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21/22 Roster Speculation Thread Part VIII

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Pronman: Ranking the top free agents from college hockey, junior and Europe

Those with a chance to play in the NHL

3. Jake Livingstone, RHD, Minnesota State-WCHA

Livingstone has been excellent this season playing all situations for a top team in Mankato. He’s a big right-shot defender who can move the puck, has a hard point shot and can defend well enough due to his size and brain. His footspeed is just OK and will be his main issue for the NHL, but the rest of his game gives him a real chance to play games.
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I wonder if he is on the Sabres' radar...
 
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There is Caggiula 2.0 in his mentions as well - Gaber at NoDak. He reminds me of collegiate Drake, all energy and emotion. And tiny.
 
Jim Bob said:
This isn't the first time they have talked about how the Sabres lack toughness. And Mitts has been a guy that has consistently come up as not playing with enough jam. Soft is just another way to talk around how they tend to categorize Mitts when compared to a guy like Cozens. Even a guy like Krebs has a little more jam to their game when compared to Mitts.
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Rivet and Peters do want more toughness by committee, but that is not what they are looking for from Mittlestadt.

Rivet wants him to excel using his elite hockey IQ and skillset, but feel his skating will hold him back.
 
Jacob582 said:
Rivet and Peters do want more toughness by committee, but that is not what they are looking for from Mittlestadt.

Rivet wants him to excel using his elite hockey IQ and skillset, but feel his skating will hold him back.
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Given how they have talked about Mitts so far this season, skating isn't the only reason that they wonder if he will be a guy worth keeping around as a core guy long term or not.

That is just one factor. EF talked about durability, but I think it was Rivet that did point out that the injury bug has just bit him this season and isn't a longer term thing.

They did mention the lack of jam in Mitts' game and that has been a consistent critique that they have had.
 
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Fjordy said:
So we need the better forwards, in addition to RD and goalie.Olofsson might be redundant if we could replace him with a player who is good at 5v5 and maybe even physical. Copp? Nichushkin? It is unlikely that Adams will go to the UFA for a big fish like Gaudreau or Forsberg.
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The have the forwards for the most part. They just need them to be healthy or graduate from the minors. Guys like Girgs, Mitts, Quinn and Peterka.
 
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joshjull said:
The have the forwards for the most part. They just need them to be healthy or graduate from the minors. Guys like Girgs, Mitts, Quinn and Peterka.
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I know, but let's say if they trade Olofsson to TDL or maybe in the summer, there will probably be a place in line-up to replace him.
 
Jim Bob said:
I do not believe that the injury was why they called him soft. Mitts is a skilled guy and not a guy that finishes checks or can be counted on to drop the gloves from time to time to stand up for a teammate ala Cozens.

And Mitts has never been known as an athletic guy and there have been plenty of questions since the combine about his dedication to improving his body in the weight room. I think that is a factor in his skating. He just isn't an explosive athlete.

Peters & Rivet have a difference in opinion when it comes to Granato and the work he has done. How Mitts looked last year for Granato did lead one of them (I think it was Rivet, but don't quote me) to be more optimistic about Mitts moving forward.

But, they did tend to have Mitts in the VO category of guys that they are not big on being a part of the solution moving forward when compared to other guys.
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Wow. This something. Its like last season never happened nor the offseason before it.
 
I'm not sure Myers is a good option, probably not the worst of course, but I would definitely prefer Murphy or Roy, and would not want to pay any assets for Myers.
 
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Fjordy said:
I know, but let's say if they trade Olofsson to TDL or maybe in the summer, there will probably be a place in line-up to replace him.
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Even if we trade Olofsson we have enough forwards in house to ice a pretty effective top 9. Whereas RHD and goalie don’t really have in house options and are needs that have to be filled from outside.

I was disagreeing with the idea that the “needs” at forward are on par with RHD/goalie.
 
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joshjull said:
Even if we trade Olofsson we have enough forwards in house to ice a pretty effective top 9. Whereas RHD and goalie don’t really have in house options and are needs that have to be filled from outside.
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Yeah, but how does this prevent you from adding a decent forward to the top 9 in the UFA? I know that the priority is RD and goalie, but some skill and perseverance also does not hurt in the group of forwards. They shouldn't just give this place to Peterka and Asplund. Perhaps Asplund and Okposo will play on the fourth line with Zemgus, we'll see in next season.
 
Fjordy said:
Yeah, but how does this prevent you from adding a decent forward to the top 9 in the UFA? I know that the priority is RD and goalie, but some skill and perseverance also does not hurt in the group of forwards. They shouldn't just give this place to Peterka and Asplund. Perhaps Asplund and Okposo will play on the fourth line with Zemgus, we'll see in next season.
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I was disagreeing with the idea that the “needs” at forward are on par with RHD/goalie.
 
@Fjordy


I not sure why you’d view Peterka as being gifted a spot when it would hinge on him earning it with his play in Rochester. Which is the normal course of things for a young player.
 
joshjull said:
I was disagreeing with the idea that the “needs” at forward are on par with RHD/goalie.
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joshjull said:
@Fjordy


I not sure why you’d view Peterka as being gifted a spot when it would hinge on him earning it with his play in Rochester. Which is the normal course of things for a young player.
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No, of course, the need for a RD and a goalie is greater than for a forward, I did not argue with that. I was just saying that they could add one experienced forward to the UFA if needed.

He played great in Rochester, but he may not be fully ready for the NHL yet, I see him as one of the main options in the top 9 next season.
 
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Jacob582 said:
You should listen to what they said. A lot of words have been put in their mouth. None of them used the word "soft" (Peters did say, there is no jam to his play.

Some of their quotes:

EF brought up Mittlestadt unsolicited. "One player I'm not sure about yet is Mittlestadt". "One of the things I wonder about.........can he stay healthy enough?"

Peters: "For me it's not even the health.... I just don't think he's very fast"


Rivet: "I think his skillset, his vision on the ice is elite.' "His brain is elite"
"he doesn't have the skating ability to be able to be an elite player in this game"

Rivet also praises his game last season.

Mittelstadt talk starts at 8:35 of episode 52.
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I did listen to it and Peters in my opinion is just flat out wrong. Mitts isn't a fast skater, but he's not any slower than say Reinhart. Reinhart was soft too, so saying he's not sold on Mitts because he's too slow and soft is strange to me. I don't think anyone here is expecting Mitts to be an elite player, but if he can be anywhere near where he was at the end of last year, then I think most of us would be happy.
 
Lloydchristmas138 said:
Nichuschkin is absolutely a guy I’d pay a little more for or be creative with. Give him something like the old Brandon Tanev treatment. I doubt Colorado let’s him leave though.
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Yeap, Valera would be a great 5v5 upgrade if Adams does decide to trade Olofsson.
 
Chainshot said:
Well that Vancouver rumour about Myers being on the move is at least intriguing.

And probably a bit of click-bait. Still, he would fit the idea of having another RHD option.
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I posted a while back about trading for both Petry and Myers. Both are flawed. Both are on shorter deals (Petry for 3 more years, Myers for 2 more years). Both are better options to partner with Dahlin and Power than anyone else in the organization, and won't cost much to get.

They both could mentor the young defenders, and by the time the Sabres' training wheels are off, their deals expire. Seems like a decent development option.
 
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The return would have to be good to trade vo or roll the dice and gamble on a return to goalofson and trade next year at tdl or keep him or trade in offseason.

the saying buy hi and sell low and make it up in volume comes to mind. The value of vo can’t be too high right now

5th, 6th or 7th rounders are not that valuable to the Sabres right now because we need to find playing time in the minors for all of our first and second round picks. There is a shortage of development room.
 
SpilledBrewskie said:
I did listen to it and Peters in my opinion is just flat out wrong. Mitts isn't a fast skater, but he's not any slower than say Reinhart. Reinhart was soft too, so saying he's not sold on Mitts because he's too slow and soft is strange to me. I don't think anyone here is expecting Mitts to be an elite player, but if he can be anywhere near where he was at the end of last year, then I think most of us would be happy.
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But Sam isn’t soft.

Any player willing to go to high traffic areas or take punishment to make plays, score goals, etc are not soft. Its the guys who try to avoid that who are soft.

Not being physical does equate to being soft. Neither Mitts of last season or Sam are soft players.
 
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