Erod with Jack tonight? Am I hearing that correctly?

I quit
- Der Kaiser

I think O'Reilly might be good

Erod with Jack tonight? Am I hearing that correctly?
- Powerslave

Pretty sure they were on a line together in college..


honestly at this point in the season who cares

Do we have something in Casey Nelson?

McCabe out 3-4 wk
- TheSabresTaco

Said it last week and really think we do. Nothing crazy, he's never going to be a great top4 defender, but he has looked very solid to me and could help that bottom pair out or at least be a serviceable 7th d.

I have no clue.

I think Nelson has promise, but the general consensus on this board is that everyone is bad, and we should feel bad for it.

He looks serviceable, but then again comparing him to Gorges, or Bogosian makes anyone look serviceable.
- thatsapickle

Our hall of fame defenseman coach seems to like his play. It would be fantastic if we had a legitimate top 6 guy. Hell, if he can grow to be a dependable 2nd pairing guy, that'd be fantastic. Nothing like getting long term assets for free.

Sorry if I'm being optimistic. I know that's frowned upon in these parts.

Said it last week and really think we do. Nothing crazy, he's never going to be a great top4 defender, but he has looked very solid to me and could help that bottom pair out or at least be a serviceable 7th d.
- RhinoFan

Is that really out of the question?

From what I can tell, he's always been a player to provide tremendous growth at all levels, albeit a bit late. If he is a late bloomer, as his UDFA status implies, and in only a season and a half has earned a long term call up to play on the top 2 pairs, I'm..optimistic.. he's got more to grow.

Our hall of fame defenseman coach seems to like his play. It would be fantastic if we had a legitimate top 6 guy. Hell, if he can grow to be a dependable 2nd pairing guy, that'd be fantastic. Nothing like getting long term assets for free.

Sorry if I'm being optimistic. I know that's frowned upon in these parts.
- TheSabresTaco

Any attempts at this will be hammered into submission with Stats and female doging about GMTM


Oh...and complaining about not having a #1 D-man

Our hall of fame defenseman coach seems to like his play. It would be fantastic if we had a legitimate top 6 guy. Hell, if he can grow to be a dependable 2nd pairing guy, that'd be fantastic. Nothing like getting long term assets for free.

Sorry if I'm being optimistic. I know that's frowned upon in these parts.
- TheSabresTaco

i think hes an above average top 6 guy but its 9 games so hard to say where his development is headed next.

at the very least id qualify him and give him a legit shot at earning that role at camp next year.

Any attempts at this will be hammered into submission with Stats and female doging about GMTM


Oh...and complaining about not having a #1 D-man
- feetontheair22

#1, 2 and 3
(im kidding of course)

#1, 2 and 3
(im kidding of course)
- Sabresfan-365

speak of the devil...


lol

Any attempts at this will be hammered into submission with Stats and female doging about GMTM


Oh...and complaining about not having a #1 D-man
- feetontheair22

Meyarz?

Geez, I have never been here before. You guys have quite the crew.

i think hes an above average top 6 guy but its 9 games so hard to say where his development is headed next.

at the very least id qualify him and give him a legit shot at earning that role at camp next year.
- Sabresfan-365

Believe me, I'm not getting ahead of myself. And I know the NHL sample size is extremely small. But he's performed admirably so far. The way he's raised his game in every other league he's played in suggests to me he has more to give at the NHL level. Which is promising.

speak of the devil...


lol
- feetontheair22

I would be curious to know how many people like Nelson but don't like Beaulieu. Small sample size but we're talking about essentially the same player. It's where the eye test falls apart, people see what they want to see both in stats and on ice play.

Geez, I have never been here before. You guys have quite the crew.
- The-O-G

Don't stay too long, you'll drown in pessimism and kale shakes.

Geez, I have never been here before. You guys have quite the crew.
- The-O-G

We are an optimistic bunch.

Believe me, I'm not getting ahead of myself. And I know the NHL sample size is extremely small. But he's performed admirably so far. The way he's raised his game in every other league he's played in suggests to me he has more to give at the NHL level. Which is promising.
- TheSabresTaco

I think confidence plays a role in it too. at 9 games, hes still in the "gee i hope i dont screw up phase" which is fine, there's a lot at stake for him. Im thinking once he gets more comfortable maybe his play gets a little better and the points start to come.

I would be curious to know how many people like Nelson but don't like Beaulieu. Small sample size but we're talking about essentially the same player. It's where the eye test falls apart, people see what they want to see both in stats and on ice play.
- Sabresfan-365

I've seen smarter decision making from Nelson, a much less experienced player.

i think hes an above average top 6 guy but its 9 games so hard to say where his development is headed next.

at the very least id qualify him and give him a legit shot at earning that role at camp next year.
- Sabresfan-365

We are about to witness the next colossal prognostication from the Three Eyed Raven. You're welcome Hockey Buzz.

I've seen smarter decision making from Nelson, a much less experienced player.
- TheSabresTaco

They've both made bone headed plays, but Beaulieu has played more.

Im not sure the results would be so different if they received the same amount of ice time and played the same number of games. neither is known for their defensive play.

No, but if he's slow because he's lazy then just putting in the effort will make him "faster".

I honestly don't know what to do with him. He makes a lot of money, but not prohibitively expensive at the moment, has a poopty structure to his contract with all but $1M in bonuses, it's got many years left, the only (slight)positive is that we'll already have paid him $28.5M in the first 3 years, leaving $24M over the final 4, so it should make it a little easier to move after say next year.

If they can get away with holding say $2M I might go for that, but that means no buying anyone else out because with his $2M and Hodgson's ~$792K that's ~$2.8M on the books in dead cap for a team we hope can be competitive in 2 years.

I think he's pretty much untradable at this point and I like the guy.
- Wetbandit1

If your trading ror and holding 2 million, doesnt that equate to paying him 5.5 a year.

Which is a fair price, even a bit of a deal

There is something slowing him down this year:

Losing
Arguing with eichel
Back hurts
Vagina hurts
New dad syndrome

He just turned 27: hardly age

I'm glad we threw a lottery ticket at Bowls. But I still don't know if he's of any use to a halfway decent team. At his cap hit, is he capable of playing reliable 3rd pair minutes?

it's funny because for once I am not the one being corrected
- homiedclown

I'm not an expert but, maybe a comma after "funny"?

Pretty sure they were on a line together in college..


honestly at this point in the season who cares
- feetontheair22

No, that's why I'm asking. They were like bread and butter.

I care. Others might, too.

They've both made bone headed plays, but Beaulieu has played more.

Im not sure the results would be so different if they received the same amount of ice time and played the same number of games. neither is known for their defensive play.
- Sabresfan-365

One thing i've noticed from Nelson is a tendency to get grabby behind his own net, which could lead to penalties. It's probably a function of playing in the A where they can do even more clutching and grabbing. He'll probably clean that up.

I'd like to see some more points from him, or he'll just be another plug.

His statline right now makes him roughly equivalent to Taylor Fedun (who i like), but Nelson is a -3 to Fedun's -1

Fedun, btw, has a 46gp 2g 13a +2 rating in his NHL career btw. I think the Sabres could use that guy