Interesting article by John Vogle, talking about what fans may expect from Casey Mittlestat in terms of development and production...using Oli Jokinen as a model given their same age of 19 as a rookie...

If those comparisons continue into Mittelstadt’s sophomore season, Sabres fans may want to prepare to be disappointed. Jokinen, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 1997, didn’t excel until his fifth season in the NHL at age 24.

There were other comparables used that reinforce a range of 3 - 7 year curve in reaching 2nd or 1st line production ...
ROR & Ryan Johanson = 3 years
Mike Fisher and Sean Couterier = 6, 7 yrs respectively.

This underscores the importance of sheltering Mitts for another 2, 3, 4 years by having a capable 2C take the weight of his shoulders. We have a good future with him, just takes more time time and experience.
- IonSabres

I was just going to post the Olli comparison

this is fun... watching all the players we traded away do well on other PLAYOFF teams while us Buffalo fans root for underdogs to win so we get a better pick from ST. Louis...

I am just done with all of this. I want to trade Risto, but only if we are getting a true #2 center in return and i am talking a player that is going to put up 50-60 pts or more.. I swear if we trade Risto for future's or picks I will start rooting for T.O or Boston.. The 2 teams that I have hated my entire life...
- hehateme

This team wasn't a playoff team with or without the players we traded away, including O'Reilly.

These trades make the Sabres better in the long run, assuming they operate smartly with the cap space they're created.

Agreed.
Casey did mention 2 things to work on over the summer, building strength and developing g his shot further.
I did like the fact he worked hard on his 2 way game, if he keeps it up he will be a terrific 2C...just likely 2 -3 seasons from now though
- IonSabres

His conditioning and the fact that he looked slower is what bothered me. He put on weight last offseason but I don’t think much of it was of the good variety. He has all the raw skills he just needs to adjust to the pace and play with speed. Also getting more then 10 minutes of even strength with actual hockey players would also be beneficial.

It was a coach who changed everything, which is why it’s imperative for Sabres general manager Jason Botterill to find the right guy. During Jokinen’s fourth full season, the then-22-year-old had one goal and no assists through 24 games. Florida fired coach Duane Sutter and replaced him with Mike Keenan.

“Mike came here,” Jokinen said, “and he basically stood right in front of my face and was saying, ‘OK, now we’ll see if all the scouts in the world were wrong in your case. You’re going to play a lot for the next 40 games.’ He played me 20-plus minutes every single night, all kinds of situations. I started scoring. I started being successful.”

“I had that mindset that, ‘You know what? I’ve been in the league four years. I’ve learned to play without the puck. Now it’s time to translate those things and put it into one piece, try to bring all those elements every single night,’” Jokinen said. “The coaching was huge for me. With Mike, he pushed me every day – every single day, every single day.”

More proof that it's on the coach as much as it is on the players.

this is fun... watching all the players we traded away do well on other PLAYOFF teams while us Buffalo fans root for underdogs to win so we get a better pick from ST. Louis...

I am just done with all of this. I want to trade Risto, but only if we are getting a true #2 center in return and i am talking a player that is going to put up 50-60 pts or more.. I swear if we trade Risto for future's or picks I will start rooting for T.O or Boston.. The 2 teams that I have hated my entire life...
- hehateme

I hear ya, loud and clear in spades.

Getting a 2C for use over next 2 - 3 years while Casey develops into that will be key.
I don't want them overpaying for that in FA with a term of 7 years that then could be a boat anchor down the line. I would rather use FA this year to fill out line 3 where the overpayment hopefully are less damning long term.

I have floated the idea of RNH earlier this past season when I reached my ceiling with Risto.
Honestly though, I would love to see them fly a bit lower and try to get a little younger up and comer...I don't know all the guys in the league who would fit that profile, but I think Cirelli out of Tampa COULD be that guy, and at 21 with 19/20/39 he has plenty of growth left in him. The benefit there is could the Sabres acquire another solid player there and potentially solve two issues at once? Who are others in that profile?

The other option is an older guy with 2-3 years left in the tank and an NHL-ready prospect.

this is fun... watching all the players we traded away do well on other PLAYOFF teams while us Buffalo fans root for underdogs to win so we get a better pick from ST. Louis...

I am just done with all of this. I want to trade Risto, but only if we are getting a true #2 center in return and i am talking a player that is going to put up 50-60 pts or more.. I swear if we trade Risto for future's or picks I will start rooting for T.O or Boston.. The 2 teams that I have hated my entire life...
- hehateme

More proof that it's on the coach as much as it is on the players.
- TheSabresTaco

Is anyone debating this though?
And for clarity as it relates to the Sabres...and through in Bolts epic failure this year..

GM
Coach
Players.

Order them anyway you want.
Weight them anyway you want.

I'm currently of the belief that the GM bears a bit more than the other 2 individually.
Where was the...
-Hey Phill, you have been teaching this System for 2 years...they aren't capable...are you going to continue practicing "Crazy", or do you have a plan to adjust the system to the actual guys on the ice?
-Holy crap, these guys are dense..l2 failures with w coaches and their system...maybe I need to change the roster
- Wow, Tage looks completely lost..wonder if a a decent stint in Rochester might be beneficial
- HeyPhil, explain to me the logic here on you line combinations,

There are many Phil could ask of players and of the GM...and players asking of each other...you know, MF'ing each other more...where is the leadership there?

This team wasn't a playoff team with or without the players we traded away, including O'Reilly.

These trades make the Sabres better in the long run, assuming they operate smartly with the cap space they're created.
- buffalofan19

so a 77 point 2nd line center would not have helped this team last year? Let's agree to disagree on that one...

i am sick of hearing we will be better in the long run... When does that finally happen? because we been getting better in the long run for 8 years now...

so a 77 point 2nd line center would not have helped this team last year? Let's agree to disagree on that one...

i am sick of hearing we will be better in the long run... When does that finally happen? because we been getting better in the long run for 8 years now...
- hehateme

Any way you have it, people are going to b!tch. Let's face it.

"Use the 1sts to bring in now guys!
"NOT ON A GOALTENDER, (frank)FACE!"
"(frank) Murray, we have no depth anymore!"

I understand that a group of people will never have a unified vision of how to go about things. But the point still stands.

You want to be good today and tomorrow. Not just today, not just tomorrow. There's many means and methods to accomplish those tasks. But I think we can all agree that we all want to be good today and good tomorrow.

Any way you have it, people are going to b!tch. Let's face it.

"Use the 1sts to bring in now guys!
"NOT ON A GOALTENDER, (frank)FACE!"
"(frank) Murray, we have no depth anymore!"

I understand that a group of people will never have a unified vision of how to go about things. But the point still stands.

You want to be good today and tomorrow. Not just today, not just tomorrow. There's many means and methods to accomplish those tasks. But I think we can all agree that we all want to be good today and good tomorrow.
- TheSabresTaco

Good? I would settle for average. Just don't want to be the leagues franking joke anymore. We have some of the most loyal and passionate (an idiotic sometimes) fan base in professional sports. We ALL deserve better, because everyone is else getting rich (players, coaches, Tpegs) and we are stuck watching shat play and we are suppose to do it with a smile on our face all the time shelling out 2500 for season tickets and buying shat food and over priced beer....

Bills vs Dallas for thanksgiving,!!!!!!

Late but I don’t care lol


I have to get tickets

Is anyone debating this though?
And for clarity as it relates to the Sabres...and through in Bolts epic failure this year..

GM
Coach
Players.

Order them anyway you want.
Weight them anyway you want.

I'm currently of the belief that the GM bears a bit more than the other 2 individually.
Where was the...
-Hey Phill, you have been teaching this System for 2 years...they aren't capable...are you going to continue practicing "Crazy", or do you have a plan to adjust the system to the actual guys on the ice?
-Holy crap, these guys are dense..l2 failures with w coaches and their system...maybe I need to change the roster
- Wow, Tage looks completely lost..wonder if a a decent stint in Rochester might be beneficial
- HeyPhil, explain to me the logic here on you line combinations,

There are many Phil could ask of players and of the GM...and players asking of each other...you know, MF'ing each other more...where is the leadership there?
- IonSabres

Is still find it hard to believe that jbotts went " all in" with his best roster. He could have traded prospects or picks to make us better immediately.

Not sure if if he completely failed. He inherited a mess 2 years ago.

Phail tried his best and failed
The players tried there best and failed

Is still find it hard to believe that jbotts went " all in" with his best roster. He could have traded prospects or picks to make us better immediately.

Not sure if if he completely failed. He inherited a mess 2 years ago.

Phail tried his best and failed
The players tried there best and failed
- Boss34

He didn't, and he openly spoke about how he wouldn't.

He didn't, and he openly spoke about how he wouldn't.
- TheSabresTaco

So you agree with me for a change?

Hard to tell, kinda angry this morning?

What in tarnations?

Is still find it hard to believe that jbotts went " all in" with his best roster. He could have traded prospects or picks to make us better immediately.

Not sure if if he completely failed. He inherited a mess 2 years ago.

Phail tried his best and failed
The players tried there best and failed
- Boss34

I don't agree with this part

so a 77 point 2nd line center would not have helped this team last year? Let's agree to disagree on that one...

i am sick of hearing we will be better in the long run... When does that finally happen? because we been getting better in the long run for 8 years now...
- hehateme

Not enough to be a playoff team, it wouldn't. I want a championship, not just a good team. This team was not winning one with O'Reilly and Kane taking up the cap space that they were.

Any way you have it, people are going to b!tch. Let's face it.

"Use the 1sts to bring in now guys!
"NOT ON A GOALTENDER, (frank)FACE!"
"(frank) Murray, we have no depth anymore!"

I understand that a group of people will never have a unified vision of how to go about things. But the point still stands.

You want to be good today and tomorrow. Not just today, not just tomorrow. There's many means and methods to accomplish those tasks. But I think we can all agree that we all want to be good today and good tomorrow.
- TheSabresTaco

All three of these points are valid (maybe with less profanity), and are the exact reason they ended up picking 1st overall last year.

EK says Malkin willing to move...........maybe to the Kings....... So he's staying with the Pens.

I don't agree with this part
- adambuffalo

Anyone is particular , other then berglund?

So you agree with me for a change?

Hard to tell, kinda angry this morning?
- Boss34

Nope, I do agree.

I'm hardly ever angry. I can get excited about things that I find to be extremely offbase, but never outright angry/grumpy.

EK says Malkin willing to move...........maybe to the Kings....... So he's staying with the Pens.
- SABRES 89

Ready for a bullpoop alert?

Jeremy Roenick, probably Ek's favorite guy in the world, was on the Instigators yesterday, as he is every Wednesday. They were talking Pittsburgh and Malkin and how at 32 he should be done living in Crosby's shadow. Fans want him inexplicably traded, and how he had a "poopty" over ppg season. Guess which team Roenick suggested for Malkin.


The Kings.

Not enough to be a playoff team, it wouldn't. I want a championship, not just a good team. This team was not winning one with O'Reilly and Kane taking up the cap space that they were.
- buffalofan19

I hear you, I want that too, but you don't just go from a lottery team to a Champion team overnight. you have to start with just making the playoffs as a "Good" team, then fill in the needs from there. We have had 8 off seasons of rebuilding and we are still in the same spot, Suffering...

All three of these points are valid (maybe with less profanity), and are the exact reason they ended up picking 1st overall last year.
- buffalofan19

I thought the profanity fit the anger of the fanbase, and the intelligent microcosm we have here on HB. People are still complaining about Murray's trades.

I hear you, I want that too, but you don't just go from a lottery team to a Champion team overnight. you have to start with just making the playoffs as a "Good" team, then fill in the needs from there. We have had 8 off seasons of rebuilding and we are still in the same spot, Suffering...
- hehateme

And that's fine, but you have to do it the right way. Murray tried to load up with "good" and speed things up, and it was a colossal failure. He put the team in almost as bad a position as Regier did when tanking for Eichel, except Regier did it on purpose, which is really scary.