if he does not, or if there was any question, he should have been sent back to junior after camp...look to Traverse city and preseason...the "it" factor should have produced more than one goal in seven total games
- Michael Pachla

I feel he has it but is just a tad overwhelmed.


JR's does nothing for the kid IMO.

Hell with St Louis and Chicago alone there's 4 arguably 6.
- dadeadhead

Not if he was there....which is his point.

Do you really believe Kevin Shattenkirk or Niklas Hjalmarsson would be better on this team?

Nothing about what he is doing at the moment wow's me.


Much like Hoff's play here.

Yeah they play the minutes but that was about it.

Again at the moment. Things can and hopefully will change.
- dadeadhead

it'll be interesting to monitor the hoff....when he was with Vancouver he had the sedin's, et al, to open up ice for him...has that in Pittsburgh now

I feel he has it but is just a tad overwhelmed.


JR's does nothing for the kid IMO.
- dadeadhead

That's where I'm at. I have a feeling we would see it "click" by mid year if he were to stick around.

Yup, he just isn't ready. Sucks too cause it would be fun to watch a really good 18 year old develop.
- sbroads24

fans and media were so anxious to see that...it wasn't there

Not if he was there....which is his point.

Do you really believe Kevin Shattenkirk or Niklas Hjalmarsson would be better on this team?
- sbroads24

If he was in Chicago he wouldn't be playing top pair minutes.

Seabrook and Keith are just that much better.

So are Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk.

The arguement becomes is he better than J-Bo or Hjalmarsson. At the moment a case can be made for all three.


Shattenkirk also put up pretty solid numbers on a not so good Avs team prior to the trade.

That's where I'm at. I have a feeling we would see it "click" by mid year if he were to stick around.
- buffalofan19

like with grigo?

if he does not, or if there was any question, he should have been sent back to junior after camp...look to Traverse city and preseason...the "it" factor should have produced more than one goal in seven total games
- Michael Pachla

I dont know what your expectations were for Reinhart on this team. 20G? 60P? What were they?

I can point out numerous NHL super stars that had horrible 1st seasons in the league from a statistics standpoint. I do agree with one thing you've said. Reinhart, physically, is just not ready for this league. His talent level is fine. And he knows this. When asked what the biggest difference between other leagues and the NHL is, you know how he responded? He said the league is more physical, tougher. Not the pace of the game. Not the game is faster. Like most people say. The pace of the game is fine to him. Hes a cerebral player. You can tell it in his decision making as an 18 year old. The only reason I'd send him back to juniors was fear of him getting concussions or a major injury due to his lack of strength. Outside of that, his hockey play has been fine.

I dont expect him to score 60 points and be ROY.

like with grigo?
- Michael Pachla

Even with all the "not ready" talk, Reinhart still looks miles better than Grigorenko did at this point. Reinhart being a better skater alone shows that.

Either way, both are being misused. The fourth line is no place for either of them.

I dont know what your expectations were for Reinhart on this team. 20G? 60P? What were they?

I can point out numerous NHL super stars that had horrible 1st seasons in the league from a statistics standpoint. I do agree with one thing you've said. Reinhart, physically, is just not ready for this league. His talent level is fine. And he knows this. When asked what the biggest difference between other leagues and the NHL is, you know how he responded? He said the league is more physical, tougher. Not the pace of the game. Not the game is faster. Like most people say. The pace of the game is fine to him. Hes a cerebral player. You can tell it in his decision making as an 18 year old. The only reason I'd send him back to juniors was fear of him getting concussions or a major injury due to his lack of strength. Outside of that, his hockey play has been fine.

I dont expect him to score 60 points and be ROY.
- theblueandgold

Vinny L
Joe Thornton
Eric Staal

Just to name a few.


67 total points between them their rookie years.

I dont know what your expectations were for Reinhart on this team. 20G? 60P? What were they?

I can point out numerous NHL super stars that had horrible 1st seasons in the league from a statistics standpoint. I do agree with one thing you've said. Reinhart, physically, is just not ready for this league. His talent level is fine. And he knows this. When asked what the biggest difference between other leagues and the NHL is, you know how he responded? He said the league is more physical, tougher. Not the pace of the game. Not the game is faster. Like most people say. The pace of the game is fine to him. Hes a cerebral player. You can tell it in his decision making as an 18 year old. The only reason I'd send him back to juniors was fear of him getting concussions or a major injury due to his lack of strength. Outside of that, his hockey play has been fine.

I dont expect him to score 60 points and be ROY.
- theblueandgold

nope...but while playing against his peers in traverse and in preseason, I expected more chutzpah, more of an inclination to take it to the net instead of being the "cerebral playmaker"

I had no expectation of him as ROY, because I had him pegged for junior...and i'll stick by it

Even with all the "not ready" talk, Reinhart still looks miles better than Grigorenko did at this point. Reinhart being a better skater alone shows that.

Either way, both are being misused. The fourth line is no place for either of them.
- buffalofan19

common ground

Kings started to target veteran players with playoff experience once they drafted Kopi and Brown. Quite a few of them didnt work. But those that did stuck around. But guys like Greene and Stoll were fresh from a solid playoff run with EDM. Then getting Scuderi and Sean Odonnell and Handzus. Help alot of the youngsters learn the 200ft game. Management really did theyre best to turn it around from being a losing culture. It was no doubt a losing culture.
- poisondhearts37

That's my point though. It's not that any kids fall into some swirling toilet bowl of a losing atmosphere forever, it's up to management to fix that, which some parts have already started in Buffalo. Gionta - an American (and Buffalo-local) was Captain of the most successful Canadian NHL club ever for years. Gorges was loved by fans and their only happiness about him being gone is because his contract was a bit high for their roster at this point in his career.

It's making that turn, and I don't see that it would be a detriment at this point for any youngsters to remain and develop with the Sabres at this point.

nope...but while playing against his peers in traverse and in preseason, I expected more chutzpah, more of an inclination to take it to the net instead of being the "cerebral playmaker"

I had no expectation of him as ROY, because I had him pegged for junior...and i'll stick by it
- Michael Pachla

There's little doubt that he's going back to Juniors at this point. The Sabres' actions pretty much guarantee that. The question is whether sending him down there helps him achieve what they want him to. I say no.

If he was in Chicago he wouldn't be playing top pair minutes.

Seabrook and Keith are just that much better.

So are Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk.

The arguement becomes is he better than J-Bo or Hjalmarsson. At the moment a case can be made for all three.
- dadeadhead

The argument becomes... what would those players do in role reversals? Myers would thrive in Chicago, more than Hjalmarsson (who is a different type of D). I dont think Hjalmarsson would be as valuable to Buffalo as Myers has been.

Can I merge into this comment how right I was about Sekera? If only we couldve offloaded Ehrhoff and kept Sekera.

I feel he has it but is just a tad overwhelmed.


JR's does nothing for the kid IMO.
- dadeadhead

How dare you imply you know more than Sabres management!!!

Unless the trade return is nothing next to amazing for Myers then do not trade him. Great blog by the way

Even with all the "not ready" talk, Reinhart still looks miles better than Grigorenko did at this point. Reinhart being a better skater alone shows that.

Either way, both are being misused. The fourth line is no place for either of them.
- buffalofan19

"Ted Nolan will get the best out of them"

I have not been a fan of Nolan since his days on the Island.

There's little doubt that he's going back to Juniors at this point. The Sabres' actions pretty much guarantee that. The question is whether sending him down there helps him achieve what they want him to. I say no.
- buffalofan19

IMO they just don't want to bite the bullet of burning a year.

Again the best place for him is the only place he isn't allowed to play.

There is the true crime in all of this.

There's little doubt that he's going back to Juniors at this point. The Sabres' actions pretty much guarantee that. The question is whether sending him down there helps him achieve what they want him to. I say no.
- buffalofan19

imo, they should've just sent him down immediately, would have saved everyone from this discussion

"Ted Nolan will get the best out of them"

I have not been a fan of Nolan since his days on the Island.
- ImThatGuy

Why must you badmouth poor Coach Theo like that?

The argument becomes... what would those players do in role reversals? Myers would thrive in Chicago, more than Hjalmarsson (who is a different type of D). I dont think Hjalmarsson would be as valuable to Buffalo as Myers has been.

Can I merge into this comment how right I was about Sekera? If only we couldve offloaded Ehrhoff and kept Sekera.
- theblueandgold

I agree a certain clown and I always like him and thought he got a raw deal.


If he had a North American name he wouldn't have been run out of town.

Sekera did well on a sh!tty Carolina team.

imo, they should've just sent him down immediately, would have saved everyone from this discussion
- Michael Pachla

Have him sit up in the Suite for a game or two and let him watch. Could help?

Or

Get him on a line with Stewart and Foligno. People who can create space for him.

Why haven't the bills traded for a Guard? I'm sure there are several backups in the league that could easily be starters for us... Heck they could even pick up a guy from a teams practice squad!

That right there shows me how terrible management is. Not to mention are 2nd round and 4th round pick from this past draft aren't even active.

IMO they just don't want to bite the bullet of burning a year.

Again the best place for him is the only place he isn't allowed to play.

There is the true crime in all of this.
- dadeadhead

Agreed, but since that option is off the table, the question becomes which place is better for him, the NHL or the WHL. Even though it will most likely be ugly, I still think it's the NHL. You send a kid back to juniors if he can benefit there.