He wasn’t the right fit anyways
- jdfitz77

Our best LW is Scott Wilson!

He's a perennial 25-goal scoring LW who can probably now be had for pennies on the dollar. How is he not a fit?!?

Agreed. Trading him is stupid. We haven't had a decent defense in 10-15 years. We'll finally have a defense that looks like, Dahlin, Risto, Guhle, Scandlla, which will be one of the top defenses in the league, and everyone wants to blow it up. It's like people are so use to losing they're afraid of finally being able to win.
- sskkoo1

Another thing to consider...
having a good defense, with some guys that can pass & skate, is gonna help get the puck up ice to the forwards
Which will in turn, help the offense!

You can cross mike Hoffman off your list now there’s no way the Sabres bring in that baggage
- gerbe75pts

Why Hoffman would stay with Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, after all this, is beyond me.

thank you.

we just need to trade everybody now, next year they will be worth zero, zippo
- IonSabres

It's not about value falling off Its about a team being in 31st freaking place by a long shot.

I don't understand how you cant see that this team was hot garbage and its obviously not working something needs to change and it cant be 4th line plugs. That wont make a damn difference.

Our best LW is Scott Wilson!

He's a perennial 25-goal scoring LW who can probably now be had for pennies on the dollar. How is he not a fit?!?
- jcragcrumple

Our best LW is probably staring us right in the face. We need to play guys already and quit burying them.

Olofsson, 22
Smith, 23
O'regan, 24
Nylander, 20

Time to play 1 or 2 of these guys and see what we have in them. One of these guy's will gel with our top 6.

Just bc someone is getting lots of icetime,
doesn’t mean they aren’t being “sheltered”

And that’s what the whole point is

Sure, Matthews & Eichel got plenty of icetime
A lot of it was from the PP
And a lot of it was Off Zone starts
And a lot of it was against weaker competition when possible

So it wasn’t this big facade u claim it to be
- jdfitz77

Most first lines get heavier ozone starts, as they should. Not saying Matthews wasn't sheltered, but he was effectively their 1C from game 1.

Another thing to consider...
having a good defense, with some guys that can pass & skate, is gonna help get the puck up ice to the forwards
Which will in turn, help the offense!
- jdfitz77

Right. It's little things that can make a big difference. Scoring 1 extra goal per game can mean 10-15 more wins on season.

Center:
Eichel, RoR, Mitts

Defense;
Dahlin, Risto, Guhle, Scandella

wings:
Reinhart, Okposo, ?, ?

I know we have a lot of young guys, and they'll have growing pains, but how is this not a solid core? Let this team grow together. It's time to stop blowing things up.

Our best LW is Scott Wilson!

He's a perennial 25-goal scoring LW who can probably now be had for pennies on the dollar. How is he not a fit?!?
- jcragcrumple

Bc in 2 years (we aren’t winning the Cup by then) he will need a new contract

He turns 31 early in the 1st season of his new deal

He will demand an 8yr contract
And don’t say idk that... of course he’s gonna want that to maximize the last big $$$ deal he will get
He’s not signing a 4 or 5 year deal
He’s good enough to demand the extra years
Someone will do it

Signing him to 7mil +
(Yes, he’s getting at least Kane $$$)
Until he’s 39

Just isn’t a good idea

If he was 3 years younger, or his current contract lasted 3 or 4 more years...
But that’s not the case

Hence, “not a good fit”


It’s not just about bringing in good players
We have to make sure we are spending our assets on the “right” players

For example:
Go after Stone instead of Hoffman
He’s 26 and die his big contract this year
And Ottawa is cheap

Our best LW is probably staring us right in the face. We need to play guys already and quit burying them.

Olofsson, 22
Smith, 23
O'regan, 24
Nylander, 20

Time to play 1 or 2 of these guys and see what we have in them. One of these guy's will gel with our top 6.
- sskkoo1

I hope one or two of those guys have a great camp and make this team, but you can't go into camp with any of them slotted in the top 6. They've done nothing to warrant it.

Bc in 2 years (we aren’t winning the Cup by then) he will need a new contract

He turns 31 early in the 1st season of his new deal

He will demand an 8yr contract
And don’t say idk that... of course he’s gonna want that to maximize the last big $$$ deal he will get
He’s not signing a 4 or 5 year deal
He’s good enough to demand the extra years
Someone will do it

Signing him to 7mil +
(Yes, he’s getting at least Kane $$$)
Until he’s 39

Just isn’t a good idea

If he was 3 years younger, or his current contract lasted 3 or 4 more years...
But that’s not the case

Hence, “not a good fit”


It’s not just about bringing in good players
We have to make sure we are spending our assets on the “right” players

For example:
Go after Stone instead of Hoffman
He’s 26 and die his big contract this year
And Ottawa is cheap
- jdfitz77

2 years is plenty of time to either evaluate what you have and re-sign on mutually beneficial terms, or flip him for assets. If his value is hitting the floor right now, and you can get him for next year's second, or add Bailey, do it. He's knocking on the door of 30 goals almost every year, and Eichel desperately needs a LW.

Whoever buys low on this guy is going to get a hell of a return

Why Hoffman would stay with Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, after all this, is beyond me.
- Powerslave

Dat ass...

Probably

Most first lines get heavier ozone starts, as they should. Not saying Matthews wasn't sheltered, but he was effectively their 1C from game 1.
- Lunaion

Well when i say he was the 3C,
this is what i mean

1) he was on the 3rd line

But more importantly...
2) he was being sheltered with good matchups & zone starts

So when ppl say Mittelstadt shouldn’t be thrust into the “2C role”
We aren’t saying to keep him at 13min a night
We just mean to put him in beneficial situations where he’s more likely to succeed & less likely to be overwhelmed
Like the Leafs did with Matthews as their “3C”

The “3C” connotation really just means we should shelter him a bit
At least to start

Right. It's little things that can make a big difference. Scoring 1 extra goal per game can mean 10-15 more wins on season.

Center:
Eichel, RoR, Mitts

Defense;
Dahlin, Risto, Guhle, Scandella

wings:
Reinhart, Okposo, ?, ?

I know we have a lot of young guys, and they'll have growing pains, but how is this not a solid core? Let this team grow together. It's time to stop blowing things up.
- sskkoo1

So Dahlin is going to account for 82 Goals next season? Damn, he is good.

I hope one or two of those guys have a great camp and make this team, but you can't go into camp with any of them slotted in the top 6. They've done nothing to warrant it.
- Lunaion

No you can't have them slotted, but you take the best at camp.

If we trade for a LW, we're losing something of value for him. Right now, if a guy like CJ Smith wows in camp, put him on the top 6 LW, he'll be 24, and has scored at a point per game pace in the AHL with having to play with no real centers.

I'm okay with keeping a guy like Nylander down, given he's only 20, has had a bad injury, and hasn't really shown anything yet. But, Smith and O'Reagan have shown they can play and score and they're in their prime now. Why trade for a LW when these guys deserve a shot? If they can't handle it after 10-15 games, send them down, or demote them to the bottom 6, then go looking for a trade.

Right. It's little things that can make a big difference. Scoring 1 extra goal per game can mean 10-15 more wins on season.

Center:
Eichel, RoR, Mitts

Defense;
Dahlin, Risto, Guhle, Scandella

wings:
Reinhart, Okposo, ?, ?

I know we have a lot of young guys, and they'll have growing pains, but how is this not a solid core? Let this team grow together. It's time to stop blowing things up.
- sskkoo1

I’m with ya
Not saying the roster is complete yet...
but yeah,
Let’s play these kids & see what they can do

The AVs & Jersey did it last year,
and Toronto the year before...
and they all made the playoffs

Now we might not be there yet...
but if we freaking sign another Pouliot,
or play Tennyson over Guhle, or have the Griffith’s of the league in our lineup again...

Well fuuuuuuuuuuck that
No thank you

So Dahlin is going to account for 82 Goals next season? Damn, he is good.
- ImThatGuy

Dahlin's play in moving the puck, along with Guhle's ability to the same, and with Mittelstadt play, and with a few new faces... Yeah, this can add up to an additional 82 goals in a season.

I’m with ya
Not saying the roster is complete yet...
but yeah,
Let’s play these kids & see what they can do

The AVs & Jersey did it last year,
and Toronto the year before...
and they all made the playoffs

Now we might not be there yet...
but if we freaking sign another Pouliot,
or play Tennyson over Guhle, or have the Griffith’s of the league in our lineup again...

Well fuuuuuuuuuuck that
No thank you
- jdfitz77

Um New Jersey and Colorado made massive trades to shake up their last place teams....... They didn't just play the kids.

2 years is plenty of time to either evaluate what you have and re-sign on mutually beneficial terms, or flip him for assets. If his value is hitting the floor right now, and you can get him for next year's second, or add Bailey, do it. He's knocking on the door of 30 goals almost every year, and Eichel desperately needs a LW.

Whoever buys low on this guy is going to get a hell of a return
- jcragcrumple

Well if we are getting him that low,
then of course!
I just doubt he’s gonna get dumped for so little

Dahlin's play in moving the puck, along with Guhle's ability to the same, and with Mittelstadt play, and with a few new faces... Yeah, this can add up to an additional 82 goals in a season.
- sskkoo1

It was just said that Middlestadt wasnt fit for the second line center role and now his play is going to help account for one of the best single season turnarounds in NHL history?

Im lost.

Um New Jersey and Colorado made massive trades to shake up their last place teams....... They didn't just play the kids.
- ImThatGuy

Playing the kids was a HUGE part of their success

Well if we are getting him that low,
then of course!
I just doubt he’s gonna get dumped for so little
- jdfitz77

Idk, that story is incredibly (frank)ed up. If they have any intention of re-signing Karlsson, Hoffman has to go now or yesterday.

That said, Uncle Terry is fond of his christian-values types, so I doubt it happens

Playing the kids was a HUGE part of their success
- jdfitz77

Taylor Hall disagrees.

Well when i say he was the 3C,
this is what i mean

1) he was on the 3rd line

But more importantly...
2) he was being sheltered with good matchups & zone starts

So when ppl say Mittelstadt shouldn’t be thrust into the “2C role”
We aren’t saying to keep him at 13min a night
We just mean to put him in beneficial situations where he’s more likely to succeed & less likely to be overwhelmed
Like the Leafs did with Matthews as their “3C”

The “3C” connotation really just means we should shelter him a bit
At least to start
- jdfitz77

And I'm saying that the line that plays the most at even strength and is the go-to line in all key offensive situations, it's effectively the first line. You can keep calling him a 3C, but you're falling for a false narrative.

It was just said that Middlestadt wasnt fit for the second line center role and now his play is going to help account for one of the best single season turnarounds in NHL history?

Im lost.
- ImThatGuy

It's a combination of a lot of little things. When you stop filling your roster with guys like Tennyson, Falk, Criscuolo, Larsson, Nolan, Josesfson… And, replace them with Dahlin, Mittelstadt, Guhle, Smith, amazing things can happen. Losing the bums and replacing them with High-level talent (albeit rookies) can still have a 1 goal per game increase on this upcoming season.

No you can't have them slotted, but you take the best at camp.

If we trade for a LW, we're losing something of value for him. Right now, if a guy like CJ Smith wows in camp, put him on the top 6 LW, he'll be 24, and has scored at a point per game pace in the AHL with having to play with no real centers.

I'm okay with keeping a guy like Nylander down, given he's only 20, has had a bad injury, and hasn't really shown anything yet. But, Smith and O'Reagan have shown they can play and score and they're in their prime now. Why trade for a LW when these guys deserve a shot? If they can't handle it after 10-15 games, send them down, or demote them to the bottom 6, then go looking for a trade.
- sskkoo1

They'll have an opportunity in camp, and I hope they take advantage of it. In my book, the bare minimum they need to do is bring in a G and LW through trades/FA. Frankly, I feel they need to do a lot more.