10 Best Sabres players currently (injured or not)

[Torpedo Forecheck]

A much harder exercise than you might guess, and one sure to spark some differing opinions.You can look at it a number of ways, value in a trade,purely performance, how the organization may view it, or all together including salary. I'll start. Not necessarily in order. Just 10 Best. Let's see what you got.

Eichel

Reinhart

Mittelstadt

Oloffson

Skinner

Ristolainen

Bryson

Dahlin

Ullmark

McCabe

[PASabreFan]

 

[Marty]

Uh... Cozens?

[Weave]

Man, I get 3 players into a list and start yawning.

[LabattBlue]

Just now, Weave said:

Man, I get 3 players into a list and start yawning.

Exactly.  No way I get to 10.  

[dudacek]

Fine exercise, I found some choice very easy and others nearly impossible. It also helps show off the holes in our organization.

Best players, or the coach’s list (how much I would expect to lean in them in a playoff series right now if healthy)

1. Eichel
2. Reinhart
3. Ullmark
4. Ristolainen
5. Dahlin
6. McCabe
7. Mittelstadt
8. Olofsson
9. Girgensons
10. Skinner

The top 8 was easy. 9-10 were impossibly hard. We have a ton of JAGs and a ton of unproven kids

Risto over Dahlin was hard; I went the way I did because when push came to shove against the Capitals, Risto is going over the boards when Ovi does. Really wanted to include Cozens because of how much I love the kid, but objectively he hasn’t shown what I see in him in any more than glimpses, and it seems like he’s hit a wall. I went with Girgs as the most reliable and relentless of the JAGs and Skinner as the one most likely to explode, even though I suspect I’ll be cutting his ice by game 3.

Best assets, or the GM’s list (how much I value them in terms of current production, future potential, position and contract)

1. Eichel
2. Dahlin
3. Reinhart
4. Cozens
5. 1st pick this year
6. Ullmark
7. Mittelstadt
8. Olofsson
9. UPL
10. Quinn

I found this one a lot easier. McCabe and Risto drop off the list because of their contract situations and our depth of young blueliners. And Skinner for obvious reasons. Cozens takes a huge jump because he’s going to be a stud. UPL and Quinn got the last two spots over current roster players because they are ours cheap and long-term and they are only other assets we have that could become “core”

The 1st this year would be #3 on the list most years, but not this year. Not even if we win the lottery.

Edited May 8, 2021 by dudacek

[Torpedo Forecheck]

38 minutes ago, Weave said:

Man, I get 3 players into a list and start yawning.

Why?

[Torpedo Forecheck]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Fine exercise, I found some choice very easy and others nearly impossible. It also helps show off the holes in our organization.

Best players, or the coach’s list (how much I would expect to lean in them in a playoff series right now if healthy)

1. Eichel
2. Reinhart
3. Ullmark
4. Ristolainen
5. Dahlin
6. McCabe
7. Mittelstadt
8. Olofsson
9. Girgensons
10. Skinner

The top 8 was easy. 9-10 were impossibly hard. We have a ton of JAGs and a ton of unproven kids

Risto over Dahlin was hard; I went the way I did because when push came to shove against the Capitals, Risto is going over the boards when Ovi does. Really wanted to include Cozens because of how much I love the kid, but objectively he hasn’t shown what I see in him in any more than glimpses, and it seems like he’s hit a wall. I went with Girgs as the most reliable and relentless of the JAGs and Skinner as the one most likely to explode, even though I suspect I’ll be cutting his ice by game 3.

Best assets, or the GM’s list (how much I value them in terms of current production, future potential, position and contract)

1. Eichel
2. Dahlin
3. Reinhart
4. Cozens
5. 1st pick this year
6. Ullmark
7. Mittelstadt
8. Olofsson
9. UPL
10. Quinn

I found this one a lot easier. McCabe and Risto drop off the list because of their contract situations and our depth of young blueliners. And Skinner for obvious reasons. Cozens takes a huge jump because he’s going to be a stud. UPL and Quinn got the last two spots over current roster players because they are ours cheap and long-term and they are only other assets we have that could become “core”

The 1st this year would be #3 on the list most years, but not this year. Not even if we win the lottery.

I found the same thing it gets very difficult for the last few. I also struggled with Borgen because I think he's good, but I haven't seen enough. And, when I combine that with he is a zero offensively, only playing 13-14 minutes a game and doesn't have a high Corsi.......

[Weave]

5 minutes ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

Why?

It's a roster of mediocrity. After Jack and Sam it's like ranking warm tap water from 15 different suburbs.

[Radar]

1 hour ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

A much harder exercise than you might guess, and one sure to spark some differing opinions.You can look at it a number of ways, value in a trade,purely performance, how the organization may view it, or all together including salary. I'll start. Not necessarily in order. Just 10 Best. Let's see what you got.

Eichel

Reinhart

Mittelstadt

Oloffson

Skinner

Ristolainen

Bryson

Dahlin

Ullmark

McCabe

Scratch VO. I think Cozens as young as he tops him in talent. OV pp shot specialist.

[dudacek]

18 minutes ago, Torpedo Forecheck said:

I found the same thing it gets very difficult for the last few. I also struggled with Borgen because I think he's good, but I haven't seen enough. And, when I combine that with he is a zero offensively, only playing 13-14 minutes a game and doesn't have a high Corsi.......

I think it’s partially the concept of Borgen - fans desperately want a badass D who can skate - and the desire not to watch Risto any more that have elevated his value in some people’s minds.

I haven’t given up on him and I like his game. But objectively he’s closer to having the career of Brendan Guhle than Jake McCabe.

Edited May 8, 2021 by dudacek

[Torpedo Forecheck]

Just now, Radar said:

Scratch VO. I think Cozens as young as he tops him in talent. OV pp shot specialist.

That's fair. I tried to balance somewhat what the player has accomplished with what his potential is.

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

I think it’s partially the concept of Borgen - fans desperately want a badass D who can skate - and the desire not to watch Risto any more have elevated his value in some people’s minds.

I haven’t given up on him and I like his game. But objectively he’s closer to having the career of Brendan Guhle than Jake McCabe.

I'm really curious as to whether he gets protected in the draft. I say probably not, but this coming year is without a doubt a make or break season for him. If the Sabres keep him he better stay healthy and find a bit more game.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

8 minutes ago, Weave said:

It's a roster of mediocrity. After Jack and Sam it's like ranking warm tap water from 15 different suburbs.

Aw come on you have some good takes.  After all the tap water in Lackawana is not as good as Fairport which is not as good Ithaca.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1. Reinhart

2. Jack

3. Ullmark

4. Dahlin

5. McCabe

6. Mittelstadt

7. Ristolainen

8. Skinner

9. Olofsson

10. Bryson or Jokiharju

[Hoss]

1. Eichel

2. Reinhart

3. Dahlin

4. McCabe

5. Jokiharju

6. Mittelstadt

7. Olofsson

8. Cozens

9. Risto

10. Asplund

[miles]

1. Hutton 

 

[Andrew Amerk]

17 minutes ago, Mike Honcho said:

1. Hutton 

 

Where’s the other 9 Huttons?

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 hours ago, Hoss said:

1. Eichel

2. Reinhart

3. Dahlin

4. McCabe

5. Jokiharju

6. Mittelstadt

7. Olofsson

8. Cozens

9. Risto

10. Asplund

You are laughing at my list and don’t have Ullmark on yours at all.  You think that Asplund, a guy with 14 career points, is a better hockey player then Ullmark, a goalie that finished 11th in the save% in the NHl this season whole playing on the worst NHL team.  Now that is funny.  

Edited May 10, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Hoss]

30 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

You are laughing at my list and don’t have Ullmark on yours at all.  You think that Asplund, a guy with 14 career points, is a better hockey player then Ullmark, a goalie that finished 11th in the save% in the NHl this season whole playing on the worst NHL team.  Now that is funny.  

I laughed purely because the Reinart > Eichel troll job. I didn't really think about Ullmark when making my list. I think he's a backup goalie. I think Asplund is going to continue to improve his game and play a good role on the bottom six here. I'd rather have that than a backup.

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Hoss said:

I laughed purely because the Reinart > Eichel troll job. I didn't really think about Ullmark when making my list. I think he's a backup goalie. I think Asplund is going to continue to improve his game and play a good role on the bottom six here. I'd rather have that than a backup.

How do you explain a backup goalie going 26/20/6 over the past two seasons with this team?

[Hoss]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

How do you explain a backup goalie going 26/20/6 over the past two seasons with this team?

Drugs. I don't know who is taking them, him or me.

[7+6=13]

I'm just not understanding how many posters I greatly respect like McCabe.   

[Hoss]

7 minutes ago, 7+6=13 said:

I'm just not understanding how many posters I greatly respect like McCabe.   

He was playing the best hockey of his career before getting hurt. But also this team doesn't have much talent so it's not hard to put him high.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Hoss said:

I laughed purely because the Reinart > Eichel troll job. I didn't really think about Ullmark when making my list. I think he's a backup goalie. I think Asplund is going to continue to improve his game and play a good role on the bottom six here. I'd rather have that than a backup.

Gotcha.  My bad.  Yes i was trolling Jack.  It seemed appropriate.

Edited May 10, 2021 by GASabresIUFAN

[Hoss]

16 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Gotcha.  My bad.  Yes i was trolling Jack.  It seemed appropriate.

I might be harder on Ullmark than I should be because I actually like him. I've always liked his kind of light-hearted humor (the minions mask was great) and think there's a solid chance he is a guy who should be on an NHL roster for a while but I don't believe he's the starting goaltender when you're contending which is basically all I care about in net.