Buffalo's Forwards as a whole, a poll

[bob_sauve28]

How do you feel about the group of forwards we currently have? 

[Demoted]

Hard to tell when the whole team brings each other down in certain ways. Guys I thought were not good would go to other teams and look so much better than I thought 

[The Jokeman]

Outside of Tage, Tuch and JJP everyone is a big time question mark. I'd like to add another top 6 guy as Norris when healthy a good 2nd line C but still need another winger.

Edited yesterday at 03:09 PM by The Jokeman

[Weave]

I’ve said it a bunch of times.  Every player in this lineup is capable of being a good, contributing player on a good playoff team.  But the roster sucks as built.  I can speculate as to what I think it might be, but honestly, I am not sure.  I just know that there is something significantly not right with this collection of good enough to be better than what they are players.

[bob_sauve28]

38 minutes ago, Weave said:

I’ve said it a bunch of times.  Every player in this lineup is capable of being a good, contributing player on a good playoff team.  But the roster sucks as built.  I can speculate as to what I think it might be, but honestly, I am not sure.  I just know that there is something significantly not right with this collection of good enough to be better than what they are players.

Too young? 

[Thorny]

G

[Pimlach]

Some good players at forward.  Very still young overall.  A lot of similar style players and most of them lack a two-way game.   They need another top 6 veteran, not sold on Norris due to health reasons but a good and healthy season from him would be a pleasant surprise.   

They need better play from the bottom 6 in the line up.   Some true shut down players.   Last off-seasons  4th line remake was not a success.  Get a guy that will punch the lights out of people and can play 4th line minutes. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Pimlach

[oddoublee]

I think they are a bit overrated. Our top line is a descent scoring second. We lack a versatile top line that can adequately score and play two way hockey. 

From my perspective, minutes deserved, we have a second line, 2 third lines and a mediocre fourth line. 

This team is far from being competitive. 

[JP51]

The key is as a whole to me... as a whole they are lazy uninspired weak cowardly underachieving self centered losers that are better suited to the ice capades. 

[bob_sauve28]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Some good players at forward.  Very still young overall.  A lot of similar style players and most of them lack a two-way game.   They need another top 6 veteran, not sold on Norris due to health reasons but a good and healthy season from him would be a pleasant surprise.   

They need better play from the bottom 6 in the line up.   Some true shut down players.   Last off-seasons the 4th line remake was not a success.  Get a guy that will punch the lights out of people and can play 4th line minutes. 

Benson, Kulick, Quinn and JJP all babies still. Best years ahead of them, but growing pains still ahead. 

Watching Florida and Carolina play you see how their forwards are defense first and then make the big plays in key moments. Have to work towards that. Hopefully they take a step forward next year to at least end the draught 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, oddoublee said:

I think they are a bit overrated. Our top line is a descent scoring second. We lack a versatile top line that can adequately score and play two way hockey. 

 

Thompson Tuch Peterka sports a GF% of 57.9

Thompson Kulich Benson is 55.6%

Their most effective combo was Thompson, Kulich Peterka with 65.4%

 

Best group in the league (minimum 200 minutes) was Fiala Byfield and Laferriere at 76.9%

Some big name lines:

• Hyman Draisaitl McDavid 72.7%
• Knies Matthews Marner 61%
• Verhaege Barkov Reinhart 58.3%
• Lehkonen McKinnon Rantanen 55.6%
• Tkachuk Bennett Verhaege 44.4%

[Thorny]

If anything we completely ripped Florida off when we bagged Kulich.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

If anything we completely ripped Florida off when we bagged Kulich.

Kulich and Levi could eventually become a good haul for Reinhart but right now this trade is in Florida’s. favor.   
 

Reinhart’s SC winning game 7 goal is going to be hard to beat.   Plus he is a steady two way 50 goal scorer.  
 

Im doubting they will ever regret the trade. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Pimlach

[DarthEbriate]

33 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Im doubting they will regret the trade. 

Florida will never regret the trade. They got their first Cup.

The forwards are too young still. But Adams is the GM EEEternal, so just wait 3 more years and everything will work out. That’s the plan and we’re simply along for the ride. 

[Night Train]

 "Physical play and puck battles are painful ! " 

 

[Ogelthorpe]

20 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Benson, Kulick, Quinn and JJP all babies still. Best years ahead of them, but growing pains still ahead. 

Watching Florida and Carolina play you see how their forwards are defense first and then make the big plays in key moments. Have to work towards that. Hopefully they take a step forward next year to at least end the draught 

Would only keep Benson and Kulich of those four. Quinn is soft and skates in quicksand. JJP can't or won't play defense. 

[JP51]

21 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Benson, Kulick, Quinn and JJP all babies still. Best years ahead of them, but growing pains still ahead. 

Watching Florida and Carolina play you see how their forwards are defense first and then make the big plays in key moments. Have to work towards that. Hopefully they take a step forward next year to at least end the draught 

Their forwards have a lot of nasty in them as well... we have almost no nasty except for the smallest guy on the team... 

[bob_sauve28]

20 minutes ago, Ogelthorpe said:

Quinn is soft and skates in quicksand. JJP can't or won't play defense. 

They might be a couple of Mitch Marners. 

[pi2000]

Over the past six seasons the leagues youngest team has ranked 30th (OTT), 28th (NJD), 31st (DET), 32nd (CBJ), 32nd (ANA) and 29th (BUF) in goals against.    

So blame KA for icing the youngest team in the league and expecting playoffs. 

The players themselves will be fine, they have enough talent... they just haven't learned how to defend at the NHL level yet.

It takes physical growth, coaching, experience and patience.  

You want the instant gratification of making the playoffs?   Then you'll need to swap out some youngsters for some veterans.   

But is that really the goal?   Are you willing to sacrifice future returns just to squeak into a wildcard spot and get walloped in the 1st round?

[LGR4GM]

20 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Over the past six seasons the leagues youngest team has ranked 30th (OTT), 28th (NJD), 31st (DET), 32nd (CBJ), 32nd (ANA) and 29th (BUF) in goals against.    

So blame KA for icing the youngest team in the league and expecting playoffs. 

The players themselves will be fine, they have enough talent... they just haven't learned how to defend at the NHL level yet.

It takes physical growth, coaching, experience and patience.  

You want the instant gratification of making the playoffs?   Then you'll need to swap out some youngsters for some veterans.   

But is that really the goal?   Are you willing to sacrifice future returns just to squeak into a wildcard spot and get walloped in the 1st round?

Lmfao. Yea... 14yrs of no playoffs is us sacrificing the future and wanting instant gratification. 

5yrs of Adams selling a future that's never coming because he's too stupid to fix the gt.

[pi2000]

31 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Lmfao. Yea... 14yrs of no playoffs is us sacrificing the future and wanting instant gratification. 

5yrs of Adams selling a future that's never coming because he's too stupid to fix the gt.

Will they be more successful over the next decade if they....

A - continue to develop their young talent and let them grow into complete players

or

B - trade away young talent for veterans who can get them into a wildcard spot in 2025-26

[SwampD]

46 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Lmfao. Yea... 14yrs of no playoffs is us sacrificing the future and wanting instant gratification. 

5yrs of Adams selling a future that's never coming because he's too stupid to fix the gt.

When was that? Did I miss something?

13 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Will they be more successful over the next decade if they....

A - continue to develop their young talent and let them grow into complete players

or

B - trade away young talent for veterans who can get them into a wildcard spot in 2025-26

B

[LGR4GM]

35 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Will they be more successful over the next decade if they....

A - continue to develop their young talent and let them grow into complete players

or

B - trade away young talent for veterans who can get them into a wildcard spot in 2025-26

Your options here are *****. Designed to force an answer that gives you a win. 

They will be more successful if the identify which young talent to keep and which to trade. You're so wrong on all this and we have years is proof. What, if we trade Östlund and Samuelsson for a 29yr defender we're gonna lose in round 1 and won't be good for a decade? What a fake set of choices.

We traded Savoie for McLeod, guess we're losing in round 1 instead of being good for a decade. 

[LGR4GM]

The Sabres have lots of young* players, they should trade some lottery tickets for sure things. Not all of them but some. 

Edited 23 minutes ago by LGR4GM

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’m fine with the forward group as is.  It’s not perfect, a few small changes might help, but I like the core of Benson, Tuch, TNT, Kulich, McLeod, Zucker, & JJP. With a healthy Norris so much better.  This is not the area that kept this team from winning.