[TheChimp]

yse325, on 09 July 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

Where I think Regier really blew it this off-season so far was not signing Kubina. The guy signed with TB for 2 years 7.7mill. A bargain. He is 6'4" 250 and logs 22 minutes a night. He can power a PP, and knows the division. Obviously Regier low balled him or didn't even make an offer. Dumb.

Agreed. I'd take Andy Sutton, though, and not be half as unhappy about Kubina.

[oh.now.do.you.believe]

Andy sutton hasn't played 60 games since 05-06. And has averaged 45 games played over his 13 year NHL career. I do agree he is a good player and could be a good pick up, he has lots of size and could be a great mentor, but only expect him to suit up half of the games

[carpandean]

oh.now.do.you.believe, on 10 July 2010 - 03:05 AM, said:

I do agree he is a good player and could be a good pick up, he has lots of size and could be a great mentor, but only expect him to suit up half of the games

That's why TheChimp would only be half as unhappy about Kubina; if Sutton played the whole season, he would be 100% less unhappy. ;)

[yse325]

Assuming for arguments sake that the roster is basically complete. I actually believe, contrary to what others have written on various sites, that the Sabres are better then the opening day roster from last season.

the 09-10 opening roster was
Vanek Roy Connolly (Stafford on IR)
MacArthur Kennedy Pominville
Hecht Goose Grier
Paille Ellis Kaleta (Mair on IR)

Tallinder Myers
Butler Rivet
Montador Sekera
Lydman (IR) Paetsch

Gone from last season are Ellis, Mair, Paille, MacArthur, Paetsch, Tallinder and Lydman.
They have been replaced by Gerbe, McCormick, Neidermayer, Ennis, Gragnani, Leopold & Weber.

McCormick > Mair
Gerbe > Ellis or Paille
Niedermayer > Ellis or Paille
Ennis > MacArthur
Gragnani > Paetsch
Leopold a wash with Tallinder (tallinder better on D, but Leo better O)
Weber > Lydman

This is rather a simplistic analysis, but as of right now, I think the roster below is better.

Ennis Connolly Pominville
Vanek Roy Stafford
Hecht Neidermayer Kaleta
Kennedy Goose Grier
McCormick (13th F) Gerbe (14th F)

Leopold Myers
Butler Rivet
Montador Weber
Sekera (7th D), Gragnani (8th D)

[htsportplaya]

I agree...a little less unproven, but worst case scenario we don't win the division but still make the playoffs, best case we improve on last year...

THE WORLD IS NOT ENDING!

[Bills_Sabresfan]

As far as the forwards go, there are so many options that it gives me headaches. Personally I prefer to go with three balanced scoring lines ala the Blackhawks as opposed to two scoring lines and two checking lines(mostly because I don't want to have to depend on Roy and Connolly). I thought the lineup was becoming clear and then we signed Niedermayer and I have a tough time finding a spot for him; mostly because of my personal preference of Gerbe/Stafford over him.

Nathan Gerbe - Derek Roy - Thomas Vanek - Gerbe's a shooting machine with a great motor, Roy passes, Vanek bangs em' in
Jochen Hecht - Tim Connolly - Jason Pominville - self explanatory 2nd line
Tyler Ennis - Tim Kennedy - Drew Stafford - Prefer Kennedy on wing but want him in my top 9, don't mind seeing Stafford on 3rd line, Ennis=dynamic
Patrick Kaleta - Paul Gaustad - Mike Grier

Niedermayer??? who comes out of the lineup? The obvious choices are Gerbe and Stafford, but we need to know what we have in these guys now. I just think that with this logjam and amount of cap space a trade has to happen.

[weave]

Gawd, I hate still seeing Stafford in most top 6 projections.

[carpandean]

weave, on 15 July 2010 - 07:07 AM, said:

Gawd, I hate still seeing Stafford in most top 6 projections.

If it makes you feel better, barring any more trades for forwards, I'd like to see:

Ennis-Roy-Vanek
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Kennedy-Niedermayer-Grier
MacCormick-Gaustad-Kaleta

Hecht and Kennedy may switch and Stafford/Gerbe could fill in on the fourth line or elsewhere with injuries.

[weave]

carpandean, on 15 July 2010 - 10:14 AM, said:

If it makes you feel better, barring any more trades for forwards, I'd like to see:

Ennis-Roy-Vanek
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Kennedy-Niedermayer-Grier
MacCormick-Gaustad-Kaleta

Hecht and Kennedy may switch and Stafford/Gerbe could fill in on the fourth line or elsewhere with injuries.

I am happier now, but Vanek is a LW. I don't recall if Ennis plays on the left or right.

[jwallinator10]

Looks like a young lineup that isn't exactly proven but has a lot of potential and is very fast team.

[carpandean]

weave, on 15 July 2010 - 11:05 AM, said:

I am happier now, but Vanek is a LW. I don't recall if Ennis plays on the left or right.

When Vanek came back from injury just before the end of the season, he played on Roy's right wing with Kennedy and then Ennis (edit: in looking at the play-by-play, it was actually Gerbe first, then Kennedy, and I believe Ennis in the playoffs) on the left wing. Remember when he scored 4 goals in one game and 5 goals total in the final two? He was on the right (though, only two of the goals against Ottawa and the one against NJ came with that line.) He's a right handed shot, which would traditionally, though not always, mean a right winger (notice that he is the only right-handed left winger on the team and all of our right wingers are right-handed.) Being right-handed on the left wing gives him an advantage at shooting from the slot (coming off the wing, his strong side is toward the middle), but in cutting around the defense or in taking passes, he's always on his backhand. If he can move to the right, which they would have to further test, then that would be ideal.

[htsportplaya]

Bills_Sabresfan, on 15 July 2010 - 03:41 AM, said:

Nathan Gerbe - Derek Roy - Thomas Vanek - Gerbe's a shooting machine with a great motor, Roy passes, Vanek bangs em' in

Vanek isn't Anderchuk....

I'd don't recall ever seeing him play with Hecht...has he?

Because I think it'd be an interesting combo...Hecht is good at creating space by playing along the boards, and Vanek can work wonders in open ice.

[SabresWinItAll51]

I think Kennedy has earned himself a chance to play on a scoring line after late last season. I'd like Hecht to play on the defensive line with Niedermayer and Grier in order to let Kennedy play in the top 6, assuming Stafford is gone. The only thing that bothers me about that is that he's another small forward to go along with Roy and Ennis.

[abe]

You'd have to think they're looking to trade Stafford, after making him a healthy scratch in the last game against boston. Everyone seems frustrated with his consistency in buffalo, but given his age, size, and ability when he's on, i could see teams taking a chance on him, especially in a salary dumping scenario ala Kaberle. Am i way off?

[SabreRock]

My opinion is Hecht should play with Connolly as long as the two of them are healthy and in Buffalo. Pominville also works on that line. Until I see the chemistry fall apart, there's no way I separate that line. As much as you'd like to get Hecht on a checking line, he works the best when he's playing with Connolly. The proof is in the tape from last season. Plus, Timmy plays better with Hecht on his wing. So why separate them just to spite someone?

That leaves another scoring line to feature Roy and Vanek. The question is who plays with them? Kennedy would be my first choice.

[SabresWinItAll51]

And Ennis plays with Niedermayer? Gaustad? That's not his game at all, it would be a waste of talent. Hecht, on the other hand, would fit well with those two.

[TheChimp]

God, is it just me that just can't help being really pissed off having to create these lines using Roy and Connolly?? ARGHHHH! :angry:

[SabreRock]

SabresWinItAll51, on 15 July 2010 - 05:59 PM, said:

And Ennis plays with Niedermayer? Gaustad? That's not his game at all, it would be a waste of talent. Hecht, on the other hand, would fit well with those two.

Maybe Ennis doesn't make the roster. We've seen players become the victim of numbers games because they can go down to the AHL without worrying about waivers. He wouldn't be the first.

[jwallinator10]

TheChimp, on 16 July 2010 - 01:51 AM, said:

God, is it just me that just can't help being really pissed off having to create these lines using Roy and Connolly?? ARGHHHH! :angry:

So you would rather let them go and let them on waivers? We will be fine with them we didn't lose talent at center. Yes we could have improved but we stayed the same as usual. Roy and Connolly had decent seasons they just dissapeared in the playoffs but so did everyone except Ellis, Grier, Vanek and Ennis.

[TheChimp]

jwallinator10, on 16 July 2010 - 08:59 AM, said:

So you would rather let them go and let them on waivers? We will be fine with them we didn't lose talent at center. Yes we could have improved but we stayed the same as usual. Roy and Connolly had decent seasons they just dissapeared in the playoffs but so did everyone except Ellis, Grier, Vanek and Ennis.

And Mair and Gerbe and Miller, and the entire defense, which led the NHL Playoffs in hits thru Round One.