I’m obviously no fan of Sobatka...
but it’s not his fault that Tage shoots wide all the damn time
- jdfitz77

No, Thompson has regressed big time from his 15-20 game run of being actually good. He’s lacking serious confidence.

I would like to see him with some actually decent players to start next year.

They should send him to Rochester right now

Eichel is 22. Rhino is 23. Risto just turned 24 a few months ago. The rest of the core is young.
- Powerslave

I don't call Eichel, Sam, or Risto young anymore....or at least use young as any kind of excuse.

I don't call Eichel, Sam, or Risto young anymore....or at least use young as any kind of excuse.
- Lunaion

I'm not giving these guys any excuses, but how can you say 22 and 23 aren't young? They're still kids.

I don't call Eichel, Sam, or Risto young anymore....or at least use young as any kind of excuse.
- Lunaion

Excuse for what exactly ? Eichel is on pace for over 90 points, Sam is finally producing and on pace for 70+. Risto would be a 2nd pairing d-man on most teams in the league. If Botts can clear the deadweight (Sobotka, Scandella, Sheary, Wilson, Elie, one of Larsson/Girgensons if not both) we can have even more cap space to sign vets who can actually contribute to the success of the team instead of pull us down. The kids are just fine.

No, Thompson has regressed big time from his 15-20 game run of being actually good. He’s lacking serious confidence.

I would like to see him with some actually decent players to start next year.

They should send him to Rochester right now
- sbroads24

They probably should’ve started him there
They’ve definitely let him stay up here too long
It’s clear that he isn’t developing up here

I'm not giving these guys any excuses, but how can you say 22 and 23 aren't young? They're still kids.
- Powerslave

The best players in the league are young. Just like MLB. It’s nuts. People don’t realize it. Sports are turning into a young buck’s game.

I'm not giving these guys any excuses, but how can you say 22 and 23 aren't young? They're still kids.
- Powerslave

I think you get my point. After 250 NHL games, they have a lot of experience. If Jack makes a bad play, no one chalks it up in youth and inexperience anymore.

The best players in the league are young. Just like MLB. It’s nuts. People don’t realize it. Sports are turning into a young buck’s game.
- Hatboro_Swords

Right. Peak age in the NHL is about 24 now.

They probably should’ve started him there
They’ve definitely let him stay up here too long
It’s clear that he isn’t developing up here
- jdfitz77

I don’t agree he hasn’t developed at all.

He’s had some pretty impressive games IMO

He just won’t improve playing a defensive role with Sobotka

CJ Smith who I really like looked terrible with 17 too

Right. Peak age in the NHL is about 24 now.
- Lunaion

I legit got laughed at for suggesting 25

I legit got laughed at for suggesting 25
- sbroads24

well....at least you knew you were right!

Right. Peak age in the NHL is about 24 now.
- Lunaion

P.Kane is having his best season yet at 30. Pavelski has 35 goals this year and is 35. Burns is 32, Giordano could be a Norris finalist at 35. Blake Wheeler will be 33 in August. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Crosby, Malkin, Kessel are still putting up similar numbers as they always have for the most part. The NHL is definitely a young mans game now with the influx of talent from the last few years. However I still think a players prime is 26-28 years old. Ovi is gonna hit 50 again at 32.

I legit got laughed at for suggesting 25
- sbroads24

There was a study done a couple of years ago that concluded that an elite F peaks at 27-28 and a D at 29.

CBC published the article after the company that did the study (which encompassed a 15 year period, I believe) posted their findings.

P.Kane is having his best season yet at 30. Pavelski has 35 goals this year and is 35. Burns is 32, Giordano could be a Norris finalist at 35. Blake Wheeler will be 33 in August. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Crosby, Malkin, Kessel are still putting up similar numbers as they always have for the most part. The NHL is definitely a young mans game now with the influx of talent from the last few years. However I still think a players prime is 26-28 years old. Ovi is gonna hit 50 again at 32.
- Pegullaville

See my post above

Excuse for what exactly ? Eichel is on pace for over 90 points, Sam is finally producing and on pace for 70+. Risto would be a 2nd pairing d-man on most teams in the league. If Botts can clear the deadweight (Sobotka, Scandella, Sheary, Wilson, Elie, one of Larsson/Girgensons if not both) we can have even more cap space to sign vets who can actually contribute to the success of the team instead of pull us down. The kids are just fine.
- Pegullaville

This has gone way off the rails. I disagree with nothing you said. It wraps all the way around to my original point, we have secondary roles to fill and I hoped to see more growth. We can't fill all the holes with UFA's.

This has gone way off the rails. I disagree with nothing you said. It wraps all the way around to my original point, we have secondary roles to fill and I hoped to see more growth. We can't fill all the holes with UFA's.
- Lunaion

No we can’t, but we also haven’t seen the best of Eichel or Reinahrt yet. We have to hope for Mittelstadt and Dahlin to take another step forward in becoming the players we hope they can be, Skinner to resign at a good cap number and continue to build chemistry with Jack, and players from Rochester to make the jump along with FA’s. Maybe Botts swings another deal in the offseason.

No, Thompson has regressed big time from his 15-20 game run of being actually good. He’s lacking serious confidence.

I would like to see him with some actually decent players to start next year.

They should send him to Rochester right now
- sbroads24

Or play tage 20 + per night.

Secure a top 10

The best players in the league are young. Just like MLB. It’s nuts. People don’t realize it. Sports are turning into a young buck’s game.
- Hatboro_Swords

Ovi
Kuch
Pat kane

Not young by nhl standards

I don’t agree he hasn’t developed at all.

He’s had some pretty impressive games IMO

He just won’t improve playing a defensive role with Sobotka

CJ Smith who I really like looked terrible with 17 too
- sbroads24

If he’s developing up here then there’s no need to send him to Rochester like u suggested

How is it that he isn’t improving with Sobatka, but he is developing?
Seems like quite the contradiction

P.Kane is having his best season yet at 30. Pavelski has 35 goals this year and is 35. Burns is 32, Giordano could be a Norris finalist at 35. Blake Wheeler will be 33 in August. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Crosby, Malkin, Kessel are still putting up similar numbers as they always have for the most part. The NHL is definitely a young mans game now with the influx of talent from the last few years. However I still think a players prime is 26-28 years old. Ovi is gonna hit 50 again at 32.
- Pegullaville

Yet a 28 year old O’Reilly is gonna massively decline any day now...?

I'm not giving these guys any excuses, but how can you say 22 and 23 aren't young? They're still kids.
- Powerslave

They are literally grown men.

They are literally grown men.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Physically.

I'm not giving these guys any excuses, but how can you say 22 and 23 aren't young? They're still kids.
- Powerslave

Skinner is the "grizzled veteran" in the top 5 scorers for the Sabres, and he's 6 years younger than the Jets leading scorer, Wheeler. The Jets are technically a younger team than the Sabres though, even though their top players are 5 years older on average than the top 5 Sabres.

They are literally grown men.
- BeadyEyedDouche

Our best defenseman is the 3rd youngest player in the league, our second best is 3 years younger than the average.

Physically.
- Powerslave

Dude a 22-24 year old is a grown man in every sense of the word, stop calling them kids. They are young men. There is no arguing this, seriously. It's fine to call an 18/19 year old a kid still and a 20-year old a tweener but after that you're a grown ass man.