Nicely written as usual Michael. I am in the optimists camp regarding Gorges. I think he will have a much better year in 15/16. He is a heck of a shot blocker and played a steady/Eddy game when he was in Montreal.

My biggest concern would be his health. As is evident with McCormick failing his physical, when you get on the other side of 30, your body doesn't respond to the healing process like it used to.
- SabreWest

Did McCormick fail his physical or is he being put through additional testing due to his clotting issue?

It's a clean slate for the new and old players on this team, we can't judge them by last year and the year before IMO.
- SABRES 89

Can we still female dog about Weber since he's sucked for more than two years?

Did McCormick fail his physical or is he being put through additional testing due to his clotting issue?
- HonkFortheGoose

Good question. Not sure. Either way it's not a promising start to the new season for McCormick. Interestingly, his name has not come up much on this blog in terms of a position on the 4th line. I guess most think he is the extra forward or he will become Kaleta's road roomie in Rochester

Can we still female dog about Weber since he's sucked for more than two years?
- jochfr

Good question. Not sure. Either way it's not a promising start to the new season for McCormick. Interestingly, his name has not come up much on this blog in terms of a position on the 4th line. I guess most think he is the extra forward or he will become Kaleta's road roomie in Rochester
- SabreWest

him and legwand are fighting it out for the auxilary player

Did McCormick fail his physical or is he being put through additional testing due to his clotting issue?
- HonkFortheGoose

Yes, he failed it.

Did McCormick fail his physical or is he being put through additional testing due to his clotting issue?
- HonkFortheGoose

Per Garth (I know):

Sabres have issued this statementment on Ristolainen and McCormick.

The Buffalo Sabres today announced defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will miss the first 7-10 days of the team’s training camp with an upper-body injury. The third-year defenseman is coming off his first full NHL season, a year in which he led all Sabres defensemen in games played (78), goals (8), assists (12) and points (20).

In addition, forward Cody McCormick did not pass his training camp physical and is out indefinitely. McCormick appeared in 33 games for the Sabres in 2014-15, his fifth season with the team.

Yes, he failed it.
- sippyd

- navinrjohnson

The Buffalo Sabres have issued this statement regarding Samson Reinhart:

The Buffalo Sabres today announced that 2015's second overall pick Samson Reinhart has been re-evaluated as a potential bust. The second year centreman is coming off a nine-game assignment during his first full NHL season, a year in which he disappointed all Sabres with his completely normal physical development for an 18-year old.

In addition, though he performed at outstanding levels in the junior league and was completely amazing in international competition, our franchise has lots of other guys that we have acquired since last year's draft, and all of them seem to have distracted our fanbase from Samson's ongoing development and overall amazing skill. Therefore we're just not saying anything about him.

So the first 3 lines looked like:

Kane ROR Ennis
Moulson Eichel Girgensons
McGinn Reinhart Gionta

I didnt catch who Foligno was with

So the first 3 lines looked like:

Kane ROR Ennis
Moulson Eichel Girgensons
McGinn Reinhart Gionta

I didnt catch who Foligno was with
- Stripes77

Those are the lines that seem to make the most sense on paper... IMO.

So the first 3 lines looked like:

Kane ROR Ennis
Moulson Eichel Girgensons
McGinn Reinhart Gionta

I didnt catch who Foligno was with
- Stripes77

Deslauriers and Larsson I believe.

Deslauriers and Larsson I believe.
- HonkFortheGoose

that could be a pretty solid 4th line with some scoring abilities..

The Buffalo Sabres have issued this statement regarding Samson Reinhart:

The Buffalo Sabres today announced that 2015's second overall pick Samson Reinhart has been re-evaluated as a potential bust. The second year centreman is coming off a nine-game assignment during his first full NHL season, a year in which he disappointed all Sabres with his completely normal physical development for an 18-year old.

In addition, though he performed at outstanding levels in the junior league and was completely amazing in international competition, our franchise has lots of other guys that we have acquired since last year's draft, and all of them seem to have distracted our fanbase from Samson's ongoing development and overall amazing skill. Therefore we're just not saying anything about him.
- Der Kaiser

i figured he would have been cut by now

Deslauriers and Larsson I believe.
- HonkFortheGoose

4th line was:

Deslauiers Legwand Foligno

Larsson was skating with Carrier and Baptiste on his wings

So the first 3 lines looked like:

Kane ROR Ennis
Moulson Eichel Girgensons
McGinn Reinhart Gionta

I didnt catch who Foligno was with
- Stripes77

I like those, and with what Goose added for Foligno's linemates, I like that roster. Keeps Girgensons higher, maintains Reinhart as a C and will let him be a little sheltered while still playing with quality NHLers rather than 4th line scrubs.

I like those, and with what Goose added for Foligno's linemates, I like that roster. Keeps Girgensons higher, maintains Reinhart as a C and will let him be a little sheltered while still playing with quality NHLers rather than 4th line scrubs.
- stashu

I definitely think this is the plan for opening night, unless someone absolutely surprises.

4th line was:

Deslauiers Legwand Foligno

Larsson was skating with Carrier and Baptiste on his wings
- Stripes77

Replace Legwand with Larsson and I am on board.

The guy deserves a shot with the way he played to end last season.

4th line was:

Deslauiers Legwand Foligno

Larsson was skating with Carrier and Baptiste on his wings
- Stripes77

Ahh yes. You are correct.

I like those, and with what Goose added for Foligno's linemates, I like that roster. Keeps Girgensons higher, maintains Reinhart as a C and will let him be a little sheltered while still playing with quality NHLers rather than 4th line scrubs.
- stashu

I like the top 9 for sure. The 4th line IMO will be good regardless if its Larsson or Legwand centering it.

I really like McGinn and Gionta with Reinhart. It gives some scoring touch and some grit with vets to mentor him. Eichel with Moulson and Girgensons could be a really good 2nd line this year. Moulson and Girgensons have some chemistry and Eichel should make everyone better.

I like the top 9 for sure. The 4th line IMO will be good regardless if its Larsson or Legwand centering it.

I really like McGinn and Gionta with Reinhart. It gives some scoring touch and some grit with vets to mentor him. Eichel with Moulson and Girgensons could be a really good 2nd line this year. Moulson and Girgensons have some chemistry and Eichel should make everyone better.
- Stripes77

I think part of all the recent talk of lines was people not wanting to split up Ennis and Moulson, but I like the sounds of Moulson-Eichel-Girgensons a lot now that I see it.

And I agree with the 3rd line - from what Fatmarsh keeps saying here that McGinn is a very solid 3rd liner and a second tier 2nd liner, that shows he should have enough offense to provide scoring and help pair nicely with Reinhart. I'm also happy with Gionta because he put up decent numbers last year for an old man on a poop team.

IMO, 44 needs to be in the lineup every game.

Don't get me started about Kaleta, the guy that has no business even being on a PTO with this team.
- SABRES 89

Don't get me started about Kaleta, the guy that has no business even being on a PTO with this team.
- SABRES 89

The Buffalo Sabres have issued this statement regarding Samson Reinhart:

The Buffalo Sabres today announced that 2015's second overall pick Samson Reinhart has been re-evaluated as a potential bust. The second year centreman is coming off a nine-game assignment during his first full NHL season, a year in which he disappointed all Sabres with his completely normal physical development for an 18-year old.

In addition, though he performed at outstanding levels in the junior league and was completely amazing in international competition, our franchise has lots of other guys that we have acquired since last year's draft, and all of them seem to have distracted our fanbase from Samson's ongoing development and overall amazing skill. Therefore we're just not saying anything about him.
- Der Kaiser

Well played sir, well played!