2018-19 Roster Speculation Pt. 3: Started from the bottom now we're here

[DJN21]

We don't have a Hossa either

you mean to tell me that's not okposo?!

 

[Team Cozens]

Looking at the Sabres stats and a few definitely stand out. Particularly Skinners PLUS 19. That’s crazy. Next highest is Jack with a +9. Dahlin could easily end up as the 4th highest scorer on the Sabres. Hard to believe Dahlin has more points than Okposo, Mittelstadt, Sheary or Erod. Yikes.

Loving Jacks 41 points in 33 games.

 

[Djp]

I’d like to move Scandella as well... at the same time, look at how nice it is to finally have defensive depth...

Dahlin/Bogosian/Ristolainen/Scandella carries us most of the night tonight... Beaulieu was out early, and Tennyson is... Tennyson.

The nice part is, even with McCabe/Pilut/Beaulieu/Nelson all out, were still able to keep Guhle & Borgen in Rochester.

Hunwick could be an improvement on Tennyson in terms of a 9th defenseman.

But you can never have too many defensemen, that’s what worries me about moving a guy like Scandella.

Irrelevant of what happened/happens this year....scandella being traded this offseason was a real possibility given the additions of Dahlin and Pilut and the fact he is a UFA at the end of the 19/20 season.

They could decide to keep beaulieu and trade Scandella because beaulieu is used to sitting and being in that 5-6 Dman role.

They could do a deadline cap retain trade and get depth elsewhere like trading him for a player who can play middle wing/center who has similar term.

Even though bogi is in the same boat of UFA in 2020. I think he is less likely to be moved because he has a higher cap, he plays right side where buffalo has less short term depth if dahlin stays on the left side and he could be more inclined to take a lower short contract extension in 2020 for 2-3 yrs at an under 4 cap hit.

 

[Chainshot]

So that 2nd line center spot...

 

[Gabrielor]

So that 2nd line center spot...

SOO important to try and get better than Sobotka and push down Mitts this season.

 

[sabrebuild]

So that 2nd line center spot...

SOO important to try and get better than Sobotka and push down Mitts this season.

I’m thinking the same thing after the last month or so.

I’m expecting Mitts to become that guy. But I don’t want to waste a playoff series this year or potentially next while he works out the kinks.

If Berglund money is actually freed up, is Brock Nelson a cheap enough add to test run, he’s off to a good start. Let him be on the offensive line with Sheary and Okposo.

I think Mitts could hold down a defensive line with Wilson and Sobotka, or a callup. And Thompson can rotate in to different lines as needed.

I’m not really a huge fan of Nelson, but I don’t see a lot of great options that won’t be expensive in a trade.

 

[sabrebuild]

Side note, why in the world are people rushing to move Scandella? Having a guy like him that can pair up with McCabe helps create a tremendous amount of depth.

As long as Dahlin and Pilut are on elc’s, we should take advantage of loading up the defense.

 

[darcyRegier]

I think the middle six would be much improved with just shaking up the lines. I know I'm a broken record on this, but Poms - Sobotka - Tage just makes no sense on paper and clearly doesn't work on the ice. My proposal for the bottom 9:

Sheary - Mitts - Thompson
Okposo - Sobotka - Erod
Girgs - Larsson - Elie

Poms brings absolutely nothing to the team unless he's with Jack, he doesn't deserve ice time at this point. Wilson in for Elie when he's good to go.

 

[Djp]

Side note, why in the world are people rushing to move Scandella? Having a guy like him that can pair up with McCabe helps create a tremendous amount of depth.

As long as Dahlin and Pilut are on elc’s, we should take advantage of loading up the defense.

2019/20 RFAs and contract Dmen who are likely Sabres

RD: Risto, bogo, Nelson, Hunwick
LD: Dahlin, Pilut, Scandella, McCabe, Beaulieu

McCabe and beaulieu are RFAs this summer.

It’s not loading up the defense. You have a limit of 8 you can carry.

 

[sabremike]

I’m thinking the same thing after the last month or so.

I’m expecting Mitts to become that guy. But I don’t want to waste a playoff series this year or potentially next while he works out the kinks.

If Berglund money is actually freed up, is Brock Nelson a cheap enough add to test run, he’s off to a good start. Let him be on the offensive line with Sheary and Okposo.

I think Mitts could hold down a defensive line with Wilson and Sobotka, or a callup. And Thompson can rotate in to different lines as needed.

I’m not really a huge fan of Nelson, but I don’t see a lot of great options that won’t be expensive in a trade.

His nickname on the IslanderMania board is "Useless". Do not want.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

His nickname on the IslanderMania board is "Useless". Do not want.

Nelson seems to stay healthy and put in 20 goals and 20 assists a year though- is the rest of his game really that bad? Definitely better than Carter or Kesler imo.

 

[Club]

Nelson seems to stay healthy and put in 20 goals and 20 assists a year though- is the rest of his game really that bad? Definitely better than Carter or Kesler imo.

I've never been a big Nelson fan, but to each their own.

Welcome by the way! Glad to have you.

 

[flashsabre]

What are people's thoughts on Kevin Hayes as a 2nd line Centre option? He is having a great season with the Rags, is a UFA, Friedman says his name is out there. And I think he is tight with Eichel.

It always comes down to cost but they need to kickstart the middle 6 and let Mitts develop as the 3C for now.

 

[Gabrielor]

I think Hayes/Duchene types would be a mistake. 1st++ to acquire, and then you have to resign them along with Skinner.

 

[flashsabre]

I think Hayes/Duchene types would be a mistake. 1st++ to acquire, and then you have to resign them along with Skinner.

I tend to agree, I just wanted to see the conversation.

Something does need to give though so I wonder if Botts uses his Pitt connections and buys low on a Brassard to see if a new role will kickstart him for the remainder of the season. Does anyone know if Brassard and Sheary played significant time together in Pitt?

 

[Jim Bob]

Given that Friedman has said that the Sabres aren't looking at trading a 1st for a rental this year, I wouldn't consider the Sabres making a deal for someone like Duchene.

 

[Revelate]

My interest in Hayes goes up of we can get out of the Berglund contract. Hayes is technically a rental but I could see Botts viewing him as a candidate for an extension. He is playing some decently tough minutes this year and is still producing. He’d be a huge upgrade for us and a nice piece for the future.

 

[Reddawg]

Keep the picks. When in doubt, keep the picks. If there are questions in the future, keep the picks.

 

[SundherDome]

Trade the picks, yolo

 

[Reddawg]

Trade the picks, yolo

Tim? Is that you?

 

[SundherDome]

Tim? Is that you?

Maybe ... Also wish Tim was here so he could fleece Fletcher out of some nice Flyer pieces.

 

[Reddawg]

Maybe ... Also wish Tim was here so he could fleece Fletcher out of some nice Flyer pieces.

Fantastic fantasy for future forecasting.

 

[SundherDome]

A lot of F's used there lol. In all seriousness, one of the firsts should be in play for a mid twenties number 2 center. Athanasiou comes to mind as someone of interest if DET trends down the next few months.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Problem is, the type of player that Botterill would (justifiably) only pay 1st rounders for are the same players that these other teams won't trade. Even teams that go full re-build won't be trading the 20-24 yr old 2 or 3Cs that would be great targets for Buffalo. Hayes is barely in the right age range (26), but will be a UFA in the summer and likely command about 6.5 mil aav. I think the more practical route is to go after a guy like Tierney or someone even more affordable like Mattias Janmark in Dallas. Guys that can fill Sobotka's role more effectively and add secondary scoring while we wait on Mittelstadt.

 

[GellMann]

We acquired the second-leading-goal-scorer in the NHL without giving up anything of higher value than a 2nd rounder. That was a special circumstance, yes. But this team has trash center depth. If Linus doesn't save the bacon eight times yesterday, we are staring at 2-7 since the win streak, largely because of an inability for guys behind Jack to do anything remotely reliable and consistent offensively.

We have a 1C pacing for 108 points, a top 5 all time offensive performance for this franchise, carrying a winger that might leave to 24 goals through 34 games. We have a 10 game win streak under the belt, something we won't see again for decades in all likelihood. It is completely possible that we are one injury away from sinking this season because of 2C production like this:

And the C behind that guy being Vladimir freaking Sobotka. The depth scoring on this team has been erratic and outright bad enough that a simple cool-down from a still healthy top line can put us out of the playoff picture by February, given stretches like that 3-6 one we are currently in.

Darcy Regier didn't make any real moves at the 2005-06 deadline because we weren't ready to compete quite yet, the roster still needed development and we still needed to use our future draft picks on Persson, Scheistel, Brennan, Ennis, Adam, and Kassian. We used 4 AHL D in game 7 of the ECF and they helped us lose a 3rd period lead, keeping us from the freaking 8 seed Oilers and our city's first and only championship. That team was freaking dust 14 months later. History. Done. Gone.

There are the beginnings and potential of special things going on in Buffalo right now, and to help ensure that we get something extraordinarily important for Jack, Sam, Risto, Dahlin, playoff experience (far more important than the equivalent of Alex Nylander helping Rochester in 2022, which is statistically what will most likely happen with extra firsts), we need to lessen the need for our top line to put in 3 goals per game to have a chance to win every single game.

And like I said, there's a very real chance we can acquire said help without even needing to touch a first round pick. This will make Jack's life easier, it will make Casey better and give him better development space in real time, it will make our middle six wings better, and it will cement playoff hockey in Buffalo in April 2019, something that has far more value to this franchise and its pieces than fretting about a pick that we won't even need to give up to get meaningful upgrades.

Jason, I believe in this team you've built. You should too. I know you're expecting guys like Smith and Nylander to help out in April, but you can make it even easier on everyone involved before that happens, and in case that doesn't work as hoped. Fix the league's worst center depth and you can lock up executive of the year, and you won't even need to give up the farm or the future. This is a plea. As thrilled as I am to watch these games, I am just as anxious watching our bottom nine attempting to survive and failing miserably to the tune of regular trips below 20% shot shares and not coming within a mile of scoring a goal in two weeks (looking at 72-17-29, an outright and utter disaster of a line), relying on that utter ridiculousness from Ullmark night in and night out. We aren't always going to get those saves.

Great job on the team so far, man. Finish the job.