Jump to content

Could Eichel actually be the problem with the Sabres?


matter2003

Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

 

This is honestly a huge change in tune for you.  You criticized me when I said we need to acquire a 2c to become competitive saying that is only going to make us a bubble team.  With a 2c you have a spine of Jack, 2c, Cozens and Larsson.  

You seem to want to go forward with Jack, Cozens, Larsson and Lazar.  No way this is better then the solution I suggested.  It’s cheaper, but it doesn’t make us competitive unless Cozens is spectacular.

This solution only works if we are now a budget team cap wise and won’t spend to the cap.  This is not an unreasonable reaction given the recent blood letting but it isn’t a solution to ending the playoff drought unless everything goes right. 

No, I asked you what if. What if Cozens can be a 50pt center out of the gate. It doesn't mean I think we should put all our eggs in one basket. My ideal going forward is Eichel - Cirelli - Cozens - Larsson. But that is almost definitely not happening. 

And that does only make us a bubble team if we don't fix goaltending, shot creation, and the worlds worst PK. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

No, I asked you what if. What if Cozens can be a 50pt center out of the gate. It doesn't mean I think we should put all our eggs in one basket. My ideal going forward is Eichel - Cirelli - Cozens - Larsson. But that is almost definitely not happening. 

That’s not happening, but Eichel, T Johnson, Cozens Larsson could happen.  
 

What if we get Byfield in the draft or Rossi?

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That’s not happening, but Eichel, T Johnson, Cozens Larsson could happen. 

What if we get Byfield in the draft or Rossi?

That (especially Byfield!) would be amazing for the long-term. But for next year, 2020 1st C or Cozens would have to play wing for a year. I couldn't imagine we'd be very competitive with 2 rookie centers in the lineup. And likely, Byfield starts in the NHL, but Rossi or other 7-10 pick likely needs additional seasoning in the minors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That’s not happening, but Eichel, T Johnson, Cozens Larsson could happen.  
 

What if we get Byfield in the draft or Rossi?

T Johnson has a no trade clause, why come here?

If we get Byfield or Rossi? Idk that changes a lot of things. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rossi is NHL ready IMPO. The question is do you play him at wing or center to start. He will push the pace and is an ass to place against which I like. Byfield is super young, yet super talented. He is 5th in the OHL for PPG even though he is extremely young for this draft. He is big, strong, skates well, shoots well. The only knock on him was his u20 play... He was a 17yr old on a talented team playing against 18/19 year olds. It doesn't phase me he wasn't great. Personally, I would send Byfield back for another year of junior. There's things he could work on. Rossi... he needs to come up a level. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

T Johnson has a no trade clause, why come here?

If we get Byfield or Rossi? Idk that changes a lot of things. 

TB needs to convince two of Kilhorn, Gourde, Palat and Johnson to waive the NTC and move on so that they can retain Sergachev and Cirelli.   It won’t be easy.  As to why Johnson might comes here? It’s a fair question and he’ll have other suitors.  However his PT has diminished in TB because of Cirelli and Pointe and like JT Miller last year he could really benefit from a change of scenery and an opportunity to play in the top 6 again. We give him that opportunity and have a very talented LW in VO for him to play with. A line of VO, Johnson and Kahun would be very intriguing.

I’m not saying, given our recent history, that this will be an easy sell, but it’s much more likely then TB trading Cirelli in the same division.

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

John Wick is a heartwarming tale about a man who finds love and hope again after his wife dies but sends him a puppy to remember her by...........

 

And then everybody dies. 

OoOoOoOoOo!

I hope it starts top notch actor such as Brenden Fraser!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

That (especially Byfield!) would be amazing for the long-term. But for next year, 2020 1st C or Cozens would have to play wing for a year. I couldn't imagine we'd be very competitive with 2 rookie centers in the lineup. And likely, Byfield starts in the NHL, but Rossi or other 7-10 pick likely needs additional seasoning in the minors.

I think Rossi is probably more NHL ready than Byfield.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

What if Cozens... is the answer. I am not saying he will be but if anyone could pull an Elias Petterson, it would be Dylan.

 

5 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That would be great, but even if you think that that is possible, you still need to go get a Nick Bonino type to take on the 3c role and be insurance if Cozens proves he isn’t ready for that much responsibility.  

 

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Larson can play third line center. 

Problem is, if you are counting on Cozens (or Mittelstadt, or Kahun) to be the 2C and he fails in that scenario, then we're looking at Larsson as the 2C without a viable backup plan for 2C.  They have to trade for a guy that gets pencilled in at 2C (& can actually perform the function), so if they luck out & a kid is even better, then they have a GOOD (to very good) C spine & can even overcome the inevitable 5 game injuries here or there by sliding Johansson, or Kahun, or Lazar into one of the vacated C spots after doing the injury shuffle.

A real 2C is still IMHO even more important than a backup goalie that won't have wonky eyes for 1/2 a season (though only slightly more important).

  • Thanks (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/17/2020 at 12:44 PM, dudacek said:

Jack remains the biggest single part of the solution.

Eveyone keeps saying the Sabres are the biggest league tire fire (and it's probably true) and of course I'm wildly biased but, as a prospective GM, I look at the Sabres as a team that I'd take over several others simply because of the presence of Jack. Even teams that are run very respectably have little chance of contention without that true elite player. It happens (see, STL, depending on how you feel about ROR) but generally the most difficult piece to get, the most crucial piece to have, we luckily already possess. 

I continue to think an outsider could look at this team and say the most fascinating thing is how they Sabres have managed to be THIS bad with a player THIS good. Screams to me ineptitude remedied by basic competence. I think it's easier to fix the Sabres than it is to acquire a player of Jack's caliber. 

Edited by Thorny
  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

What if Cozens... is the answer. I am not saying he will be but if anyone could pull an Elias Petterson, it would be Dylan.

 

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Larson can play third line center. 

They assuredly can't pull a Botterill and enter into next season with Cozens as the 2C. If so, the firing was for nothing. 

  • Thanks (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

 

They assuredly can't pull a Botterill and enter into next season with Cozens as the 2C. If so, the firing was for nothing. 

They shouldn't but they absolutely could. 

39 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

OoOoOoOoOo!

I hope it starts top notch actor such as Brenden Fraser!

Keanu Reeves 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

EI think it's easier to fix the Sabres than it is to acquire a player of Jack's caliber. 

Did you forget just how easy it was to obtain Jack?  This team has been one injury away from doing it again. And again.  In fact, they did it again.  And they weren't even trying to.

Building a team is definitely harder than acquiring a Jack.  The last 5 years have been proof of it.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Weave said:

Did you forget just how easy it was to obtain Jack?  This team has been one injury away from doing it again. And again.  In fact, they did it again.  And they weren't even trying to.

Building a team is definitely harder than acquiring a Jack.  The last 5 years have been proof of it.

You could argue it's easier to finish last, of course, but most of the time, by far, you end up with a Reinhart level player instead of an Eichel. 

The last 5 years don't necessarily prove it is hard to field a playoff team, just that the guy in charge was incapable of doing it. 

The odds of making the playoffs is ~50/50, no? What are the odds of acquiring a Hart level player in the draft? Again, this Sabres run of futility is so damning precisely BECAUSE it shouldn't have to be this hard. 

Edited by Thorny
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Weave said:

Did you forget just how easy it was to obtain Jack?  This team has been one injury away from doing it again. And again.  In fact, they did it again.  And they weren't even trying to.

Building a team is definitely harder than acquiring a Jack.  The last 5 years have been proof of it.

We've acquired 3 other Jacks over 50 years. We've made the playoffs about 35 times. Every year 16 teams make the playoffs. A Jack comes into the league every two years, maybe?

It is way easier to build a decent team. Building a championship team is a different story.

  • Like (+1) 1
  • Thanks (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

We've acquired 3 other Jacks over 50 years. We've made the playoffs about 35 times. Every year 16 teams make the playoffs. A Jack comes into the league every two years, maybe?

It is way easier to build a decent team. Building a championship team is a different story.

Just like being born with a Jack between your legs doesn’t make you good with the ladies. You need to be so much more. So I’m told.

  • Haha (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I'm still not sure. Seems like really well-balanced, well-built teams have won the Cup of late, without a true super duper star. 

Nah?

Well, 4 of the last 5 had an Elite superstar. Ovi, Crosby, Crosby, Kane. 

More Blackhawks and Pens behind that, too. Kings would be the exception. Bruins...I think Bergeron is that player. I know he didn't come from the top of the draft but in his prime he's elite as elite can be. 

So, 8 of the last 11 have had an Elite superstar level player or more than one. 

Edited by Thorny
  • Like (+1) 1
  • Thanks (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Well, 4 of the last 5 had an Elite superstar. Ovi, Crosby, Crosby, Kane. 

More Blackhawks and Pens behind that, too. Kings would be the exception. Bruins...I think Bergeron is that player. I know he didn't come from the top of the draft but in his prime he's elite as elite can be. 

So, 8 of the last 11 have had an Elite superstar level player or more than one. 

Blues didn’t have a super star

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

Well, 4 of the last 5 had an Elite superstar. Ovi, Crosby, Crosby, Kane. 

More Blackhawks and Pens behind that, too. Kings would be the exception. Bruins...I think Bergeron is that player. I know he didn't come from the top of the draft but in his prime he's elite as elite can be. 

So, 8 of the last 11 have had an Elite superstar level player or more than one. 

Kings had plenty of studs.  Are you kidding? I loved the makeup of that team.  

Drew Doughty?  He was the best puck moving horse on the blue line in the league!  Plays half the game, shuts everyone down.

And Kopitar?  Big, talented guy, contributes offensively, defensively, takes opposing teams 1C away from the game.

Quick at that time was one of the best goaltenders in the league, I can go on.

Jeff Carter was even playing elite level hockey back then.  

They had a great team made for playoff hockey with elite level talent on O and D zones. 

For what it's worth, I think you do need some elite talent to win the Cup.

Along with a ton of luck, lack of injuries, and about 10,000 other things.

The Cup is the hardest championship to win in N. American team sports, by far.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/18/2020 at 3:13 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

TB needs to convince two of Kilhorn, Gourde, Palat and Johnson to waive the NTC and move on so that they can retain Sergachev and Cirelli.   It won’t be easy.  As to why Johnson might comes here? It’s a fair question and he’ll have other suitors.  However his PT has diminished in TB because of Cirelli and Pointe and like JT Miller last year he could really benefit from a change of scenery and an opportunity to play in the top 6 again. We give him that opportunity and have a very talented LW in VO for him to play with. A line of VO, Johnson and Kahun would be very intriguing.

I’m not saying, given our recent history, that this will be an easy sell, but it’s much more likely then TB trading Cirelli in the same division.

Killorn's is a M-NTC, but something tells me buffalos on the NO list ?

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...