He's got a couple things going for him in that regard:

Best faceoff guy in the league, that won't change for many years (Not saying first every year)

Good PK

Underrated shot in close for PP stuff.

Even when he slows down, they just need to get him faster wingers or move him to Eichels LW to take his draws.
- jcragcrumple

He's slowing down way too fast for my liking. And if it is his back, his FO ability is going to go too.

Maybe. I think he has tons of value, and 20g 57ish points a year is pretty good for a second line center (I know, usage-wise he s closer to a 1C). Like I said, I'm open to trading him in 18 months or 2 and a half years if Mittelstadt or another proves they can be a bona fide 2C. Until then, why create problems you don't need by trading ROR?
- jcragcrumple

The argument would be that at 7.5 mil for a 2c that can't score 5v5 and whose defensive impact is solely based on reputation and not any actual evidence, you already have a problem.

Used it last night

“The Post” was pretty good

Not a Meryl Streep fan though
Idk why?
She just kinda bugs me for some reason
I’m like that with some actors
- jdfitz77

Imma watch that soon.
Last movie I went to was Den of Thieves.

I enjoyed it but there was almost a fight that broke out during the movie.

He's slowing down way too fast for my liking. And if it is his back, his FO ability is going to go too.
- Wetbandit1

His f/o has improved every year for 4 years, I'm not worried about that at all

I think his playmaking abilities/raw talent overcome that. ROR's schtick has always been two way play, hard work and chipping in offensively, not necessarily skill based. If he knows where he needs to be but is late getting there it presents a problem.
- Sabresfan-365

Fair i guess
I will say that i think RORs “skill” is underrated for the most part

If anyone watched him play for Team Canada, they’ll know what i mean
He was an offensive force in that tourney
That might be too strong
But he was really good

The argument would be that at 7.5 mil for a 2c that can't score 5v5 and whose defensive impact is solely based on reputation and not any actual evidence, you already have a problem.
- Sabresfan-365

Well I just flat-out disagree with you there. I think he's a -12 right now and Pach had that stat a month ago where 9 of those came on ENs

Well I just flat-out disagree with you there. I think he's a -12 right now and Pach had that stat a month ago where 9 of those came on ENs
- jcragcrumple

Im not talking about plus/minus, i hate that poop


Im saying for all the talk about his defensive prowess, there aren't too many stats that confirm his reputation is true (at least in his time here)

Imma watch that soon.
Last movie I went to was Den of Thieves.

I enjoyed it but there was almost a fight that broke out during the movie.
- jochfr

Almost saw Den of Thieves last night instead

“Th Post” was good
But if u don’t like Streep, her acting might bug u in this one
Not that she wasn’t good though
Maybe it’s just me that she annoys though?

Sandra Bullock drives me nuts too

Im not talking about plus/minus, i hate that poop


Im saying for all the talk about his defensive prowess, there aren't too many stats that confirm his reputation is true (at least in his time here)
- Sabresfan-365

What stats are you looking at?

Please don’t say Corsi

I don’t delve too deep into it,
but aren’t his takeaways vs giveaways pretty good

What else do u look at defensively?

What stats are you looking at?

Please don’t say Corsi

I don’t delve too deep into it,
but aren’t his takeaways vs giveaways pretty good

What else do u look at defensively?
- jdfitz77

funny you bring that up, you know who has a better (actually outstanding) giveaway/takeaway ratio? Joel Armia lol

Im talking about all of them. give/take away, expected goals against, shots attempts against, high danger chances against.

There really isn't much to suggest that he's actually slowing top lines down in any way. I mean better than any other sabres skater (except maybe reinhart at one point) for sure but...

Maybe. I think he has tons of value, and 20g 57ish points a year is pretty good for a second line center (I know, usage-wise he s closer to a 1C). Like I said, I'm open to trading him in 18 months or 2 and a half years if Mittelstadt or another proves they can be a bona fide 2C. Until then, why create problems you don't need by trading ROR?
- jcragcrumple

This makes more sense to me as well

Also...
a lot of us (incl me) are assuming Mittelstadt is gonna be a center in the NHL

I remember Homie saying that he’s been playing on the wing

So if he ends up on Jack’s wing & we trade ROR...
our good center depth turns to crap really quick

funny you bring that up, you know who has a better (actually outstanding) giveaway/takeaway ratio? Joel Armia lol

Im talking about all of them. give/take away, expected goals against, shots attempts against, high danger chances against.

There really isn't much to suggest that he's actually slowing top lines down in any way. I mean better than any other sabres skater (except maybe reinhart at one point) for sure but...
- Sabresfan-365

Don’t all those stats go up as your team gets better though?

Those seem more team oriented (like Corsi) than player oriented

For example:
Winnipeg is better this year
Are Armia’s stats better than last year?
What about the other guys in defensive roles for them?

What do those type stats look like for guys like Bozak & Kadri for these past 2 years (when the Leafs were good) vs the couple years before (when the team was bad)?


Those were just some ones that first came to mind
I’m sure there’s many other examples u could check too

His f/o has improved every year for 4 years, I'm not worried about that at all
- jcragcrumple

I'm not saying it's going to go tomorrow, I'm not even saying his back is definitely why he's gotten a lot slower. But with a bad back he won't be able to get low.

And even then it's only a small part of his game, other parts would go first. Hopefully he's got 2 or 3 more years and then he can develop an allergy.

I'm not saying it's going to go tomorrow, I'm not even saying his back is definitely why he's gotten a lot slower. But with a bad back he won't be able to get low.

And even then it's only a small part of his game, other parts would go first. Hopefully he's got 2 or 3 more years and then he can develop an allergy.
- Wetbandit1

Is he “slower” bc of age?
Or overusage?

He didn’t look slow for Team Canada

Grigorenko made the Russian Olympic Team

Good for him

Anyone know if the rosters are out for all the teams?


Has Mittelstadt officially been named to TeamUSA?

I'm not saying it's going to go tomorrow, I'm not even saying his back is definitely why he's gotten a lot slower. But with a bad back he won't be able to get low.

And even then it's only a small part of his game, other parts would go first. Hopefully he's got 2 or 3 more years and then he can develop an allergy.
- Wetbandit1

Damn, you're pretty low on him. 2 years and he'll be 28. I'm confident he'll get his points every year for the next 5 on his contract. As our wing skill increases, he'll get better too. He started the year with Okposo when Okposo was clearly not himself, and now he's with wilson. Get him a speedster or 2 and he'll keep doing his 55-60 point thing

Damn, you're pretty low on him. 2 years and he'll be 28. I'm confident he'll get his points every year for the next 5 on his contract. As our wing skill increases, he'll get better too. He started the year with Okposo when Okposo was clearly not himself, and now he's with wilson. Get him a speedster or 2 and he'll keep doing his 55-60 point thing
- jcragcrumple

In some ways, yes. If he continues regressing at this pace he's done in a few years.

If he plateaus here, he should be ok for the remainder of his deal.

Damn, you're pretty low on him. 2 years and he'll be 28. I'm confident he'll get his points every year for the next 5 on his contract. As our wing skill increases, he'll get better too. He started the year with Okposo when Okposo was clearly not himself, and now he's with wilson. Get him a speedster or 2 and he'll keep doing his 55-60 point thing
- jcragcrumple

Really confident that he can stay healthy for 5 seasons? I'm not a hater, but there's warning signs. If I could get away from the contract and get a decent return, I'd do it.

He's got a couple things going for him in that regard:

Best faceoff guy in the league, that won't change for many years (Not saying first every year)

Good PK

Underrated shot in close for PP stuff.

Even when he slows down, they just need to get him faster wingers or move him to Eichels LW to take his draws.
- jcragcrumple

A wicked backhand shot

Really confident that he can stay healthy for 5 seasons? I'm not a hater, but there's warning signs. If I could get away from the contract and get a decent return, I'd do it.
- Lunaion

He's played at least 70 games in 7 of his 8 seasons. I feel like people have a feeling that because we've been burned on contracts before, it's gonna happen again. I just don't see his contract that way. Another sign his footwork isn't diminishing yet: he only has 2 pims this year.

He's played at least 70 games in 7 of his 8 seasons. I feel like people have a feeling that because we've been burned on contracts before, it's gonna happen again. I just don't see his contract that way. Another sign his footwork isn't diminishing yet: he only has 2 pims this year.
- jcragcrumple

Could also be a sign that he can't get to the play in time.

Again, not saying it is that, but like everything, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

The argument would be that at 7.5 mil for a 2c that can't score 5v5 and whose defensive impact is solely based on reputation and not any actual evidence, you already have a problem.
- Sabresfan-365

This, this, this.

He's played at least 70 games in 7 of his 8 seasons. I feel like people have a feeling that because we've been burned on contracts before, it's gonna happen again. I just don't see his contract that way. Another sign his footwork isn't diminishing yet: he only has 2 pims this year.
- jcragcrumple

I don't bet on anyone staying healthy for 5 years, so I guess it was a trick question. I don't think anyone feels he's going to be the next Moulson/Leino, but that he's already not quite worth the $ and trending down. If he stays, he's probably going to be pushed off the first PP at some point and that will crush his points.

funny you bring that up, you know who has a better (actually outstanding) giveaway/takeaway ratio? Joel Armia lol

Im talking about all of them. give/take away, expected goals against, shots attempts against, high danger chances against.

There really isn't much to suggest that he's actually slowing top lines down in any way. I mean better than any other sabres skater (except maybe reinhart at one point) for sure but...
- Sabresfan-365

Jokes aside, people underestimate how decent Armia is.

We could use a 2nd/3rd liner like him

Could also be a sign that he can't get to the play in time.

Again, not saying it is that, but like everything, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
- Wetbandit1

If I saw his pims increasing, I would think he's taking "lazy penalties" with hooks because he's a step behind. He does a ton of stick lifting. We'll see, i just dont see any on ice warning signs