pi2000 Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 Worst case scenario - Middlestadt does not sign and goes into free agency (ala Vesey) He would need to finish all 4 years of college. That's not happening. Is Zemgus fast? He has slightly above average top end speed, but he has below average quickness in small areas... which is compounded by his poor awareness. Put OReilly on the 3rd line as a checking line center and for pp and Ill agree. Middlestud 2nd line center and 2nd pp to start. At that point you have options that would be nice. Cant wait till that day arrives in 2 years. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted January 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) give me something better then. Casey hasn't shown me anything in the NHL, yet. Until he does he has to prove himself. Everyone has to prove themselves. How quickly people forget our history. One of the reasons the lockout teams were so good was the 3rd line matchups. The 3rd line of Vanek Roy and Max were an impossible matchup for our opponents. A possible line of Smith Mittelstadt and Reinhart is a pretty fair approximation of that line. Edited January 12, 2018 by Georgia Flakt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 This There was a thread "Worst Sabres team ever?" I answered yes. Even during the immediate ppst Gilbert retirement years, the bankruptcy years, didn't have the feeling of despair I see now. I've lived through some dark Buffalo sports team days, bit nothing compares to this imho. I guess the just of it all is why. Why is a team so filled with capable talent getting slaughtered night after bloody night? Where is the dig down deep heart and soul of this team? Who will step in or up to pick up the tattered standard bearer flag of Sabres nation and LEAD this team and its fans up the bastion and on to victory? ......(Crickets)....... "To be Continued" To be fair, we didn't visit, revisit, and continue to visit the Sabres situation 78 times during the day in the past before the advent of social media. Few of us where even that aware of what was down on the farm or Sabres properties in the juniors before the information age. This past game with Ullmark stealing a win and Brendan Guhle being the most prominent defenseman gives me great hope for the future. There's a lot wrong with the Sabres, but there's a lot right with the Amerks. The correct answer, of course, is to send Guhle and Ullmark back down, let them finish out a highly successful AHL season, and infuse the Sabres with the best of the Amerks and their winning attitude next year. How long will it take to fix this team? 9 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 Middle Stud is a natural Center, there is no way you move him to wing, or with Jack. With ROR, Jack, and Casey down the middle that is a formidable threesome. So is Samson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) Olofsson - Eichel - Okposo Zemgus - ROR - Pommers CJ Smith - Mittelstadt - Reinhart This is really simple Mittlestadt,eichel, okposo ROR,Mittlestadt,Pominville zemgus,Reinhart,mittlestadt our savior, jedi master and sith lord, darth mittlestadt plays 60 minutes a game at 3 different positions. on days when linus needs a day off, mittlestadt hops in goal when in the sabres zone. it so simple, yet so beautiful btw, i hear rumors that the puck just appears on his stick with a look and a smile Edited January 12, 2018 by fettmanlitenkappa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmel Corn Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 So is Samson. A naturally "slow" center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 A naturally "slow" center My point was that he is a natural centre that has pretty much moved to wing. It does happen, so maybe the new kid will end up on the wing. Maybe only for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 Pretty sure the most recent evaluation of Casey after the WJC was that his play translates equally to wing and he is very capable of progressing as a wing prospect. It happens. No shame in it. And as Babcock recently mentioned, you can't have too many centers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 If the franchise's hopes for getting out of the basement next year rely on Mittlestadt, we're screwed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 If the franchise's hopes for getting out of the basement next year rely on Mittlestadt, we're screwed. I have already accepted our position as a basement team again next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 I have already accepted our position as a basement team again next year. No, no no! Jack scores 100 points, Reinhart and Okposo bounce back, Mittelstadt and Guhle battle for the rookie of the year while Ullmark goes to the all-star game. #lifeisbetterinfantasyland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 give me something better then. Casey hasn't shown me anything in the NHL, yet. Until he does he has to prove himself. Everyone has to prove themselves. Then you better slow down on C.J. Smith being a viable NHLer. I have already accepted our position as a basement team again next year. I just hope dearly that Botterill hasn't. The Sabres absolutely need to be a bubble team at worst next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) Then you better slow down on C.J. Smith being a viable NHLer. I just hope dearly that Botterill hasn't. I put him on a sheltered line with the other guy I'm saying we need to shelter them . I'm not apologizing for not believing right now today Mittelstadt is the God of everything. Edited January 12, 2018 by SkuggaLiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 ^ Fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 No, no no! Jack scores 100 points, Reinhart and Okposo bounce back, Mittelstadt and Guhle battle for the rookie of the year while Ullmark goes to the all-star game. #lifeisbetterinfantasyland :p Then you better slow down on C.J. Smith being a viable NHLer. I just hope dearly that Botterill hasn't. The Sabres absolutely need to be a bubble team at worst next year. I'd rather Botterill exercise patience than make high risk moves to try to be better next year that end up putting us back in the same place we are now. I don't want to GMTM it up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 :p I'd rather Botterill exercise patience than make high risk moves to try to be better next year that end up putting us back in the same place we are now. I don't want to GMTM it up again. I agree with that, but there's no reason that after another offseason where Botterill is free to work, and after spending a full year implementing the new system this year, that the internal expectation shouldn't be to be competitive, and a bubble team, next season. By all accounts this year is claimed to be an "evaluation" year. Next year the goal must be wins. At long last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 I agree with that, but there's no reason that after another offseason where Botterill is free to work, and after spending a full year implementing the new system this year, that the internal expectation shouldn't be to be competitive, and a bubble team, next season. By all accounts this year is claimed to be an "evaluation" year. Next year the goal must be wins. At long last. The trick is that he's not unlimited in what he can do this off-season. How many changes do we really expect him to make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorny Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 The trick is that he's not unlimited in what he can do this off-season. How many changes do we really expect him to make? I’m hoping that just a few changes amount to more than the sum of their parts. Combined with the continued progression of guys like Eichel, Ristolainen, Ullmark and Guhle, and the potential infusion of a Mittelstadt, and further team-wide familiarity with the system, I’m hoping it’s enough to bump the team off down the road a bit. When Botterill helped mould the defence of the Penguins, for example, he made several smaller, value deals to accomplish what he wanted. He’s not a swing for the fences GM like Murray, but I also don’t believe he’s a guy afraid to make deals. Dudacek, I believe, posted a good breakdown a while back of how Botterill built their defence. - - - I’m not saying we WILL be good by any means, but I’d feel much more comfortable if the sound bites coming from the big dogs talk of winning and challenging for a playoff spot, rather than evaluation. The fan base certainly seems at a bit of a tipping point in frustration. For me, just hearing the brass altering the dialogue surrounding team goals would go a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkard Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 I put him on a ###### sheltered line with the other guy I'm saying we need to shelter them . I'm not apologizing for not believing right now today Mittelstadt is the God of everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) They might be playoff bubble by 2019/2020 Edited January 13, 2018 by SkuggaLiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 They might be playoff bubble by 2019/2020 They can and should be there faster. We have to stop giving this franchise so much rope, because all they do with time is hang themselves. (Hey, that was pretty good.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swedesessed Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 Just like Skugga correctly pointed about how teams don't think of lines like they used to, I don't think rebuilds are the same either, especially in the unfair hard salary cap era we are in now. Look how fast the Devils rebounded. And teams also nosedive quick too (Ottawa). Toronto jumped up quick. Yes, there are holes on this roster, but since the cap era produces a product where a lot of teams have a hole here and there, I do think the Sabres can rebound a lot quicker then most would expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 The cap era and parity and loser points allows for some pretty big swings in points without dramatic talent upgrades. In my view, the difference between an 85-point team and a 95-point team is usually negligible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 Just like Skugga correctly pointed about how teams don't think of lines like they used to, I don't think rebuilds are the same either, especially in the unfair hard salary cap era we are in now. Look how fast the Devils rebounded. And teams also nosedive quick too (Ottawa). Toronto jumped up quick. Yes, there are holes on this roster, but since the cap era produces a product where a lot of teams have a hole here and there, I do think the Sabres can rebound a lot quicker then most would expect. How's the cap unfair? :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 They can and should be there faster. We have to stop giving this franchise so much rope, because all they do with time is hang themselves. (Hey, that was pretty good.)First, I'm not giving them . Second, I'm gonna live in the reality that this team needs about 6 forwards going into next year and 3 defenders. So unless Botterill has a magic wand to Harry potter those into existence, it isn't happening. Third, they aren't good enough and I'm not happy or tolerant of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.