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Should we be talking more about Arttu Ruotsalainen


LGR4GM

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He's a 5'8" Finn who is about to turn 23. He centers the top line on Ilves and has 2 goals in 4 games thus far this year. He will have played actual hockey for over a month probably before training camp starts. So the question is should he be in more discussions about this roster? He is a C/LW and could easily slide into either spot on the 3rd line. 

 

 

Edited by LGR4GM
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18 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He's a 5'8" Finn who is about to turn 23. He centers the top line on Ilves and has 2 goals in 4 games thus far this year. He will have played actual hockey for over a month probably before training camp starts. So the question is should he be in more discussions about this roster? He is a C/LW and could easily slide into either spot on the 3rd line. 

 

 

Doubt he'll step right in, but if he does that really helps.

And the Sabres need to start hitting on these sort of guys.  The TB's of the world do it often.

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3 minutes ago, WildCard said:

Then yeah, he should be playing in Rochester next year.

Disagree. When older prospects perform like top tier talent in top-Europe leagues (SHL, liiga, KHL), they can definitely skip that step.

Pilut should've been in Buffalo right away when we got him.

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13 minutes ago, Gabrielor said:

Disagree. When older prospects perform like top tier talent in top-Europe leagues (SHL, liiga, KHL), they can definitely skip that step.

Pilut should've been in Buffalo right away when we got him.

Respectfully, it's just a different game. Olofsson would not have translated the way he did without AHL experience first IMO. We got Eakin for this reason (not that that was a great get), let Arttu acclimate to NA in the AHL for a little bit.

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2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Speaking of Pilut, are we good with our left side if Adams lures him back from the KHL?

(Dahlin/McCabe/Pilut/Irwin)

Or should we be shopping for better?

Should always be looking for better, but the cap might be too tight to allow anything to actually happen.  That would at least be adequate NHL caliber 1-4 on the LH side.  And we know the RH side is also NHL quality (even after 1 goes away for a goalie.

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With the probable compressed schedule it is likely that more injuries, including nagging injuries that need rest to heal, will require players to fill in. Whether Arttu makes the big club roster or starts off in Rochester there will be a need to have a reserve of players to draw from. Getting him a lot of playing time in Rochester and allowing him to acclimate to NHL sized rinks may be the best route for him. The grind of a compressed schedule is going to take a physical toll on the players. The teams that have the most depth not only on their teams but in their systems will have an advantage.  

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Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games.

Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. 

I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. 

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Just now, LGR4GM said:

Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games.

Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. 

I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. 

Granted he's more experience and maybe a better player, but putting him in a new country in a new league with a different style...let the guy play 20g in the AHL first.

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33 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Olofsson played 5 years in the SHL before coming to NA. His best year was 43 points in 50 games.

Ruotsalainen is in his 6th Liiga year currently. His best year was 43 points in 42 games last year and he had 42 in 59 the year before. 

I don't even know if AR is signed to a contract that would allow him to play in Rochester. 

According to this article by Chad DeDominicis the answer is yes. 

https://www.diebytheblade.com/2020/8/5/21355224/buffalo-sabres-loan-arttu-ruotsalainen-back-to-ilves-until-further-notice-liiga

Edited by JohnC
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The lineup is basically set at this point (although I'd like a better 3C, allowing Eakin to move to 4C)...

Hall - Eichel - Olofsson

Skinner - Staal - Reinhart

Thompson - Eakin - Cozens

Girgensons - Lazar - Okposo

I just don't see where he fits...I think a year in Rochester, playing on the top-line with Mittelstadt, would do both of them wonders.

Edited by OhMyDahlin
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1 hour ago, OhMyDahlin said:

The lineup is basically set at this point (although I'd like a better 3C, allowing Eakin to move to 4C)...

Hall - Eichel - Olofsson

Skinner - Staal - Reinhart

Thompson - Eakin - Cozens

Girgensons - Lazar - Okposo

I just don't see where he fits...I think a year in Rochester, playing on the top-line with Mittelstadt, would do both of them wonders.

I remember when Adams was talking about Rochester being a place for development and some of us were wondering exactly what prospects we had that could be developing.

  • A centre spine of: Casey, Arttu and Asplund.
  • Laaksonen, Bryson, Fitzpatrick, Samuelsson and maybe Borgen on defence
  • Pekar, Murray plus those two college FA kids (Biro and Dipietro) we signed on the wings (along with Oglevie and CJ Smith, if they still count)
  • And Johansson and Luukkonnen in goal.

I wouldn't call that stacked, but that's actually a lot more prospect heavy than I was expecting. Add Dalton Smith, JS Dea and Brandon Davidson already signed for veteran help and we're probably looking at most of the Roster

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4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Doubt he'll step right in, but if he does that really helps.

And the Sabres need to start hitting on these sort of guys.  The TB's of the world do it often.

This will become so much easier when we have the roster filled in adequately (close now, I think) where we ask little of the players in question, as a starting point. Bogo was the same player in TBay as here, yet he looked "better" there (On a separate note, Dave Poulin called his play "all world" yesterday 😆)

Everything depth/prospect wise becomes so much easier with an adequate roster across the board. 

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I"ve had him in the back of my mind as a dark horse for next year. I simply think the competition should be open and the best players in camp make the roster and you go from there. If he's good enough, why not play him? The more newness this roster can have the better. Don't want to get stuck in old ways.

As for Pilut, I truly do not understand why so many love that guy. I thought he was awful and couldn't care less that he's gone. 

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1 minute ago, PerreaultForever said:

I"ve had him in the back of my mind as a dark horse for next year. I simply think the competition should be open and the best players in camp make the roster and you go from there. If he's good enough, why not play him? The more newness this roster can have the better. Don't want to get stuck in old ways.

As for Pilut, I truly do not understand why so many love that guy. I thought he was awful and couldn't care less that he's gone. 

Definitely agree w/ the bolded.

Pilut is a good puck moving / offensive D-man that needs IMHO to be paired with a guy that can move people from the front of the net.  His best pairing on the Sabres (as currently constructed) is Ristolainen as their strengths are rather complementary & each can cover weaknesses of the other.  (Pilut can't move people; Risto isn't great at moving the puck.)

On a cheap deal, he's an asset.

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