Kevin Freiheit: Be great

Your polls say Ennis

Gerbe spent most of the season playing on a line with Gaustad and Kaleta, not exactly the kind of playmakers a sniper like Gerbe is going to put up offensive numbers with. If the Sabres can find a way to put Vanek back on the right wing where he belongs there might be room for Gerbe to move up to the top 2 lines and put up some decent numbers. Ott would be a better fit on a 3rd line anyhow. However .. Luke Adam, Steve Ott, Ville Leino, Marcus Foligno are left wingers too and thats not counting Vanek who played the entire season on the left side. Although I like Gerbe as a player, it appears there is a lot of competition at the left wing position.

Gerbe spent most of the season playing on a line with Gaustad and Kaleta, not exactly the kind of playmakers a sniper like Gerbe is going to put up offensive numbers with. If the Sabres can find a way to put Vanek back on the right wing where he belongs there might be room for Gerbe to move up to the top 2 lines and put up some decent numbers. Ott would be a better fit on a 3rd line anyhow. However .. Luke Adam, Steve Ott, Ville Leino, Marcus Foligno are left wingers too and thats not counting Vanek who played the entire season on the left side. Although I like Gerbe as a player, it appears there is a lot of competition at the left wing position.
- SabresRush

Adam plays center not the wing I don't see much room
For gerbe in the top nine as we have vanek pommer stafford foligno ott and leino. I'd like to see leino get top six time over gerbe so he had a chance to earn some of that gross contract. The biggest thing standing in gerbes way is going to be ice time

Hopefully Nate stops trying to prove he is big enough and tough enough for the NHL and goes the route of nothing says (frank) You like putting the puck in the other teams net. I like Nate and the never back down attitude but now teams are using it to take him off the score sheet.

All that being said I want to see him drop the gloves against Marchant.

Gerbe spent most of the season playing on a line with Gaustad and Kaleta, not exactly the kind of playmakers a sniper like Gerbe is going to put up offensive numbers with. If the Sabres can find a way to put Vanek back on the right wing where he belongs there might be room for Gerbe to move up to the top 2 lines and put up some decent numbers. Ott would be a better fit on a 3rd line anyhow. However .. Luke Adam, Steve Ott, Ville Leino, Marcus Foligno are left wingers too and thats not counting Vanek who played the entire season on the left side. Although I like Gerbe as a player, it appears there is a lot of competition at the left wing position.
- SabresRush

Adam, Grigorenko & Girgensons and even Tropp will all be tough competition for that open forward spot we have in the top9
And that's if we don't bring anyone else in...

Even in gerbe does get that 9th spot that's open right now,
It would appear that he'd be on the 3rd line with Ott & Leino...
That wouldn't be a line I'd expect to score a lot
Unless they were to do something like move Vanek to RW and play Ott on the top line...
Then have a 3rd line of Gerbe-Leino-Pominville...
Then we could see 3lines that can score

They went tht way at the end of last season when Pominville played with Roy & Leino and Tropp was up with Hodgson & Vanek

It seems to me that it'll be tough for Gerbe to stay in an "offensive" role this year for the entire season...
And that's if he can even stay healthy all year

I could see him getting 10+ goals,
But there's too many factors working against him for me to think he can get 20

I would love to see if he can center a 4th line with Kaleta and Tropp
All 3 of those guys play hard and are all capable of scoring around 10goals
Could be a nice combination of skill & grit
And I think they'd have potential to be one of the best 4th lines in hockey

If Gerbe can't be a yop 6 forward for this squad (which all signs currently point to: "he can't")... I really don't see much reason to keep him around.

I love this guy's work ethic and heart... But he lacks sufficant size, physicallity, and offensive prowless, on a team that is already overloaded at the LW position.



Now just maybe... If you can sign Shane Doan, you go the route of rolling 4 scoring lines (with an element of grit on each line);

Vanek/Hodgson/Doan
Foligno/Ennis/Pominville
Ott/Grigorenko/Stafford
Gerbe/Leino/Kaleta



Now I like that roster a lot... And you still have versatile forward in Luke Adam (who can play C or W) waiting in the wings. You can't even still get big man/tough guy Scott, into the game on defense!

But say we doan't land Doan... Then Gerbe starts looking like trade bait to me (to be part of a package to land a big-time forward).

If Gerbe can't be a yop 6 forward for this squad (which all signs currently point to: "he can't")... I really don't see much reason to keep him around.

I love this guy's work ethic and heart... But he lacks sufficant size, physicallity, and offensive prowless, on a team that is already overloaded at the LW position.



Now just maybe... If you can sign Shane Doan, you go the route of rolling 4 scoring lines (with an element of grit on each line);

Vanek/Hodgson/Doan
Foligno/Ennis/Pominville
Ott/Grigorenko/Stafford
Gerbe/Leino/Kaleta



Now I like that roster a lot... And you still have versatile forward in Luke Adam (who can play C or W) waiting in the wings. You can't even still get big man/tough guy Scott, into the game on defense!

But say we doan't land Doan... Then Gerbe starts looking like trade bait to me (to be part of a package to land a big-time forward).
- SuperCat

I don't think gerbe will have much value though
He had a down season scoring last year
If he's part of a deal, it'll be more as a final piece and not as a main part of the deal

To me, he's a perfect 4th line guy
Even though he's little, he does play "tough"
And there's no denying that he'd probably be one of the most skilled 4th liners in the league...
So maybe that gives us a little bit more scoring from that group

If Gerbe can't be a yop 6 forward for this squad (which all signs currently point to: "he can't")... I really don't see much reason to keep him around.

I love this guy's work ethic and heart... But he lacks sufficant size, physicallity, and offensive prowless, on a team that is already overloaded at the LW position.



Now just maybe... If you can sign Shane Doan, you go the route of rolling 4 scoring lines (with an element of grit on each line);

Vanek/Hodgson/Doan
Foligno/Ennis/Pominville
Ott/Grigorenko/Stafford
Gerbe/Leino/Kaleta



Now I like that roster a lot... And you still have versatile forward in Luke Adam (who can play C or W) waiting in the wings. You can't even still get big man/tough guy Scott, into the game on defense!

But say we doan't land Doan... Then Gerbe starts looking like trade bait to me (to be part of a package to land a big-time forward).
- SuperCat

Very good post!
I agree with much of what you say. Gerbe is easy to love and root for. He leaves everything he has on the ice every night. There are many games where he gives more effort than anyone else on the ice. But the fact is that his size seems to be a factor in his ability to produce.

He has had streaks of good production, like the latter half of the 2010/2011 season. Maybe it is true that with better talented linemates, or rather a better offensive role, Gerbe could be more productive, but if we are not going to put him in that position because we have better players for those spots, then I can see the argument for moving him.

Even so, with Gerbe's cap friendly contract, and the fact that he is coming off of a low production year, I would keep Gerbe to allow him to increase his value by producing points that more closely match his potential, and then make a trade when his value is high. It's hard to argue that moving Gerbe is necessary with his cap hit. He might be one of the best values on the team.

Also, I have though the same that Ruff is going to split the toughness amongst the lines. I like your lines a lot. But I doubt that Grigorenko, or Girgensons, who IMO has a better shot, will make the team this year. We have excellent development coaches in the AHL, I think R and R will want these players to develop a little more before throwing them into the fire.

Even though I hope that your lineup comes to fruition, I believe a more likely one is:
Van Hodg Pommer
Fol Ennis Staff
Ott Leino Kaleta
Gerbe McCorm Tropp

I would look at the possibility that Adam take McCormicks spot, and a Tropp/Kaleta flip/flop as being possible but not likely. Leino at wing and Ott at center may also be morelikely than the scenerio I have here, IDK. Maybe even Adam makes the squad over Tropp, because we don't need Tropp's toughness as much.

Out of curiousity why do buffolu fans p[ut up some many polls about points etc for individual players? Seems a bit strange.

Very good post!
I agree with much of what you say. Gerbe is easy to love and root for. He leaves everything he has on the ice every night. There are many games where he gives more effort than anyone else on the ice. But the fact is that his size seems to be a factor in his ability to produce.

He has had streaks of good production, like the latter half of the 2010/2011 season. Maybe it is true that with better talented linemates, or rather a better offensive role, Gerbe could be more productive, but if we are not going to put him in that position because we have better players for those spots, then I can see the argument for moving him.

Even so, with Gerbe's cap friendly contract, and the fact that he is coming off of a low production year, I would keep Gerbe to allow him to increase his value by producing points that more closely match his potential, and then make a trade when his value is high. It's hard to argue that moving Gerbe is necessary with his cap hit. He might be one of the best values on the team.

Also, I have though the same that Ruff is going to split the toughness amongst the lines. I like your lines a lot. But I doubt that Grigorenko, or Girgensons, who IMO has a better shot, will make the team this year. We have excellent development coaches in the AHL, I think R and R will want these players to develop a little more before throwing them into the fire.

Even though I hope that your lineup comes to fruition, I believe a more likely one is:
Van Hodg Pommer
Fol Ennis Staff
Ott Leino Kaleta
Gerbe McCorm Tropp

I would look at the possibility that Adam take McCormicks spot, and a Tropp/Kaleta flip/flop as being possible but not likely. Leino at wing and Ott at center may also be morelikely than the scenerio I have here, IDK. Maybe even Adam makes the squad over Tropp, because we don't need Tropp's toughness as much.
- Sabretooter

Could Gerbe play RW? I think swapping him for Kaleta would give us three scoring lines, and we would still have Ott on the third line for some toughness. I think having Leino in between Ott and Kaleta would be a waste of his skills, as that line seems like it'd be more determined to get under the other team's skin than finding quality scoring chances. Make the fourth line the pests and roll three scoring lines this year!

my youth served lineup ..

Grigorenko Hodgson Vanek
Foligno Ennis Stafford
Ott Girgenson Kaletta
Gerbe Adam Pomminville

Leino - Tropp .. healthy scratches

my youth served lineup ..

Grigorenko Hodgson Vanek
Foligno Ennis Stafford
Ott Girgenson Kaletta
Gerbe Adam Pomminville

Leino - Tropp .. healthy scratches
- SabresRush

That would be interesting...
That 3rd would certainly irritate ppl

I think Gerbe can pot maybe 20 while playing a pesty sort of brad marchand kind of way.

Thats just like.... my opinion man....

my youth served lineup ..

Grigorenko Hodgson Vanek
Foligno Ennis Stafford
Ott Girgenson Kaletta
Gerbe Adam Pomminville

Leino - Tropp .. healthy scratches
- SabresRush

Pommer, the Captain. Our best offensive player, buried on a line with Gerbe (not bad) and Luke Adam. 4th line minutes would be insulting. People really need to loosen up on the Foligno Ennis Stafford line as well. It's not untouchable, nothing is at this point. I honestly expect Stafford to be traded along with Sekera for a decent C.

Very good post!
I agree with much of what you say. Gerbe is easy to love and root for. He leaves everything he has on the ice every night. There are many games where he gives more effort than anyone else on the ice. But the fact is that his size seems to be a factor in his ability to produce.

He has had streaks of good production, like the latter half of the 2010/2011 season. Maybe it is true that with better talented linemates, or rather a better offensive role, Gerbe could be more productive, but if we are not going to put him in that position because we have better players for those spots, then I can see the argument for moving him.

Even so, with Gerbe's cap friendly contract, and the fact that he is coming off of a low production year, I would keep Gerbe to allow him to increase his value by producing points that more closely match his potential, and then make a trade when his value is high. It's hard to argue that moving Gerbe is necessary with his cap hit. He might be one of the best values on the team.

Also, I have though the same that Ruff is going to split the toughness amongst the lines. I like your lines a lot. But I doubt that Grigorenko, or Girgensons, who IMO has a better shot, will make the team this year. We have excellent development coaches in the AHL, I think R and R will want these players to develop a little more before throwing them into the fire.

Even though I hope that your lineup comes to fruition, I believe a more likely one is:
Van Hodg Pommer
Fol Ennis Staff
Ott Leino Kaleta
Gerbe McCorm Tropp

I would look at the possibility that Adam take McCormicks spot, and a Tropp/Kaleta flip/flop as being possible but not likely. Leino at wing and Ott at center may also be morelikely than the scenerio I have here, IDK. Maybe even Adam makes the squad over Tropp, because we don't need Tropp's toughness as much.
- Sabretooter

Wait...make a trade while his value is high??? You are a smart man, you should be an NHL gm!!!

What happened to Kevin? Just wait for the season to start. You're better than this, I think?
Trade Pominville now, trade him yesterday.
He will never be worth more than now, if he is even worth anything.
Sorry, Gerbe also sucks. I was excited about him to at one time. Saw a little Theo Fleury in him at one point. That is saying a lot bc Fleury was one of most exciting players ever saw at the rink. He was why you go to a game. I loved how he was great and also such a great agitator, like punching someone outside the play only for ref to see the retaliation. Gerbe, sorry he's got to go too. Gerbe, Pominville, TJ Brennan and a first for Thornton.Would SJ do it, probably not.
By the way Sekera is a keeper and only held back by Ruff who has got to go

Leino won't be playing center so that throws a lot of these predictions off. Sabres have a decent 3rd line center in Kevin Porter from Colorado in case Grigs and Girgs don't make the team. With those two in the minors this is how I would set it up:


Vanek-Hodgson-Pomminville
Foligno-Ennis-Stafford
Gerbe-Porter-Leino
Ott-McCormick-Kaleta

Porter can score and be serviceable and I see Leino having a better year so that line would be good for depth scoring. That 4th line would also piss a lot of people off.