Roster Thread (2023-2024 Season)

[BFLO]

Pretty funny to see all the Mitts bashing over the last 2 pages.

Through 2 games Mitts has been our best center and it hasn’t been close.

 

[Der Jaeger]

After two games, I don’t really like the balance of the lines. I think Granato has some of the pieces but has them together wrong.

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch worked but as an established top line, I don’t really like them against top checking lines. None of them are great playmakers consistently. I’d like to see Mittelstadt centering that line. He’s a playmakers and puck mover.

Put Thompson with Cozens and maybe Peterka. I’d also think about Benson as the playmakers.

Greenway with Krebs and Benson or Peterka.

Jost in centering Girgensons and Okposo.

I’d move Olofsson off the roster. He’s not a fit anymore. I’d bet Seattle would throw a draft pick Buffalo’s way for 50% retention.

 

[debaser66]

2 losses to start the season and this forum is deader than in preseason.
But I would really like to see them win the next game, especially because its
in division.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

2 losses to start the season and this forum is deader than in preseason.
But I would really like to see them win the next game, especially because its
in division.

Would be easier to swallow if they didn’t also finish pre-season by laying a bunch of stinkers too, so there’s been almost a month of watching bad hockey for fans.

 

[BFLO]

Can we talk about how terrible the Z/K/O line has been? They're the 4th worst line in the league in GA/60 with 8.61, 7th worst in xGA/60 with 5.6

It's really early, and they've only been on the ice for just under 14 minutes 5v5 so far this season, but by god has it been an awful 14 minutes.

CF% 37.93, SF% 35.29, xGF% 17.24, SCF% 14.29, HDCF% 11.11

Player 1	Player 2	Player 3	GP	TOI	CF	CA	CF%	FF	FA	FF%	SF	SA	SF%	GF	GA	GF%	xGF	xGA	xGF%	SCF	SCA	SCF%	HDCF	HDCA	HDCF%
Jordan Greenway	Casey Mittelstadt	Zach Benson	2	23	26	18	59.09	13	11	54.17	9	8	52.94	2	0	100	0.94	0.59	61.36	15	5	75	6	1	85.71
Victor Olofsson	Dylan Cozens	JJ Peterka	2	22.75	12	21	36.36	8	16	33.33	6	13	31.58	0	2	0	0.36	0.9	28.38	3	10	23.08	1	4	20
Jeff Skinner	Tage Thompson	Alex Tuch	2	20.7	26	21	55.32	17	17	50	13	11	54.17	0	1	0	0.54	0.54	49.78	11	5	68.75	2	4	33.33
Zemgus Girgensons	Kyle Okposo	Peyton Krebs	2	13.93333333	11	18	37.93	9	13	40.91	6	11	35.29	0	2	0	0.29	1.41	17.24	2	12	14.29	1	8	11.11

 

[Chainshot]

Can we talk about how terrible the Z/K/O line has been? They're the 4th worst line in the league in GA/60 with 8.61, 7th worst in xGA/60 with 5.6

It's really early, and they've only been on the ice for just under 14 minutes 5v5 so far this season, but by god has it been an awful 14 minutes.

CF% 37.93, SF% 35.29, xGF% 17.24, SCF% 14.29, HDCF% 11.11

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]Player 1[/TD]
[TD]Player 2[/TD]
[TD]Player 3[/TD]
[TD]GP[/TD]
[TD]TOI[/TD]
[TD]CF[/TD]
[TD]CA[/TD]
[TD]CF%[/TD]
[TD]FF[/TD]
[TD]FA[/TD]
[TD]FF%[/TD]
[TD]SF[/TD]
[TD]SA[/TD]
[TD]SF%[/TD]
[TD]GF[/TD]
[TD]GA[/TD]
[TD]GF%[/TD]
[TD]xGF[/TD]
[TD]xGA[/TD]
[TD]xGF%[/TD]
[TD]SCF[/TD]
[TD]SCA[/TD]
[TD]SCF%[/TD]
[TD]HDCF[/TD]
[TD]HDCA[/TD]
[TD]HDCF%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jordan Greenway[/TD]
[TD]Casey Mittelstadt[/TD]
[TD]Zach Benson[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]59.09[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]54.17[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]52.94[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]100[/TD]
[TD]0.94[/TD]
[TD]0.59[/TD]
[TD]61.36[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]75[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]85.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victor Olofsson[/TD]
[TD]Dylan Cozens[/TD]
[TD]JJ Peterka[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]22.75[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]36.36[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]33.33[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]31.58[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.36[/TD]
[TD]0.9[/TD]
[TD]28.38[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]23.08[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jeff Skinner[/TD]
[TD]Tage Thompson[/TD]
[TD]Alex Tuch[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]20.7[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]55.32[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]54.17[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.54[/TD]
[TD]0.54[/TD]
[TD]49.78[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]68.75[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]33.33[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Zemgus Girgensons[/TD]
[TD]Kyle Okposo[/TD]
[TD]Peyton Krebs[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]13.93333333[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]37.93[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]40.91[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]35.29[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.29[/TD]
[TD]1.41[/TD]
[TD]17.24[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]14.29[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]11.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

The "K's" on that line have taken turns murdering them - Krebs in game one, Okposo in game two. It also doesn't help that Granato seems to think that's a matchup line and tried to get them out against Panarin and it seemed Barzal in the first two games. It just didn't work.

 

[Snippit]

Wasn’t it obvious Okposo was shot last year ?

 

[Ace]

Wasn’t it obvious Okposo was shot last year ?

Yeah…but he had the one quality Adams looks for. He was already here.

 

[Djp]

After two games, I don’t really like the balance of the lines. I think Granato has some of the pieces but has them together wrong.

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch worked but as an established top line, I don’t really like them against top checking lines. None of them are great playmakers consistently. I’d like to see Mittelstadt centering that line. He’s a playmakers and puck mover.

Put Thompson with Cozens and maybe Peterka. I’d also think about Benson as the playmakers.

Greenway with Krebs and Benson or Peterka.

Jost in centering Girgensons and Okposo.

I’d move Olofsson off the roster. He’s not a fit anymore. I’d bet Seattle would throw a draft pick Buffalo’s way for 50% retention.

my thinking….he wanted to redo the lines but the players didn’t want to…so he let them be the default lines. Then it justifies changes

 

[OkimLom]

2 losses to start the season and this forum is deader than in preseason.
But I would really like to see them win the next game, especially because its
in division.

If they don’t get up for the Tampa game, a game that they usually show a bigger distaste for, compared to anybody else, then this season/team is in danger.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Maybe we need to take out " End The"?

 

[Ace]

When you are +3 on a team being outscored 8-3 and are the only guy they didn’t give an extension to

 

[Irie]

I’d move Olofsson off the roster. He’s not a fit anymore. I’d bet Seattle would throw a draft pick Buffalo’s way for 50% retention.

Pretty sure Seattle has zero interest or even the cap space for Vic, even at 50%.

They have a glut of scoring wingers and were fine letting Sprong and Donato walk because they still had McCann, Eberle, Burakovski, Schwartz, Tolvanen and Bjorkstrand.

They also have some young wingers they are excited to see get some icetime should injuries arise.

What Seattle really needs is a playmaking center. Wennberg's skillset is just not a very good fit, and Beniers is young and inconsistent, and at 20 years old, could probably benefit from some insulating - he just isn't a number one center... Yet.

 

[Chainshot]

After two games, I don’t really like the balance of the lines. I think Granato has some of the pieces but has them together wrong.

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch worked but as an established top line, I don’t really like them against top checking lines. None of them are great playmakers consistently. I’d like to see Mittelstadt centering that line. He’s a playmakers and puck mover.

Put Thompson with Cozens and maybe Peterka. I’d also think about Benson as the playmakers.

Greenway with Krebs and Benson or Peterka.

Jost in centering Girgensons and Okposo.

I’d move Olofsson off the roster. He’s not a fit anymore. I’d bet Seattle would throw a draft pick Buffalo’s way for 50% retention.

Vancouver for Garland.

 

[Irie]

The "K's" on that line have taken turns murdering them - Krebs in game one, Okposo in game two. It also doesn't help that Granato seems to think that's a matchup line and tried to get them out against Panarin and it seemed Barzal in the first two games. It just didn't work.

Your matchup lines are often going to get crushed statistically if going up against the other teams top line. The hope is that the shots and chances they give up will be less dangerous than what another line would give up.

The problem I see is that while not a great defensive line, they still may be the team's best defensive group. The other lines can be effective defensively by controlling the time of puck possession moreso than actually playing good D.

This team is built for high event hockey, it is not very well balanced, so I don't really see a great solution available via line-juggling or line matching to the problem you pointed out.

 

[Chainshot]

Your matchup lines are often going to get crushed statistically if going up against the other teams top line. The hope is that the shots and chances they give up will be less dangerous than what another line would give up.

The problem I see is that while not a great defensive line, they still may be the team's best defensive group. The other lines can be effective defensively by controlling the time of puck possession moreso than actually playing good D.

This team is built for high event hockey, it is not very well balanced, so I don't really see a great solution available via line-juggling or line matching to the problem you pointed out.

It's when they hand the puck over on relatively unforced turnovers that it gets worse. Both Krebs and Okposo have done that in the first couple games, leading directly to goals against.

 

[Irie]

It's when they hand the puck over on relatively unforced turnovers that it gets worse. Both Krebs and Okposo have done that in the first couple games, leading directly to goals against.

It is bad habits resurfacing, but it isn't like they are doing it every shift. I worried about Krebs when he had some success with his fancy plays on the big ice at the worlds, I expected a bit of a relapse in his belief that he can force plays and get away with it at this level.

This is a team that always struggles against competition that plays tight checking games. I fully expect them to have more success against teams that play more open play styles.

Losing the first two games will bring out the "sky is falling" knee jerk reactions on these boards, but it is a long season and there will be well played game ahead.

I think this is healthy to start the season with adversity. Hopefully it highlights the teams flaws, and adjustments can be made. This team as currently constructed and coached was always going to be a bottom tier bubble team imo. No team has ever made the post season with a sub .750% PK as far as I know. I guess my expectations are lower than others here, as my biggest hope and concerns are that all the young players continue to learn and improve, and that the front office and coaching staff realize that they also have a lot yet to learn to be successful in this incredibly competitive league.

 

[Krieger Bot]

After two games, I don’t really like the balance of the lines. I think Granato has some of the pieces but has them together wrong.

Skinner-Thompson-Tuch worked but as an established top line, I don’t really like them against top checking lines. None of them are great playmakers consistently. I’d like to see Mittelstadt centering that line. He’s a playmakers and puck mover.

Put Thompson with Cozens and maybe Peterka. I’d also think about Benson as the playmakers.

Greenway with Krebs and Benson or Peterka.

Jost in centering Girgensons and Okposo.

I’d move Olofsson off the roster. He’s not a fit anymore. I’d bet Seattle would throw a draft pick Buffalo’s way for 50% retention.

They went with the following for the last half dozen games of last season:

Skinner - Mitts - Tuch
Cozens - Thompson - Greenway

I thought it worked really well. I'd try it again. Would give them two good, well balanced lines.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Simultaneously the best and worst thing about the first 2 games - Greenway-Mitts-Benson is easily our top line.

 

[VaporTrail]

Can we talk about how terrible the Z/K/O line has been? They're the 4th worst line in the league in GA/60 with 8.61, 7th worst in xGA/60 with 5.6

It's really early, and they've only been on the ice for just under 14 minutes 5v5 so far this season, but by god has it been an awful 14 minutes.

CF% 37.93, SF% 35.29, xGF% 17.24, SCF% 14.29, HDCF% 11.11

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]Player 1[/TD]
[TD]Player 2[/TD]
[TD]Player 3[/TD]
[TD]GP[/TD]
[TD]TOI[/TD]
[TD]CF[/TD]
[TD]CA[/TD]
[TD]CF%[/TD]
[TD]FF[/TD]
[TD]FA[/TD]
[TD]FF%[/TD]
[TD]SF[/TD]
[TD]SA[/TD]
[TD]SF%[/TD]
[TD]GF[/TD]
[TD]GA[/TD]
[TD]GF%[/TD]
[TD]xGF[/TD]
[TD]xGA[/TD]
[TD]xGF%[/TD]
[TD]SCF[/TD]
[TD]SCA[/TD]
[TD]SCF%[/TD]
[TD]HDCF[/TD]
[TD]HDCA[/TD]
[TD]HDCF%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jordan Greenway[/TD]
[TD]Casey Mittelstadt[/TD]
[TD]Zach Benson[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]59.09[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]54.17[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]52.94[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]100[/TD]
[TD]0.94[/TD]
[TD]0.59[/TD]
[TD]61.36[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]75[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]85.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victor Olofsson[/TD]
[TD]Dylan Cozens[/TD]
[TD]JJ Peterka[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]22.75[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]36.36[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]33.33[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]31.58[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.36[/TD]
[TD]0.9[/TD]
[TD]28.38[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]23.08[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jeff Skinner[/TD]
[TD]Tage Thompson[/TD]
[TD]Alex Tuch[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]20.7[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]55.32[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]54.17[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.54[/TD]
[TD]0.54[/TD]
[TD]49.78[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]68.75[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]33.33[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Zemgus Girgensons[/TD]
[TD]Kyle Okposo[/TD]
[TD]Peyton Krebs[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]13.93333333[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]37.93[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]40.91[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]35.29[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]0.29[/TD]
[TD]1.41[/TD]
[TD]17.24[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]14.29[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]11.11[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

But Girgensons and Okposo provide leadership

When you are +3 on a team being outscored 8-3 and are the only guy they didn’t give an extension to

View attachment 753287

He's got a lot of making up to do for all the crap seasons he's given us...I could care less about how he played for the last 14 games of the season last year....He's lucky to even be on the team at this point.

 

[Ace]

He's got a lot of making up to do for all the crap seasons he's given us...I could care less about how he played for the last 14 games of the season last year....He's lucky to even be on the team at this point.

Any games played under Krueger or next to Olofsson are…literally the same for every player. No one looked good in either scenario. Not Tage. Not Skinner. Not Mittelstadt. Not Hall. Not Cozens. No one. No forward can do anything.

Give him anyone else on his wings and he’s been the best forward on the team. Anyone. Else.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Pretty sure Seattle has zero interest or even the cap space for Vic, even at 50%.

They have a glut of scoring wingers and were fine letting Sprong and Donato walk because they still had McCann, Eberle, Burakovski, Schwartz, Tolvanen and Bjorkstrand.

They also have some young wingers they are excited to see get some icetime should injuries arise.

What Seattle really needs is a playmaking center. Wennberg's skillset is just not a very good fit, and Beniers is young and inconsistent, and at 20 years old, could probably benefit from some insulating - he just isn't a number one center... Yet.

It was a spitball based on Botterill’s connection.

Vancouver for Garland.

I think I remember reading where he might be a locker room problem. Not sure if I’m remembering that correctly though.

 

[Zman5778]

Vancouver for Garland.

I like the idea of Garland. The actual Garland though? That contract is a stinker.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

In ref the 4th line, I'm good with Krebs as the 4c for the short and long-term. I did post in the summer that I wanted Okposo to retire and maybe move on from Girgensons if a player I liked signed in FA (Bjugstad, Sundqvist, Hathaway). None of that happened and I'm on the fence about how much it will affect the bottom line this season, as well as what to do next summer.

Is any of Kozak, Cederqvist, or Rousek ready for checking line duty in the NHL? If not, should KA go the FA/trade route or try stuffing more skill rookies on the roster like Kulich and Rosen? I'm not looking for three or four scoring lines full of non-physical young players that aren't defensively capable, but decisions will have to be made on some of these FW prospects and that might require some NHL ice time.

 

[Snippit]

Look at teams like Vegas and their 4th line. Fast, competent defensively, plays heavy and chip in offensively.

we should have had more ambition with our 4th line this summer. We can improve it a lot.