top line is actually

Vanek- Hodgson - Poms

Your wrong .....
- buffalofan1027

You're joking right? I literally just said that 10 minutes ago. Just because Ennis isn't on the top line doesn't mean he isn't our best center. Here, I'll break it down:

1) Clearly Ennis is the best center right now on our team but Vanek and Pominville are more skilled wingers than Foligno and Stafford so they are going to be on the top line instead of Foligno and Stafford.

Thus, Foligno and Stafford will be on the second line.

2) Now although Ennis is currently a better player than Hodgson, Ruff wouldn't be dumb enough to break up the line of Foligno-Ennis-Stafford that carried them the last 15 games of the season.

Thus Ennis remains a center on that line.

3) Hodgson then centers the first line since Ennis will not be removed from his line from last year.

Thus you see that Hodgson is centering the first line while Ennis is centering the second. Just because someone is on a higher line does not necessarily mean they are a better player.

My point is while Hodgson will be centering the first line this year, it doesn't mean he's a better player than Ennis. Line chemistry plays a big part in the formation of a roster.

He's not our best center and we are in trouble if he is, he is the starting point in the Ryan talks.
- SABRES 89

Okay then answer the question: Who is our best center? Which center on our current roster would you rather see centering than Ennis?

And spasmatic13 you made a good point. I guess I wasn't thinking into the future of like 2 or 3 years if this trade happens but that's because I think this team can contend this year. Do I think they'll win the cup? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if they made it that far.

You're joking right? I literally just said that 10 minutes ago. Just because Ennis isn't on the top line doesn't mean he isn't our best center. Here, I'll break it down:

1) Clearly Ennis is the best center right now on our team but Vanek and Pominville are more skilled wingers than Foligno and Stafford so they are going to be on the top line instead of Foligno and Stafford.

Thus, Foligno and Stafford will be on the second line.

2) Now although Ennis is currently a better player than Hodgson, Ruff wouldn't be dumb enough to break up the line of Foligno-Ennis-Stafford that carried them the last 15 games of the season.

Thus Ennis remains a center on that line.

3) Hodgson then centers the first line since Ennis will not be removed from his line from last year.

Thus you see that Hodgson is centering the first line while Ennis is centering the second. Just because someone is on a higher line does not necessarily mean they are a better player.

My point is while Hodgson will be centering the first line this year, it doesn't mean he's a better player than Ennis. Line chemistry plays a big part in the formation of a roster.
- BuffSabs88

so being the projected first line center this year, playing more minutes per game than ennis last year(and that was with roy still here so hodgson was not playing top line), and scoring more than ennis last year doesnt make hodgson our best center, but a 15game hot streak is all the evidence we need that ennis is tops! gotta say i respectfully disagree with you on this one.

Okay then answer the question: Who is our best center? Which center on our current roster would you rather see centering than Ennis?

And spasmatic13 you made a good point. I guess I wasn't thinking into the future of like 2 or 3 years if this trade happens but that's because I think this team can contend this year. Do I think they'll win the cup? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if they made it that far.
- BuffSabs88

but thats the problem. the goal is to win the cup. if we cant do it with this team we have to change the team. if there are moves that can be made to make this team able to win the cup then you make those moves. if we are not close enough to the cup that this one off season can put us in position to win the cup then you do what you can this offseason to leave less work to do in the next offseason.

that why i say if ennis has to be included to land ryan then do it. ennis is at a high value after a hotstreak and could land us a type of player that does not become available often. and in 1-2 years center will be a position of strength and ryan would be more valueable to us then than ennis.

so being the projected first line center this year, playing more minutes per game than ennis last year(and that was with roy still here so hodgson was not playing top line), and scoring more than ennis last year doesnt make hodgson our best center, but a 15game hot streak is all the evidence we need that ennis is tops! gotta say i respectfully disagree with you on this one.
- spasmatic13

I can see where it's hard to agree with me but it has to do with line chemistry. The way those 3 played at the end of last year is the only reason Hodgson is getting the top line. If they would have played average than there is no way Hodgson is playing the first line ahead of Ennis. Ennis was playing better than him last year and if he would have played a full year he would have handily beat Hodgson's stats. Plus, Ennis played with much less skilled wingers than either Vanek or Pominville while Hodgson had at least one of those guys with him at all times.

but thats the problem. the goal is to win the cup. if we cant do it with this team we have to change the team. if there are moves that can be made to make this team able to win the cup then you make those moves. if we are not close enough to the cup that this one off season can put us in position to win the cup then you do what you can this offseason to leave less work to do in the next offseason.

that why i say if ennis has to be included to land ryan then do it. ennis is at a high value after a hotstreak and could land us a type of player that does not become available often. and in 1-2 years center will be a position of strength and ryan would be more valueable to us then than ennis.
- spasmatic13

Who's to say that center will be a position of strength though? We don't know that either Grigorenko or Girgensons or even Hodgson for that matter will be good enough to be top 6 fowards. Contrary to what many believe just because someone was drafted in the 1st round doesn't automatically make them a future all-star.

You're joking right? I literally just said that 10 minutes ago. Just because Ennis isn't on the top line doesn't mean he isn't our best center. Here, I'll break it down:

1) Clearly Ennis is the best center right now on our team but Vanek and Pominville are more skilled wingers than Foligno and Stafford so they are going to be on the top line instead of Foligno and Stafford.

Thus, Foligno and Stafford will be on the second line.

2) Now although Ennis is currently a better player than Hodgson, Ruff wouldn't be dumb enough to break up the line of Foligno-Ennis-Stafford that carried them the last 15 games of the season.

Thus Ennis remains a center on that line.

3) Hodgson then centers the first line since Ennis will not be removed from his line from last year.

Thus you see that Hodgson is centering the first line while Ennis is centering the second. Just because someone is on a higher line does not necessarily mean they are a better player.

My point is while Hodgson will be centering the first line this year, it doesn't mean he's a better player than Ennis. Line chemistry plays a big part in the formation of a roster.
- BuffSabs88

Ennis actually isn't a very good center. He's bad at face offs. What he is good at is having the puck in space. And having the puck in space doesn't make him "untouchable "

Ps to my last post:

I hope the stafford Sekera Adam and 1st rumors are true for bobby Ryan. Just so that 90% of Sabres fans can complain.

"omg they traded stafford!! The foligno Ennis stafford line is no more" and all hell breaks lose.

That line played 25 games. They were 3 players that all got hot / lucky at the same time. There is no gurentee that line will comeback rolling the way it did last year. Foligno is still considered a rookie .... Ennis 25 games at center.

So I hope we get Ryan so I don't have to hear how hi and mighty this line is anymore.

Fans are overrated Ennis and that line. They played 25 games not a full year together. Jeeze.

Ps to my last post:

I hope the stafford Sekera Adam and 1st rumors are true for bobby Ryan. Just so that 90% of Sabres fans can complain.

"omg they traded stafford!! The foligno Ennis stafford line is no more" and all hell breaks lose.

That line played 25 games. They were 3 players that all got hot / lucky at the same time. There is no gurentee that line will comeback rolling the way it did last year. Foligno is still considered a rookie .... Ennis 25 games at center.

So I hope we get Ryan so I don't have to hear how hi and mighty this line is anymore.

Fans are overrated Ennis and that line. They played 25 games not a full year together. Jeeze.
- buffalofan1027

Foligno only played 14 games w/ the Sabres in total so it isn't possible that that line was together for 25 games