someone needs to tell harrington that for goalies that played 20 or more games this year, lehner is 7th in save %
- homiedclown

The guy has more rebounds than Taylor Swift

The guy has more rebounds than Taylor Swift
- sbroads24

She has a more active 5-hole.

I'm not gonna start Sam war part 2 lol

I'm expecting more out of the first forward taken out of a draft
- GERBE!!!75PTS

You do know that the line of thinking in bold above flies in the face of history sometimes, right?

She has a more active 5-hole.
- cabin

She has a more active 5-hole.
- cabin

Her 5-hole is actually harder to score on.... and that's saying something.

You do know that the line of thinking in bold above flies in the face of history sometimes, right?
- kingcong39

And those players also get criticism and deserve it. The only difference is that they don't/didn't play for the Sabres so we don't care as much.

Bylsma logic:

"Zemgus had his best game of the year?..."

"Better send him down to the 4th Line "

EDIT: Hahaha its Girgs' birthday today...his present...play on the 4th line!
- feetontheair22

He's no Grant

Eichel isn't going anywhere. If it ever gets down to a "him or me" scenario with Eichel, Bylsma will be shown the door.

Ristolainen is not a top 5 defenseman in this league. He's very good, and will get better, but saying he's top 5 is blatant homerism.

I want to see them play more run and gun style, but this won't all of a sudden make them a playoff team. When/if this happens, this defense will be exposed. The Rangers game will not be the norm. They laid down severely, and it was a common theme among the players, coaches, and even management after that game. One only needed to listen to the interview leading up to their game last night before they dismantled Philadelphia to see that.

Bylsma's "system" is in place in large part to protect this defense corps. I, like many, say "who cares" at this point, and want them to just let it ride. It won't make them much better in the standings. It will just make them much less boring. That's the problem with Bylsma's system. It's not that he's holding the team back. He's just making the team a chore to watch on most nights.
- buffalofan19

Post of the year so far!

I believe Igor Larionov said a while ago that coaches are coaching the creativity and offense out of players by constantly hammering them with being defensively responsible from very early ages.

Many coaches systems are prime examples of that, such as Boston, and Bylsma with Buffalo.

I may be in the minority but I am sick of watching the majority of the game be played along the wall and in the neutral zone.

I think making blocking shots a physical deterrent to players would also help.

The guy has more rebounds than Taylor Swift
- sbroads24

She should keep a bag over her head

And those players also get criticism and deserve it. The only difference is that they don't/didn't play for the Sabres so we don't care as much.
- buffalofan19

Before I get into drafting etc., obviously Eichel has an effect with how teams will always key on him, but is there a chance Sam is playing better because he is playing center now instead of wing? I think that could very well be part of it.

I believe I shared in the past with my research that we won't know what Reinhart is as a fully developed player until he's in the middle of his 5th season, as that is the typical path of 2nd round picks.

I don't remember the pre-draft thoughts from experts, but I don't remember anybody calling him a dynamic offensive forward along the lines of McDavid, Matthews, or Laine, and I don't think it's fair to use Tarasenko as a comparison with where Tarasenko was picked and what he turned into.

Here are the groupings of the first forward taken from 1995 to 2015.

Elite: McDavid, John Tavares, Steve Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin

Top Quality: Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Nash, Eric Staal, Patrick Kane, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon

Quality: JP Dumont, Dany Heatley, Jordan Staal

Bust: Chad Kilger, Patrick Stefan, Nail Yakupov

I used hindsight in putting those groupings together because I don't remember the draft thoughts of each player going back 20 years.

Where do you put Sam in that group? Before the draft, I would say in the top quality group. After the draft? Perhaps in between the quality and top quality group, at least so far.

It's difficult to say regarding his scoring with how league scoring is now, but if he turns into a consistent 65 point player with his all around game, I think he would be considered top quality?

On April 4, 2014, Dan Bylsma became the fastest NHL coach to reach 250 wins

of course he was probably the 3rd slowest to get to 300
- homiedclown

Think he was 3rd fastest

Before I get into drafting etc., obviously Eichel has an effect with how teams will always key on him, but is there a chance Sam is playing better because he is playing center now instead of wing? I think that could very well be part of it.

I believe I shared in the past with my research that we won't know what Reinhart is as a fully developed player until he's in the middle of his 5th season, as that is the typical path of 2nd round picks.

I don't remember the pre-draft thoughts from experts, but I don't remember anybody calling him a dynamic offensive forward along the lines of McDavid, Matthews, or Laine, and I don't think it's fair to use Tarasenko as a comparison with where Tarasenko was picked and what he turned into.

Here are the groupings of the first forward taken from 1995 to 2015.

Elite: McDavid, John Tavares, Steve Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin

Top Quality: Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Nash, Eric Staal, Patrick Kane, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon

Quality: JP Dumont, Dany Heatley, Jordan Staal

Bust: Chad Kilger, Patrick Stefan, Nail Yakupov

I used hindsight in putting those groupings together because I don't remember the draft thoughts of each player going back 20 years.

Where do you put Sam in that group? Before the draft, I would say in the top quality group. After the draft? Perhaps in between the quality and top quality group, at least so far.

It's difficult to say regarding his scoring with how league scoring is now, but if he turns into a consistent 65 point player with his all around game, I think he would be considered top quality?
- kingcong39

Fair enough, but I can get plenty of "quality" forwards anywhere. To me, anything less than "top quality" at that position is a disappointment, and I don't see Reinhart projecting as "top quality" at this point in time. You're correct in that we probably won't know for sure until year 5, but you can still reasonably estimate the track. Right now, his play tells me "if someone comes calling for a top 4 defenseman, I'm listening intently".

Think he was 3rd fastest
- stashu

it's a slide

Her 5-hole is actually harder to score on.... and that's saying something.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

- cabin

what about her sixth hole? or is she saving that for marriage?

Fair enough, but I can get plenty of "quality" forwards anywhere. To me, anything less than "top quality" at that position is a disappointment, and I don't see Reinhart projecting as "top quality" at this point in time. You're correct in that we probably won't know for sure until year 5, but you can still reasonably estimate the track. Right now, his play tells me "if someone comes calling for a top 4 defenseman, I'm listening intently".
- buffalofan19

maybe its splitting hairs, but im not moving him for a 3/4, its gotta be top pair, probably LHD. that would be an impact move.

what about her sixth hole? or is she saving that for marriage?
- IndianaSabresFan

anniversary

what about her sixth hole? or is she saving that for marriage?
- IndianaSabresFan

Like I said, she should keep a bag over head the skank that she is.

Before I get into drafting etc., obviously Eichel has an effect with how teams will always key on him, but is there a chance Sam is playing better because he is playing center now instead of wing? I think that could very well be part of it.

I believe I shared in the past with my research that we won't know what Reinhart is as a fully developed player until he's in the middle of his 5th season, as that is the typical path of 2nd round picks.

I don't remember the pre-draft thoughts from experts, but I don't remember anybody calling him a dynamic offensive forward along the lines of McDavid, Matthews, or Laine, and I don't think it's fair to use Tarasenko as a comparison with where Tarasenko was picked and what he turned into.

Here are the groupings of the first forward taken from 1995 to 2015.

Elite: McDavid, John Tavares, Steve Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin

Top Quality: Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Nash, Eric Staal, Patrick Kane, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon

Quality: JP Dumont, Dany Heatley, Jordan Staal

Bust: Chad Kilger, Patrick Stefan, Nail Yakupov

I used hindsight in putting those groupings together because I don't remember the draft thoughts of each player going back 20 years.

Where do you put Sam in that group? Before the draft, I would say in the top quality group. After the draft? Perhaps in between the quality and top quality group, at least so far.

It's difficult to say regarding his scoring with how league scoring is now, but if he turns into a consistent 65 point player with his all around game, I think he would be considered top quality?
- kingcong39

e

Not arguing your analysis, in fact I commend you for it.
Serious question though ... what criteria did you use to decide who fit into which category.
Also, Not that I'm asking you to do it, but one thing I would be interested in is an analysis of of who these players play with that they have a positive impact on...not just +- though. I.e. Crosby makes his wingers better. I don't know, but does Ovechkin make his wingers better?

Fair enough, but I can get plenty of "quality" forwards anywhere. To me, anything less than "top quality" at that position is a disappointment, and I don't see Reinhart projecting as "top quality" at this point in time. You're correct in that we probably won't know for sure until year 5, but you can still reasonably estimate the track. Right now, his play tells me "if someone comes calling for a top 4 defenseman, I'm listening intently".
- buffalofan19

Not probably by year, definitely by year 5, at least according to the historical analysis I did with top 5 picks from 1995-2011.

My main point with this is it often depends on the quality of the draft, and what scouting thought about each player leading into the draft.

Yes, I understand that is difficult to define from many years ago.

Again, if he is a consistent 65 point producing all around player, is that not top quality? Tough to tell with how scoring is now.

Ultimately, like another poster said, I am not trading him for a top 4 D, especially with his ability to play C and W.

I would only trade him in a package for a true top 2 D man, and yes I know it would very likely take more than Reinhart to get that, unless they got lucky with a very young D man they thought highly of who turned out to be a top 2.

analversary
- rover16

Fixed

maybe its splitting hairs, but im not moving him for a 3/4, its gotta be top pair, probably LHD. that would be an impact move.
- rover16

Shatty?

what would we have to add?

Fair enough, but I can get plenty of "quality" forwards anywhere. To me, anything less than "top quality" at that position is a disappointment, and I don't see Reinhart projecting as "top quality" at this point in time. You're correct in that we probably won't know for sure until year 5, but you can still reasonably estimate the track. Right now, his play tells me "if someone comes calling for a top 4 defenseman, I'm listening intently".
- buffalofan19

Additionally, does that mean players like JP Dumont, Dany Heatley, and Jordan Staal have been disappointments?

For comparison, here are the other forwards taken in the top 5 the same year as the players I just listed.

JP Dumont: Alex Volchkov (the rest were D men)
Heatley: Marion Gaborik, Raffi Torres (seriously!)
Jordan Staal: Jonathan Toews, Nicklas Backstrom, Phil

Based on that list, it's fair to say that Jordan Staal was a disappointment compared to his peers while Heatley and Dumont were not, at least compared to their top 5 brethren.

Fixed
- cabin

the cool kids are calling it an AJ

Shatty?

what would we have to add?
- IndianaSabresFan

I would spend nothing more than money on Shattenkirk, and let the chips fall where they may regarding when he hits FA.