I know it's just preseason

[FrenchConnection44]

9 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

We haven’t had a full team of starters on their actual lines. It’s only to get players physically and mentally ready and coaches to assess individual capabilities.

But have the other teams had more starters or similar to us? 

[PerreaultForever]

7 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

In this context I'd define it as able, right now, to be effective in an NHL game.  I think Benson is "ready" in that sense now and Kulich isn't.

Is he physically ready, I think that's the question. I don't think he should play in the NHL yet despite the skill. I think he should go on a diet and weight program and spend a year adding muscle before coming up. 

[nfreeman]

10 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Is he physically ready, I think that's the question. I don't think he should play in the NHL yet despite the skill. I think he should go on a diet and weight program and spend a year adding muscle before coming up. 

This is reasonable.

I think he's going to get the 9-game look, and those 9 games will be pretty informative as to whether he can handle it physically. 

[dudacek]

37 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Is he physically ready, I think that's the question. I don't think he should play in the NHL yet despite the skill. I think he should go on a diet and weight program and spend a year adding muscle before coming up. 

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this statement, but it's trumped by two things IMO:

1) his competition

2) his play

Jack Quinn's spot is open and Benson has been head-and-shoulders better than the other guys competing for it, consistently, in every way: offensively, defensively, in a first line role, in a 3rd line role, along the wall, in open ice, in the first game and in the 6th.

Not one player on the bubble could look at himself in the mirror and say "I was better than that guy." not Kulich, not Rousek, not Biro. They know it, and the veterans know it.

It hasn't been close. Anyone who says it has, hasn't been watching.

If he can't keep it up when the bullets start flying for real, then send him down and give another guy his shot.

But if it's about winning, then performance has to mean something. Earning it has to mean something,

Benson's performance has earned it.

Edited October 5, 2023 by dudacek

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

One good thing if they keep 3 goalies. - improves the chances to near 100% that Bryson gets waived 

Maybe we could convince KA and DG that they need to carry 4 goalers and make that 100% for sure.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this statement, but it's trumped by two things IMO:

1) his competition

2) his play

Jack Quinn's spot is open and Benson has been head-and-shoulders better than the other guys competing for it, consistently, in every way: offensively, defensively, in a first line role, in a 3rd line role, along the wall, in open ice, in the first game and in the 6th.

Not one player on the bubble could look at himself in the mirror and say "I was better than that guy." not Kulich, not Rousek, not Biro. They know it, and the veterans know it.

It hasn't been close. Anyone who says it has, hasn't been watching.

If he can't keep it up when the bullets start flying for real, then send him down and give another guy his shot.

But if it's about winning, then performance has to mean something. Earning it has to mean something,

Benson's performance has earned it.

I'm not going to argue that he has shown more skill and talent than his direct competition, he has. In preseason hockey that is quite loose and full of errors by the opposition defending and pretty light on physical contact. It's true, he's talented. Absolutely no question on that. 

Now, what happens when we play Boston and Lucic runs him? (and yes, he will have to catch him first I know)  It might not happen right away, but when teams come to realize he's dangerous what then? I think it's a big risk playing a small kid against big men. Jack Hughes might be your comparable. 

[RochesterExpat]

As others have said, it's preseason hockey so it's something to pay attention to, but not exactly an indication of the real season. We've been pretty lax on playing our starting core of defense which has certainly impacted the team's performance. Personally, I think it's because DG knows his top 6 already and there's no debating that, but it's who rounds out spots 7, 8 and 9 in the depth chart. Case in point: Ryan Johnson isn't going to make the opening night roster, but he's still playing for a depth position so they know if/when he'll be called up. Just look at how many starts those top 6 D have had versus the top 12 (presumed) forwards. It's quite a bit lower. There's actual roster spots open for forwards to compete for. 

[sweetlou]

I know it's preseason, but Olofsson still sucks as an overall player!!

He has a good shot, that is it.  There is nothing else about his game that is good.

[Taro T]

Yes, it's preseason, but Benson has excelled at every stop along the way to here, and has been a bright spot in all 5 games he's played to date in the preseason.  

Yes, he hasn't shown what he can do in the regular season, but that's not exactly his fault.  Personally am willing to wait to see him actually not succeed in the regular season before expecting it.  Because by everything he's done to date, there is no reason to expect him not to continue to look like he belongs.

Will he stay a PPG player?  Probably not, but if he's still playing wing with Thompson and Skinner wouldn't put staying really close to that or there completely out of the range of possibilities.

[SABRES 0311]

6 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

But have the other teams had more starters or similar to us? 

No. Preseason is less predictable than the regular season for everyone. The defending Stanley Cup champions are 1-3-1 in the preseason. Should we just give them the first overall pick in next year’s draft now? 

 

[pi2000]

If by some miracle Benson is on the opening night roster, there is zero chance he starts with Thompson and Skinner.   

That's not how this works, do better.

[bg17]

14 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

If by some miracle Benson is on the opening night roster, there is zero chance he starts with Thompson and Skinner.   

That's not how this works, do better.

Do better. Tells us how it works. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, SABRES 0311 said:

No. Preseason is less predictable than the regular season for everyone. The defending Stanley Cup champions are 1-3-1 in the preseason. Should we just give them the first overall pick in next year’s draft now? 

 

I think Philly is 5-1. If that doesn't scream preseason doesn't matter idk what does. 

 

[Quint]

The soft tissue injuries concern me. Injuries in general concern me very much. Particularly, Tuch, EJ, TNT, Samuelsson and Savoie. Okposo doesn't concern me so much as he has little function on the ice anymore.

[nfreeman]

12 hours ago, pi2000 said:

If by some miracle Benson is on the opening night roster, there is zero chance he starts with Thompson and Skinner.   

That's not how this works, do better.

You don't think he's going to get the 9-game look?

If not -- care to make a charity wager?

[dudacek]

12 hours ago, pi2000 said:

If by some miracle Benson is on the opening night roster, there is zero chance he starts with Thompson and Skinner.   

That's not how this works, do better.

I guess it should be considered a miracle if a pro hockey team looks beyond tired, myopic hockey tropes like “18-year-olds can’t play” when making lineup decisions.

Because there are reasons why Benson slipped to 13, and they aren’t about “doing better”.

Edited October 6, 2023 by dudacek

[Marvin]

13 hours ago, pi2000 said:

If by some miracle Benson is on the opening night roster, there is zero chance he starts with Thompson and Skinner.   

That's not how this works, do better.

Question: if Benson is on the opening night line-up, then where does he belong?

[pi2000]

49 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Question: if Benson is on the opening night line-up, then where does he belong?

Wenatchee

[Marvin]

2 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Wenatchee

That is not an answer to my question.  I want to know where he should be in the Sabres line-up in the regular season.  "In the press box" or anything similar is not an answer.  I am asking that if we assume he is one of the 12 forwards dressed, where is the best place to put him?