That's going to be the issue IMO.

Reinhart might be better at center (I personally think he belongs at wing) but will he get enough ice time long term.

If he's like Jordan Staal, does he want to be the man somewhere else?
- sbroads24

Wouldn't that be a good problem to have though?
Also...
maybe he can be moved back to wing when we have another 3C come up with scoring ability
Mittelstadt, Pu, Asplund, maybe Davidsson?


Also...
what do u think about my icetime/production comparison I made to Kessel, as opposed to your comparison of Bonino?

I have a hard time giving bailey, pouliot and baptiste more ice time than reinhart though
- homiedclown

They wouldn't in reality though

Line 1-3 would all get roughly the same 5v5 icetime
But Sam get's 3min or so of PP1 time the other guys u mentioned wouldn't

So where the other guys get around 15min
Sam is getting around 18min

Think how Kessel wasn't getting less icetime as a 3rd liner than guys like Sheary, Khunackle, Rust, etc when they were playing in the "top6" with Crosby & Malkin

They wouldn't in reality though

Line 1-3 would all get roughly the same 5v5 icetime
But Sam get's 3min or so of PP1 time the other guys u mentioned wouldn't

So where the other guys get around 15min
Sam is getting around 18min
- jdfitz77

the bigger issue IMO is looking 2-3 years down the road

ror
eichel
reinhart
okposo
bailey
nylander
baptiste
asplund
pu
mttelstadt
davidsson


I count 11 players for 9 spots

and that is assuming you let kane go

and fasching is never a top 9 player in the nhl

Hey, I'm all for 3 scoring lines. It's just tough for all of them to produce like that in this league, right now.

Nick Bonino was known as an excellent 3rd line center and has had years of 29 (in 63 games) and 37 points. That's with Kessel as a winger some of the time
- sbroads24

I would argue that Samson would be different than any other 3C in this league. Bonino gets no PP time, he subbed in on the 2nd unit some in the playoffs, but very little time overall from what I saw. Couturier is probably the next best 3C and he's more of a defensive guy.

After that you're mostly looking at monsters like Boyle or Hayes, Samson is none of those. Bonino is the only offensive guy and his production is limited due to lack of PP time. If RoR was moved to the 2nd unit (which I think he should so he doesn't get burned out so quickly), and Samson stayed on the 1st unit...I think he could grab 45-50pts.

Wouldn't that be a good problem to have though?
Also...
maybe he can be moved back to wing when we have another 3C come up with scoring ability
Mittelstadt, Pu, Asplund, maybe Davidsson?


Also...
what do u think about my icetime/production comparison I made to Kessel, as opposed to your comparison of Bonino?
- jdfitz77

I always quickly forget we have 2 if not 3 NHL Centers coming up in the next couple years. I think they should give him a shot at center and see how it goes, with those kids coming up, if the experiment doesn't work...let Larsson, Girgs and E-Rod fight it out and wait for reinforcements.

in 2007

vanek had 84 points as 3rd line winger and roy had 63 points as 3rd line center


next topic please

the bigger issue IMO is looking 2-3 years down the road

ror
eichel
reinhart
okposo
bailey
nylander
baptiste
asplund
pu
mttelstadt
davidsson


I count 11 players for 9 spots

and that is assuming you let kane go

and fasching is never a top 9 player in the nhl
- homiedclown

That assumes all this guys work out
And IF that's the case...
well then that's an "ISSUE" I'd LOVE to have

What it would do is allow us to have great forward depth that we can bring along slowly
Specifically I'd be thinking of Pu & Davidsson in your scenario

Also...
affords us trading pieces to improve defense

Or like with Chicago...
suppose at some point Baptiste (for example) is due a pay raise we can't afford
He gets trade for youth
And then we can move Pu into his slot

What u describe doesn't seem like an "issue" to me
Seems like an ADVANTAGE

the bigger issue IMO is looking 2-3 years down the road

ror
eichel
reinhart
okposo
bailey
nylander
baptiste
asplund
pu
mttelstadt
davidsson


I count 11 players for 9 spots

and that is assuming you let kane go

and fasching is never a top 9 player in the nhl
- homiedclown

in 2007

vanek had 84 points as 3rd line winger and roy had 63 points as 3rd line center

next topic please
- homiedclown

And with all the talent we have coming...
I want us to develop that type of 3rd line
Whether it's Sam centering it or not,
I don't really care

I'd potentially be just as happy if the 3rd line was
Nylander-Mittelstadt-Baptiste
For the next couple seasons, or whatever

in 2007

vanek had 84 points as 3rd line winger and roy had 63 points as 3rd line center


next topic please
- homiedclown

And Afinagenov played on that line & had 61pts in 56games

A "3 scoring line" set up can work

Pens just won back to back Cups doing it

in 2007

vanek had 84 points as 3rd line winger and roy had 63 points as 3rd line center


next topic please
- homiedclown

The league has changed drastically in the last decade.

84 points is top 10 in the league
63 points is in the top 30


Back then
84 points is top 20
63 points is 65th

the bigger issue IMO is looking 2-3 years down the road

ror
eichel
reinhart
okposo
bailey
nylander
baptiste
asplund
pu
mttelstadt
davidsson


I count 11 players for 9 spots

and that is assuming you let kane go

and fasching is never a top 9 player in the nhl
- homiedclown

Sign Reino to a 3-year bridge. If Mittelstadt develops into his 2C ceiling, sell on Reinhart at the end of that deal for more goalscoring, less playmaking

And yeah, Fasching is a bust based on what we traded away

The league has changed drastically in the last decade.

84 points is top 10 in the league
63 points is in the top 30


Back then
84 points is top 20
63 points is 65th
- Stripes77

His point was that 3rd lines can be "scoring units"

Instead of
Vanek(84pts) - Roy(63pts) - Max (on pace for 89pts)

In today's lower scoring NHL, we could still have something like
Nylander(50pts) - Sam (65pts) - Bailey(40pts)

Or whatever...
play around with the point totals however u want

Point is...
we can have a 3rd line that's dangerous offensively
Doesn't have to be a checking unit like
Girgs-Larsson-Bailey

Sign Reino to a 3-year bridge. If Mittelstadt develops into his 2C ceiling, sell on Reinhart at the end of that deal for more goalscoring, less playmaking

And yeah, Fasching is a bust based on what we traded away
- jcragcrumple

I've led the "down on Fasching" parade from the start
But not bc of his talent, it's his skating
However...
his skating has improved A LOT
Even though he needs to still get better,
I do think he's at a level he can play in the league
Say as a line3 guy & PP specialist in front of the net

He's also still a prospect that teams would covet
Not like Nylander or Mittlestadt...
but in the same ballpark as Bailey imo

His point was that 3rd lines can be "scoring units"

Instead of
Vanek(84pts) - Roy(63pts) - Max (on pace for 89pts)

In today's lower scoring NHL, we could still have something like
Nylander(50pts) - Sam (65pts) - Bailey(40pts)

Or whatever...
play around with the point totals however u want

Point is...
we can have a 3rd line that's dangerous offensively
Doesn't have to be a checking unit like
Girgs-Larsson-Bailey
- jdfitz77

I just don't see that happening on the 3rd line in these days.

Find me a team last year who had that sort of production from their 3rd line
165 points for a 3rd line is insane

I've led the "down on Fasching" parade from the start
But not bc of his talent, it's his skating
However...
his skating has improved A LOT
Even though he needs to still get better,
I do think he's at a level he can play in the league
Say as a line3 guy & PP specialist in front of the net

He's also still a prospect that teams would covet
Not like Nylander or Mittlestadt...
but in the same ballpark as Bailey imo
- jdfitz77

Skating is what makes Bailey a more intriguing prospect to me. I do think Fasching has the better hands, but the fact that Bailey can get to high scoring places will offset the amount of times he misses the net or shoots it in the the goalie's crest (the Jochen Hecht special). I wouldn't even try to recoup anything for him at this point. Those two 2nds are long gone, just use Fasching to fill out Roch. He's a good 4th line fill in if Moulson gets hurt.

I'm surprised that the moves we made this summer didn't involve losing Bailey. GMJB must really like him

I just don't see that happening on the 3rd line in these days.

Find me a team last year who had that sort of production from their 3rd line
165 points for a 3rd line is insane
- Stripes77

Like I said...
play around with the point totals

Point is...
a 3rd line that scores consistently (Kane-Sam-Bailey)
Vs
a 3rd line that doesn't (Foligno-Larsson-Gionta)

There's no reason we can't aim for 3 offensive lines
Regardless of what the actual point totals will be

I've led the "down on Fasching" parade from the start
But not bc of his talent, it's his skating
However...
his skating has improved A LOT
Even though he needs to still get better,
I do think he's at a level he can play in the league
Say as a line3 guy & PP specialist in front of the net

He's also still a prospect that teams would covet
Not like Nylander or Mittlestadt...
but in the same ballpark as Bailey imo
- jdfitz77

he took a decent step forward in rochester last year for the second half

a big step like carrier took the year before

I wonder if the injury was worse then what we were told

Skating is what makes Bailey a more intriguing prospect to me. I do think Fasching has the better hands, but the fact that Bailey can get to high scoring places will offset the amount of times he misses the net or shoots it in the the goalie's crest (the Jochen Hecht special). I wouldn't even try to recoup anything for him at this point. Those two 2nds are long gone, just use Fasching to fill out Roch. He's a good 4th line fill in if Moulson gets hurt.

I'm surprised that the moves we made this summer didn't involve losing Bailey. GMJB must really like him
- jcragcrumple

Fasching can't skate like Bailey
Not even close

But his "finish" & play around the net & in the corners is still highly regarded
Remember,
Fasching made the Sabres to start last season
He's not a stud
But the kid is gonna be an NHLer

With it being so hard to score goals now...
and a HUGE majority of them coming close to the net...

I have ZERO doubt that Fasching will eventually carve out an NHL role for himself
He just doesn't have a high ceiling
And it might be with another team

But I see no reason he can't be a 15+ goal guy

he took a decent step forward in rochester last year for the second half

a big step like carrier took the year before

I wonder if the injury was worse then what we were told
- homiedclown

Kept him out most of the year,
So I'm sure even once he did come back it took a bit to get his feet under him
Doubt he was at 100% when he came back
Maybe by the end of the season he was

And don't forget...
Fasching made the Buffalo team out of camp last year

2nd tier prospect like Bailey
I'd expect 25+ goals from Fasching this season in Rochester

I just don't see that happening on the 3rd line in these days.

Find me a team last year who had that sort of production from their 3rd line
165 points for a 3rd line is insane
- Stripes77

The closest that I can think of is Minny. And they rolled 3 pretty even lines, and had injuries.

We aren't going to reduce Eichel's time

Fasching can't skate like Bailey
Not even close

But his "finish" & play around the net & in the corners is still highly regarded
Remember,
Fasching made the Sabres to start last season
He's not a stud
But the kid is gonna be an NHLer

With it being so hard to score goals now...
and a HUGE majority of them coming close to the net...

I have ZERO doubt that Fasching will eventually carve out an NHL role for himself
He just doesn't have a high ceiling
And it might be with another team

But I see no reason he can't be a 15+ goal guy
- jdfitz77

he is exactly the type of player needed in front of the net for a 3rd line, second team pp when he matures


it's a case of needing a play with 2 finishers on each line

we need more finishers


nylander (tweener)- eichel (finisher)- okposo (finisher)
Kane (finisher) - Ror (tweener) - reinhart (play maker)


team looks a lot better in 2 years

right now it needs a Pacioretty or Neal to make this top 9 better


and they have the cap space for 2 more years to do a move like this

The closest that I can think of is Minny. And they rolled 3 pretty even lines, and had injuries.

We aren't going to reduce Eichel's time
- sbroads24

Pitt makes it work with Kessel on line3
Why can't we with Sam?

The closest that I can think of is Minny. And they rolled 3 pretty even lines, and had injuries.

We aren't going to reduce Eichel's time
- sbroads24

flames, bolts, sens


3 teams at a glance that come to mind


blue jackets and panthers to a lesser extent

Pitt makes it work with Kessel on line3
Why can't we with Sam?
- jdfitz77

I think if housley coaches a north south up tempo team, like botts wants

there will be more of a need to roll 3 lines