Hot take, but I'll put the devils over the pens

- jcragcrumple[u
BJs are gonna suck

Heh heh heh.

Aside from 6k taking over in mid November and playing like Hasek

I don't see a path for us to make the playoffs this season


And I have been an optimist


Bolts
Bruins
Leafs
Caps
Canes
Islanders
Pens


That's 7

Then
Panthers
Flyers
Blue jackets
Rangers
Hell even devil's

That's 12
- homiedclown

I can see the Canes, Caps and Islanders missing out, being replaced by the Panthers, Sabres and Devils.


I think Kreuger is going to be like Nolan if Nolan also had a system and knew how to coach other than making his players work hard and do bag skates until they puke.

Aside from 6k taking over in mid November and playing like Hasek

I don't see a path for us to make the playoffs this season


And I have been an optimist


Bolts
Bruins
Leafs
Caps
Canes
Islanders
Pens


That's 7

Then
Panthers
Flyers
Blue jackets
Rangers
Hell even devil's

That's 12
- homiedclown

Caps
Isles

Are no locks

Sabres are right in the mix.
Gotta make sure they start hot and believe in krueger

Your right though, too bad this wasnt a tank year. Every eastern team looks good. Aside from ottawa

Habs too

I don't like this moment in the night, when the moon is full, and my crack pipe is empty.

I don't like this moment in the night, when the moon is full, and my crack pipe is empty.
- jochfr

I smoke way too much pot and even then, its still not enough

He had back to back 60 point seasons before this, and I’d like to worry about making the playoffs before worrying about playoff performances
- sbroads24

Still I’d expect more for Risto and more likely a center

You're not invited ...
- kritter65

Exactly

Hot take, but I'll put the devils over the pens

BJs are gonna suck
- jcragcrumple

Too much teeth?

Ek said we are in on Gardiner and could possibly offer sheet Marner ?

Ek said we are in on Gardiner and could possibly offer sheet Marner ?
- 50missionCapp

Oh my! No way botts offer sheets Marner!

Gardiner would have to come cheap

Not anyone can play a 2C. We all know where I stood on ROR, but make no mistake about it, no one was found to replace that point production.

That was the big issue. Mitts should have been in the AHL last year, after the YEARS of watching this team, they have relied on their young guys WAY before they were ready. Half of the success of the old team was how long prospects baked, think Roy, Pommer, Miller, etc...

Mitts should be no higher than a 3C right now TOPS. He's going to look good in camp, as all prospects will and we'll get excited. Then, throughout the season we'll see what they really look like, overmatched.

CM could be a legitimate contender for the 2C position, but I haven't seen anything that suggests he is. Going in to last season with Berglund as a 2C (even if he stayed) was a huge mistake. If we're going to even challenge for playoffs let alone MAKE them, a strong 2C needs to be on the team. I have no confidence that this current roster contains one.

Though we have three pairs of right handed D so something better be in the works.
- gcomella34

You’re preaching to the choir with Berglund
Tried to tell everyone how dumb it was to expect an LW3 to be a good 2C

As for Mitts, and the Center position in general...
I agree that we don’t know when Mitts will be playing at a 2C level,
but with guys that talented it usually doesn’t take too long
Especially if we can put some better wingers with him

I’m “ok” with getting a bridge 2C, as long as:
1) it’s only a year or 2
2) we basically give up nothing to get him

It just doesn’t make sense to me to give up assets, or bring in someone long term when we have Mitts who will be ready sooner than later most likely, and i think we can say the same about Cozens and Asplund

Yes, i do wanna make the playoffs NOW
BUT
It’s more important to think ahead here imo
Bc a year or 2 from now we are gonna have one of the best Center groups in the entire league

he played center in the khl


sobotka has more wheels then larsson


as for the bad idea, sabres hockey direction the last 12 years has been a bad idea
- homiedclown

Where’d u see that?

Everything I’ve read & seen has said he’s played mostly LW

And the only games I’ve actually seen Gusev play (for team Russia) he played exclusively LW


And please don’t ever try to make a case for Sobatka again
Idc if he’s faster than Larsson...
HE SUCKS
Especially at center

I can see the Canes, Caps and Islanders missing out, being replaced by the Panthers, Sabres and Devils.


I think Kreuger is going to be like Nolan if Nolan also had a system and knew how to coach other than making his players work hard and do bag skates until they puke.
- BeadyEyedDouche

I think the Canes are gonna be good. But even if they’re not, it’s going to be a very tough path for the Sabres to make the playoffs. It’ll be interesting for sure though...at least for a little while.

I think the Canes are gonna be good. But even if they’re not, it’s going to be a very tough path for the Sabres to make the playoffs. It’ll be interesting for sure though...at least for a little while.
- PrinceChill

The single most important thing this year is goaltending. That makes or breaks the season.

just because they were our best defensive forwards, does not mean they are good


my guess is e-rod and cj smtih would be better suited if given a chance

both are faster, both have played pk and both have a pulse with offensive upside
- homiedclown

Actually, there’s been quite a few posts on here by ppl showing the stats to back up that Larsson & Girgs were GOOD DEFENSIVELY

And E Rod & Smith being able to handle 70% + tough d zone minutes is purely speculation
Neither of them were used in “shut down” roles in Rochester
They might be “ok” at it
But to ASSUME they’d be “good” (or better than Larsson & Girgs) just doesn’t make sense

Sure, they have an offensive pulse
But if we dump Larsson & Girgs and E Rod & Smith can’t handle the defensive load,
then we literally have NO ONE to do it
Then we’d be screwed

If u wanna transition them into that role,
then fine
Do it over the course of this season
Don’t just say bye to guys who we just saw do it well in the hopes that guys who MIGHT be ok at it can jump right in to a rough situation and adequately replace them

That’s just setting yourself up for failure
That’s using Berglund at 2C
Sure... maybe it could work
But betting on it would be dumb

saw fancy stats that showed gardiner is a much better d man then montour


ship scandella out and offer jake 2 years at 6 per
- homiedclown

That’s a great idea
Looks like the guys left aren’t getting the term or $$$ they want anymore
Maybe go to 3 years just to top other teams that are probably offering 2

Still I’d expect more for Risto and more likely a center
- turbo044

I think most jet fans would be pretty mad if they only get Ristolainen for Ehlers.

Girgs is the best defensive winger on the roster right now by a mile. He's a lock.
- Lunaion

And Larsson is the best defensive center

None of us LOVE them
It’s obvious they don’t contribute offensively

But we don’t have forwards that are good defensively
Like none besides them really

So let’s actually get some here before we ship out the ONLY guys that are pretty decent at it

I just don’t see why that’s so unreasonable to some on here

Oh my! No way botts offer sheets Marner!

Gardiner would have to come cheap
- Sabretooth9

Which, of course, means we’re doing neither. We don’t need another dman and one with a troublesome back even less so. As for Marner, awesome player BUT botts likes his picks too much and Marner wants less term so he can cash in twice in the next 4 or so years. So giving up 4 1st for a 4 year 48m contract makes no sense. Now, if you told me it would bring us a cup I’m all over it, but that’s not something you can tell me

You’re preaching to the choir with Berglund
Tried to tell everyone how dumb it was to expect an LW3 to be a good 2C

As for Mitts, and the Center position in general...
I agree that we don’t know when Mitts will be playing at a 2C level,
but with guys that talented it usually doesn’t take too long
Especially if we can put some better wingers with him

I’m “ok” with getting a bridge 2C, as long as:
1) it’s only a year or 2
2) we basically give up nothing to get him

It just doesn’t make sense to me to give up assets, or bring in someone long term when we have Mitts who will be ready sooner than later most likely, and i think we can say the same about Cozens and Asplund

Yes, i do wanna make the playoffs NOW
BUT
It’s more important to think ahead here imo
Bc a year or 2 from now we are gonna have one of the best Center groups in the entire league
- jdfitz77

100% reasonable and it’s an argument against trading Risto. I’d like to see what Ralph can do with him first, anyway. Still we do have 12 or so dman and need to trade off a few of the lower ones

And Larsson is the best defensive center

None of us LOVE them
It’s obvious they don’t contribute offensively

But we don’t have forwards that are good defensively
Like none besides them really

So let’s actually get some here before we ship out the ONLY guys that are pretty decent at it

I just don’t see why that’s so unreasonable to some on here
- jdfitz77

Because we can and should do better than them

Ek said we are in on Gardiner and could possibly offer sheet Marner ?
- 50missionCapp

Can Marner play center? If not, no way. We already have a $9 mil winger.

100% reasonable and it’s an argument against trading Risto. I’d like to see what Ralph can do with him first, anyway. Still we do have 12 or so dman and need to trade off a few of the lower ones
- turbo044

This will be his 6th head coach. Not a fan of blaming coaches for his issues.

100% reasonable and it’s an argument against trading Risto. I’d like to see what Ralph can do with him first, anyway. Still we do have 12 or so dman and need to trade off a few of the lower ones
- turbo044

The way we keep Risto, at least to start the season...

Left side: Dahlin, McCabe, tbd
Right side: Risto, Miller, Montour

Pilot & Bogo are each out to start the season
Probably about a month i believe

Jokiharju can be sent to Rochester
And that’s not so outlandish
The guy only played half the season in Chicago last year & ppl are already spotting him in as Dahlin’s partner
That’s a little premature imo

The combo of Hunwick & Scandella can be the 3rd guy on the left side
Not ideal
I think we’d all just prefer them gone

Then when Pilut comes back he slots in on the left side- or maybe even starts in Rochester too
And when Bogo gets back,
one of the RH guys plays the left side

Or we keep Joker up here to start the season & see which RH guy can play the left side

Or we find a way to dump Scandella & Hunwick and use that Cap Space to sign Gardiner for the left side


There’s still about a dozen different ways i could see us go with the defense this year

Most likely, another couple moves are gonna happen

I just want Botts to make sure he gets the Risto trade right if we do move him

RH defensemen are ALWAYS gonna be in high demand
So if we can’t get a great deal for him now,
then he should wait till he can

Because we can and should do better than them
- jcragcrumple

Saying that is one thing
But we don’t actually have better than them yet,
so it’s logical to keep them