Sabres Training Camp 2022

[dudacek]

49 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

That is crazy interesting.

Im going to try not to read excessively into the combos, or the presence of Davies and Savoie over Pilut and Sheahan.

But it really looks like Donnie is turning the page from “let’s shake off the rust” to “let’s get ready for the season”.

[dudacek]

45 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I'm as down on Bjork from Ork as the next guy, but that line with Savoie and Vinnie has a ton of speed.

As does the Cozens line.

If we start winning some games this year, I suspect our speed is going to become a major talking point.

[Derrico]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

Who the ***** is Davies and where did he come from?

[GASabresIUFAN]

I think this is going along way toward answering the key camp questions:

1) Who will partner with Power? The answer somewhat surprisingly is Joki.  I thought his negative analytics would give Bush a chance to take the job, but I guess DG liked Power w Joki late last year and is going with what worked.

2) How to integrate JJP and Quinn into the forward group.  DG doesn’t coddle young players.  He played Power 23 minutes a game his debut last year and he looks to be doing the same with Quinn and JJP.  That said I really like the JJP Cozens Krebs line.  I don’t love the TnT line as it combines 3 shoot first players. I would swap Tuch and VO.

3) Who will play center? There has been much talk about Mitts and Cozens being better on the wing and Krebs more comfortable at center.  Also who will replace Eakin as the 4th line center.  I think this lineup answers the questions:  TnT, Mitts, Cozens, and Girgensons.  Not really a surprise.  

4) What is a surprise is the 3rd a d 4th D pairings.  Is this a hint that Bush could be a spare part to start the season, or an attempt by DG to get Bryson and Fitz going by pairing them together again?  As to who Davies is, he is a AAAA puck moving D who has played 22 NHL for Nashville the last few seasons.  Like Clague, Pilot, Fitz, and Priskie, he is a decent spare part who can play in the NHL in a pinch and is still a developmental player by AHL definition.  They also are all young enough to possibly earn a 7th or 8th role in the NHL.  

[nfreeman]

I'd caution against reading too much into those forward lines and D pairings (although I think the top 4 D is pretty much locked in and the only open question is who Boosh's partner will be, as I think that spot is open for competition between Bryson, who is the most likely winner, Fitzie and Pilut).

As for the forwards, I'll be pretty surprised if Skinner isn't with TT and if Tuch isn't with either those 2 guys or Cozens on line 2.  Otherwise I think it's pretty wide open and that DG is just checking out alternatives.

[Mustache of God]

I really like the Asplund - Girgensons - Okposo line. That'll be a great shutdown line and it also keeps Asplund from not finishing nice setups from more skilled linemates.

[LGR4GM]

34 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

3) Who will play center? There has been much talk about Mitts and Cozens being better on the wing and Krebs more comfortable at center.  Also who will replace Eakin as the 4th line center.  I think this lineup answers the questions:  TnT, Mitts, Cozens, and Girgensons.  Not really a surprise.  

 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Derrico said:

Who the ***** is Davies and where did he come from?

Former college free agent coming off his ELC who played some NHL games for the Preds last year.

One of four similar puck-moving youngish D we signed (along with Pilut, Clague and Priskie) to anchor the blueline in Rochester and compete with Fitz for the #7 spot.

 

29 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think this is going along way toward answering the key camp questions:

1) Who will partner with Power? The answer somewhat surprisingly is Joki.  I thought his negative analytics would give Bush a chance to take the job, but I guess DG liked Power w Joki late last year and is going with what worked.

2) How to integrate JJP and Quinn into the forward group.  DG doesn’t coddle young players.  He played Power 23 minutes a game his debut last year and he looks to be doing the same with Quinn and JJP.  That said I really like the JJP Cozens Krebs line.  I don’t love the TnT line as it combines 3 shoot first players. I would swap Tuch and VO.

 

21 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I'd caution against reading too much into those forward lines and D pairings (although I think the top 4 D is pretty much locked in and the only open question is who Boosh's partner will be, as I think that spot is open for competition between Bryson, who is the most likely winner, Fitzie and Pilut).

As for the forwards, I'll be pretty surprised if Skinner isn't with TT and if Tuch isn't with either those 2 guys or Cozens on line 2.  Otherwise I think it's pretty wide open and that DG is just checking out alternatives.

I don't like to put too much emphasis on contracts, but Boosh's $2.75 million and Bryson's $1.85 million deals — signed this summer — tell me what the staff think about those two.

The forward combos illustrate what I've been trying to say for a while now: the Sabres can ice 4 lines including Quinn and Peterka without burying them with 4th-liners.

 

[JohnC]

Whenever I read these potential line and d-pairings I come away saying that they make sense or are interesting. What's apparent is that this roster is made up with a number of players who can play a variety of positions or roles. I still favor the first line being the same productive first line from last year : Skinner/Tage/Tuch. However, if you ask me how the second/third and fourth line are going to be constructed, I just don't know. What I can say is that this coach who has a tendency to jumble the lines going into games and within games has a lot of options to work with. It's also apparent that the depth has thickened to the point when injuries happen there will be NHL ready players to draw from in Rochester. That claim couldn't be made last year. 

[RochesterExpat]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

As for the forwards, I'll be pretty surprised if Skinner isn't with TT and if Tuch isn't with either those 2 guys or Cozens on line 2

DG has talked about pairs multiple times and referenced Skinner and TT as an example of two players with good chemistry. There's virtually zero chance they're not playing together at the start of season.

TT established himself as the play driver on line one last season. Skinner has long since established that he's not a play driver and I think one of the points of contention he had with the Hockey Terrorist. It's fortunate the two of those have great chemistry. I think DG is using the preseason to measure Tuch's ability to drive plays on lines with more finesse players. Tuch was never put in that position in Vegas because he was somewhat buried in the depth chart.

My $.02 on the lines and what DG is looking at specifically:

[Quinn-Thompson-Olofsson] is, frankly, an evaluation of Jack Quinn's NHL readiness by placing him next to two established NHL players, and a secondary look at the Thompson/Olofsson chemistry. DG likes to challenge young players. Putting Quinn on the "first" line is pretty much perfectly in line with his philosophy.

[Skinner - Mitts - Tuch] is a decent line on paper but it will only work if Tuch can drive the plays because neither Skinner or Mitts will fill that role. I think Buffalo is still evaluating Mitts at center vs wing. More importantly though, I think they're looking at Tuch's abilities to drive plays independent of TT. Tuch was never put in that position in Vegas because he was somewhat buried in the depth chart.

[Krebs-Cozens-Peterka] this is like the EA NHL line of mixing a power forward, play maker and sniper/unicorn. Cozens played with Peterka in the first preseason game and Peterka looked much better in Game 1 than Game 3, so this could an evaluation of chemistry between the two. I also think this is to compare Krebs vs Peterka's readiness for the NHL since Krebs has not played well this preseason. If Krebs is going to end up on wing during the season and Peterka shows he's more prepared, we might see Krebs in Rochester. Unlikely but possible.

[Asplund-Girgensons-Okposo] is probably the real 4th line with the possibility of Asplund/Okposo moving to the third line and Hinostroza slotting in on the 4th. Regardless, this is a decent shutdown line that will likely outscore most other 4th lines the NHL. May as well start getting reps in now.

[Bjork-Savoie-Hinostroza] is basically who is leftover at this point. Bjork isn't likely to make the roster. Savoie will play his 10 games at most before being sent back to juniors. Buffalo knows what they have in Hinostroza and don't really need to evaluate him in the lineup per se. I would suggest that at least one benefit of this practice line is Buffalo is evaluating Savoie's speed against Hinostroza's. Both are Ferraris on the ice.

[Samuelsson-Dahlin] probably the opening night 1st D pairing. Just getting reps in.

[Power-Jokiharju] is probably the opening night 2nd D pairing. Just getting reps in. God I hate this pairing.

[Bryson-Fitzgerald / Davies-Lyubushkin] is just evaluating if there is any chemistry in D pairings for the 5th/6th spots. Considering I think Bush has played very well in the preseason and they just signed him, I'm guessing this is really a fight for the 6th spot.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by RochesterExpat

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

an attempt by DG to get Bryson and Fitz going by pairing them together again

That pairing sucked ballz as I recall.  Either one is okay as a support player to a much better Dman but neither one is that much better Dman so when they play together it's kind of a bad pairing.  More it's an indication that they will be down in the A to start the season imo.

[Brawndo]

Lubushkin is excellent in the defensive zone but He does have a tendency to pull down His Partners Offensive Metrics, Chychrun is an example of this. 
 

The First Line has the capability of getting caved defensively as it’s not Tage or VO’s Strength. 
Quinn is TBD. 

 

[Flashsabre]

Did the Sabres make cuts for the Amerks? Are Kulich, Rosen, and everyone still at main camp or have they been reassigned?

[Brawndo]

15 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Did the Sabres make cuts for the Amerks? Are Kulich, Rosen, and everyone still at main camp or have they been reassigned?

They will probably be sent down on Sunday, they might even get the game tomorrow in Buffalo 

[Taro T]

12 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Did the Sabres make cuts for the Amerks? Are Kulich, Rosen, and everyone still at main camp or have they been reassigned?

Website still lists everyone as a Sabre.

Thought they usually make the 1st cuts ~1 week before the RS starts or roughly after the 4th PS game.  So, likely sometime between tomorrow's game & the weekend is when they make the bulk of the cuts.

[Brawndo]

 

[dudacek]

Top 4 lines and 6 D a good bet to be exactly what we see on opening night.

[triumph_communes]

I like the O lines. Good balance of puck retrievers, carriers, and finishers. 

I hate the defense. Bryson has proven nothing to me to be top 6. That’s Piluts spot, especially if paired with a tank like Lyub.  Power-Joki is going to have some growing pains.  Would promote Lyub unless the minutes get balanced out well

Edited October 3, 2022 by triumph_communes

[LGR4GM]

18 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

That looks like an opening night roster to me. 

[Taro T]

15 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

 

Like separating Quinn & Peterka for now.

Really wish Granato didn't have such a crush on Jokiharju, really expect the team would be better flipping him & Lyubushkin.  Understand Granato sticking with Bryson over Pilut for now, but could see that being an early roster adjustment.

Will be interesting seeing how Krebs does on Cozens wing.  Hopefully that goes better than not.  Hinostroza or Asplund can always slide in if it doesn't seem to be working.

Mildly surprised Granato is going w/ the true checking line for the 4th line.  Like it, but thought there was a real chance Okposo could've ended up on Mittelstadt's or more likely Cozens' line.

And, expect that if these lines hold, Mitts is ahead of Cozens in the pecking order.  Tuch & Quinn will be getting more 5v5 time than Krebs & Peterka respectively IMHO.

[Crusader1969]

41 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Looks perfect.  Let’s Roll!!’

[dudacek]

8 minutes ago, Taro T said:

 

Like separating Quinn & Peterka for now.

Really wish Granato didn't have such a crush on Jokiharju, really expect the team would be better flipping him & Lyubushkin.  Understand Granato sticking with Bryson over Pilut for now, but could see that being an early roster adjustment.

Will be interesting seeing how Krebs does on Cozens wing.  Hopefully that goes better than not.  Hinostroza or Asplund can always slide in if it doesn't seem to be working.

Mildly surprised Granato is going w/ the true checking line for the 4th line.  Like it, but thought there was a real chance Okposo could've ended up on Mittelstadt's or more likely Cozens' line.

And, expect that if these lines hold, Mitts is ahead of Cozens in the pecking order.  Tuch & Quinn will be getting more 5v5 time than Krebs & Peterka respectively IMHO.

What these combos do is give Donnie a solid first line and a good shutdown line with the flexibility to chase matchups at home  and absorb them away.

And if Thompson is getting the opposition’s top D pair and Zemgus getting its top forward line, the Cozens and Mitts lines are being put into a position to succeed against whoever their matchups are.

Its a manifestation of their game plan this year: speed across 4 lines where opponents can’t match the depth or the pace.

Couple that with either Dahlin or Power on the ice for nearly 50 minutes a game and Bryson/Lyubushkin being rather reliable in those times they’re not and we’ve got tools to actually add “strategy” into our repertoire.

[Doohickie]

49 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

I like the O lines. Good balance of puck retrievers, carriers, and finishers. 

I hate the defense. Bryson has proven nothing to me to be top 6. That’s Piluts spot, especially if paired with a tank like Lyub.  Power-Joki is going to have some growing pains.  Would promote Lyub unless the minutes get balanced out well

I'm not so strong in my assessment of Bryson, but I think I'd rather see Pilut there than Bryson.

[Doohickie]

34 minutes ago, Taro T said:

And, expect that if these lines hold, Mitts is ahead of Cozens in the pecking order.

Bear in mind that Mitts was the 1C last year coming out of camp.  Cozens may surpass him but for now Mitts is the senior player.