Michael Pachla: Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster--D, Zach Bogosian

First

Nice read, sir. Bogo gets a bit of a bad rap, not for being bad but for being perceived as overpaid. If the Bogo from the last couple months of last year is the real Bogo when healthy, and if he can stay healthy, then he will be a bargain at 5 mil.

Side note/comment: seems like some look at Kuli as another Bogo....I will wait to opine on Kuli until after he actually plays some hockey for us.

I like the looks of our d even without a true 9 mil superstar back there.

Nice read, sir. Bogo gets a bit of a bad rap, not for being bad but for being perceived as overpaid. If the Bogo from the last couple months of last year is the real Bogo when healthy, and if he can stay healthy, then he will be a bargain at 5 mil.

Side note/comment: seems like some look at Kuli as another Bogo....I will wait to opine on Kuli until after he actually plays some hockey for us.

I like the looks of our d even without a true 9 mil superstar back there.
- LandlordTom

agreed...although there are question marks at No. 2 opposite risto

Michael Pachla: Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster--D, Zach Bogosian
- Michael Pachla

Michael Pachla: Building the 2016-17 Buffalo Sabres roster--D, Zach Bogosian
- Michael Pachla

All the players should have a better year . Bogo included

agreed...although there are question marks at No. 2 opposite risto
- Michael Pachla

maybe play mccabe with risto
kulikov with bogo


split the ice time 5 on 5 with the 2 groups, then player the better guys that night on special teams

agreed...although there are question marks at No. 2 opposite risto
- Michael Pachla

Questionable positions often turn out to be team strengths, and vice versa, in the end. Even in the tank years nobody expected our goaltending to be so good, and even the biggest pro-tankers Polly didn't expect our scoring to be so historically bad.

Maybe our top 2 d are what, 22 and 23 years old, barely? Risto and McCabe are the future, Bogo/ Kuli....who knows?

maybe play mccabe with risto
kulikov with bogo


split the ice time 5 on 5 with the 2 groups, then player the better guys that night on special teams
- homiedclown

that could very well happen...Bylsma already has said they'll be paring back risto's minutes

Questionable positions often turn out to be team strengths, and vice versa, in the end. Even in the tank years nobody expected our goaltending to be so good, and even the biggest pro-tankers Polly didn't expect our scoring to be so historically bad.

Maybe our top 2 d are what, 22 and 23 years old, barely? Risto and McCabe are the future, Bogo/ Kuli....who knows?
- LandlordTom

I don't think i'd have much of a problem with risto/McCabe if they both continue to progress

maybe play mccabe with risto
kulikov with bogo


split the ice time 5 on 5 with the 2 groups, then player the better guys that night on special teams
- homiedclown

The hard part is not getting Disco Dan to try this, it is getting him to stick with it for more than a couple games, especially if they struggle a little.

maybe play mccabe with risto
kulikov with bogo


split the ice time 5 on 5 with the 2 groups, then player the better guys that night on special teams
- homiedclown

That's the best case scenario. If McCabe can be good enough that he's playing with Risto and that pairing is doing well it's a major blessing. Will McCabe be good enough for that is the question. Plus, long term he still won't be that solid 1st pairing guy. He could be the McNabb type player, and by that I mean a decent player who plays with a much better partner and can hold his own next to him without bringing him down. If that's the case I still think the Sabres need that bonified number 1 pairing guy, even if he's a RD, that you put out there whenever you need the stop in a critical game. Risto is good but I don't know if he's ever a cup winning 1st Defenseman.

Zach Bustosian

that could very well happen...Bylsma already has said they'll be paring back risto's minutes
- Michael Pachla

That 3rd pairing is going to be the rough one if we don't bring Guhle up. Franson and Gorges on the same line is going to be targeted daily. Especially in away games where they get the last change the home team will line up speed against them and will burn them constantly.

Imo franson is a number 7 D, or a 5-6 if his partner has speed to make up for his lack. Playing him with Gorges would be a big mistake. On a side note, has anyone noticed how FAST franson was in NHL '16? It was crazy

Zach Bustosian
- DDM-Coga

Grigorenko to KHL

http://fuldans.se/?v=xapeifcwtg

Grigorenko to KHL

http://fuldans.se/?v=xapeifcwtg
- homiedclown

Wow.

The problem with Bogosian has always been between the ears. He's clearly got the talent and size and a much better offensive touch than he's given credit for. In fact Id say that hes probably better off in a more offensive role than defensive.

This isnt the 20th century, defence isn't measured based on your ability to lay out big hits (and Bogo misses on quite a few). Ill take the player who can take away the passing lane or perform a well timed stick check over the guy who will be out of position constantly but gets 10 seconds on the carruba collision of the game. And the notion that Bogosian played better in the 2nd half is kind of misguided. The only thing that changed is he was given more of an offensive assignment/opportunity against weaker teams (schedule got way easier) and he put up more points as a result. Thats not him getting better, hes played close to 500 games in the nhl at this point he is what he is. That's just Bylsma finally putting him in a position to succeed based on his strengths instead of a position to fail based on some outdated theory that hitting=defence.

Bogosian may be a fine player but a) you can get similar production for far less $ on the cap b) they need a different style of d-man on this team any ways. There's too much of the same kind. Michael brought up the panthers a few days ago questioning the decision to have too many of the analytics darlings. This is fair and I agree but we're basically in the same position. I see 5 guys who all play the same style and share the same weaknesses. You're not moving risto, Kulikov just got here, and mccabe is on a great deal. They don't need Bogosian, especially at 5.14 mil.

Grigorenko to KHL

http://fuldans.se/?v=xapeifcwtg
- homiedclown

wow big if true....shocking news

Imo franson is a number 7 D, or a 5-6 if his partner has speed to make up for his lack. Playing him with Gorges would be a big mistake. On a side note, has anyone noticed how FAST franson was in NHL '16? It was crazy
- jcragcrumple

I don't want franson or gorges playing 18 minutes even strength a night

rotate them on bottom pair with nelson

then again Guhle is a lefty

That 3rd pairing is going to be the rough one if we don't bring Guhle up. Franson and Gorges on the same line is going to be targeted daily. Especially in away games where they get the last change the home team will line up speed against them and will burn them constantly.
- Zschalberg

Good coaches know to try to exploit iffy 3rd pairings.

Good coaches that have an iffy 3rd pairing know how to put them in positions to not kill their team.

The problem with Bogosian has always been between the ears. He's clearly got the talent and size and a much better offensive touch than he's given credit for. In fact Id say that hes probably better off in a more offensive role than defensive.

This isnt the 20th century, defence isn't measured based on your ability to lay out big hits (and Bogo misses on quite a few). Ill take the player who can take away the passing lane or perform a well timed stick check over the guy who will be out of position constantly but gets 10 seconds on the carruba collision of the game. And the notion that Bogosian played better in the 2nd half is kind of misguided. The only thing that changed is he was given more of an offensive assignment/opportunity against weaker teams (schedule got way easier) and he put up more points as a result. Thats not him getting better, hes played close to 500 games in the nhl at this point he is what he is. That's just Bylsma finally putting him in a position to succeed based on his strengths instead of a position to fail based on some outdated theory that hitting=defence.

Bogosian may be a fine player but a) you can get similar production for far less $ on the cap b) they need a different style of d-man on this team any ways. There's too much of the same kind. Michael brought up the panthers a few days ago questioning the decision to have too many of the analytics darlings. This is fair and I agree but we're basically in the same position. I see 5 guys who all play the same style and share the same weaknesses. You're not moving risto, Kulikov just got here, and mccabe is on a great deal. They don't need Bogosian, especially at 5.14 mil.
- Sabresfan-365

You wrote this before the blog came out, didn't you?

Very accurate, well thought out post

agreed...although there are question marks at No. 2 opposite risto
- Michael Pachla

Two big question marks to be precise: when and where are they going to get one?

Bogo is fine. We're better when he's in the lineup, which will hopefully be at least 70 games. He's probably not worth 5+ million, but at the same time, it's not ludicrous.

The problem with Bogosian has always been between the ears. He's clearly got the talent and size and a much better offensive touch than he's given credit for. In fact Id say that hes probably better off in a more offensive role than defensive.

This isnt the 20th century, defence isn't measured based on your ability to lay out big hits (and Bogo misses on quite a few). Ill take the player who can take away the passing lane or perform a well timed stick check over the guy who will be out of position constantly but gets 10 seconds on the carruba collision of the game. And the notion that Bogosian played better in the 2nd half is kind of misguided. The only thing that changed is he was given more of an offensive assignment/opportunity against weaker teams (schedule got way easier) and he put up more points as a result. Thats not him getting better, hes played close to 500 games in the nhl at this point he is what he is. That's just Bylsma finally putting him in a position to succeed based on his strengths instead of a position to fail based on some outdated theory that hitting=defence.

Bogosian may be a fine player but a) you can get similar production for far less $ on the cap b) they need a different style of d-man on this team any ways. There's too much of the same kind. Michael brought up the panthers a few days ago questioning the decision to have too many of the analytics darlings. This is fair and I agree but we're basically in the same position. I see 5 guys who all play the same style and share the same weaknesses. You're not moving risto, Kulikov just got here, and mccabe is on a great deal. They don't need Bogosian, especially at 5.14 mil.
- Sabresfan-365

Long winded