Michael Pachla: Some firsts for a few Sabres and some Amerks making an early push

There are limits on the amount roster moves a team can make per year, right? That would be the only argument I could think of for swapping Nylander/Olofsson in.

Also, foist

Good read, thanks Pac

Tage needs some AHL time with a successful program. He did not get that in St Louis
Beaulieu down not a bad idea either
Larsson too. Maybe Mittelstadt?

There are limits on the amount roster moves a team can make per year, right? That would be the only argument I could think of for swapping Nylander/Olofsson in.

Also, foist
- jcragcrumple

I thought that was post trade deadline, but i'm not 100% sure

Good read, thanks Pac

Tage needs some AHL time with a successful program. He did not get that in St Louis
Beaulieu down not a bad idea either
Larsson too. Maybe Mittelstadt?
- lulags

mitts stays, imo...he's only had one game between skinner and Okposo and has actually been playing pretty well despite only one assist so far...Housley noted his solid play in the defensive zone last week which apparently was an area of focus

I thought that was post trade deadline, but i'm not 100% sure
- Michael Pachla

Oh ok. Then I'd just waive Larsson and play Nylander with Berglund and Thompson. If Thompson continues to not play well, bring up Olofsson as well.

Nylander beat Thompson out for that job, anyway. I honestly think they may have expected Nylander to have a crummy preseason, and they had already decided to keep Thompson

Oh ok. Then I'd just waive Larsson and play Nylander with Berglund and Thompson. If Thompson continues to not play well, bring up Olofsson as well.

Nylander beat Thompson out for that job, anyway. I honestly think they may have expected Nylander to have a crummy preseason, and they had already decided to keep Thompson
- jcragcrumple

lars looks as if he's on his way out...he looked real slow in his lone game

Really liking the idea of Pilut pushing from Roch to get up here. I liked his play during the preseason and was a little surprised he went down. But it appears to have been the right move so far.
I'm good with losing Beaulieu to Roch. I think Nelson is starting to get it. Hell, at this point I'd be fine moving Scandella down, but I think that's a pipe dream.

And for FRANK sake, please send Larsson to the same scrap heap we send Peterman to! They both FRANKING suck.

Just saying...

Olofsson named ahl player of the week, according to matt bove

seven points in three games including two game-winners, one in ot

Really liking the idea of Pilut pushing from Roch to get up here. I liked his play during the preseason and was a little surprised he went down. But it appears to have been the right move so far.
I'm good with losing Beaulieu to Roch. I think Nelson is starting to get it. Hell, at this point I'd be fine moving Scandella down, but I think that's a pipe dream.

And for FRANK sake, please send Larsson to the same scrap heap we send Peterman to! They both FRANKING suck.

Just saying...
- ChicmjBuffalo

points taken...although I do think the Scandella/Ristolainen pairing has looked much, much better this year

points taken...although I do think the Scandella/Ristolainen pairing has looked much, much better this year
- Michael Pachla

They may look more engaged, but that hasn't translated into results.

top pair material right here:

https://twitter.com/Ben_M...tatus/1051301759245676544

Starfish move

With Justin Schultz sidelined for 4 months with a broken leg, and Botts' history with the Pens, does this open up any trades for one of our D? Pitt has no cap space, but putting Schultz on LTIR should open up enough room to trade for someone like Beaulieu (Schultz has a $5.5m cap hit).

They may look more engaged, but that hasn't translated into results.
- Sabresfan-365

which results?

buffalo being above .500 again?

Scandella scoring a goal on October 8, nearly two full months before a sabres d-man scored a goal last season?

their combined -3 with Ristolainen averaging a seventh-most 25:44 of ice time?


what are you trying to say, exactly?

Scandella is a middling defenseman. Like the rest of the defense, today.

which results?

buffalo being above .500 again?

Scandella scoring a goal on October 8, nearly two full months before a sabres d-man scored a goal last season?

their combined -3 with Ristolainen averaging a seventh-most 25:44 of ice time?


what are you trying to say, exactly?
- Michael Pachla

how is any of this indicative of Scandella being better? it's indicative of the team around him being better.

He's still constantly getting beat at the blueline, he loses track of his mark in the defensive zone, his zone exits are brutal, and aside from one goal, most of his shots never get through and are so easily read by defenders because he's committed to his 1970s style wind up.

Scandella is a middling defenseman. Like the rest of the defense, today.
- TheSabresTaco

we know that...he's best suited as a second-pairing, 4/5 guy...but right now he's playing on the top pairing until dahlin is ready for a bigger workload

we know that...he's best suited as a second-pairing, 4/5 guy...but right now he's playing on the top pairing until dahlin is ready for a bigger workload
- Michael Pachla

Agreed, but that doesn't suggest that he's been better this year. He's still in over his head as much as he was last year.

I could eat McDonald's everyday.

how is any of this indicative of Scandella being better? it's indicative of the team around him being better.

He's still constantly getting beat at the blueline, he loses track of his mark in the defensive zone, his zone exits are brutal, and aside from one goal, most of his shots never get through and are so easily read by defenders because he's committed to his 1970s style wind up.
- Sabresfan-365

he is what he is, playing above where he should be...I saw the gifs, and it ain't pretty at times but he's still playing over 21 minutes a night against the opposition's best players and the sabres are above .500...

it will do for now

Agreed, but that doesn't suggest that he's been better this year. He's still in over his head as much as he was last year.
- Sabresfan-365

my quote was that the pairing has looked better

I could eat McDonald's everyday.
- SABRES 89

gotta admit I get a hankering for a quarterpounder w/cheese every now and then

my quote was that the pairing has looked better
- Michael Pachla

And his point is that there results aren’t. They are the worst two on the team besides McCabe who’s been atrocious at times at giving up shots.

I think Risto has been pretty good, but they just are not 23-25 min players

my quote was that the pairing has looked better
- Michael Pachla

yeah i dont think it has. Everything that was wrong last year is still wrong this year. Scandella's early season goal is offset by the fact that risto has generated next to nothing offensively.

i just think those two on the same pair doesn't work, especially at the minutes housley is giving them. I can't imagine it would actually fall apart for them if they switched up the pairings and reduced the top pair's minutes a bit.