Needs: First line centre, checking centre, top-four defenceman.
What I said the Sabres needed last year: Depth forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman.
They added: Ville Leino, Luke Adam, Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr, Marc-Andre Gragnani.
So last year he said the Sabres need one more top 4 D, they signed Ehrhoff, and they need a top 4 D again this year despite not losing a top 4 D in the past 12 months.
Id love to sign McClement... but if more major changes aren't made to how soft the forward core is especially among the skill players... then I see nothing other then a 1st round exit at best.
So last year he said the Sabres need one more top 4 D, they signed Ehrhoff, and they need a top 4 D again this year despite not losing a top 4 D in the past 12 months.
Ehrhoff AND Regehr. If they sign another top 4 D (Suter ), it will be awfully hard for all those D prospects to make the jump to the NHL, because none of them would out-seat Myers, Ehrhoff, Leo, Regehr, Sekera, or Sulzer. If Buffalo signs another top 4 D, a trade almost HAS to be made, shipping out one of their D prospects.
So last year he said the Sabres need one more top 4 D, they signed Ehrhoff, and they need a top 4 D again this year despite not losing a top 4 D in the past 12 months.
So last year he said the Sabres need one more top 4 D, they signed Ehrhoff, and they need a top 4 D again this year despite not losing a top 4 D in the past 12 months.
He didn't specify how many they needed last year, just said we need top 4 defenseman. Now he's saying we still need one more.
I don't think Regehr panned out as a top four d-man. He's looking like a slightly better version of Rivet, without also badly injuring his shoulder right after becoming a Sabre.
Besides needing a center (or two), I'm also not real avid about the RW position either. Pominville is good, Stafford is the definition of inconsistent, and then it's Tropp and Kaleta (who can't play a full season anyway). Vanek, Foligno, Leino, and Gerbe could be alright at LW, but RW isn't very strong anymore (not that really ever was).
He apparently thinks either that the roster is fine as is as long as it stays healthy or that the Sabres will stand pat and won't make any required changes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iciclesonapapershelf
Yeah, kind of a disappointing article.
I can't think of too many pieces (including those weekly power rankings) written by Cullen that weren't.
So what your saying is, he has come to the conclusion that The Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs and now can use another top 4 defenceman is wrong?
So what your saying is this team didn't make the play-offs this year and we dont need a top four defenceman?
To be honest I dont even know what your complaint is. I agree we could use another top 4 defenceman
The sabres 'D' was dominant when healthy. It's no coincidence that Miller played lights out when the defense was healthy. The defense is the least of my concerns. Our top 6 on the other hand...
I did not know who McClement was, so I looked up his nhl.com profile, and I think he's a PK specialist who is good at draws and willing to sacrifice the body. Any objections?
I did not know who McClement was, so I looked up his nhl.com profile, and I think he's a PK specialist who is good at draws and willing to sacrifice the body. Any objections?
I did not know who McClement was, so I looked up his nhl.com profile, and I think he's a PK specialist who is good at draws and willing to sacrifice the body. Any objections?
I've watched him regularly via his play with the Avalanche. I see him as a plug and play 3rd line utility Center. Yes to the PK which was pretty good for the Avs this season but Landeskog has something to do with that.
Jay is pretty much as you describe with very little in the way of hands and finishing skills to his game. Gaustad w/o the size or the fight in him. He does play a physical fore checking game but is usually late to the play as a F1 forward. Could be a lack of speed or could be the system Sacco plays here.
He's never excited me much but a lot of people on this board seem to like him. It's probably not comparable (he may not be even available since I'm too lazy to look up the data) but I'd rather have Hanzal.
McClement is much better defensively (he was St Louis' checking center before Backes blew up), but is worse at the dot and doesn't have the physical facets to the game Goose has.
I think I'd rather have Greg Campbell or Jim Slater because of their respective physical games, but I like McClement as well.
I've watched him regularly via his play with the Avalanche. I see him as a plug and play 3rd line utility Center. Yes to the PK which was pretty good for the Avs this season but Landeskog has something to do with that.
Jay is pretty much as you describe with very little in the way of hands and finishing skills to his game. Gaustad w/o the size or the fight in him. He does play a physical fore checking game but is usually late to the play as a F1 forward. Could be a lack of speed or could be the system Sacco plays here.
He's never excited me much but a lot of people on this board seem to like him. It's probably not comparable (he may not be even available since I'm too lazy to look up the data) but I'd rather have Hanzal.
Who's that? I never heard of him either.
Oh wait, is he the guy I keep saying the Sabres need to get like every day? lol
Oh wait, is he the guy I keep saying the Sabres need to get like every day? lol
Yeah, either you or Jame clued me into taking a closer look at him this past season... around the time Sabres played Phoenix - who I said at the time was a pretty good team. Anyways, he's impressed me since I started watching him and he's been a force during the playoff run. So thanks for the tip!
And yes, that "Stall" (Staal) guy is pretty good too but I don't think he's reachable and all the discussion about a 3rd line center (admittedly on the Pens) wanting 1st line minutes leaves me a little skeptical.
I guess this is the wrong thread for this discussion so the moderators can shoot me now.........
The sabres 'D' was dominant when healthy. It's no coincidence that Miller played lights out when the defense was healthy. The defense is the least of my concerns. Our top 6 on the other hand...
Your happy with that? That didnt even get us to the playoffs. Who is out number 2 with Myers?
Keeping in mind everyone of those guys except Leopold missed significant time - and we didn't get Alex until the deadline... Injury time is the only way the d-men can be blamed for missing the playoffs - certainly not for the quality of players (exception Weber & Grags)
The only change I would make is to maybe deal Leopold for a pick(s) for the cap space - no other reason than $$$...
Keeping in mind everyone of those guys except Leopold missed significant time - and we didn't get Alex until the deadline... Injury time is the only way the d-men can be blamed for missing the playoffs - certainly not for the quality of players (exception Weber & Grags)
The only change I would make is to maybe deal Leopold for a pick(s) for the cap space - no other reason than $$$...
That is one of the better defense corps in the league hands down.
I liked Myers Ehrhoff when that was going. They all were hurt superbly bad though. Was Sekera paired with myers ever? Individually it looked like this year sekera was the best dman. He wasnt injured as mich
I liked Myers Ehrhoff when that was going. They all were hurt superbly bad though. Was Sekera paired with myers ever? Individually it looked like this year sekera was the best dman. He wasnt injured as mich
), it will be awfully hard for all those D prospects to make the jump to the NHL, because none of them would out-seat Myers, Ehrhoff, Leo, Regehr, Sekera, or Sulzer. If Buffalo signs another top 4 D, a trade almost HAS to be made, shipping out one of their D prospects.
