Two things in this
1) we are missing Samuelsson and joker. So you are going to continue to have AHL level dmen in your lineup even after injuries. Plus 99.9% of this fan base is done with Joker. No team is ever 100% healthy either.

2) this team screams development then throws vinne Hinistroza on the top line because why? Why not Quinn,Peterka, Krebs.


You can tout it as development or whatever you want. 14 games in and the fanbase is questioning the roster decisions for players they are supposed to be developing. It’s a year where winning is not a priority and drafting high is perfectly acceptable.
- ImThatGuy

When healthy your top 4 is: Dahlin Power Samuelsson and Joker

Boosh and Bryson are the other 2, I would like a Bryson upgrade but that's not the main issue this team has. Fitz, Clauge, Pilut, are AHL D men.

So they played with 3 AHL d men.

Yes injuries happen but nobody could have predicted or even expected the injuries to Boosh Sammy and Joker this early in the season and all at once.

The roster decisions have been a head scratcher and I agree that there are things to question. I am not saying don't question things, especially when there are things like having Quinn not on the PP or in the press box, but I am saying expectations for the fans are clearly much different than expectations for the team.

Other than Dahlin and Thompson is any other player producing near or above expectations?

and we're in an absurdly stacked division that has 2 teams aging out and 1 team one more playoff loss away from an implosion

this was strategically not the year to go for anything. it sucks that we're already in the longest drought ever, but its smart to have it continue.
- robz228

What makes next year Different?

instead of 3 prospects to develop and evaluate you are going to have 5-7.

You’ll have more players that you will “block” if you acquire talent.

Two years from now, same thing. More prospects to evaluate, no room for outside roster additions.

Or he just doesn't fit there and might have worked better with Cozens or Krebs. Or it's 10 games in and he hasn't found his rhythm yet.
- Buff36

On pace for 70 points is a slow start....nice problem to have.

Poyer, Rousseau ruled out for Sunday

On pace for 70 points is a slow start....nice problem to have.
- Lunaion

Tage and Dahlin are on 105 point paces.

What makes next year Different?

instead of 3 prospects to develop and evaluate you are going to have 5-7.

You’ll have more players that you will “block” if you acquire talent.

Two years from now, same thing. More prospects to evaluate, no room for outside roster additions.
- ImThatGuy

They won't be able to evaluate half there prospects with the way there going.

On pace for 70 points is a slow start....nice problem to have.
- Lunaion

Yeah

On pace for 70 points is a slow start....nice problem to have.
- Lunaion

Not sure they traded for him to score 13 G's. Good he is finding apples to help somehow.

Other than Dahlin and Thompson is any other player producing near or above expectations?
- Stripes77

Power, peterka above for me

Cozens, asplund, quinn, at expectations

tuch, skinner slightly below

krebs has just been lapped by everyone else. idk why he's not in rochester.

idk what you do with olofsson. either scores two goals or is the worst player on the ice any given game.

Other than Dahlin and Thompson is any other player producing near or above expectations?
- Stripes77

Cozens and Power

Peterka and Quinn don’t look out of place as rookies

What makes next year Different?

instead of 3 prospects to develop and evaluate you are going to have 5-7.

You’ll have more players that you will “block” if you acquire talent.

Two years from now, same thing. More prospects to evaluate, no room for outside roster additions.
- ImThatGuy

Very little has to change next year. UPL for Anderson. Savoie for someone.

At some point, they can't be so content with the guys they have and the following season several significant contracts are up and prospects should be NHL ready. They need to start making decisions.

Power, peterka above for me

Cozens, asplund, quinn, at expectations

tuch, skinner slightly below

krebs has just been lapped by everyone else. idk why he's not in rochester.

idk what you do with olofsson. either scores two goals or is the worst player on the ice any given game.
- robz228

Olofsson was AWFUL yesterday

It was just a weird game, Power is learning so he gets a pass for me, being 19 years old playing 25 minutes a game is not what we expected from him

Speaking of Tuch, other than constantly turning the puck over yesterday he has been pretty much AWOL for a while now.

Playing with 4 AHL D the Sabres played 2 really good periods against the best team in the league, all while giving a returning player 2 breakaways which were stopped.

It is pretty obvious the Sabres aren't going to start making trades for depth defensemen, and they're pretty set that they're still in a development mode this season.

Being 7-3 to start the season was just happened to be how some bounces went. They probably have only played 2 or 3 really good complete games all season.

It stinks that it felt like a carrot was being dangled over our head of a good team after the Western Road trip. But they're not there yet. Unless Adams comes out and makes a trade, we shouldn't expect that they are pushing for making the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, it's a happy biproduct of the players developing and starting to win.
- Stripes77

welcome to Vegas and Minny Tuch

Other than Dahlin and Thompson is any other player producing near or above expectations?
- Stripes77

Skinner has quietly turned into a play-maker this year

Olofsson was AWFUL yesterday

It was just a weird game, Power is learning so he gets a pass for me, being 19 years old playing 25 minutes a game is not what we expected from him
- Stripes77

Watching Kulich and Rosen shoot, you just know they drafted VO's replacement. Just need to find a team who doesn't look at analytics.

Joker and samuelsson are hurt That is why
- Sabretooth9

So grab Reilly off waivers and Bear for a 5th and our D is still respectable,

Its an abomination with 2-3 AHL guys in the lineup

There is more good than bad but we need to seriously address the bad.

Depth on D is a serious issue
Goalie situation is a serious issue
Need to make a decision on some forward this year (Olofsson, Okposo, Asplund, Krebs are my tops)
Donny might not be the right coach

There is more food than bad but we need to seriously address the bad.

Depth on D is a serious issue
Goalie situation is a serious issue
Need to make a decision on some forward this year (Olofsson, Okposo, Asplund, Krebs are my tops)
Donny might not be the right coach
- lulags

Skinner too, but I know that’s basically an impossibility

Other than Dahlin and Thompson is any other player producing near or above expectations?
- Stripes77

Cozens, Tuch, Skinner, JJ, Mitts, Asplund, Okposo have been better than expected IMO or at least where they should be,

Brysons been fine but he sucks defensively, Clauge stinks, Fitzgerald is even worse, Power has to work on taking a man out on 2 on 1's instead sticking to the middle trying to take the pass away.

There is more good than bad but we need to seriously address the bad.

Depth on D is a serious issue
Goalie situation is a serious issue
Need to make a decision on some forward this year (Olofsson, Okposo, Asplund, Krebs are my tops)
Donny might not be the right coach
- lulags

As this season goes on I'm really not likening his decision making.

Forward rotations, major switches to lines the day before a game with one of the best teams in the league, The whole D situation, actually playing Fitzgerald, sitting asplund and playing Krebs, sitting Quinn and playing Krebs, Krebs playing even though he sucks

Skinner has quietly turned into a play-maker this year
- BeadyEyedDouche

He should have 3 or 4 more goals this year too

Skinner is as we know him to be, very frustrating at times, but also a little pest to play against.

I want to see more of the pest Skinner in the up coming weeks.

There is more good than bad but we need to seriously address the bad.

Depth on D is a serious issue
Goalie situation is a serious issue
Need to make a decision on some forward this year (Olofsson, Okposo, Asplund, Krebs are my tops)
Donny might not be the right coach
- lulags

I'd say a VO move is inevitable, Mitts is close to that, and Joker is their decision (mostly because they have no D in their system).

Okposo and Girgs have no business on this team in 2 years. Asplund, at his bargain price, is an easy extend.

Watching Kulich and Rosen shoot, you just know they drafted VO's replacement. Just need to find a team who doesn't look at analytics.
- Lunaion

Where's Torts

Olofsson was AWFUL yesterday

It was just a weird game, Power is learning so he gets a pass for me, being 19 years old playing 25 minutes a game is not what we expected from him
- Stripes77

His biggest weakness is sitting in the middle of the ice on a 2 on 1 doing absolutely nothing trying to take the puck away on the pass, take a man out of the play.