Jump to content

Forwards Next Year - Status Quo or Major Overhaul?


GASabresIUFAN

Recommended Posts

So, we could use him if we face Ottawa in the playoffs

 

If he has 20/25 goal seasons when we're making our "run," count me all in for ERod

 

If he is somewhere in our lineup with enough exposure that he may get 20/25 goals, we are not "making a run".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if Casey plays with the Sabres, I'd hate to have him projected on the second line.  McDavid started his career on the 3rd line - and he's one of the best to come along in a long time.  This is exactly how you ruin or at minimum stall a young players career - putting too much pressure on him too early.  Let him ease into the NHL on the 3rd or 4th line.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking at potential UFA' to help fill void of current players we don't resign.

 

Riley Nash- 3rd or 4th line center who can score 10-15 goals and give you 25-30 points. Sign to 2 or 3 year contract at 2-2.5 mil a year. Trade Larsson.

David Perron 1st or 2nd LW...gritty winger who can score 15-20 goals and give you 40-50 points. Sign to 3 year contract at AAV of $4.5 million.

Resign RFA's Wilson, Bailey and Baptiste

 

18-19 Line up

 

Perron- Eichel- Okposo

Mittelstadt- ROR- Reinhart

Wilson- Nash- Pommer

Baptiste- ERod- Bailey

David Perron is gritty?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No idea what the lines will look like next year. If Casey is in there then great. And if not dahlin added then hopefully one of Zadina/Svechnikov/Tkachuk/Wahlstrom will be ready. i would like to think botts will go for one of those 4 if we dont pick no 1 overall.

 

One thing about the last 4 games i would like to think that these games have made up botts mind in this evaluation season about who needs to go.

Edited by Sabre1974
Link to comment
Share on other sites

so darn tired of this bringing in aging vets who are over-paid and past their prime. If we are going to lose I would much rather do it with young players who may make mistakes but at least maybe show improvement. The Leafs did that and just threw out just about every young player they had that was any good and let them learn as they went. We have a bunch of good young players and I would rather play them then sign more aging vets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so darn tired of this bringing in aging vets who are over-paid and past their prime. If we are going to lose I would much rather do it with young players who may make mistakes but at least maybe show improvement. The Leafs did that and just threw out just about every young player they had that was any good and let them learn as they went. We have a bunch of good young players and I would rather play them then sign more aging vets

 

This team is devoid of leadership.  I'm not about to suggest that Perron has leadership qualities in him, but this team needs vets that know what it takes to prepare for games and big stages a helluva lot more than they need to get younger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This team is devoid of leadership.  I'm not about to suggest that Perron has leadership qualities in him, but this team needs vets that know what it takes to prepare for games and big stages a helluva lot more than they need to get younger.

sounds good but we had Gionta who was a good leader and the captain and that did not motivate this lazy bunch. I can truly say I have no idea how we can be this bad. On paper, compared to last year's team, we should be significantly better. And yet, here we are again at the bottom and looking like no one on this team really gives a crap.  It is a mystery to me...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sounds good but we had Gionta who was a good leader and the captain and that did not motivate this lazy bunch. I can truly say I have no idea how we can be this bad. On paper, compared to last year's team, we should be significantly better. And yet, here we are again at the bottom and looking like no one on this team really gives a crap.  It is a mystery to me...

 

That's not a good reason for us to go to an all youth team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leadership like advanced stats is way over rated.  Build a good roster, the team wins a few games and suddenly we have great leadership.  

 

We all talk about how Drury taught the lockout Sabres how to win.  I'm sure he helped, but what really made the difference is the huge influx of talent from the farm system.  From 1997 we drafted and developed Tallinder, Vanek, Roy, Miller, Pommers, Gaustad, Kalinin, Max, and Campbell, plus McKee (1995 pick) Ballard, Paille, and MacArthur.  Sprinkle in some smart trades/signings for guys like Grier, Teppo, Lydman, Briere and Hecht and you have a 4 line team with 3 solid D pairings.  The 05-06 team had 10 players score 16 or more goals.  

 

From our rebuild so far we have developed Sam, Jack, McCabe and Risto.  Not exactly then same kind of wave of talent.  Now if Ullmark, Guhle, Olofsson, Asplund, Mittelstadt, Borgen, Nylander and this year's top pick all make an impact over the next year or 2 then we'll ride a similar wave as the lockout team.  Then we can all say what great leadership we got from Jack and ROR.  

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
Link to comment
Share on other sites

sounds good but we had Gionta who was a good leader and the captain and that did not motivate this lazy bunch. I can truly say I have no idea how we can be this bad. On paper, compared to last year's team, we should be significantly better. And yet, here we are again at the bottom and looking like no one on this team really gives a crap.  It is a mystery to me...

 

If you're comparing last years team to this years and saying we should be better - then why are you blaming Gionta (last year) for this "lazy bunch".  It's a largely different roster.  

 

Who are these "aging vets" we keep bringing in that "are over-paid and past their prime"?  You mean like Pommers?  So we could get rid of a terrible Ennis contract and player?  Ok, bring back Ennis.

 

It's JBot's first year - he can't be blamed for what he's inherited.   Don't you think it's fair to start over with him?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've had 50% roster turnover and still the team gives up, or doesn't show up, on game day regularly.  It's not Gionta.  Or Pominville. 

 

This precious core has been around for 3 seasons now and is essentially unchanged..........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This precious core is still young but with that being said I can't say there's anyone on this team I don't want traded provided the return is good. They've all pretty well played their way off my team. With the exception of Jack and at times it seems he could care less as well. This team needs an injection of heart.

 

Tomorrows game might as well be titled ' A tale of two cities '. Two team going in vastly different directions with Toronto's young guns set to experience their second post season going in on a roll. The Sabres not so much with things unlikely to change any time soon. I have to hand it to the leafs braintrust. They seem to have made all the right moves. If only we were so lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This precious core is still young but with that being said I can't say there's anyone on this team I don't want traded provided the return is good. They've all pretty well played their way off my team. With the exception of Jack and at times it seems he could care less as well. This team needs an injection of heart.

 

Tomorrows game might as well be titled ' A tale of two cities '. Two team going in vastly different directions with Toronto's young guns set to experience their second post season going in on a roll. The Sabres not so much with things unlikely to change any time soon. I have to hand it to the leafs braintrust. They seem to have made all the right moves. If only we were so lucky.

 

You guys have much better hockey eyes than me but I don't see it that way.  I just don't think it's a heart issue.  We aren't skilled enough.  Outside of Jack we don't have another high end player.  We're a team comprised of roll players and it hasn't been good enough.  To me it's critical the next draft brings one to us.  

 

This team needs two excellent young players to emerge and the greatest chance of that, IMO, is Casey and this years draft.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah we need talent. We also need self driven players with heart. It was obvious most games this year that either the coaching staff didn't have these players ready to play or the players themselves just didn't hear or care too much for what the coaches were saying. Motivation seemed to be lacking on most nights. Not sure if thats on the staff or players or both. But you're right. We also lack talent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The last few games have been terrible and it may be the case now.  I just didn't see quit 3/4 of the season.  I saw a group of players not good enough to play against the other team.  That goes for the goal tender too.  

 

We played tough against some of the better teams in the league and that showed effort - especially when you saw some of the better teams blow us out, which is what actually should happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leave Moulson and Pomminstein on a desert island somewhere until their contracts are done, buy out Okposo, trade Lehner and ROR, replace them all with kids and find character guys who can lead in free agency. It might not make us great instantly, but it'll change the culture, and that's what is needed most. 

 

Then next season, if you don't compete every night, you sit. Tolerating the current slack attitude that keeps recurring has got to change.

 

(or find a way to get Tavares.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've had 50% roster turnover and still the team gives up, or doesn't show up, on game day regularly. It's not Gionta. Or Pominville.

 

This precious core has been around for 3 seasons now and is essentially unchanged..........

What core? Sam, Jack and Risto don't equal a core. Not even a foundation. When the next 20 guys on the roster are expendable you have nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What core? Sam, Jack and Risto don't equal a core. Not even a foundation. When the next 20 guys on the roster are expendable you have nothing.

A good goaltender would go a long way.... helps with confidence. That being said the Sabres have only 1 line with talent and a bunch of fourth liners. Till that changes its gonna be more of the same. Still think Erod Baptiste and one of the guys from the Amerks CJ or maybe one of the Euros can make up a decent third line. Until Wilson is on the third or fourth line and Jack has a pair of wingers its gonna be more of the same. Hoping someone steps up.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're definitely lacking in talent number one. Number two, as much as I supported the hire of Housley I'm confessing my doubts now that he's the type of coach we need. Not expecting or promoting the idea of firing him this early but this team appears to need at times a good kick in the pants. Housley is not appearing to get to these guys. Never thought I'd say we need a Torts type coach but we could use some of that it seems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...