Botterill’s makeover

[Cheektorado]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

I wouldn't define Reinhart as steady.  He was on vacation for the 1st half of last season.  Put one of the heady, grizzled vets on his right wing.

I guess I would ask who that RW'er is.  It seems to me that the RW slots are the hardest to evaluate and line out.

Reinhart, Okposo, Pominville, Thompson, Baptiste, Bailey?

I don't think Okposo had a steady season last year either.

[Weave]

21 minutes ago, Cheektorado said:

I guess I would ask who that RW'er is.  It seems to me that the RW slots are the hardest to evaluate and line out.

Reinhart, Okposo, Pominville, Thompson, Baptiste, Bailey?

I don't think Okposo had a steady season last year either.

I'd put Okposo with Mitts before I'd put Sam with him.  Even if he has faded due to injury,  he'll teach the kid to be a good pro and have good habits.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

I'd put Okposo with Mitts before I'd put Sam with him.  Even if he has faded due to injury,  he'll teach the kid to be a good pro and have good habits.

Sure makes sense to pair Mitts w/Kyle and I hope for Sam's and our sake, Sam starts the season "not on vaca"

[JohnnyK]

This team seems to be going in the right direction!

IMO I would have Jack and Skinner on different lines to spread out the scoring and have two guys who like to carry the puck on each of the top 2 lines

[Radar]

Who are the five dissenters? State your case and please in objective sense.

[nfreeman]

6 hours ago, N S said:

I voted for 3 and 4.  The poller does allow multiple votes.  Later I will see how many times I can vote.  It's like the good old days.

That said, I am not happy with the fact that we lost 2 of our better players for ones that are not as good, on paper anyway.  I want to see what happens during the season.  We all know that it is not always the most talented team that wins, but often the team that puts it all together and works well together.  The Sabres were not that team the last few years.

Me too.

As for Kane and ROR, I feel like we have no choice but to trust JBott that those moves were needed to get the team out of its dysfunctional rut.

Also totally agree with your point about the recent Sabres not at all being the team that works well together.

 

6 hours ago, 3putt said:

Goal differential is the key.  Score more and give up more and the status quo remains.  Nothing indicates that we have addressed goal differerential other than possibly increasing one side of the ledger while also increasing the other.  That story will unfold come October.  

Well, both goalies were swapped out, and The Natural will be the #1D in short order, plus a healthy McCabe and a maybe healthy Bogo will be the 2nd pair -- so quite a bit of turnover, albeit quite unproven, in our end.

 

[Derrico]

6 hours ago, Weave said:

Another point regarding Botteril's makeover, it absolutely, 100% hinges on Mittlestadt being ready for a significant role on the team at center ice.  If Casey falters, we'll have one scoring line.  That's a pretty substantial bet.  If he works out this season, the moves should be enough to get us significant improvement.  If Casey can't make it happen this season, losing ROR is going to be extremely painful.

It's not a Buffalo thing.  I'm sure every fanbase does it. Other than that, I agree with you generally here.

Agreed.  It's more important mitts looks good than Dahlin this coming season imo.  He's such a huge piece for this forward group. 

[3putt]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

Me too.

As for Kane and ROR, I feel like we have no choice but to trust JBott that those moves were needed to get the team out of its dysfunctional rut.

Also totally agree with your point about the recent Sabres not at all being the team that works well together.

 

Well, both goalies were swapped out, and The Natural will be the #1D in short order, plus a healthy McCabe and a maybe healthy Bogo will be the 2nd pair -- so quite a bit of turnover, albeit quite unproven, in our end.

 

My point still stands.  Ulmark/Hutton is as big a question mark going into this season as Lehner/Ocho was last year and other than Dahlin the other faces are the same.  So we shall see.  Go Sabres.

[Derrico]

5 minutes ago, 3putt said:

My point still stands.  Ulmark/Hutton is as big a question mark going into this season as Lehner/Ocho was last year and other than Dahlin the other faces are the same.  So we shall see.  Go Sabres.

The faces are hardly the same.  The forward group is nearly 50 percent new players this coming year.  Both goalies are new and yes, just the one d.  That's pretty significant turnover. 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, Weave said:

I'd put Okposo with Mitts before I'd put Sam with him.  Even if he has faded due to injury,  he'll teach the kid to be a good pro and have good habits.

Absolutely.

And, yep, if Mittelstadt isn't ready to be Mittelstud this will be a LONG season as the top 6 without him being at least solid becomes much uglier.

Also agree that there needs to be a 5th option - jury is still out - 2 good trades, 2 not so good ones, w/ a lot of dependence on 2 teenagers, 2 unproven goalies, & a D staying healthier than it has in the past & also still relying on a fairly inexperienced coaching staff.  Because this team looks to be a 90-92 point squad, likely FINALLY entertaining again, but ultimately irrelevant - the jury's out.

 

[Doohickie]

5 hours ago, Cheektorado said:

I guess I would ask who that RW'er is.  It seems to me that the RW slots are the hardest to evaluate and line out.

Reinhart, Okposo, Pominville, Thompson, Baptiste, Bailey?

I don't think Okposo had a steady season last year either.

Did you watch the Sobotka interview in the other thread?  Even though he shoots left, he apparently considers himself a right wing.

[GASabresIUFAN]

7 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Did you watch the Sobotka interview in the other thread?  Even though he shoots left, he apparently considers himself a right wing.

I mentioned that earlier.  It was an interesting nugget from the interview.  I've always seen him listed as a LW/C.  However, I'd be happy to move him to RW.  I think it would help our depth there and allow Erod to play 3rd line LW behind Skinner and Sheary.

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Mittelstadt Okposo

ERod Berglund Sobotka

WIlson Girgensons Pominville

Larsson ----> Thompson starts in the minors 

or

Skinner Eichel Okposo

Sheary Reinhart Sobotka

ERod Mittelstadt Thompson

Wilson Berglund Pominville

Girgensons -----> Larry sent packing

or

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Sheary Mittestadt Thompson

Erod Sobotka Okposo

Wilson Berglund Pominville

Girgensons -----> Larry sent packing

 

[Doohickie]

It could have also been a translation error as well.  You never know.

[Derrico]

I like GA first line up above but replace pommers with Baptist on that 4th line.

[Thorny]

I wouldn't mind seeing Reinhart get a shot with Mittelstadt. Would think they'd have complimentary skill sets. May have to wait until Casey is settled in though, if we want a vet presence on his RW to start. 

[Taro T]

35 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I wouldn't mind seeing Reinhart get a shot with Mittelstadt. Would think they'd have complimentary skill sets. May have to wait until Casey is settled in though, if we want a vet presence on his RW to start. 

This isn't directed solely at you because I've seen this sentiment expressed by several posters, but why don't we see what the Sabres could do putting their best center (Eichel) & presumably their best LW (Skinner) out w/ presumably their best RW (the '18 version of Reinhart) before giving a rookie those toys to work with?

I totally get that Reinhart looked better w/ O'Reilly than Eichel, but ROR is gone & Sam & Jack have played well in the past.  Also, totally get the concerns about whether 1 puckis enough for Skinner & Jack; but would still like to see & expect to see that given a chance to work before relegating Eichel to linemates that should be 2nd line or lesser from day 1.  (Sheary & Okposo have both been 1st liners, but wouldn't really consider either a true 1st liner @ this point in time & everybody else is either looking in the rearview of their better days or is very raw &/or unproven.)

Again, Thorny, not trying to call you particularly out, but just trying to understand the sentiment.

[pi2000]

The more I think about all these moves, the more I'm on the fence.    It just seems like a big roll of the dice, but in reality he didn't have any other option at this point.     I'm not going to be surprised no matter what the outcome.    They could be great, they could be average, they could be in the basement again.     At least he's trying.

[Radar]

43 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The more I think about all these moves, the more I'm on the fence.    It just seems like a big roll of the dice, but in reality he didn't have any other option at this point.     I'm not going to be surprised no matter what the outcome.    They could be great, they could be average, they could be in the basement again.     At least he's trying.

Just posted this in another thread. He did what he said he would do. Something had to change and not by just moving guys like Larson.

[pi2000]

10 minutes ago, Radar said:

Just posted this in another thread. He did what he said he would do. Something had to change and not by just moving guys like Larson.

which he still hasn't done yet.... or girgensons... or bogosian... but hey, that underperforming oft injured cancer ROR is gone! yay!

[Radar]

1 minute ago, pi2000 said:

which he still hasn't done yet.... or girgensons... or bogosian... but hey, that underperforming oft injured cancer ROR is gone! yay!

Agree but he did change the core of this team and that meant ROR. It was the only way to substantially change the team's makeup. You couldn't do that by trading Girgensons or Bogosian. I'm willing to trade either but the ROR move was changing the team substantially in my opinion.

[LTS]

28 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

which he still hasn't done yet.... or girgensons... or bogosian... but hey, that underperforming oft injured cancer ROR is gone! yay!

I don't think anyone is taking Larsson, Girgensons, or Bogosian from the Sabres.

I expect that they will find themselves sent down to the AHL with the hopes that someone picks them up on waivers.  Bogosian won't be sent down.  He'll either play when he's healthy or he'll be on IR again.  Even if Larsson or Girgensons are moved, it's not going to bring back ANY return that will improve the lineup, now or in the future.

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

This isn't directed solely at you because I've seen this sentiment expressed by several posters, but why don't we see what the Sabres could do putting their best center (Eichel) & presumably their best LW (Skinner) out w/ presumably their best RW (the '18 version of Reinhart) before giving a rookie those toys to work with?

I totally get that Reinhart looked better w/ O'Reilly than Eichel, but ROR is gone & Sam & Jack have played well in the past.  Also, totally get the concerns about whether 1 puckis enough for Skinner & Jack; but would still like to see & expect to see that given a chance to work before relegating Eichel to linemates that should be 2nd line or lesser from day 1.  (Sheary & Okposo have both been 1st liners, but wouldn't really consider either a true 1st liner @ this point in time & everybody else is either looking in the rearview of their better days or is very raw &/or unproven.)

Again, Thorny, not trying to call you particularly out, but just trying to understand the sentiment.

Fair enough, but those two wing sets, Skinner and Reinhart, Sheary and Okposo, don't have to stay together as pairs. Could try:

Skinner - Eichel - Okposo

Sheary - Mittelstadt - Reinhart

That gives our best centre our best winger, and our rookie centre a more stable vet presence in Sheary, and the playmaking/finishing ability of Reinhart. 

[Doohickie]

Someone needs to put together a Phil Housley Random Line Generator.

 

[Cheektorado]

17 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Did you watch the Sobotka interview in the other thread?  Even though he shoots left, he apparently considers himself a right wing.

Well that changes a lot.  Definitely balances the winger positions much better.

That info opens all kind of line options.  Can't wait to see how it fleshes out.

[Doohickie]

It'd be funny if the translator simply mixed up left and right....