulson Scandella - Risto McCabe - Bogo Beaulieu - Gorges Antipin I think this is where we are currently at after 2 games. Edited September 20, 2017 by LGR4GM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 I think most people would like Moulson if he made 1.5M per. He may not earn the dollars he's paid, but he still has a spot on this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Looking more and more like Reinhart will get his shot at center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Looking more and more like Reinhart will get his shot at center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 And Pommer still has that shot... nice! Hopefully we finally have someone who can finish the incredible passes Eichel is capable of throwing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabills Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) Looks like first two lines are: Kane - Eich - Pommer Girgs (or somebody) - ROR - KO After one game, Pomminstein just seems to fit seamlessly with Jack. I like Pommers with Eich, but I'm worried about him getting too many minutes at his, erm, advanced age. Heres a good snip from Coller this morning on the Star: https://www.thebuffalostar.com/2017/09/pominville-can-still-play-if-used-correctly/ He wouldn’t be a terrible fit with Jack Eichel, as evidenced by his results against a watered down Pittsburgh roster last night, because Jack does most of the puck carrying and could use a smart winger who can pass. The problem is that Eichel is going to get everybody’s best shot. Sidney Crosby is going to play against Eichel all night when the Sabres play the actual Penguins. And Eichel is going to play all night. That’s too much to ask of Pominville. Edited September 20, 2017 by sabills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 That, that's a very solid point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwksndmonster Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 So what? Then put someone else on Eichel's wing for a few shifts. Or double shift Eichel. No matter what we're going to have some complimentary players on skill lines playing against the crosbys and whatnot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rakish Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Last year Bylsma tried to hide Eichel from the Sidney Crosby's of the world, I'm sure Housley does the same. If the home/road thing (you were going to argue this, weren't you?) mattered so much, teams would be a lot better at home. I don't think it matters so much. On preview: I'm much more with qwk on this one than WC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 So what? Then put someone else on Eichel's wing for a few shifts. Or double shift Eichel. No matter what we're going to have some complimentary players on skill lines playing against the crosbys and whatnot. And how many wings does this team have that are up to that task? It's a very short list, so good luck finding one, let alone two who can fill that role. If your team needs a guy like Eichel to take up so much ice time, you find a way to shuffle things around and make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) And how many wings does this team have that are up to that task? It's a very short list, so good luck finding one, let alone two who can fill that role. If your team needs a guy like Eichel to take up so much ice time, you find a way to shuffle things around and make it happen. I think the solution is that you put Pommers on the 2nd PP unit or not at all so that takes out 2-4 shifts a night he can rest up. Jack may play 19-20min but Pommers is playing 16. You know the fun part of matching Eichel against Crosby and the top D pair? That leaves ROR and Reinhart's lines to play against not Crosby. Also at home I bet ROR takes Sidney. Edited September 20, 2017 by LGR4GM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 I think the solution is that you put Pommers on the 2nd PP unit or not at all so that takes out 2-4 shifts a night he can rest up. Jack may play 19-20min but Pommers is playing 16. You know the fun part of matching Eichel against Crosby and the top D pair? That leaves ROR and Reinhart's lines to play against not Crosby. Also at home I bet ROR takes Sidney. I like it much better against the mid-level teams of the world who don't have a Malkin waiting to jump out there with the next line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 I like Pommers with Eich, but I'm worried about him getting too many minutes at his, erm, advanced age. Heres a good snip from Coller this morning on the Star: We're only talking about opening night roster here. There will undoubtedly be changes as we move along through the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 I think that if Pommer still has the hands and the timing to convert one-timers in tight, he should be on the PP with Jack. Those shifts don't require as much energy as 5-on-5 shifts. I like Qwk's idea about subbing in another RW for a couple of 5-on-5 shifts per game if Pommer needs some rest. Also, Pommer shouldn't be on the PK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Last year Bylsma tried to hide Eichel from the Sidney Crosby's of the world, I'm sure Housley does the same. If the home/road thing (you were going to argue this, weren't you?) mattered so much, teams would be a lot better at home. I don't think it matters so much. On preview: I'm much more with qwk on this one than WC It's not who they're playing against, it's how much. Can Pommers really sustain top line, hard minutes, all season? I'm not sure he's in the shape for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabills Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 So what? Then put someone else on Eichel's wing for a few shifts. Or double shift Eichel. No matter what we're going to have some complimentary players on skill lines playing against the crosbys and whatnot. Yeah, I think thats a good possibility, but who's next up? Our RWs as of now are JP, Okposo and Your Name Here. Bailey or Baptiste popping in there a few shifts a game could work well, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted September 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Pommers played about 12 minutes 5 on 5 last year with an additional 2 minutes evenly divided between pk and pp. (14 minutes overall) Jack played nearly 20 minutes per game with 3 minutes pp time and 17 minutes 5 on 5. That's a pretty big gap. Kane played 19 minutes including 3 minutes of special teams. I was surprised with 2 minutes a night of PP time, that he didn't have more PP pts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) Last year Bylsma tried to hide Eichel from the Sidney Crosby's of the world, I'm sure Housley does the same. You don't hide a $10 million man from anyone.You strut him out with supreme arrogance, secure in the knowledge that if the opponent is lucky enough to break even, that ROR is feasting on the bones of whoever is on your second-string and Sam Reinhart is laughing in the faces of the poor fools on your third pair. That is what having a franchise centre means and how strength down the middle should be used. Edited September 20, 2017 by dudacek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rakish Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 You don't hide a $10 million man from anyone. You strut him out with supreme arrogance, secure in the knowledge that if the opponent is lucky enough to break even, that ROR is feasting on the bones of whoever is on your second-string and Sam Reinhart is laughing in the faces of the poor fools on your third pair. That is what have a franchise centre means and how strength down the middle should be used. I'm hoping you're not Botterill in real life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 (edited) I'm hoping you're not Botterill in real lifeGreat teams are arrogant, my friend.(And I do have a rather large cranium) I'm tired of the Dan Bylsma finger-in-the-, everyone-else-is-so-good mentality. Attack, trust your ability, go out and take what you want. Edited September 20, 2017 by dudacek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Great teams are arrogant, my friend. (And I do have a rather large cranium) I'm tired of the Dan Bylsma finger-in-the-######, everyone-else-so-good mentality. Attack, trust your ability, go out and take what you want. Oh, yeah!! Go team, fight team, yay team!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samson's Flow Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 In the early going it looks like: Kane - Eichel - Pominville Girgensons - O'Reilly - Okposo Pouliot - Reinhart - Rodrigues Moulson - Larsson - Fasching Scandella - Ristolainen McCabe- Antipin Beaulieu - Bogosian Lehner Johnson (Josefsson, Gorges) If the top line clicks in a very real way, the Sabres will have a chance to be a very good team. Nylander, Baptiste, Bailey, Guhle - all on a hopefully much improved AHL squad. I think this is where we are at, with the one exception that I thought McCabe has been playing with Bogo so far in training camp, so that might be our 2nd pair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 Great teams are arrogant, my friend. (And I do have a rather large cranium) I'm tired of the Dan Bylsma finger-in-the-######, everyone-else-is-so-good mentality. Attack, trust your ability, go out and take what you want. Seriously? D-i-k-e doesn't make it pass the censor? The word you're thinking of is not even spelled the same. @boyes - Bogo has not been playing with McCabe at all. He played with Scandella in camp and Beaulieu last night in the exhibition match. Risto has been with Guhle and McCabe with Fedun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabills Posted September 20, 2017 Report Share Posted September 20, 2017 You don't hide a $10 million man from anyone. You strut him out with supreme arrogance, secure in the knowledge that if the opponent is lucky enough to break even, that ROR is feasting on the bones of whoever is on your second-string and Sam Reinhart is laughing in the faces of the poor fools on your third pair. That is what having a franchise centre means and how strength down the middle should be used. Great teams are arrogant, my friend. (And I do have a rather large cranium) I'm tired of the Dan Bylsma finger-in-the-######, everyone-else-is-so-good mentality. Attack, trust your ability, go out and take what you want. I'm pumped now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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