Roster Speculation 2015-16 Part IV

[TehDoak]

Just for fun:

Teams where Grigerenko makes sense:

Phoenix: Needs center prospects, can give somewhat sheltered minutes
Vancouver: Big hole in the #2 spot behind the Sedins
Nashville: Needs long term skill fix at center
NJ: Needs young forwards, centers.
Carolina: Depends on what they do with the Staals.
Chicago: Richards likely retiring after this year, need a long term solution


Of those teams, Chicago and Vancouver likely have 3 goalies (Crawford/Darling/Raanta and Miller/Lack/Markstrom). Chicago also has cap issues. Vancouver to a lessor extent.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Just for fun:

Teams where Grigerenko makes sense:

Phoenix: Needs center prospects, can give somewhat sheltered minutes
Vancouver: Big hole in the #2 spot behind the Sedins
Nashville: Needs long term skill fix at center
NJ: Needs young forwards, centers.
Carolina: Depends on what they do with the Staals.
Chicago: Richards likely retiring after this year, need a long term solution


Of those teams, Chicago and Vancouver likely have 3 goalies (Crawford/Darling/Raanta and Miller/Lack/Markstrom). Chicago also has cap issues. Vancouver to a lessor extent.

Good list! But I think Vancouver fans would tell you that they have a 2C already in Bo Horvat.

 

[SabresSociety]

Just for fun:

Teams where Grigerenko makes sense:

Phoenix: Needs center prospects, can give somewhat sheltered minutes
Vancouver: Big hole in the #2 spot behind the Sedins
Nashville: Needs long term skill fix at center
NJ: Needs young forwards, centers.
Carolina: Depends on what they do with the Staals.
Chicago: Richards likely retiring after this year, need a long term solution


Of those teams, Chicago and Vancouver likely have 3 goalies (Crawford/Darling/Raanta and Miller/Lack/Markstrom). Chicago also has cap issues. Vancouver to a lessor extent.

Grigo + 21 for Ellis?
Is that close?

 

[Beerz]

per Bobby Mac

The Buffalo Sabres are waiting to see if there's validity to the speculation that soon-to-be restricted free agent Mikhail Grigorenko is signing a contract in the KHL.

Grigorenko, 21, is coming out of his three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres, having played 25 NHL games this past season and 68 over the last three seasons. The Sabres initially indicated to the player at season's end they wanted to re-sign him but, for now anyway, were not prepared to give him a one-way contract.

There has since been talk Grigorenko will opt to return home to Russia and take a more lucrative offer in the KHL rather than contest for a spot on the Sabres on a two-way contract next season.

http://www.tsn.ca/mckenzie-on-free-agents-trades-and-more-1.307528

 

[sabrebuild]

Between the main board and gratuitous Canadian bias in general, I can't wait for Eichel and McDavid to play in the same leage. I don't even care if McDavid is far superior, but the endless derp comments about chl vs ncaa and who had a better WJC is so dumb.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Just for kicks I made a slight revision to your lines…

For the latter half of the season, of course. When centers are ostensibly broken in.

Thanks!

As Josh pointed out, Girgs will start out at center....so a little tweak....

Eichel - Girgs - Reinhart

Kane - Larsson - Gionta

Moulson - Grigs - Ennis

Foligno - .??? - Des

That would still be three young centers but they all do have experience.

Hell, I think every Sabre fan wants to see that first combo anyway.

 

[mikemcburn]

per Bobby Mac




http://www.tsn.ca/mckenzie-on-free-agents-trades-and-more-1.307528

Interesting. Now how does would that change anything in the plans for, say, Larsson? Heck, even Hodgson?

Particularly if Reinhart isn't NHL-ready or isn't 2C NHL ready? Crumble the getting out of the basement notion altogether if then Eichel elects not to turn pro.

Guess I sorta see Girgorenko as interesting primarily because with so many other variables in play, keeping him equates to keeping a gap filler should any one of a number of scenarios unfold.

But if Larsson is retained and doesn't have a setback in his development, Reinhart is 2C NHL ready, and Eichel comes on board ready to thrive at 1C... Well, I can see Girgorenko looking at that prospect, realizing he'll forever be locked behind in the depth chart, and so envisioning that to re-sign in Buffalo could easily equate to nothing more than signing on for the dubious opportunity of waiting in the AHL for injuries or a trade.

 

[Beerz]

I dont think Grigs going to the KHL would be such a bad thing.

Sabres keep his rights and it allows him to work on his game...without passing thru waivers.

Im pretty confident he'd come back if Sabres say his game has improved to the point they have a spot on team for him.

 

[stokes84]

I dont think Grigs going to the KHL would be such a bad thing.

Sabres keep his rights and it allows him to work on his game...without passing thru waivers.

Im pretty confident he'd come back if Sabres say his game has improved to the point they have a spot on team for him.

Interesting spin. Not a bad thought. Maybe the organization secretly wants this.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Just for fun:

Teams where Grigerenko makes sense:

Phoenix: Needs center prospects, can give somewhat sheltered minutes
Vancouver: Big hole in the #2 spot behind the Sedins
Nashville: Needs long term skill fix at center
NJ: Needs young forwards, centers.
Carolina: Depends on what they do with the Staals.
Chicago: Richards likely retiring after this year, need a long term solution


Of those teams, Chicago and Vancouver likely have 3 goalies (Crawford/Darling/Raanta and Miller/Lack/Markstrom). Chicago also has cap issues. Vancouver to a lessor extent.

McNeill + Raanta for Grigerenko (If he stays in NA) IMO would be good for both sides

Hawks take gamble to see if they can get his game turned around. You guys get our version of Grigerenko in disappointing Mcneill (Drafted to be #2C of future ,, Now a RW) and a capable goalie

Thoughts?

 

[Jame]

I dont think Grigs going to the KHL would be such a bad thing.

Sabres keep his rights and it allows him to work on his game...without passing thru waivers.

Im pretty confident he'd come back if Sabres say his game has improved to the point they have a spot on team for him.

So the hope is jiri hurler... The downside is everyone else who went to the KhL ?

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

So the hope is jiri hurler... The downside is everyone else who went to the KhL ?

Didn't Radulov come back too? …for one playoff series?

 

[enthusiast]

So the hope is jiri hurler... The downside is everyone else who went to the KhL ?

Syomin

 

[jvirk]

What's the hype around Larsson? I really don't think he's anything special at all. He had a decent latter part of the season this year, other than that I don't see him bringing anything special to the team. I'm just kinda in the dark about why a lot of posters are so high on him, although I respectfully disagree, anyone wanna explain why we've got him pencilled in as a #3C right off the bat?

I would MUCH rather have Grigorenko as our 3C (or even 2C if Reinhart's not ready for that responsibility) to start off the season. He's bigger, he's working pretty damn hard and has shown leaps and bounds of improvement with a lot more to come, he's got some ridiculous offensive upside and needs minutes on the top 3 lines and one of the power play units (not the 4th line..). I just think if Grigorenko's name was canadian instead of russian that we'd still be so hyped up about him.

I see Larsson as an average 3rd liner at best.

 

[Jacob582]

What's the hype around Larsson? I really don't think he's anything special at all. He had a decent latter part of the season this year, other than that I don't see him bringing anything special to the team. I'm just kinda in the dark about why a lot of posters are so high on him, although I respectfully disagree, anyone wanna explain why we've got him pencilled in as a #3C right off the bat?

I would MUCH rather have Grigorenko as our 3C (or even 2C if Reinhart's not ready for that responsibility) to start off the season. He's bigger, he's working pretty damn hard and has shown leaps and bounds of improvement with a lot more to come, he's got some ridiculous offensive upside and needs minutes on the top 3 lines and one of the power play units (not the 4th line..). I just think if Grigorenko's name was canadian instead of russian that we'd still be so hyped up about him.

I see Larsson as an average 3rd liner at best.

Coach Bylsma doesn't agree with you.

 

[dkollidas]

Before any acquisitions/moves (exception to the rule is that I do make the one assumption that Grigorenko won't be in Buffalo in October?, or if he is, could be healthy scratch waiting to come in for injury).

L1: Larsson-Girgensons-Kane
(Kane on the off hand could be interesting, Girgensons is worse on the wing imo than Larsson, so Girgensons stays in the middle and Larsson has a lighter defensive load to get more of his natural offensive ability to show this year).

L2: Moulson-Eichel-Ennis
Eichel will be the possession guy, Ennis is the playmaker and Moulson snipes. Eichel and Ennis will be fun to watch together

L3: Foligno-Reinhart-Gionta
This could be an interesting line depending on how Gionta plays this year.

L4: Deslauriers-McCormick-(Trade acq./FA)


D1: Zadorov-Ristolainen (I like the two of them together a lot, they have a chance to really grow together, and they're both big, athletic, defensemen.
D2: Gorges-Bogosian (Will Gorges be good to start the season)?
D3: Weber-Pysyk (if this team ever wins a cup, Mike Weber won't be on it)

G1: (Trade/FA)?
G2: Lindback???

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

So Johan Larsson is now a first liner?At wing especially?I'd prefer to roll with Eichel-Reinhart-Girgensons-Larsson as our 4 centers for the next 10+ years.All are 22 or under at the moment.Is Larsson a 4th liner?No.He should be a decent third line center but that's Girgensons spot.I'd prefer to keep our natural centers well at center.Making a center play wing isn't an automatic.It isn't a seamless transition.

Keep Larsson at center, give him 8-9 mins at ES and top PK time.Give him 12-13 mins a game.It just means we will have a great team if we are so loaded that we only have a 4th line spot for Larsson.

He is a prototypical 3rd line center.He should NOT be in the top 6.A cup contender does not have Johan Larsson in the top 6 playing 17+ minutes a night.

 

[mikemcburn]

So Johan Larsson is now a first liner?At wing especially?I'd prefer to roll with Eichel-Reinhart-Girgensons-Larsson as our 4 centers for the next 10+ years.All are 22 or under at the moment.Is Larsson a 4th liner?No.He should be a decent third line center but that's Girgensons spot.I'd prefer to keep our natural centers well at center.Making a center play wing isn't an automatic.It isn't a seamless transition.

Keep Larsson at center, give him 8-9 mins at ES and top PK time.Give him 12-13 mins a game.It just means we will have a great team if we are so loaded that we only have a 4th line spot for Larsson.

He is a prototypical 3rd line center.He should NOT be in the top 6.A cup contender does not have Johan Larsson in the top 6 playing 17+ minutes a night.

I get your thinking, and it's true enough that a team where Larsson can only fit onto the 4th line is stacked. I'd also go with the inference that Girgensens is above Larsson in the depth chart. And I'm totally in with the stream of thought that it's better to keep a natural center at center, just as it's not an automatically successful transition to move a natural center to wing (see: Hodgson).

But there's a theory that Girgensens is not a natural center. To my mind anyway, he's just not a 1C/2C styled offensively talented play making center, so plug him into center on a 3rd line designed to take the heavy defensive duty or see him really flourish as a classic power forward top 6 winger.

Shuffling Girgensens into that power forward wing slot that is widely open, just happens to leave room for Larsson to slip in as your 3C. Or, vice versa perhaps. But either way, you don't have both of them in the bottom 9 or even one of them riding the 4th.

 

[Jame]

So Johan Larsson is now a first liner?At wing especially?I'd prefer to roll with Eichel-Reinhart-Girgensons-Larsson as our 4 centers for the next 10+ years.All are 22 or under at the moment.Is Larsson a 4th liner?No.He should be a decent third line center but that's Girgensons spot.I'd prefer to keep our natural centers well at center.Making a center play wing isn't an automatic.It isn't a seamless transition.

Keep Larsson at center, give him 8-9 mins at ES and top PK time.Give him 12-13 mins a game.It just means we will have a great team if we are so loaded that we only have a 4th line spot for Larsson.

He is a prototypical 3rd line center.He should NOT be in the top 6.A cup contender does not have Johan Larsson in the top 6 playing 17+ minutes a night.

So Hecht didn't belong in the top 6 when we were contenders in the co-cap era?

Can you tell us why Larsson doesn't belong in the top 6 without referring to points?

 

[Matt Ress]

By playing well? Its all relative. I doubt the coaches would expect anyone centering that line to be tearing it up offensively. But if they are playing a strong defensive and possession game while creating some chances relative to their role. That would be playing well.

Maybe "anyone" was a poor term to use but it would be dumb to put Grigorenko on the 4th line then sit back and hope he plays well. You put people in a situation to be successful, that's management's job, their biggest job. None of being on the 4th line does none of that. C'mon we all know this and some of the arguments are getting ridiculous.

 

[Jame]

Maybe "anyone" was a poor term to use but it would be dumb to put Grigorenko on the 4th line then sit back and hope he plays well. You put people in a situation to be successful, that's management's job, their biggest job. None of being on the 4th line does none of that. C'mon we all know this and some of the arguments are getting ridiculous.

This makes no sense...

Why can't a supposedly good hockey player play well on the 4th line?

 

[joshjull]

Maybe "anyone" was a poor term to use but it would be dumb to put Grigorenko on the 4th line then sit back and hope he plays well. You put people in a situation to be successful, that's management's job, their biggest job. None of being on the 4th line does none of that. C'mon we all know this and some of the arguments are getting ridiculous.

Couple things

1). Grigs on the 4th line being waste or not is a separate thing from whether or not he could play well on it. Or to put it another way, Grigs could be an effective player on the 4th line even though its not the best use of him as a player.

2) I've only made one point on this. No need to lump me in with whatever ridiculous arguments you see going on.

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

Horrible twisting, misrepresentation

Ironically, You mis the connection between a good development path and the breakout success that Larsson had at the end of the year

First things first I love Larsson and I think he still has a lot to offer for this team.

When he was first up he was not good, his 4th line minutes never really let him establish a comfortable NHL confidence.

when he came up and played with ennis/top 6 minutes wow was it a total transformation. I think instead of blasting eachother over and over about him we can just appreciate the steps forward he's taken as a player.

I've seen this argument far too many times.

 

[B U F F A L O]

First things first I love Larsson and I think he still has a lot to offer for this team.

When he was first up he was not good, his 4th line minutes never really let him establish a comfortable NHL confidence.

when he came up and played with ennis/top 6 minutes wow was it a total transformation. I think instead of blasting eachother over and over about him we can just appreciate the steps forward he's taken as a player.

I've seen this argument far too many times.

Ugh.

Larsson had an impact in any role that he was playing on this team the entire time hes been here. I feel like everyone really only looks to point production to judge a players performance, that the rest of that players game is under valued.

Just look up Larsson's stats pre top 6 role during the call ups and post top 6 role late in the season. Compare the numbers he had in a defensive capacity, and then see the effect he put on Moulson and Ennis numbers. Look at defensively, and then even look at offensively. I think you'd be surprised by the numbers.

 

[SabresGuy*]

This season is all about finding out which players belong on the bus. They will tell you where they sit on the bus over the next few years based on how the develop. The objective this season is too make sure each young player is doing enough to stay in the lineup each night and building their responsibilities accordingly. I suspect we will see plenty of guys moving up, down and out of the lineup based upon merit. This is part of the reason that I am hoping to see 3 (or 4) evenly split lines with relatively equal ice time.