I read 4 mock drafts last week

1. gorges
2. ennis
3. foligno (I think he is protected)
4. ullmark


I am interested in who that 3rd d man they protect is. I hope it's falk and they expose both bogo and gorges
- homiedclown

Hamilton seemed to hint that they still like boho....oink. I want to believe so badly that they're gunna make the right upgrades on D but then you hear news like this and it's just deflating.

IMO the Boston home and home is what killed us, we could of moved into 3rd in the Atlantic winning those 2 games and we pissed them away.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

record vs the bruins, canes, and devils proved this team does not belong in the playoffs

halfway through year 4 was when hedman took it to the next level

and this year he took it up another notch


in their own end, hedman is so much better than risto and that is where I want risto to take the next step in the fall
- homiedclown

Pretty much.

Hamilton seemed to hint that they still like boho....oink. I want to believe so badly that they're gunna make the right upgrades on D but then you hear news like this and it's just deflating.
- Sabresfan-365

that's the stickler

if you have bogo and gorges your not overhauling this D

and if he goes with those 2 again in the fall, it will cost him his job IMO

Pretty much.
- dadeadhead

"I will find you Ivanka"

Jack will NOT save this team. At least according to this guy.

https://tipofthetower.com...-jack-eichel-not-saviour/
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

His name is Tristan... enough said.

that's the stickler

if you have bogo and gorges your not overhauling this D

and if he goes with those 2 again in the fall, it will cost him his job IMO
- homiedclown

They need a philosophical overhaul. They've got guys coming through that could make this team a rare combo of fun and good, why ruin that by giving roster spots to those guys. Sigh...

Not a chance imo. We'd score more and give up more, fits more our style and better to watch but over 82 games it would get really ugly at points. Upgrades are needed to maintain this style you need puck movers...
- Sabresfan-365

As a reminder you said the same thing about the defense when Jack was out - when they really just packed it all in. And then when Jack came out, and they loosened things up, you proposed that it would get really ugly because the D would be able to offset the scoring we would gain.

When they loosened things up, the record was not materially different over the majority of the season, and, if they had the mental toughness not to spit the bit, they would be a playoff team with that style.

And now we see - granted over only two days - loosening it even more may be even better?

As a reminder you said the same thing about the defense when Jack was out - when they really just packed it all in. And then when Jack came out, and they loosened things up, you proposed that it would get really ugly because the D would be able to offset the scoring we would gain.

When they loosened things up, the record was not materially different over the majority of the season, and, if they had the mental toughness not to spit the bit, they would be a playoff team with that style.

And now we see - granted over only two days - loosening it even more may be even better?
- Der Kaiser

but then you need to ask why is the mental toughness weak? how does a teams mentality become fragile especially when it is made up of guys who have taken on leadership roles before?

How a team becomes fragile up front when their goaltending is weak? Could we not make the same point about our defence? You have to think, at some point over this season, guys like eichel felt this. Like no matter how much he did it still wasnt enough?

I think loosening it as you put it is better if for no other reason than this teams core is basically built for that and right now bylsma is trying to fight it in an effort to keep his job.

The style itself is good, the strategy is good. They do not have the personnel to execute successfully enough times over 82 games. Not if it means giving Bogosian 25 mins or keeping Ristolainen at 27.

Thats been the problem from day one. Creating a group of four that share relatively similar ice time and gives you the opportunity to mix and match more based on opposition and zone starts makes that strategy optimal and sustainable over a season, enough to make this team a threat 5v5 and a real shot at the playoffs.

but then you need to ask why is the mental toughness weak? how does a teams mentality become fragile especially when it is made up of guys who have taken on leadership roles before?

How a team becomes fragile up front when their goaltending is weak? Could we not make the same point about our defence? You have to think, at some point over this season, guys like eichel felt this. Like no matter how much he did it still wasnt enough?

I think loosening it as you put it is better if for no other reason than this teams core is basically built for that and right now bylsma is trying to fight it in an effort to keep his job.

The style itself is good, the strategy is good. They do not have the personnel to execute successfully enough times over 82 games. Not if it means giving Bogosian 25 mins or keeping Ristolainen at 27.

Thats been the problem from day one. Creating a group of four that share relatively similar ice time and gives you the opportunity to mix and match more based on opposition and zone starts makes that strategy optimal and sustainable over a season, enough to make this team a threat 5v5 and a real shot at the playoffs.
- Sabresfan-365

Too much thinking...

This all looks good right now because lehner has come up huge and the sabres have scored 4 or more goals in these games.

There's no way you keep this up full season. They gave up a lot of grade a chances yesterday and against the leafs that didnt end up in the back of the net because lehner came up big or because the player simply didnt convert when he should have.

if you have the right players for it, you can roll these pairings to fit their strengths instead forcing them to take roles they cant handle. i.e you can send the ristolainen pairing out there to do damage offensively and the mccabe pairing to shut things down defensively all while making sure neither pairing is a) seeing too much of the wrong zone and b) you're not risking either guy getting burned out half way through like they did this year. Because while fun and effective its a taxing style of play

Too much thinking...
- jochfr

accurate

And now we see - granted over only two days - loosening it even more may be even better?
- Der Kaiser

they beat a leaf team that fades in March and a Panther team with nothing to play for

It's not like they beat the hawks and pens

While the Sabres are winning....


5 minutes after the game reading the comments in here....


Right before signing off, heading to bed....


The next morning while reading the comments...

Eichel may not be the savior for this team, but the closest thing to a savior we had in a long time. With a full healthy season, I think we would be close to if not in the playoffs right now. Scoring at a point per game now here is how our record looks:

When Eichel gets a point 21-9-2
When Eichel doesn't get a point 4-13-4

but then you need to ask why is the mental toughness weak? how does a teams mentality become fragile especially when it is made up of guys who have taken on leadership roles before?

How a team becomes fragile up front when their goaltending is weak? Could we not make the same point about our defence? You have to think, at some point over this season, guys like eichel felt this. Like no matter how much he did it still wasnt enough?

I think loosening it as you put it is better if for no other reason than this teams core is basically built for that and right now bylsma is trying to fight it in an effort to keep his job.

The style itself is good, the strategy is good. They do not have the personnel to execute successfully enough times over 82 games. Not if it means giving Bogosian 25 mins or keeping Ristolainen at 27.

Thats been the problem from day one. Creating a group of four that share relatively similar ice time and gives you the opportunity to mix and match more based on opposition and zone starts makes that strategy optimal and sustainable over a season, enough to make this team a threat 5v5 and a real shot at the playoffs.
- Sabresfan-365

1. Maybe we are discovering Risto doesn't need 27 mins.
2. Bogo wouldn't need 25 if Risto was eating 23 or 24.

1. Maybe we are discovering Risto doesn't need 27 mins.
2. Bogo wouldn't need 25 if Risto was eating 23 or 24.
- Der Kaiser

1. feel like we already knew this though

2. exaggerating for effect, they dont have four guys to effectively roll at 23 mins a night in that system...yet. At least one of them has to be an above average PMD.


McCabe-Risto

Antipin-new guy

Guhle-Bogosian


its not perfect, but this at least gives you a better opportunity at playing a looser style of hockey. you've in theory added one above average puck mover(maybe two depending on the kazakh), reduced everyones ice time considerably and added some much need D-zone play, speed and hockey iq in Guhle for the bottom pair.

ESPN had a mock expansion draft with Scott Burnside, Craig Custance and Pierre Lebrun. They have Vegas taking Girgs, Moulson and Ennis respectively. On a side note, all three have them taking McNabb.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/s...t-unprotected-their-teams

ESPN had a mock expansion draft with Scott Burnside, Craig Custance and Pierre Lebrun. They have Vegas taking Girgs, Moulson and Ennis respectively. On a side note, all three have them taking McNabb.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/s...t-unprotected-their-teams
- adambuffalo

it makes more sense then the ullmark thing. For one, they'll have better options and more importantly they need to be cap compliant by the end of this draft. Ennis would be my guess though. I dont know what the ownership situation is like, but he doesnt have too many years left on his deal, isnt old and his salary will be lower then his cap hit. Have to think thats got to be attractive to some teams including vegas.

Edit: id be shocked if the ducks let manson go for nothing though

Question: is the D adequate enough playing this new style over the course of a season to make the playoffs?

I think maybe so on that.
- kingcong39

Small sample size overreaction.

ESPN had a mock expansion draft with Scott Burnside, Craig Custance and Pierre Lebrun. They have Vegas taking Girgs, Moulson and Ennis respectively. On a side note, all three have them taking McNabb.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/s...t-unprotected-their-teams
- adambuffalo

He won't lose Girgensons for nothing

This all looks good right now because lehner has come up huge and the sabres have scored 4 or more goals in these games.

There's no way you keep this up full season. They gave up a lot of grade a chances yesterday and against the leafs that didnt end up in the back of the net because lehner came up big or because the player simply didnt convert when he should have.

if you have the right players for it, you can roll these pairings to fit their strengths instead forcing them to take roles they cant handle. i.e you can send the ristolainen pairing out there to do damage offensively and the mccabe pairing to shut things down defensively all while making sure neither pairing is a) seeing too much of the wrong zone and b) you're not risking either guy getting burned out half way through like they did this year. Because while fun and effective its a taxing style of play
- Sabresfan-365

McCabe and Foligno saved wide open nets against Toronto.

He won't lose Girgensons for nothing
- SABRES 89

or foligno

McCabe and Foligno saved wide open nets against Toronto.
- sbroads24

Hand them the Norris right now!

Remember when Craig Rivet said Jack wasn't our best player?