22 replies to this topic

[number9]

http://thehockeywrit...season-grade-b/

My view of the Sabres off-season. Comments and criticism appreciated.

I don't think Buffalo will be a cup contender this year, but I think the team will be better off down the road with the changes made.

[Sabres Fan In NS]

Seems we have a blogger as our newest member.

Anyway, welcome to the board.

A thoughtful analysis, but I only skimmed it.

Considering the state of things at the moment, I don't think there are any cup contenders this year.  I don't think the cup will be played for and awarded this season, because there won't be a season.

[shrader]

So you're saying you didn't want to see an offseason analysis in the middle of December?

[dEnnis the Menace]

it is technically still the offseason

[Spndnchz]

Nice read but Mancari isn't a defenseman.

[number9]

Spndnchz, on 04 December 2012 - 04:13 PM, said:

Nice read but Mancari isn't a defenseman.

My mistake. Corrected. Didn't he use to play D? Or did I just plain goof on that?

[MattPie]

number9, on 04 December 2012 - 05:04 PM, said:

My mistake. Corrected. Didn't he use to play D? Or did I just plain goof on that?

I think he may have been a D early on. And since we're picking nits, Mark Mancari (in the free agent section).

Edited by MattPie, 04 December 2012 - 05:19 PM.

[Eleven]

number9, on 04 December 2012 - 05:04 PM, said:

My mistake. Corrected. Didn't he use to play D? Or did I just plain goof on that?

You didn't goof; he was a defenseman originally.

Nice writing.

[qwksndmonster]

Good read, but just makes me sad at this point.

[number9]

qwksndmonster, on 04 December 2012 - 10:35 PM, said:

Good read, but just makes me sad at this point.

Like many teams the lockout may actually kind of be good for the Sabres.

2013-14 lineup

Vanek - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ennis - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Girgensons - Armia
Flynn - Adam - Kaleta

Regehr - Myers
Ehrhoff - Leopold
Sekera - McNabb

Miller
Enroth

Young and sexyyyyyyyyyyy

[deluca67]

number9, on 05 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Like many teams the lockout may actually kind of be good for the Sabres.

2013-14 lineup

Vanek - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ennis - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Girgensons - Armia
Flynn - Adam - Kaleta

Regehr - Myers
Ehrhoff - Leopold
Sekera - McNabb

Miller
Enroth

Young and sexyyyyyyyyyyy

Steve Ott?

[SwampD]

DeLuca67, on 05 December 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

Steve Ott?

Ott for Adam.

[Spndnchz]

Mr Brennan asks "what about me?"

[LGR4GM]

number9, on 05 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Like many teams the lockout may actually kind of be good for the Sabres.

2013-14 lineup

Vanek - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ennis - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Girgensons - Armia
Flynn - Adam - Kaleta

Regehr - Myers
Ehrhoff - Leopold
Sekera - McNabb

Miller
Enroth

Young and sexyyyyyyyyyyy

...or

Vanek - Grigs - Pommers
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford/Armia
Ott - Hodgson - Armia/Stafford
Leino/Someone? - McCormick - Keleta

Myers - Ehrhoff
Sekera - McNabb
Weber - Brennan/Leo

Not sure with our depth if we resign Regehr (i'd like too). Not sure where Adam will fall, maybe a lifetime AHL'er.  Again I would resign Leopold but not sure with our depth we do.  Hate to say it but I don't think Leino goes anywhere and depending on Ott and Foligno he kinda becomes irrelevant.  That would be my guess for the 2013-2014 roster.  A lot of things depend on what happens this season and this offseason.

Also, I wouldn't move Foligno away from Ennis or move Ennis to wing because those two have chemistry and Ennis needs the extra space down the middle.  (Of course this season that may change because Ennis is injured)

[inkman]

number9, on 05 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Like many teams the lockout may actually kind of be good for the Sabres.

2013-14 lineup

Vanek - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ennis - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Girgensons - Armia
Flynn - Adam - Kaleta

Regehr - Myers
Ehrhoff - Leopold
Sekera - McNabb

Miller
Enroth

Young and sexyyyyyyyyyyy

Flynn has a 0% chance of making the Sabres.  Girgensons maybe but he'll need a Folignoesque jump in his AHL game to make it.  Right now he's just a below average AHLer.

[TrueBluePhD]

inkman, on 05 December 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

Flynn has a 0% chance of making the Sabres. Girgensons maybe but he'll need a Folignoesque jump in his AHL game to make it.  Right now he's just a below average AHLer.

Not that I've seen him play, but from everything I've read he'll need a minimum of two full years in the AHL before he's ready to crack the NHL.  Sound about right?

[shrader]

TrueBluePhD, on 05 December 2012 - 01:03 PM, said:

Not that I've seen him play, but from everything I've read he'll need a minimum of two full years in the AHL before he's ready to crack the NHL.  Sound about right?

Kind of like those two years Foligno had in juniors after being drafted.  If Girgensons had been an American born kid about to head to the NCAA, they wouldn't have signed him yet and let him develop at that level instead.

[TrueBluePhD]

shrader, on 05 December 2012 - 01:21 PM, said:

Kind of like those two years Foligno had in juniors after being drafted.  If Girgensons had been an American born kid about to head to the NCAA, they wouldn't have signed him yet and let him develop at that level instead.

I really hope being in the AHL at 18 doesn't screw up his long-term development.

[number9]

inkman, on 05 December 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

Flynn has a 0% chance of making the Sabres.  Girgensons maybe but he'll need a Folignoesque jump in his AHL game to make it.  Right now he's just a below average AHLer.

I wouldn't completely count Flynn out... as long as he keeps up his AHL performance. Could be one of those late-bloomers. I'm just overly excited about Girgensons. Love the way he plays. I think he could be NHL ready after one AHL season potentially, but 2 years will probably do him well.

LGR4GM, on 05 December 2012 - 08:49 AM, said:

...or

Vanek - Grigs - Pommers
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford/Armia
Ott - Hodgson - Armia/Stafford
Leino/Someone? - McCormick - Keleta

Myers - Ehrhoff
Sekera - McNabb
Weber - Brennan/Leo

Not sure with our depth if we resign Regehr (i'd like too). Not sure where Adam will fall, maybe a lifetime AHL'er.  Again I would resign Leopold but not sure with our depth we do.  Hate to say it but I don't think Leino goes anywhere and depending on Ott and Foligno he kinda becomes irrelevant.  That would be my guess for the 2013-2014 roster.  A lot of things depend on what happens this season and this offseason.

Also, I wouldn't move Foligno away from Ennis or move Ennis to wing because those two have chemistry and Ennis needs the extra space down the middle.  (Of course this season that may change because Ennis is injured)

Agreed. I like Ott at center though.

Vanek - Grigs - Poms
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford
Leino - Hodgson - Armia
Adam - Ott - Kaleta

I like the look of 3 scoring lines. Switch out Adam with Scott when we play Boston.

[MattPie]

number9, on 05 December 2012 - 01:50 PM, said:

I wouldn't completely count Flynn out... as long as he keeps up his AHL performance. Could be one of those late-bloomers. I'm just overly excited about Girgensons. Love the way he plays. I think he could be NHL ready after one AHL season potentially, but 2 years will probably do him well.



Agreed. I like Ott at center though.

Vanek - Grigs - Poms
Foligno - Ennis - Stafford
Leino - Hodgson - Armia
Adam - Ott - Kaleta

I like the look of 3 scoring lines. Switch out Adam with Scott when we play Boston.

Unless Adam has had a major attitude change, he has no business on a 4th line, or even in the bottom 6.

[qwksndmonster]

There's still just not enough sandpaper in the top 6.  Maybe if we put Leino on the first line...

[Vanek-Man]

number9, on 05 December 2012 - 07:29 AM, said:

Like many teams the lockout may actually kind of be good for the Sabres.

2013-14 lineup

Vanek - Grigorenko - Pominville
Ennis - Hodgson - Stafford
Foligno - Girgensons - Armia
Flynn - Adam - Kaleta

Regehr - Myers
Ehrhoff - Leopold
Sekera - McNabb

Miller
Enroth

Young and sexyyyyyyyyyyy

I think you're rushing Armia a bit too fast. He's currently sitting out in Finland with a concussion. With the North American game being more physical then in Finland, and him having a concussion problem, i would suspect Armia will play in Rochester for a extended amount of time before he comes up to Buffalo.

[number9]

qwksndmonster, on 05 December 2012 - 03:28 PM, said:

There's still just not enough sandpaper in the top 6.  Maybe if we put Leino on the first line...

Hillarious. If a Bobby Ryan trade could be pulled off though, then we'd have a top 6 power forward. Though the Nash trade makes me think it won't happen, what with everything CBJ demanded

Vanek-Man, on 05 December 2012 - 03:32 PM, said:

I think you're rushing Armia a bit too fast. He's currently sitting out in Finland with a concussion. With the North American game being more physical then in Finland, and him having a concussion problem, i would suspect Armia will play in Rochester for a extended amount of time before he comes up to Buffalo.

Think it's better for him to be in the finnish mens league? or adjusting to NA in the AHL?