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

[Royal Thunder]

If I was coach I would go

Skinner-Eichel-Berglund
Thompson-Mitts-Reinhart
Sheary-Rodrigues-Okposo
Girgensons-Larsson-Sobotka/Elie

 

[Aladyyn]

Offensive line 1 — Skinner/Jack/Pommer or Erod
Defensive line 1—-Sobotka/Sam/Thompson
Offensive line 2 — Sheary/Mitts/Okposo
Defensive line 2 — Berglund/Larsson/Girgs

I thought we established last year that playing Sam with the worst players on the team isn't a good idea?

I much prefer Sheary-Reinhart-ERod while keeping the current Mitts line.

 

[Beerz]

Another variant

Skinner/Jack/Thompson
Sobotka/Sam/
Sheary/Mitts/Okposo
Berglund/Larsson/Girgs.


I like the one with Thompson with Sam better.

Thompson sticks out like a sore thumb. I wouldn't want him on Jack's line or on any line that is considered our #1 defensive line

 

[TehDoak]

Wrong thread

 

[OkimLom]

Skinner-Jack-Okposo
Sheary-Reinhart-Thompson
E-Rod-Mittelstadt-Pominville
Sobotka/Berglund-Larsson-Girgensons

Just because. Bolded are the duos I would keep together

 

[1972]

Thompson sticks out like a sore thumb. I wouldn't want him on Jack's line or on any line that is considered our #1 defensive line

He’d probably be a perfect fit with Jack....

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Skinner-Jack-Okposo
Sheary-Reinhart-Thompson
E-Rod-Mittelstadt-Pominville
Sobotka/Berglund-Larsson-Girgensons

Just because. Bolded are the duos I would keep together

Curious about middeldtadt/ pominville trio.What do you think pominville can do to help Casey? Watching Jason this year especially when not playing with jack doesn't look like he brings nothing to the table and for me him and sobotka are odd men out when team is healthy however i want to hear your thoughts.

 

[1972]

I thought we established last year that playing Sam with the worst players on the team isn't a good idea?

I much prefer Sheary-Reinhart-ERod while keeping the current Mitts line.

He's got like 20 points in his last 20 games, I am not sure why we would shift him to centre right now....

 

[Jim Bob]

He's got like 20 points in his last 20 games, I am not sure why we would shift him to centre right now....

Close.

He has 6g 12a 18 pts in his last 20 games.

He had 5g 10a 15pts in 15 games in November.

I wouldn't move him off the wing with Skinner and Eichel, personally.

 

[dortt]

He's got like 20 points in his last 20 games, I am not sure why we would shift him to centre right now....

some are hung up on the idea that he MUST be a center because he played that position in JUNIOR

 

[Jim Bob]

some are hung up on the idea that he MUST be a center because he played that position in JUNIOR

Or that he has to be a center because he was a 2OV pick and they think that is the only way to justify the pick.

 

[joshjull]

I thought we established last year that playing Sam with the worst players on the team isn't a good idea?

I much prefer Sheary-Reinhart-ERod while keeping the current Mitts line.

All that was established last year is that Sam struggles to produce away from Jack or ROR. That seems to have changed this year. He was doing well before getting put on Jack’s wing.

EDIT: And I can live with that line idea. Though I will say Sheary/Mitts/Okposo had been quite effective before Sheary's injury

 

[joshjull]

Or that he has to be a center because he was a 2OV pick and they think that is the only way to justify the pick.

Or that he is the skill set to be ROR 2.0. Or that I think he has the skills to be a far better option than anyone else tried as our top defensive line center.

You actually think my idea is due to justifying where he was picked? Where on earth did you get that idea?

 

[Goathead]

I’d like to see the following

Skinner-Eichel-Oko
Sobotka-Rod-Reino
Sheary-Mitts-Thompson
Berglund-Larsson-Girgs

Hopefully putting Oko on the top line gets him going or increases his value enough to be traded. Mitts and Thompson are starting to work and that second line looked passable the few games they played together

 

[joshjull]

some are hung up on the idea that he MUST be a center because he played that position in JUNIOR

No some are hung up on the idea that he could be an effective defensive center if given that specific role. His stint last year at center was on the 2nd offensive line (Mitts current role/usage) with minimally skilled wingers. I'm not sure how much that tells us about how he would do in a completely different role as the top defensive guy.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I wouldn't mind giving Reinhart another look at C, especially since we've got some injuries to cover for.

Skinner - Eichel - Rodrigues
Sobotka - Reinhart - Thompson
Sheary - Mittelstadt - Okposo
Berglund - Larsson - Girgs

If Tage keeps playing the way he has lately, Reino will have at least 1 decent wing. Sobotka still sucks, but there's nowhere else to put him. I'm half tempted to flip him with Berglund, but I'd be afraid of neutering what's been a very effective 4th line.

 

[dortt]

No some are hung up on the idea that he could be an effective defensive center if given that specific role. His stint last year at center was on the 2nd offensive line (Mitts current role/usage) with minimally skilled wingers. I'm not sure how much that tells us about how he would do in a completely different role as the top defensive guy.

why would we turn Reinhart, who is coming into his own as one of the better offensive wingers in the NHL into a defensive center?

That reeks of square peg into round hole to me

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

All that was established last year is that Sam struggles to produce away from Jack or ROR. That seems to have changed this year. He was doing well before getting put on Jack’s wing.

EDIT: And I can live with that line idea. Though I will say Sheary/Mitts/Okposo had been quite effective before Sheary's injury

Sam turned his game around last season with Wilson and Rodrigues.

And I’m not sure how you can claim anything was “established” in the ~500 minutes away from Jack/O’Reilly we’ve seen over the past two seasons. Especially when 130+ of them included Griffith and Nolan.

 

[joshjull]

why would we turn Reinhart, who is coming into his own as one of the better offensive wingers in the NHL into a defensive center?

That reeks of square peg into round hole to me

Sam's skill set is as a two way player not as simply an offensive winger. He has been doing real well in that regard on the wing. Btw he has spent a good chunk of the season playing wing on the very line I suggest he center. Its not like he hasn't been used to some degree in that defensive role already.

 

[tsujimoto74]

why would we turn Reinhart, who is coming into his own as one of the better offensive wingers in the NHL into a defensive center?

That reeks of square peg into round hole to me

He's been successful as a wing so far, yes, but he's also never really been given a fair shake at being successful at C. He hasn't gotten many looks there, and the few he has were in 3rd line minutes with crappy wingers. He's got the skill set/tools you look for in a C (puck distribution, positioning, on-ice awareness and vision). You might want a guy with a little better jump in his step for the purposes of coming back to the D zone, but ROR managed to be a great two-way C with worse skating, so it's certainly not a dealbreaker.

 

[Jim Bob]

Or that he is the skill set to be ROR 2.0. Or that I think he has the skills to be a far better option than anyone else tried as our top defensive line center.

You actually think my idea is due to justifying where he was picked? Where on earth did you get that idea?

Did I say you?

I think there are people that are hung up on his draft position and justifying the pick.

The post I was replying to said some people and not all people.

 

[joshjull]

Sam turned his game around last season with Wilson and Rodrigues.

And I’m not sure how you can claim anything was “established” in the ~500 minutes away from Jack/O’Reilly we’ve seen over the past two seasons. Especially when 130+ of them included Griffith and Nolan.

Sam has not produced much of anything away from those two in his 3 previous seasons as a Sabre. Its not an indictment of him. More reflective of the overall roster. My post was also in response to Aladyyn saying... haven't we "established" that we shouldn't play Sam with our worst players". That's the only reason I used that word.

As for the reasons why he didn't produce anything in the first half last year. It was definitely impacted by his line mates. But I recall being lectured about how Sam makes everyone better around him or elevates their play. Yet those same voices blamed everyone around him for his lack of production. That's trying to have it both ways. Sam was a great complimentary player to our top talent. he was very effective with them. But it wasn't until this season IMO that we finally saw the player that can elevate players away from those two. Which is why I'm intrigued by the idea of trying him back at center again.

 

[Djp]

If I was coach I would go

Skinner-Eichel-Berglund
Thompson-Mitts-Reinhart
Sheary-Rodrigues-Okposo
Girgensons-Larsson-Sobotka/Elie

A few things I want...

1 I don’t want Thompson and Mitts together
2, I don’t want Reunhart with jack
3 I don’t want Sobotka on the top 3 lines.


Skinner-Eichel-Poms
Sheary-Mitts-KO
Thompson-Girgensons -Reinhart
ERod-Larsson-berglund

Sobotka, Wilson, Elie, call up

I think buffalo should move some of these players to give room fir one if the kids.

Sobotka+ ERod/Girgs for ????

 

[joshjull]

Did I say you?

I think there are people that are hung up on his draft position and justifying the pick.

The post I was replying to said some people and not all people.

I am the one that introduced the idea of Sam in this recent go around talking about him at center. Your response was at the end of a chain responded to that idea. You also liked the previous one that responded to me directly. So it wasn't much of a leap to assume you were referring to me. But if you're say its not referring to me then I believe you.

I have to ask though, do you really think there is no rationale to try him in the role I suggest other than justifying his draft status? Because to me that's the only reason you would go there and bring up such an idea.

 

[Jim Bob]

I am the one that introduced the idea of Sam in this recent go around talking about it. Your response was at the end of a chain responded to that idea. You also liked the previous one that responded to me directly. So it wasn't much of a leap to assume you were referring to me. But if you're say its not referring to me then I believe you.

I have to ask though, do you really think there is no rationale to try him in the role I suggest other than justifying his draft status? Because to me that's the only reason you would go there and bring up such an idea.

I think there are a variety of reasons.

Some people want to tinker. Some people want to make agenda driven decisions. And then there are other people that want to not experiment at this time.

There are a variety of reasons for any idea out there.