Annual expectations thread 2023/24: #61 Riley Stillman

[dudacek]

It was a roller coaster year for Stillman, who was acquired by the Canucks to play on their 3rd pair as part of an odd trade where the Canucks gave up a 2nd, but also dumped a bad contract, trimming $1.5 in cap space. He quickly fell out of favour during the Canucks rough start. Vancouver fans had already had enough after just 32 games and mocked the Sabres for paying anything to acquire him. In Buffalo, he put up a shockingly good 58% 5-on-5 corsi over a limited 18-game sample size, thumped some bodies and got his face caved in by Tanner Jeannot.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=171449

After acquiring Stillman, the Sabres made it clear they thought he would be a much better fit for their attacking defence than the system in Vancouver, where he was frequently exposed in his aggressive risk-taking. He added a physical presence to the Sabres corps and was a full-time player down the stretch run, but frequently for less than 10 minutes a game. He has spent the past 3 years being a full-time NHLer, but not a full-time NHL regular and will be trying to earn a spot in the Sabres starting six.

What do you expect from Stillman this year?

[Claude Balls]

My take on Stillman, he will get into a handful of fights and lose every one. 

[Weave]

He’s sort of a Mike Weber type, and will get the same fan treatment.  Some will respect what he does get out of what little talent he has, others will lament that he’s not something different and shouldn’t be on the roster.  And like Weber, on a team with a decent top 6 he’ll sit more than he plays unless there are injuries.

Probably option 2 is closest as it seems he’s the 7 right now, no?

[Zamboni]

Due to injuries, Stillman will get 20-30 games this season. He’ll snag 8-12 points.

[nfreeman]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

He’s sort of a Mike Weber type, and will get the same fan treatment.  Some will respect what he does get out of what little talent he has, others will lament that he’s not something different and shouldn’t be on the roster.  And like Weber, on a team with a decent top 6 he’ll sit more than he plays unless there are injuries.

Probably option 2 is closest as it seems he’s the 7 right now, no?

There is some truth to this but Weber was better than Stillman and good enough to play in a decent top 6.  

[Weave]

19 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

There is some truth to this but Weber was better than Stillman and good enough to play in a decent top 6.  

It’s not an exact comparison, but I wonder how much more flack Weber would’ve gotten with Dahlin, Power, Joki, Clifton, and Johnson on the roster.  And he got alot of flack with a pretty poor defensive squad.

[Ruff Around The Edges]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

Due to injuries, Stillman will get 20-30 games this season. He’ll snag 8-12 points.

This. Hoping Stillman is a solid depth piece and hope he isn't used too much because that means we have injuries.

[GASabresIUFAN]

He should never play a game for the Sabres again.  

[Scottysabres]

Stillman, on the bench

 

 

Stillman in the press box

 

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Scottysabres

[Pimlach]

He had a good Corsi in his limited games for us but fans here as SS don't seem to like him.  He was willing to fight for the team, and losing to Jeannot is what happens to pretty much everyone who tangle with him.    

He will start the season at 7D or 8D and he will see action.  He could be moved at the trade deadline if Ryan Johnson surprises us and is ready quickly.  

[French Collection]

I like him more than Bryson because he battles hard for pucks and plays a grittier game.

[LGR4GM]

Hard to tell with a guy with only 18 Sabres games to his name. I'd hope he is a solid 6/7 defender 

[DarthEbriate]

Stillman will be fine as a 7/8. The key is not simultaneously losing more than 1 of Dahlin, Power, Muel, or Clifton for significant stretches (10+ games at a time or more). Once that happens, the depth such as the Sabres have it, will be strained beyond comfort. But it would then provide opportunity for a Johnson type. 

[Broken Ankles]

If he does this a handful of times this year it would be a win. Played sparingly means few injuries. Playing him over Bryson seven days a week and twice on Sunday. 

 

[dudacek]

22 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

If he does this a handful of times this year it would be a win. Played sparingly means few injuries. Playing him over Bryson seven days a week and twice on Sunday. 

 

Sweet, I’d forgotten that one. Kotkaniemi is such a bitch too.

I look at Stillman as an interesting test of our scouting and analytics department. Meaning, I think Adams asked them to find a hard-nosed depth defenceman who’d fit nicely into our system that he could buy cheap. The early returns were pretty good, especially compared to what he showed in Vancouver.

I like the Weber comparison as a best-case scenario (I liked Weber) and see Stillman as the guy who goes into the lineup when Mule and EJ suffer their inevitable nicks.

I think both he and Bryson make the cutdown day roster, but won’t play opening night as the Sabres go 13F/8D/2G.

Both might play more than we’d like unless we’re unusually healthy.

Edited September 2, 2023 by dudacek

[Norcal]

Toughness

Fill his role as needed

Two fights