That's gonna be something that Eichel needs to adjust to as well. It's a good learning experience to be in the minors paying your dues. Even if it's only for half the year, it could be good for Reinhart to spend some of that time there.
- HonkFortheGoose

I honestly think, given how bad this team has been for so long, if Reinhart and Eichel have enough upside in training camp to cover up some of their flaws then no chance in hell either see Rochester

I honestly think, given how bad this team has been for so long, if Reinhart and Eichel have enough upside in training camp to cover up some of their flaws then no chance in hell either see Rochester
- homiedclown

There's no way Eichel starts in the minors unless he looks completely utterly lost, and I mean "worse than Grigorenko in 2013" lost. To go through the complete disaster that was the last two seasons (record wise) and not have "the prize" as part of your team, is PR suicide.

Did Girgensons go because he was required or did he go because he wanted to?
- buffalofan19

I think he was required. He was going into his 3rd year, and I think typically that's usually the last year they require them to be there.

My reasoning behind saying he could benefit from being in the A for a bit is to let him get adjusted to the physical aspect more with less pressure on him. The A tends to be a bit more physical than the NHL, IMO so if he can handle it there, time to bring him up and let him adjust to the speed of the NHL game. It allows him to make those two adjustments at two different times.

I think he could be successful in Buffalo too, given the right circumstances (NOT playing with guys like Kaleta).
- HonkFortheGoose

I agree

but if he is with the big club, any sane person can assume there is a chance he gets near 50 points with a competent NHL coach

That was my beef, not with you of course


What cracks me up is the posts about how bad this team was.
Honestly if Murray wasn't trying to tank then the team would have had Pysyk up for a full year and better call ups and probably 10-12 points more in the NHL last season.


I am glad there are about 47 people on here ready to be an NHL GM though

I agree with what Homer mentioned the other day as I have no problem with the Sabres having their top 3 centers this season being Eichel, Girgensons, and Larsson.

There's no way Eichel starts in the minors unless he looks completely utterly lost, and I mean "worse than Grigorenko in 2013" lost. To go through the complete disaster that was the last two seasons (record wise) and not have "the prize" as part of your team, is PR suicide.
- buffalofan19

Agreed. I just think it could be beneficial to the team to let both of them develop away from each other a bit. Neither is then in the other's shadow and all that BS. Since Eichel's game already looks to be more NHL ready, Reinhart would be my choice to go to the A for a while.

But training camp is when that decision should be made.

I agree with what Homer mentioned the other day as I have no problem with the Sabres having their top 3 centers this season being Eichel, Girgensons, and Larsson.
- kingcong39

You could do that with Reinhart on the team though if need be. If they want to let him adjust in the NHL but with less pressure, they could put him on the wing for a bit. Plenty of other young centers have played on the wing. Besides, with the amount of depth we seem to have at that position right now, one or two of them are going to need to transition to the wing anyway when all is said and done.

Agreed. I just think it could be beneficial to the team to let both of them develop away from each other a bit. Neither is then in the other's shadow and all that BS. Since Eichel's game already looks to be more NHL ready, Reinhart would be my choice to go to the A for a while.

But training camp is when that decision should be made.
- HonkFortheGoose

I have no problem with both of them being here. If they both are good enough to be here, they should be.

I agree

but if he is with the big club, any sane person can assume there is a chance he gets near 50 points with a competent NHL coach

That was my beef, not with you of course


What cracks me up is the posts about how bad this team was.
Honestly if Murray wasn't trying to tank then the team would have had Pysyk up for a full year and better call ups and probably 10-12 points more in the NHL last season.


I am glad there are about 47 people on here ready to be an NHL GM though
- homiedclown

For me, it's less about how many points he's putting up and more about whether or not he looks like he belongs in every other facet. The points will come if the rest of his game is working the way it should be. He just needs to be given players he can succeed with and not the 4th line plugs he was given last year.

I agree

but if he is with the big club, any sane person can assume there is a chance he gets near 50 points with a competent NHL coach

That was my beef, not with you of course


What cracks me up is the posts about how bad this team was.
Honestly if Murray wasn't trying to tank then the team would have had Pysyk up for a full year and better call ups and probably 10-12 points more in the NHL last season.


I am glad there are about 47 people on here ready to be an NHL GM though
- homiedclown

Isn't that what being such a big fan and posting poop like this is about, including yourself?

Other than the name calling yesterday by a couple, it was a pretty good debate IMO, but what do I know, I only like message boards so people can actually discuss things.

I have no problem with both of them being here. If they both are good enough to be here, they should be.
- buffalofan19

Agreed. And that should be something they make a decision on no more than halfway through camp, IMO.

You could do that with Reinhart on the team though if need be. If they want to let him adjust in the NHL but with less pressure, they could put him on the wing for a bit. Plenty of other young centers have played on the wing. Besides, with the amount of depth we seem to have at that position right now, one or two of them are going to need to transition to the wing anyway when all is said and done.
- HonkFortheGoose

Totally agree.

Larsson deserves his chance as a top 3 line center after how he finished this past season.

I agree with what Homer mentioned the other day as I have no problem with the Sabres having their top 3 centers this season being Eichel, Girgensons, and Larsson.
- kingcong39

Going to be a long year if they do that

Isn't that what being such a big fan and posting poop like this is about, including yourself?

Other than the name calling yesterday by a couple, it was a pretty good debate IMO, but what do I know, I only like message boards so people can actually discuss things.
- stashu

there was no reason for that

Totally agree.

Larsson deserves his chance as a top 3 line center after how he finished this past season.
- kingcong39

It all depends on training camp. Lots of players regress after strong finishes to the season, especially if it's a season where the team is eliminated from contention and the pressure is next to nothing.

Pretty much. What do you do when you're in cap trouble? Get rid of the cheap, young guys? No, you get rid of the old dead weight if you can find a dance partner.
Then you pay the cheap young guys.
I mentioned this ages ago, but I think the modern GM is going to have to know when to jettison players at the right time, before they become Brad Richards. Even if they have a good year or two left in them. In the cap era, you cant get stuck with 4 more years of a huge contract on a guy playing in the minors
- seedy

Paying a past performance salary to a player for future performance that won't equal, or perhaps come close to that past performance, is always a recipe for disaster to the teams cap.

Question: is it a good idea to never pay a player for past performance when it is even a little bit questionable that they can repeat or improve upon that going forward?

If so, then you are essentially are getting rid of players right at their apex when they are due for a big time paycheck, or you are signing players when they are very young for a long term deal at a salary that is higher than they deserve at the time they sign it.

Going to be a long year if they do that
- SABRES 89

I don't necessarily agree.

They can easily play with those 3 as their top 3 centers as long as they get good goaltending, the D plays better, and the RW position is improved somehow.

I agree

but if he is with the big club, any sane person can assume there is a chance he gets near 50 points with a competent NHL coach

That was my beef, not with you of course


What cracks me up is the posts about how bad this team was.
Honestly if Murray wasn't trying to tank then the team would have had Pysyk up for a full year and better call ups and probably 10-12 points more in the NHL last season.


I am glad there are about 47 people on here ready to be an NHL GM though
- homiedclown

Zac Dalpe and Jerry D'Amigo are going to sue you for slander.

Zac Dalpe and Jerry D'Amigo are going to sue you for slander.
- Der Kaiser

they can suck a Richard

so can matt ellis

they can suck a Richard

so can matt ellis
- homiedclown

I have no problem with both of them being here. If they both are good enough to be here, they should be.
- buffalofan19

They both are, and they both will be. The attitude in 2015 is going to be a 180 from the attitude in 2014, and both of these guys are going to be a part of it.

- Der Kaiser

I agree

but if he is with the big club, any sane person can assume there is a chance he gets near 50 points with a competent NHL coach

That was my beef, not with you of course


What cracks me up is the posts about how bad this team was.
Honestly if Murray wasn't trying to tank then the team would have had Pysyk up for a full year and better call ups and probably 10-12 points more in the NHL last season.


I am glad there are about 47 people on here ready to be an NHL GM though
- homiedclown

I see it the same way - even with the hand he was dealt last year, we could have finished 10 or 15 points higher in the standings if Murray played the cards differently.

This year, we're going to have much higher cards, and Murray is going to play them in a far more winning attitude.

- homiedclown

That's childish.

Just for the purposes of this discussion though.

That's childish.

Just for the purposes of this discussion though.
- Der Kaiser