Vladimir Sobotka: "It’s a new, fresh year and I don’t want to talk about what happened last year. ... If you want to play more, you need to deserve that ice time. I think everyone is good with that. We’re trying to push each other to be better and whoever gets it, gets it."

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."
- adambuffalo

So...Sobotka for Masterton.

Vladimir Sobotka: "It’s a new, fresh year and I don’t want to talk about what happened last year. ... If you want to play more, you need to deserve that ice time. I think everyone is good with that. We’re trying to push each other to be better and whoever gets it, gets it."

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."
- adambuffalo

Scary and good, all in one.

Scary good.

Or not.

Ristolainen I want u let’s go

I know that a trade won’t happen for drouin. But I wouldn’t mind a player like him!
- Sabretooth9

We would have some serious Left Wing depth lol or would he get to try out 2C also?

Vladimir Sobotka: "It’s a new, fresh year and I don’t want to talk about what happened last year. ... If you want to play more, you need to deserve that ice time. I think everyone is good with that. We’re trying to push each other to be better and whoever gets it, gets it."

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. When he has the puck, I'm thinking 'holy poop, guy, give that thing to someone who knows what to do with it.' But we're excited to bring a vortex of anti-creativity and a dearth of scoring to whatever line we saddle him with. Imagine a 4th liner that isn't fast, doesn't hit or fight, and can't score. Truly a coach's dream. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."
- adambuffalo

Fixed that for Ralph

I'm just posting poop like this until the season starts.

Seriously though, where is 89?
- BeadyEyedDouche

Someone probly argued with him a few months ago and he left. Probly still lurks

We would have some serious Left Wing depth lol or would he get to try out 2C also?
- Bufsaints8

I thought the habs use him at center. My bad.

Yes I rather have a 2C.

Ek is e758 anything Sabres related lately.

Vladimir Sobotka: "It’s a new, fresh year and I don’t want to talk about what happened last year. ... If you want to play more, you need to deserve that ice time. I think everyone is good with that. We’re trying to push each other to be better and whoever gets it, gets it."

Ralph Krueger today on Sobotka: "He’s a real smart player away from the puck. He understands what we’re trying to do here and has very quickly picked up those habits. We’re excited to see that continue. … The players will make the decisions on who plays how many minutes."
- adambuffalo

Egads

Can anyone count the amount of times this has happened in the cap era. Closest thing that happened this year was edmundsons arb reward and getting dealt a two months later
- TheSabresTaco

Oh I don’t see it happening... does this mean we are getting Conner? Connor? The other Jet... lol

We would have some serious Left Wing depth lol or would he get to try out 2C also?
- Bufsaints8

It's the sabres. We have:

Left wings playing right wing (sheary)
Left wings playing center (Mojo)
Centers playing RW (erod)
Centers playing LW (Girgensons)
RD playing LD (joker, montour)
Sobotka playing hockey

Drouin can try out for goalie if he'd like

Can anyone count the amount of times this has happened in the cap era. Closest thing that happened this year was edmundsons arb reward and getting dealt a two months later
- TheSabresTaco

Quick clarification:

May I also include the NBA?

It's the sabres. We have:

Left wings playing right wing (sheary)
Left wings playing center (Mojo)
Centers playing RW (erod)
Centers playing LW (Girgensons)
RD playing LD (joker, montour)
Sobotka playing hockey

Drouin can try out for goalie if he'd like
- jcragcrumple

Players switching wings really isn't that uncommon, and centers playing wing are even less of a big deal, because it's much, much easier to play wing than center at any level of hockey.

Players switching wings really isn't that uncommon, and centers playing wing are even less of a big deal, because it's much, much easier to play wing than center at any level of hockey.
- buffalofan19

It's just a joke. The sabres are clearly a "positions dont matter" team though.

Just listened to Ralph: Lockport Larry has an untapped level of offense, apparently

It's just a joke. The sabres are clearly a "positions dont matter" team though.

Just listened to Ralph: Lockport Larry has an untapped level of offense, apparently
- jcragcrumple

Ralph tries to build his players' confidence up, and there's nothing wrong with that.

It's in our best interest to hope for the best, and better play, from our bottom forwards.

It's in our best interest to hope for the best, and better play, from our bottom forwards.
- TheSabresTaco

But, then how do we complain about their lack of success?

I should clarify that I am always trying to be optimistic.

Looking at this lineup, it almost seems necessary to trade Risto for any type of top 6 forward. Would Buffalo be better with another top 6 forward at the expense of Ristolainen, or better off keeping Ristolainen? I think the answer is pretty transparent. We have already seen the latter for too long. Everytime Risto is on the ice in a Sabres sweater his value will continue to drop. He needed to be dealt a while ago. If Botts can still get a top 6 forward during the deadline it has to happen.

Olofsson-Eichel-Reinhart
Skinner-Johansson-Erod/Sheary
Vesey-Mitts-Erod/Sheary
Girgensons-Sobotka-Okposo

Olofsson scores 25-30 playing with Eichel and Rhino and proves why paying Skinner $9M per for 8 years was a complete joke

Skinner goes back to his career average of 25 goals and 50 points and Johansson puts up the same amount of points for half the salary but nobody will care because assists don’t matter.

The third line provides some depth scoring where needed and all average around 35-40 points.

The 4th line makes me want to throw up in my mouth.

It's in our best interest to hope for the best, and better play, from our bottom forwards.
- TheSabresTaco

The bottom 6 has to be better, but I just don't see enough scoring depth on the top 6 to be a playoff contender. I hope I'm wrong and Ralph Krueger is a genius.

Looking at this lineup, it almost seems necessary to trade Risto for any type of top 6 forward. Would Buffalo be better with another top 6 forward at the expense of Ristolainen, or better off keeping Ristolainen? I think the answer is pretty transparent. We have already seen the latter for too long. Everytime Risto is on the ice in a Sabres sweater his value will continue to drop. He needed to be dealt a while ago. If Botts can still get a top 6 forward during the deadline it has to happen.
- doppelthat

Risto for a temporary 2C that moves down to 3C once one of Cozens or Mitts grabs that role by the horns is what we’ve needed since July 1st.

The bottom 6 has to be better, but I just don't see enough scoring depth on the top 6 to be a playoff contender. I hope I'm wrong and Ralph Krueger is a genius.
- doppelthat

Ralph doesn't need to be a genius.

He just needs to be much better than that idiot who ran the team last year, and it shouldn't be that hard.

Looking at this lineup, it almost seems necessary to trade Risto for any type of top 6 forward. Would Buffalo be better with another top 6 forward at the expense of Ristolainen, or better off keeping Ristolainen? I think the answer is pretty transparent. We have already seen the latter for too long. Everytime Risto is on the ice in a Sabres sweater his value will continue to drop. He needed to be dealt a while ago. If Botts can still get a top 6 forward during the deadline it has to happen.
- doppelthat

Any top 6 forward. Any

Ralph doesn't need to be a genius.

He just needs to be much better than that idiot who ran the team last year, and it shouldn't be that hard.
- Powerslave

Maybe I have seen too many idiots behind the Sabres bench that just a competent coach will seem like a genius

Maybe I have seen too many idiots behind the Sabres bench that just a competent coach will seem like a genius
- doppelthat

And, man, have we ever had a string of them.

Woof.