Updated:
Jason Botterill has waived two players and a defenseman.
Sabres prospects Justin Bailey and Nick Baptiste must clear waivers in order to join the Rochester Amerks. I foresee a waiver claim on one or both forwards.
Matt Tennyson likely will land back in Rochester without being claimed off waivers.
See my projected lineup that I posted early Saturday morning. I correctly predicted that Nylander and Thompson would be staying in Buffalo.
Sabres waive Justin Bailey, Nick Baptiste, Matt Tennyson @AmerksHockey https://t.co/GWSyOro8tV
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) September 29, 2018
The acquisition of forwards Conor Sheary, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and the success of Alex Nylander have put Bailey and Baptiste in the bubble position with the Sabres.
Bailey, 23, was selected in the 2nd round by his hometown team in 2013. Bailey is a big, fast, strong scoring winger. The right shot right winger is 6'3" and 220 lbs. and can skate like the wind. Last season, Bailey scored three goals and an assist in 12 games played in Buffalo. In his 52 NHL games, all with the Sabres, Bailey has scored 5 goals and 3 assists. Bailey can play up and down the lineup and kills penalties well. His unique package of speed, reach and scoring touch make him attractive to be claimed by an NHL club looking for a power forward. Keep an eye on the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens. All three teams are looking for a forward with Bailey's blend of skills and toughness.
Bailey, 23, was drafted in the 3rd round in 2013. He has scored at every level he has played at, however, like Bailey, has not earned a full time ride in Buffalo yet.
At 6'1" and 185 lbs., Baptiste is a gritty, fast winger who can add scoring to the bottom six. Baptiste has scored 45 goals in AHL Rochester the past three seasons. The Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers are teams to watch for waiver claims on Baptiste. Baptiste is from the Ottawa Valley and could help the struggling Senators. Baptiste was a former linemate of one Connor McDavid in their time together with the Erie Otters. Baptiste also has great chemistry with Dylan Strome from their days playing together at the Erie Otters.
Has Botterill tried to trade Bailey or Baptiste? I’m sure he’s spoken with team. However, I’ve seen many NHL scouts are Sabres exhibition games. Why would a rival GM want to trade an asset for a forward that he can likely pick up for free off waivers? Other teams are scouting Buffalo and they know that Botterill has too many forward assets to all play in Buffalo this season.
Should Bailey and/or Baptiste clear through waivers and report to Rochester, Botterill and Housley will be watching closely. Ditto Amerks GM Randy Sexton. The suits will be watching to see how hard the players are competing. Attitude is everything in the NHL. Some players embrace being waived and use it for fuel for their fire to get back to the NHL. See: Jason Pominville. Other players sulk and slump as a result of their being sent back to the minors. Botterill wants his players in Rochester to jump out of their skin to be the first call up when injuries bite the big club.
On Thursday, Bottereill sent five players to Rochester.
Jason Botterill has assigned the following players to @amerks
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) September 27, 2018
Scott Wedgewood
Will Borgen
Taylor Fedun
Rasmus Asplund
Victor Olofsson#Sabres
**
The Buffalo Sabres are ready for prime time.
Phil Housley's refurbished roster concluded the exhibition season with a 5-4 win over the NY Islanders on Friday night in Oshawa.
The upstart Sabres posted a 3-4 record and demonstrated signs of growth and improvement in their goal scoring and team defense departments.
In The Shwa, the Sabres erupted for four goals in the second period. Newcomer Jeff Skinner scored twice. Skinner was acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, scored 30 goals on three separate occassions during his nine year career in The Research Triangle. Skinner has looked great playing alongside Jack Eichel and Samson Reinhart.
Zemgus Girgensons, Casey Nelson and Rasmus Dahlin also scored for the Sabres.
Three players had multi-point games: Skinner (2 goals), Girgensons (1G,1A), Dahlin (1G,1A).
Carter Hutton made 27 saves for the win.
That's a wrap.
The Boston Bruins will visit Buffalo on Thursday for the season opener.
Now that the auditions are completed, the task at hand for Jason Botteril and Phil Houlsey is to craft their opening night roster. The newcomers and kids have had their moments to impress and shine. Some did. Some did not.
Who stays?
Who goes?
Watchihg all players participate in practice sessions and exhibition games, one is impressed with the newfound compete level from the Sabres. This group is like night and day compared to the rosters of 2016-17 and 2018. There are no passengers nor spectators. All players have been active competitors in this training camp. Last April, Jason Botterill and Phil Houlsey promised swift, aggrressive roster changes and they delivered. I love the new positive, supportive attitude of the 2018-19 Sabres.
Housley and Botterill have a few tough decisions to make at fofrward and defense. In the end, the players will determine who stays in Buffalo and who goes to the Roshetsre Amerks. The players will also dictate which forwards and D will be the first call up to Buffalo at their respective postions. Botterill always says that the great players are the ones that handle adversity with the right attitude and maintain their focus.
Here's my final roster projection:
Forwards:
Skinner - Eichel -Reinhart Sheary -Berglund -Okposo Nylander -Mittelstadt -Thompson Rodrigues -Sobotka- Wilson
Extra forwards:
Pominville, Girgensons; Larsson and Malone are injured. when Healthy, I see Sabres waiving or trading Larsson while sending Malone to Rochester.
My second, thrid and fourth trios may surprise you.
Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart will provide primary scoring at even strength and on the PP.
I love the synergy that I have seen from Berglund and Okposo, who are respected veterans that can contribute on bith sides of teh puck while stabilizing the youthful roster.
We've yet to see Sheary perform in a Sabres sweater as he was injured on the first day of training camp on September 14. I'm told that Shearuy will be ready for prime time when Boston travels to Buffalo for the season opener on October 4.
Like the primary and secondary scoring abilities of the second unit.
Personally, I'm not ready to watch Casey Mittelstadt at second line center. It’s a tall task to ask of an NHL Rookie with only six NHL games in his hockey bag take over for Ryan O’Reilly in one fell swoop. Mittelstadt will need time to ease into 2C. I like what I have seen from Patrik a Berglund at 2C.
Mittelstadt between Nylander and Thompson has me very excited. The line is equal parts high skill, play making and scoring abilities.
Mittelstadt impressed at development camp and again at the Prospect Challenge. He struggled at times during exhibition games, which is totally acceptable from a young NHLer. I like the idea of protecting Mittelstadt on the third line to start the season.
I love the metamorphosis of Alex Nylander’s game. The young Swede appears to have found his niche as an NHLer. The former eighth overall pick in 2016 has performed well during training camp. He was also full value at the Prospects Challenge and then again during prospect development camp. Tage Thompson has been a breath of fresh air. He's big, strong and has a bomb for a shot. His 6'5" frame makes his hard to defend. He's strong on pucks and can play on all four lines. Thompson has earned an NHL roster spot at the expense of a veteran.
Primary and econdary scoring will come from Nylander-Mittelstadt-Thompson.
I like the play making and scoring abilities of a fourth line of Rodrigues-Sobotka-Wilson.
Defense:
Scandella - Ristolainen McCabe - Dahlin Bogosian - Nelson
Extra D:
Beaulieu Hiskey and Hunwick are injured and will be sent to Rochester when healthy.
* Rookie Lawrence Pilut has opened the eyes of Housley and Botterill. The kid plays the NHL style game despite his lack of North American experience. Pilut was voted Defenseman of The Year in The Swedish Elite League last season. He is a spitting image stylistically of Anaheim Ducks D Hampus Lindholm: great passer, excellent skater, great shot, smart, excellent D-zone awareness.
Scandella and Ristiolainen have been towers of power. I like everythng about this duo. They will play against the other team's top lines at even strength. Ristolainen has been a terror to play against during the exhibition season.
I've always been a huge Jake McCabe fan. He's a hostile, mobile and agile defender who plays the 200 foor game. McCabe and Rasmus Dahlin are a dynamic duo. They have found chemistry while playing together during training camp. Both D jump and join the rush and have the jets to get back to protect the fort. Dahlin has lived up to his world-class billing. The first overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft, Dahlin has over-delivered on every high expectation set upon him. He is big, smart, highly-skilled and extremely intelligent. He has a tremendous shot and upper echelon hockey instincts. I can see Dahlin scoring 60 points (15G,45A) during his rookie season.
Bogosian and Nelson are a steady D duo who can create offense while supporting the rush. Each are quality defenders in their own end of the rink.