There are Sabres fans that think Reinhart will net them a #2 DMan? That's ridiculous. Everybody should be fairly aware of the premium set on the top 60 defenders in the NHL. Now he might get a decent D man in return, and that D man might play on the Sabres top pair....but that doesn't make him a #2 defender. I look at the trade Arizona made for Hjarrlmarsson....Reinhart is with more than what Chicago got in return, but those were cap circumstances and they needed D coming back, and like I said, he's not a true top pairing D anyway.
- Larsson_fan

Reinhart interests me as a Blues fan, needing a #1 center (Stastny is not this player, questionable if Schenn is)...but if you bring up Petro or Parayko, count on hysterical hoots of laughter before the line clicks dead. Might also be so for Dunn or Walman...I would listen to a package including Schmaltz, however...could the Sabres use a 2nd line D-pair right shot offensively-minded player?--I think they might...depending, of course, on how some of the off-season acquisitions go.

I wonder if Reinhart is more akin to Ryan Johansen than some of the other players mentioned...or maybe he's part of this Reinhart spawn curse of not living up to the old man's NHL career (more solid than spectacular than his sons' hype, no fault on the man there) but...the family name is not exactly trending in the right direction lately, let's be honest with the NHL performances/expectations.

Sam is certainly an intriguing gamble going into this season, and not someone I'd write off at present...though RNH does seem to be an apt comparable. Big season upcoming for the lad...

Reinhart interests me as a Blues fan, needing a #1 center (Stastny is not this player, questionable if Schenn is)...but if you bring up Petro or Parayko, count on hysterical hoots of laughter before the line clicks dead. Might also be so for Dunn or Walman...I would listen to a package including Schmaltz, however...could the Sabres use a 2nd line D-pair right shot offensively-minded player?--I think they might...depending, of course, on how some of the off-season acquisitions go.

I wonder if Reinhart is more akin to Ryan Johansen than some of the other players mentioned...or maybe he's part of this Reinhart spawn curse of not living up to the old man's NHL career (more solid than spectacular than his sons' hype, no fault on the man there) but...the family name is not exactly trending in the right direction lately, let's be honest with the NHL performances/expectations.

Sam is certainly an intriguing gamble going into this season, and not someone I'd write off at present...though RNH does seem to be an apt comparable. Big season upcoming for the lad...
- Firebrand

I honestly think he's a victim of circumstance.

If you look at it in the abstract he's a more than solid player, but with players picked top 2 entering the league the past few years and making a huge impact right away like Ekblad, McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, and Laine it puts a bit more onto his shoulders than perhaps it should for a player entering just his 3rd season of play.

It's been done to death, but players don't have their breakout seasons until they're 24-26. Reinhart will be 22 when the season starts, or close enough. And it's not like he's poopting the bed or anything. Like Yakupov. Hell the 5th overall from his draft class doesn't even have a single NHL game played yet.

People need to be patient.

I would be ecstatic if he turned out to be an $8M player like Johansen.

I've been on here as a huge proponent for moving Sam back to Center

It only seems reasonable that his points would take a nice leap
-playing his natural position, where he can be more of a "playmaker"
-going up against lesser talent

The biggest issue is that we may not have the young wingers developed enough to fill the top9 slots
I think that's ok though

We are still a "developing team"
Like was pointed out, with Pommer & Pouliot temporarily fillling roles in the top9, and Kane & Okposo all set on the wings... we only need to work in TWO of the young guys this year

That seems pretty reasonable
Consider Bailey & Baptiste both took nice leaps for Rochester last year & got a decent number of games in up here with the Sabres
Also getting a good number of games, and looking like he fit in, was E-Rod
And although i still don't know if his skating is good enough yet, Fasching did make the team out of camp last year

So that's FOUR pretty reasonable options to fill the TWO open slots

Plus, let's not completely write off Nylander either
He was at rookie camp looking much bigger, and that was the only question
His skill was never in doubt
A good training camp could see him grab one of those slots too

(long a$$ post continued...)
Is it ideal to go this route now? Probably not
But it would give us 3 lines with the potential to score on a nightly basis
That could take some pressure off Jack & Oreilly...
and help keep Oreilly's icetime a bit more reasonable as well

So do we really need to wait until next year to move Same to Center when the kids would be more developed?
Although that would be more ideal...
I don't think it's completely necessary to do so
We have enough young guys on the verge that 2 of the 5 should be able to at least be "ok"

And most importantly...
it gives us a jump start on what is the ideal setup for NEXT season,
when we certainly should have a bunch of young guys ready for bigger roles
Doing it this year would give those guys a taste of what will be expected next year from them,
which should ultimately help their production & developement as well

So I say...
yeah, do it now & let's get that ball rolling in the direction we know we ultimately need to be

See which 2 of the 5 look the best in camp, give them first shot
The other 3 can go back to Rochester & play in the top6,
and can get their chance if anyone struggles with us or when injuries occur

Over the last 2 years, the Pens have done this
Sheary, Khunackle, Rust, Guentzel...
all guys who spent a decent amount of time playing w/ either Crosby or Malkin
If it can work for the back to back Cup Champs...
I see no reason to at least not give it a shot here

Moving Sam back to center, especially the 3C slot not this season but next is probably the plan. Team USA is playing Mittelstadt at wing, I wonder if the sabres asked to see him play that position.

If he makes the jump next year he could fill that void, Bailey and Baptiste take over Pouliout and Pominville's wing, I like it.

To keep looking into the future, I see in 3-4 seasons O'reilly gets moved to wing and Mittelstadt takes the 2C slot.

If, hope, planning, maybe, skunk, Kane, Lehner needs a therapist, character, Pegula, I just want to watch some entertaining hockey.

When poop goes in and out and you lick it
- GERBE!!!75PTS

woh woh woh... there is no licking you sick bastard

(last part, I promise...)

Finally,
what it really comes down to...
should we do this NOW?

Well, besides whether or not a couple of the kids are "ready" to step up...
there's 2 pretty important factors which support going this direction now, instead of waiting until next year

1) as has been debated on here endlessly,
WHAT TO DO WITH EVANDER KANE?
Those who say "move him" would claim that we have the young guys coming to potentially fill his role
On the other side,
The argument is that we just don't know yet
So...
working in a couple guys into a full time top9 role this year should give us a better idea of whether or not one of these guys (let's use Bailey as an example bc of his size/speed) can take the next step to be effective at scoring at this level
As a guys who wants Kane to be re-signed...
I'll be a lot more at ease about trading him at the deadline if Bailey has 15+ goals for us
Specifically with Bailey,
Playing in the top9 this year also seems to fit right in with his developemental time line as well

2) it's the right time when u consider the state of the division
With so much uncertainty with EVERY team,
it gives us leeway to experiment a little bit & still contend for the playoffs
Tampa-
Assumed they are a lock for the playoffs, but we all thought that last year too!
They had more than enough talent to survive the Stamkos injury if they weren't such a mess all over the place for 80% of the season
Montreal-
Their defense might be WORSE this year, than ours was last year. No one can figure out wtf they're plan is? And they still have major questions with their Center ice positions that plagued them for the last 2 years. They're ripe to take a BIG step back.
Will it be this year? Idk, but if Price isn't amazing, they capsule fall quickly
Ottawa-
Most were surprised they even made the playoffs last year, and to be fair... up until the playoffs actually started, they didn't look like they deserved it.
Only a nightly Conn Smythe type performance from Karlsson propelled them to unlikely success. He was amazing & should've gotten Conn Smuthe votes even though they didn't make the Finals.
It's very easy to see them take a step back in the regular season if Karlsson isn't playing at that level on a nightly basis- losing his defense partner Methot could definitely hurt. And Anderson is aging... can he be tremendous again as well?
Boston-
yeah, I know their metrics look good... but there's a reason why they just squeaked into the playoffs & then lost to a team that metrics said shouldn't even be there. They just aren't that good... and to actually win each game, they rely as heavily on a small number of players as any team in the league. If any of their scorers struggle throughout the year, a losing steak could easily occur. And while they have a couple talented young defensemen, they are untested to a degree... and it's not unreasonable to see Carlo &/or McAvoy have struggles along the way in roles they might not yet be ready for (kinda like what happened to McCabe for us last year)
Toronto-
everything went right for them last year and they still only made the playoffs by a point. There's a reason they were a surprise playoff team last year... and they could easily be in a prime position to take a step back, just like Winnipeg & Colorado have in previous years.
Florida-
Who knows wtf is going on here? They're in such turmoil, that even all the young talent they had couldn't save them last year. Huberdeau healthy will certainly help, but it looks like Jagr is gone. And Luongo isn't getting younger. And Ekblad needs to get back to an AllStar level... he & Yandle just couldn't mesh last year, so they have to figure that out. Also, lost some scoring to Vegas & need to replace over 60 goals (Incl Jagr)... that's A LOT
Detroit-
they blow... not worried about them at all


So with being in the weakest division in hockey right now,
Now seems like the right time

Go Sabres!!!

Update : the fantasy football I'll get on my laptop tonight and add people

Apparently you can't do it on your phone

On that note : https://youtu.be/C7Zo_1HSr8A

woh woh woh... there is no licking you sick bastard
- IndianaSabresFan

There is with the kinky stuff lol ..

I take it you've never heard of California Prairie Dog ? Lol lots of freaks do it out here

(last part, I promise...)

Finally,
what it really comes down to...
should we do this NOW?

Well, besides whether or not a couple of the kids are "ready" to step up...
there's 2 pretty important factors which support going this direction now, instead of waiting until next year

1) as has been debated on here endlessly,
WHAT TO DO WITH EVANDER KANE?
Those who say "move him" would claim that we have the young guys coming to potentially fill his role
On the other side,
The argument is that we just don't know yet
So...
working in a couple guys into a full time top9 role this year should give us a better idea of whether or not one of these guys (let's use Bailey as an example bc of his size/speed) can take the next step to be effective at scoring at this level
As a guys who wants Kane to be re-signed...
I'll be a lot more at ease about trading him at the deadline if Bailey has 15+ goals for us
Specifically with Bailey,
Playing in the top9 this year also seems to fit right in with his developemental time line as well

2) it's the right time when u consider the state of the division
With so much uncertainty with EVERY team,
it gives us leeway to experiment a little bit & still contend for the playoffs
Tampa-
Assumed they are a lock for the playoffs, but we all thought that last year too!
They had more than enough talent to survive the Stamkos injury if they weren't such a mess all over the place for 80% of the season
Montreal-
Their defense might be WORSE this year, than ours was last year. No one can figure out wtf they're plan is? And they still have major questions with their Center ice positions that plagued them for the last 2 years. They're ripe to take a BIG step back.
Will it be this year? Idk, but if Price isn't amazing, they capsule fall quickly
Ottawa-
Most were surprised they even made the playoffs last year, and to be fair... up until the playoffs actually started, they didn't look like they deserved it.
Only a nightly Conn Smythe type performance from Karlsson propelled them to unlikely success. He was amazing & should've gotten Conn Smuthe votes even though they didn't make the Finals.
It's very easy to see them take a step back in the regular season if Karlsson isn't playing at that level on a nightly basis- losing his defense partner Methot could definitely hurt. And Anderson is aging... can he be tremendous again as well?
Boston-
yeah, I know their metrics look good... but there's a reason why they just squeaked into the playoffs & then lost to a team that metrics said shouldn't even be there. They just aren't that good... and to actually win each game, they rely as heavily on a small number of players as any team in the league. If any of their scorers struggle throughout the year, a losing steak could easily occur. And while they have a couple talented young defensemen, they are untested to a degree... and it's not unreasonable to see Carlo &/or McAvoy have struggles along the way in roles they might not yet be ready for (kinda like what happened to McCabe for us last year)
Toronto-
everything went right for them last year and they still only made the playoffs by a point. There's a reason they were a surprise playoff team last year... and they could easily be in a prime position to take a step back, just like Winnipeg & Colorado have in previous years.
Florida-
Who knows wtf is going on here? They're in such turmoil, that even all the young talent they had couldn't save them last year. Huberdeau healthy will certainly help, but it looks like Jagr is gone. And Luongo isn't getting younger. And Ekblad needs to get back to an AllStar level... he & Yandle just couldn't mesh last year, so they have to figure that out. Also, lost some scoring to Vegas & need to replace over 60 goals (Incl Jagr)... that's A LOT
Detroit-
they blow... not worried about them at all


So with being in the weakest division in hockey right now,
Now seems like the right time

Go Sabres!!!
- jdfitz77

If we're not better than Boston this year then something has gone very wrong

If we're not better than Boston this year then something has gone very wrong
- jcragcrumple

You're Expecting us to be better than Boston?

In general, I don't subscribe to the balanced approach to line making, I think you make your depth chart based on best players play with best players and so on down the line, but if you're going to put Reinhart at center I think you have to give him Kane because Reinhart tends to take a big hit now and again and Kane is a good deterrent to keep people away from taking advantage of Reinhart. That said:

Pouliot ROR Okposo

Nylander/Bailey Eichel Baptiste

Kane Reinhart Pominville

Girgs Larsson Moulson.


I don't think it matters if Moulson plays the wrong side. He sucks 5 on 5 when he plays his preferred side, so it can't really be worse

You're Expecting us to be better than Boston?
- GERBE!!!75PTS

100%

You're Expecting us to be better than Boston?
- GERBE!!!75PTS

You are a self declared poop licker, why would anyone listen to you?

woh woh woh... there is no licking you sick bastard
- IndianaSabresFan

Unbelievable.

100%
- jcragcrumple

Idk Vatrano is going to have a huge year

Then you have Bjork , McAvoy who will be in the top for rookie of the year


And you have a healthy Krug


It will be hard

Idk Vatrano is going to have a huge year

Then you have Bjork , McAvoy who will be in the top for rookie of the year


And you have a healthy Krug


It will be hard
- GERBE!!!75PTS

That sounds like a lot of ifs. Idk, nothing on that team scares me. Chara is a husk of himself and their forwards are mostly underwhelming. Goaltending is obviously good. I see no reason why we won't be better.

He a hopeless asswipe who has nothing better to do with his life than try to get under other people's skin. And even that artlessly, transparently, and humorlessly.


There is no inside joke.
- Der Kaiser

In general, I don't subscribe to the balanced approach to line making, I think you make your depth chart based on best players play with best players and so on down the line, but if you're going to put Reinhart at center I think you have to give him Kane because Reinhart tends to take a big hit now and again and Kane is a good deterrent to keep people away from taking advantage of Reinhart. That said:

Pouliot ROR Okposo

Nylander/Bailey Eichel Baptiste

Kane Reinhart Pominville

Girgs Larsson Moulson.


I don't think it matters if Moulson plays the wrong side. He sucks 5 on 5 when he plays his preferred side, so it can't really be worse
- jcragcrumple

(last part, I promise...)


Toronto-
everything went right for them last year and they still only made the playoffs by a point. There's a reason they were a surprise playoff team last year... and they could easily be in a prime position to take a step back, just like Winnipeg & Colorado have in previous years.
!
- jdfitz77

Not true.

This team was/is very young and had a horrible time giving up 3rd period leads and was the worst in the league most of the year in the cheesy skills competition. The late game leads started to correct itself and the OT/SO thing is largely luck. They had injury luck go their way, but they certainly didn't have everything go their way.

- Larsson_fan

Here's another confirmed poop licker.

I honestly think he's a victim of circumstance.

If you look at it in the abstract he's a more than solid player, but with players picked top 2 entering the league the past few years and making a huge impact right away like Ekblad, McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, and Laine it puts a bit more onto his shoulders than perhaps it should for a player entering just his 3rd season of play.

It's been done to death, but players don't have their breakout seasons until they're 24-26. Reinhart will be 22 when the season starts, or close enough. And it's not like he's poopting the bed or anything. Like Yakupov. Hell the 5th overall from his draft class doesn't even have a single NHL game played yet.

People need to be patient.

I would be ecstatic if he turned out to be an $8M player like Johansen.
- Wetbandit1

24-26? That's not when top 2 picks "breakout".

Reinhart is a fine player, but it's obvious we aren't waiting on some star in the making to break out of his shell

That sounds like a lot of ifs. Idk, nothing on that team scares me. Chara is a husk of himself and their forwards are mostly underwhelming. Goaltending is obviously good. I see no reason why we won't be better.
- jcragcrumple

That's a coin flip at best. They are still talented as hell

That's a coin flip at best. They are still talented as hell
- sbroads24

I just don't see the talent level. Their high end talent is either unproven or aging.

I just don't see the talent level. Their high end talent is either unproven or aging.
- jcragcrumple

Pastrnak
Marchand
Bergeron
Vatrano
McAvoy
Krug
Carlo
Spooner
Krecji

Chara and Backes are old, but still at least a 90 point team