How are you lining them up opening night?

[dudacek]

As training camp looms, here are the 24 forwards, 14 defencemen and 6 goalies listed on the Sabres roster.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/roster

Who makes the team?

Who are your first callups?

What are your lines?

Edited September 6 by dudacek

[SABRES 0311]

Benson Norris Thompson

Doan Östlund Quinn

Zucker McLeod Kulich

Mslenstyn Carrick Krebs

Dahlin Muel

Power Zel(whatever)

Timmins Metsa

Lyon

UPL

First call up is Helenius on forward. For DMen, 🤷‍♂️ maybe Mrtka gets a shot.

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, dudacek said:

As training camp looms, here are the 24 forwards, 14 defencemen and 6 goalies listed on the Sabres roster.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/roster

Who makes the team?

Who are your first callups?

What are your lines?

 

 

[dudacek]

Roster limit is 23 players.

Kulich, Östlund, Helenius, Richard, Fiddler-Schultz, Mrtka, Strbak, McCarthy, Komarov, Leinonen and Ratzlaff cannot be claimed on waivers.

Kozak, Danforth, Sheary, Johnson, Gilbert, Metsa and Ellis are among those who can.

For those interested, Peca, Costantini, Savage, Valente, Warren, Slaggert and Laaoaun have AHL-only contracts with the Amerks.

[dudacek]

Benson Thompson Östlund

Doan Norris Quinn

Zucker McLeod Kulich

Krebs Carrick Malenstyn

Samuelsson Dahlin 

Power Timmins

Zellweger Crevier

Luukkonen

Lyon

Spares: Danforth, Metsa, Ellis

First callups: Helenius, Kozak, Johnson, Gilbert

 

 

 

[dudacek]

Doan and Benson down low on the 1st PP with Tage and Ras in their usual spots.

Probably going with Norris over Kulich on the right wall to start because faceoffs and transition, but the leash will be short there.

Kulich gets Quinn opposite him and Power up high, Zucker and Östlund down low on PP2. I’m giving Zellweger a look here as well, with Konsta in the weeds.

There’s more than enough talent here to fix the PP if they get the scheme figured out and add some movement.

[dudacek]

Beck, Benny, McLeod, Carrick are my go-to PK forwards. McLeod is the only one in stone.

Krebs, Norris, Danforth and Doan are the next men up.

Im sticking with Timmins/Mule as my starting D-pair, backed by Power/Crevier. I’m expecting that toolsy 2nd pair to be very strong here.

Greenway will be missed more than Tuch.

[SABRES 0311]

15 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Beck, Benny, McLeod, Carrick are my go-to PK forwards. McLeod is the only one in stone.

Krebs, Norris, Danforth and Doan are the next men up.

Im sticking with Timmins/Mule as my starting D-pair, backed by Power/Crevier. I’m expecting that toolsy 2nd pair to be very strong here.

Greenway will be missed more than Tuch.

No Dahlin in the PK? Other than that I think your PK is what we get.

[dudacek]

And I start with this in Rochester:

Sheary Helenius Meyer

Richard Peca Polin

Fiddler-Schultz Kozak McDonough

Kuntar Savage Geertsen Slaggert/Warren

Rathbone Mrtka

Johnson Strbak

Gilbert McCarthy/Komarov

Villalta

Leinonen/Ratzlaff

[dudacek]

8 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

No Dahlin in the PK? Other than that I think your PK is what we get.

Lindy used Ras pretty sparingly there, usually only when one of the regulars was hurt or in the box.

 

[SABRES 0311]

34 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Lindy used Ras pretty sparingly there, usually only when one of the regulars was hurt or in the box.

 

Makes sense. Don’t want to burn him out.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Benson Thompson Östlund

Doan Norris Quinn

Zucker McLeod Kulich

Krebs Carrick Malenstyn

Samuelsson Dahlin 

Power Timmins

Zellweger Crevier

Luukkonen

Lyon

Spares: Danforth, Metsa, Ellis

First callups: Helenius, Kozak, Johnson, Gilbert

This looks about right but I think the top 3 lines could be re-shuffled a bit.  

Helenius will be up with the big boys at some point. 

 A trade is still very possible as well.  Timmins for Byram and no Tuch - this still concerns me.  

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Beck, Benny, McLeod, Carrick are my go-to PK forwards. McLeod is the only one in stone.

Krebs, Norris, Danforth and Doan are the next men up.

Im sticking with Timmins/Mule as my starting D-pair, backed by Power/Crevier. I’m expecting that toolsy 2nd pair to be very strong here.

Greenway will be missed more than Tuch.

I don't love putting blocked shots and other PK mileage on Benson.  Maybe Krebsie instead?

[mjd1001]

If Kulich is close to 100%, he is getting his shot with Thompson.  2 years ago they were great together in the time they spent the rest of the year.

Beyond that, all the other parts are interchangeable to me with regard to the other 2 lines in the top 3.

I don't think this set of forwards lends to a #1 line, a #2 line, and a #3 line.  You are going to end up with just a 'top 9'. The team is best with those top 9 guys mixing and matching who works well with each other, not putting the best possible line together to slot as your #1 line.

Edited September 6 by mjd1001

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

If Kulich is close to 100%, he is getting his shot with Thompson.  2 years ago they were great together in the time they spent the rest of the year.

Beyond that, all the other parts are interchangeable to me with regard to the other 2 lines in the top 3.

I don't think this set of forwards lends to a #1 line, a #2 line, and a #3 line.  You are going to end up with just a 'top 9'. The team is best with those top 9 guys mixing and matching who works well with each other, not putting the best possible line together to slot as your #1 line.

Agree wholeheartedly with the bold.

Our edge is to play opponent's top lines evenly and beat them with lines 2 and 3.

[PerreaultForever]

Call me crazy but this is what I'd do:

Benson-Helenius-Thompson

Östlund-Norris-Doan

Zucker-McLeod-Quinn

Krebs-Carrick-Malentstyn

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Power-Zellwegger

Timmins-Crevier

UPL & Lyon

Metsa & Kozak & I guess Ellis if that silly 3 goalie thing still goes

Kulich starts in Rochester to get his game back because it's a really short preseason. Obviously up first injury and likely stays up. Might switch Östlund and Zucker too depending on where Zucker's game is at as he ages.

and yes, I think that highly of Helenius. 

Alternatively Quinn and UPL are traded and Kulich is in right from the start plus one extra body for the subs, probably Gilbert. 

[Big Guava]

Depends on who is healthy when the season starts 😏

[Scottysabres]

Splitting Benson and Doan is a huge mistake in imo.

Based on what we witnessed last season I expect the following:

Krebs-Norris-Thompson

Benson-Östlund-Doan

Zucker-McLeod-Quinn

Danforth-Carrick-Malentstyn

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Power-Zellwegger

Timmins-Crevier

UPL, Ellis & Lyon

Metsa and Kozak in the press box.

call ups: Helenius, Johnson, Gilbert

Edited September 6 by Scottysabres

[dudacek]

Think the biggest discussions going into camp will be:

• How do they replace Byram's minutes?
• How do they replace Tuch's?
• How do Kulich, Östlund and Helenius fit?
• Which four players make the team out of Ellis, Gilbert, Metsa, Danforth, Kozak, Kulich and Helenius?

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Splitting Benson and Doan is a huge mistake in imo.

 

Really?

I loved them together with Norris in the playoffs.

But I love the idea of spreading the dogs around even more. I really think of it as key to the team's identity.

Krebs also provides that same energy on a 3rd line, and you see it to a lesser extent in Huselius, Zucker, Carrick, Malenstyn and Östlund.

Moving on to these guys from the likes of Peterka, Mittelstadt, Olofsson and Skinner is a big part of our team's turnaround.

[Scottysabres]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Really?

I loved them together with Norris in the playoffs.

But I love the idea of spreading the dogs around even more. I really think of it as key to the team's identity.

Krebs also provides that same energy on a 3rd line, and you see it to a lesser extent in Huselius, Zucker, Carrick, Malenstyn and Östlund.

Moving on to these guys from the likes of Peterka, Mittelstadt, Olofsson and Skinner is a big part of our team's turnaround.

The chemistry was just electric. I am not a good line creator, it’s just what it d like to see. Let them stay connected at the hip, become brothers from other mothers.

[Doohickie]

The lazy way:  DailyFaceOff has them lined up like this, and it's not bad.

McLeod probably needs to be higher in the lineup, but don't worry, Norris will be banged up before we know it and Carrick will jump in at 4C.  Quinn seemed (by my eye test) to do best early last year when he was with veteran Zucker; I think putting Helenius between those two will magnify Zucker's veteran contribution as a player-almost coach.

On D, this is what I also agree with DailyFaceOff, even though people see Zellweger as a direct replacement for Byram.  I think putting Zellweger on the third pairing will produce a D corps that is always offensively dangerous and will become the most dynamic part of the team.  The pairings won't be 1, 2 and three, they'll be 1A, 1B, 1C.

Edited September 7 by Doohickie

[FrenchConnection44]

Helenius/Kulich-Norris-Thompson

Zucker-McLeod-Quinn

Benson-Östlund-Doan

Krebs-Carrick-Malentstyn

Dahlin-Samuelsson

Power-Zellwegger

Timmins-Crevier

UPL, Lyon, Ellis 

Metsa and Kozak or Danforth on the bench

call ups: Kulich or Helenius

I am unsure about Kulich. Talent wise he belongs in the top 12 but how rusty or how healthy is remains a question-mark to me. 

I also think Helenius has great potential and I can see him coming into camp in great shape with a lot of confidence and expecting to rise to the occasion.

As others have said it is apparent we have a lot of pairs with the ability to mix and match. I think there is something to be said for continuity and connection over time. I see that with Zucker-McLeod-Quinn, Norris - Tage, Benson - Doan. 

Of course, when Norris goes down, Kulich will be up and I think Lindy will switch them around to find a combination. 

The great thing is we potentially have 13 quality starting forwards if Helenius is who I think he can be and if Kulich is healthy and ready to go, imo. 

[Night Train]

Helenius should be on this team. 

Plus it's hard to see UPL still here. 

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

Splitting Benson and Doan is a huge mistake in imo.

You have to replace Tuch, which is why I have Thompson on the wing but also you want the gritty pesky guys spread around so that you can roll lines over the long season.