Let's talk defense...

[Dreakon13]

With the departure of Zadorov, how does our D depth look these days? I think we can cobble together a decent NHL defense with the likes of Risto, Bogo, Pysyk, Gorges, etc... but injuries happen, there are no guarantees. Is there much in the pipeline? I'm having a hard time thinking of defensive prospects that weren't already on the Sabres last year outside of Pysyk and McCabe.

Between the remainder of the draft and free agency, I think the forward group is just peachy at this point. Let's talk defense.

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[Moskau]

I'm sure we will sign someone in free agency. But yes we likely need to replenish the pool.

 

[Chainshot]

I'd like a quality top 4 LD who is proven possession guy at the NHL level either in trade or free agency.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Florentino is solid but I expect tomorrow to be D heavy. At this point they need quantity.

I wouldn't be surprised if they flip Hodgson for a D man as well. With Eichel and ROR there's no question he's the odd man out.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

With the departure of Zadorov, how does our D depth look these days? I think we can cobble together a decent NHL defense with the likes of Risto, Bogo, Pysyk, Gorges, etc... but injuries happen, there are no guarantees. Is there much in the pipeline? I'm having a hard time thinking of defensive prospects that weren't already on the Sabres last year outside of Pysyk and McCabe.

Between the remainder of the draft and free agency, I think the forward group is just peachy at this point. Let's talk defense.

Bring Rej back.

 

[Selanne00008]

Bring Rej back.

Should we pull an erhoff and send LA a 5th rounder in 2016 contingent on Rej signing by 7/1??

 

[haseoke39]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

 

[gallagt01]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

Umm, following the Oilers model by trading a collection of unproven assets for established NHL players (who are 200-foot players to boot)?

Come on. You're reaching.

 

[Myllz]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

Trading one guy took us from the Blackhawks model to the Oilers model. Please stop.

 

[Djp]

I see buffalo making some forward for defense trades...these are prospect trades.

 

[Moskau]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

The Blackhawks model? The **** are you talking about? The model where they found the best defensemen in the late 2nd round? And then waited 4 years for him to make the NHL? Duncan Keith had like a 6.0C rating on here... in 2005. You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

3 D-men. Pysyk belongs.

And judging by the post season the Chicago model is 4 D-men. So sign a Sekera/Martin/etc. Hope McCabe and Ruhwedel can contribute and Gorges/Weber can play a little then you've got the Chicago model right there.

 

[jBuds]

I'm not worried.

You build defense with a blend of old and young. By the time we know where we stand, and / or when we are more of a contender, we can supplement via free agency or trades.

Risto and Bogo at the top

Pysyk and McCabe on the fringe, if not already here.

Martin, Austin, Florentino in the mix with the hopes that at worst ONE of them makes the show.

I think it makes the emergence of Ristolainen very huge. Also puts a lot more pressure on him this year to continue; though Bogo helps immensely.

The ONLY thing I'm irked about is losing the first for Lehner. I was over it when we drafted Eichel and I'm very over it after we dropped mediocrity on Colorado for a bona fide top six TWO WAY center

Let me repeat that

BONA FIDE. PROVEN. TWO WAY. CENTER.

 

[Selanne00008]

We have two nhl defensemen who belong on a decent team.

We have 0 top pairing guys.

We have 1guy with top pairing potential.

We used to be following the Blackhawks model and I was wicked excited. We are now following the Oilers model.

Bogo and risto are both top 4 on any team. Risto with top pairing potential.
Pysyk can be top 4 any a solid team as early as this year.

Sign one nice free agent Like Sekera and we are fine. Draft the rest of the picks D heavy, or move up for better ad talent pool. We have extra 2016 picks as well as ammo to replenish the pool, not even to ice an NHL player.

 

[Duddy]

You can't have a deep defenders prospect pool, if 4 are graduating or are traded. They'll just have to draft some more. Not like teams only consist of homegrown players.

Risto, Bogosian, McCabe, Pysyk xxx,xxx fill in the blanks with trades/Fa signings

 

[tsujimoto74]

I'd like a quality top 4 LD who is proven possession guy at the NHL level either in trade or free agency.

Absolutely. I'm also hoping Pysyk can play his off side decently, because Gorges with his knee injury/surgery is a question mark, and I definitely don't want to see Mike Weber in our top 4 again.

 

[Chainshot]

Absolutely. I'm also hoping Pysyk can play his off side decently, because Gorges with his knee injury/surgery is a question mark, and I definitely don't want to see Mike Weber in our top 4 again.

Agreed. I love Web's effort and that he gives up his body to shot block and hit and tussle with guys who are often over his weight class, but that works as a 5/6/7 not as a 3/4. Sekera would be a solid choice, even if the Avs fans think he's already theirs. Pysyk is a smart guy and might be able to handle off-hand play because of his smarts and stick.

 

[haseoke39]

Offer sheet Hamilton.

Is there another way we can get a young top pairing guy?

I can't think of one.

 

[Jacob582]

I wasn't counting on Zadorov being in the top 7 D for next season. So I was looking for one or two LHD through free agency anyway.

******

I think we will take a D at 52. There is supposed to be some good D prospects in the 2nd round.

 

[Sabreality]

my god if they could bring Rej back. could we overpay a little bit for 4 years?

 

[BloFan4Life]

It is a real problem both now and in the future. Our pipeline is as bare as it gets. Pysyk and McCabe are both NHLers. I don't see one D man in the pipeline that has any type of potential to even come up and be serviceable.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

So our depth chart:

NHL:
Ristolainen
Bogosian
Pysyk
Gorges
Weber

AHL/NHL:
McCabe
Ruhwedel

Prospects:
Florentino
Martin

 

[5 Minute Major]

It is a real problem both now and in the future. Our pipeline is as bare as it gets. Pysyk and McCabe are both NHLers. I don't see one D man in the pipeline that has any type of potential to even come up and be serviceable.

Good thing we can make trades, sign free agents and draft some more, huh?

 

[Selanne00008]

So our depth chart:

NHL:
Ristolainen
Bogosian
Pysyk
Gorges
Weber

AHL/NHL:
McCabe
Ruhwedel

Prospects:
Florentino
Martin

Pretty much. Signing ufa certainly buys us time to develop prospects, but first you need actual prospects. We are stacked on O with prospects, so we really should go D heavy the rest off his draft.

The next3 picks should be D. Including moving up

 

[BloFan4Life]

Good thing we can make trades, sign free agents and draft some more, huh?

Thats not going to help the prospect pool. Keeping McCabe down doesnt do anything. He belongs in NHL. This is something that needed to be addressed years ago. All those 2nd and 3rd rounders we took on offense the last 3 years is hurting now.