Happy Birthday
- Sabresfan-365

Thanks

I'm doing fine. Would have been nice to see a win, but I'll take a point against a division rival on the back end of a back to back.
- HonkFortheGoose

Good . Yeah a win would have been good. Still a point. Can get 2 Saturday from them and get 2 up.

Thanks
- HonkFortheGoose

Technically it's tomorrow, so Happy belated Birthday!

If you play not to lose, rather than playing to win


You will lose more often then not

I can't even imagine how good Eichel is going to be when he's 23-24, comparing him to Hall will just be a joke.
- sskkoo1

he will be over the hill at 26

Well it took just over a half season.

Fire Bylsma.

Johnson should not have started. Lehner should have.

Gionta Kane O'Reilly
Over
Eichel,Girgensons, Reinhart,
- ImThatGuy

johnson was fine, not the problem

Good point Sippy. I forgot about him.
- cabin

I only got to watch bits and pieces of last night but a lot of the analysts for Buffalo were saying how great 9 - 22 - 12 played together as a 3rd line last night and hoped they stayed together.


Girgensons is really proving he is more than "just" a 3rd line checking center. I think he is a legit top 6 winger. I don't know if he is on a legit top contending team though.

Don't know what they'll do when Ennis comes back either.
- JVince11

I don't think Girgensons is a "top line winger"
But was Dupuis with Crosby?
Or Abdelkader with Zetterberg?
It's more about finding linemates thy compliment each other.
So I'm not gonna get too worked up about what line he's on, as long as it works...
Building a team isn't the same thing as collecting AllStars
If he can hack it on the top line permanently,
Then a 3rd line of Kane-Larsson-Ennis could really do some damage

And in a "dream scenario" where we draft Matthews (or even one of the Fins) and sign Stamkos...
Girgensons could center the 3rd line & Larsson the 4th
I'd take that potential forward group over ANY in the league

I don't think Girgensons is a "top line winger"
But was Dupuis with Crosby?
Or Abdelkader with Zetterberg?
It's more about finding linemates thy compliment each other.
So I'm not gonna get too worked up about what line he's on, as long as it works...
Building a team isn't the same thing as collecting AllStars
If he can hack it on the top line permanently,
Then a 3rd line of Kane-Larsson-Ennis could really do some damage

And in a "dream scenario" where we draft Matthews (or even one of the Fins) and sign Stamkos...
Girgensons could center the 3rd line & Larsson the 4th
I'd take that potential forward group over ANY in the league
- jdfitz77

eichel, stamkos, skunk
kane, ror, 2016 first rd draft pick
mcginn, girgens, ennis
deslaurers, larsson, foligno

eichel, stamkos, skunk
kane, ror, 2016 first rd draft pick
mcginn, girgens, ennis
deslaurers, larsson, foligno
- homiedclown

I'm drooling....
Idk if I'd do the lines exactly like that, but whatever works, right?!

Only way Stamkos comes here is if he's ok playing RW though
Which he is again currently for Tampa
I'd pay him 10mil per, easy

eichel, stamkos, skunk
kane, ror, 2016 first rd draft pick
mcginn, girgens, ennis
deslaurers, larsson, foligno
- homiedclown

We'd still need to figure out a partner for Risto though
I really like McCabe, and all along I thought he'd end up being on our top pair (Zadorov-Myers as 2nd pair, then McNabb-Pysyk)
So if he keep developing, maybe we don't need to find someone for Risto to play with after all
Then, can Pysyk & Bogosian work together as the 2nd pair?

Not ideal, but I wouldn't hate that top4

I'm drooling....
Idk if I'd do the lines exactly like that, but whatever works, right?!

Only way Stamkos comes here is if he's ok playing RW though
Which he is again currently for Tampa
I'd pay him 10mil per, easy
- jdfitz77

He hates it. He wants to play center. ROR was on the wing all the time in Colorado and he hated it too. Centers want to play center, unless they're very young and are just learning how to play the game like Getzlaf and Kesler when they were just breaking in to the league. Ennis is a natural center as well, but struggled early on so Ruff moved him to LW and he played well, but then was moved back to center after we lost a few guys and now he's back on the wing, the right side this time, but guys that can play all 3 forward positions are rare. Ovechkin was horrible on the RW when Oates was there. Ovie couldn't get his trademark one-timer on the right side. He(Oates) hated guys playing their off-wing, but it was a huge failure and didn't last very long.

He hates it. He wants to play center. ROR was on the wing all the time in Colorado and he hated it too. Centers want to play center, unless they're very young and are just learning how to play the game like Getzlaf and Kesler when they were just breaking in to the league. Ennis is a natural center as well, but struggled early on so Ruff moved him to LW and he played well, but then was moved back to center after we lost a few guys and now he's back on the wing, the right side this time, but guys that can play all 3 forward positions are rare. Ovechkin was horrible on the RW when Oates was there. Ovie couldn't get his trademark one-timer on the right side. He(Oates) hated guys playing their off-wing, but it was a huge failure and didn't last very long.
- Wetbandit1

Are u sure Stamkos "hates it" though?
Seems pretty crazy that they'd switch him back to a spot he "hates" when they're trying to negotiate an extension with him

Also...
Eichel plays LW on the pp with O'Reilly at center
Maybe Eichel gets moved to the wing?

Are u sure Stamkos "hates it" though?
Seems pretty crazy that they'd switch him back to a spot he "hates" when they're trying to negotiate an extension with him

Also...
Eichel plays LW on the pp with O'Reilly at center
Maybe Eichel gets moved to the wing?
- jdfitz77

He's a team player, doesn't mean he likes it. He's stated on the record many times he'd rather play center and a lot of people speculated that there's a rift between he and Cooper because Cooper keeps playing him on the wing and that's why he hasn't signed yet. It's a no brainer to sign him to a Kane/Toews/Kopitar deal, but it hasn't happened.

If they were serious about an extension they'd have locked him up last summer, not waiting 3 weeks before the deadline.

I've also seen Eichel on ROR's RW at the end of a few games, but the position he plays 95% is at center. Eichel was playing the point on the PP for a while too. PP and end of games when you can tie don't really count, you're just trying to get your scorers out there.

He's a team player, doesn't mean he likes it. He's stated on the record many times he'd rather play center and a lot of people speculated that there's a rift between he and Cooper because Cooper keeps playing him on the wing and that's why he hasn't signed yet. It's a no brainer to sign him to a Kane/Toews/Kopitar deal, but it hasn't happened.

If they were serious about an extension they'd have locked him up last summer, not waiting 3 weeks before the deadline.

I've also seen Eichel on ROR's RW at the end of a few games, but the position he plays 95% is at center. Eichel was playing the point on the PP for a while too. PP and end of games when you can tie don't really count, you're just trying to get your scorers out there.
- Wetbandit1

Idk that Eichel would look out of place of we played him at LW though either
It's a pipe dream anyways
Every team in the league will line up to offer Stamkos 10mil per
Wouldn't surprise me if someone like Toronto offered him 12 or more per season

Idk that Eichel would look out of place of we played him at LW though either
It's a pipe dream anyways
Every team in the league will line up to offer Stamkos 10mil per
Wouldn't surprise me if someone like Toronto offered him 12 or more per season
- jdfitz77

I'm not saying Eichel wouldn't maybe play well on the wing, but he's a center who should play center and he's already the best poession driving, puck carrying forward in the NHL already(I was being redundant on purpose), and I think he'd be wasted on the wing.

I just don't see Stamkos going somewhere where he's not guaranteed(as much as one can be guaranteed) to play center, much like I'm sure ROR was by the Sabres. We had no trouble signing him either. Took like 3 days?

I'm not saying Eichel wouldn't maybe play well on the wing, but he's a center who should play center and he's already the best poession driving, puck carrying forward in the NHL already(I was being redundant on purpose), and I think he'd be wasted on the wing.

I just don't see Stamkos going somewhere where he's not guaranteed(as much as one can be guaranteed) to play center, much like I'm sure ROR was by the Sabres. We had no trouble signing him either. Took like 3 days?
- Wetbandit1

Yeah, I hear ya
I initially didn't think Stamkos would be able to fit in here
But IF he is willing to play RW, then I'd offer him the 10mil per

Even without him though...
A top3 pick in this draft likely has us set at Forward for quite awhile

Then it just comes down to finding a permanent partner for Risto
I've always thought it could be McCabe,
But I might be reaching a little bit there too

Yeah, I hear ya
I initially didn't think Stamkos would be able to fit in here
But IF he is willing to play RW, then I'd offer him the 10mil per

Even without him though...
A top3 pick in this draft likely has us set at Forward for quite awhile

Then it just comes down to finding a permanent partner for Risto
I've always thought it could be McCabe,
But I might be reaching a little bit there too
- jdfitz77

I like McCabe, but ultimately I don't see him as a number 2. I don't think the Sabres currently have him on the team. Maybe Guhle if he continues to progress, but I think we need a more defensive defenseman for the slot unless Risto really fixes some of his defensive deficiencies, which he's still quite capable of doing given this is only his second full year and maybe becoming a truly elite two-way defender in the Keith/Karlsson(not a typo) mode.

Edit: Absolutely, do your due diligence on Stamkos, but I just don't see a way to make it work with our current personnel.

How dynamic would the Caps be if they didn't trade Forsberg?
Wow...
That would REALLY be something

What a baffling trade that was?!
I still don't know how Nashville pulled that off

Did we ever find out if that Miller + Stafford for Ovechkin rumor was true in any way?
Heck...
I'd have traded Miller + Stafford for Forsberg & a 1st

I like McCabe, but ultimately I don't see him as a number 2. I don't think the Sabres currently have him on the team. Maybe Guhle if he continues to progress, but I think we need a more defensive defenseman for the slot unless Risto really fixes some of his defensive deficiencies, which he's still quite capable of doing given this is only his second full year and maybe becoming a truly elite two-way defender in the Keith/Karlsson(not a typo) mode.

Edit: Absolutely, do your due diligence on Stamkos, but I just don't see a way to make it work with our current personnel.
- Wetbandit1

I like the Risto & Keith comparison
Don't see it with Karlsson though. He's just too dynamic offensively.
Idk that McCabe is a "top pair" talent, but I always thought they could play well together

Guhle is years away in my opinion from significant NHL minutes
I think he'll spend time in the AHL
He needs to work on his game in his own end still, and there's no reason to rush that

You're probably right in that we don't have our partner in the system for Risto

If we don't pick top3 in this draft, Chychrun could be that guy

I wonder if Edmonton would finally be willing to move on from Yakupov after this season?
I'd offer a 2nd for him
He's too talented to not be scoring more
I think a change of scenery could do wonders for him

Thank you? I don't really know what that means, so I'll just assume you're saying I'm the greatest poster the internet has ever seen.
- Wetbandit1

He wants you to become a follower.

Please don't do it. There are enough of them in this world already.

If we resign Mcginn I don't want in for more than two years. Fasching, Bailey, Baptiste, and whoever we draft this year will be ready and I don't want him taking up a roster spot

Mcdavid with 2 assists so far tonight for those of you who would not take him to start a franchise





- ieetbred

I'd still take our South Buffalo son one million times out of million times.

Kane with another goal last night and still leads the league in points (closest to him is 17 points away), assists and goals.

See how that works?

O'Reilly looks fatigued
- feetontheair22

I feel the same Brotato Chip