Buffalo Sabres 2015-2016
Posted 5:17 PM ET | Comments 20
It is clear that Tim Murray is not going to simply continue making picks and the team being terrible during the rebuild. He made that obvious with the trade that took place yesterday, however, there are two options the team could take regarding the 2015-2016 season. There is the slow but sure approach, and then there is the aggressive approach, like what he did with the trade. Below I will explore both options.
The way the team looks now…
LW – Ennis, Moulson, Foligno, Deslauriers
The way it could look next year…
LW – Kane, Eriksson/Zuccarello, Moulson, Foligno
The way it will look next year…
LW – Kane, Moulson, Foligno Deslauriers
SUMMARY: the LW position got markedly better with the trade for Evander Kane, but you can see how it could become even better if either a UFA like Zuccarello is signed (the Sabres have boatloads of room) or they traded for someone like Eriksson, however, this is where the contract given to Moulson is already showing it could hurt. Is the contract crippling? Hardly. Are either Zuccarello or Eriksson that much better than Moulson? You could debate that either way, but I would certainly prefer to have one of those two over him.
The way it looks now…
RW – Stewart, Hodgson, Gionta, Kaleta
The way it could look next year…
RW – Sharp, St. Louis/Jagr, Stewart, Gionta
The way it will look next year…
RW – Sharp/St. Louis/Jagr/Stewart, Ennis, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Flynn
SUMMARY: the RW position has become a convoluted mess with both Stafford and Armia gone as one of those was going to be on the team next year, and the likely upcoming trade of Stewart. That leaves a hodgepodge (pun intended) of a mess. None of their prospects are ready (Fasching, Bailey, Baptiste, Karabacek, Olofsson), and that would leave them with only Gionta as the one real RW player. Ennis and Hodgson would have to play RW almost by default. The preference would be to have Flynn play that position on the 4th line and move one of Girgensons/Grigorenko to the 3rd line RW to play opposite the other at the Center position while signing someone for the top line RW role.
The way it looks now…
C – Girgensons, Ennis, Hodgson, Flynn/Mitchell
The way it could look next year…
C – HOPE, Reinhart, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Mitchell/Schaller
The way it will look next year…
C – Hope, Reinhart, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Mitchell/Schaller
SUMMARY: this is the one position that I believe the way it could look and the way it will look have the greatest chance of being the same. Yes, that is a VERY young team down the middle, but unless the Sabres go for someone like Vermette, which I would not do unless he is somehow not going to be grossly overpaid, it is their best option for now and the future. Is Grigorenko ready right now? Maybe, maybe not, but he has put in the hard work the entire offseason prior to and including this season. The time is now for him to show his worth in a sheltered role with two linemates that play heavy hockey in Girgensons and Foligno.
The way it looks now…
D – Ristolainen, Bogosian, Zadorov, Gorges, Weber, Mezaros, Strachan, Benoit
The way it could look next year…
D – Bogosian, Boychuk, Green/Martin, Gorges, Ristolainen, Zadorov, Pysyk
The way it will look next year…
D – Bogosian, Gorges, Ristolainen, Pysyk, Zadorov, Weber, Ruhwedel
SUMMARY: perhaps the most up in the air aspect of Buffalo for next year is the defense, for a variety of reasons. There are 4 that are virtual locks for next year in Bogosian, Gorges, Ristolainen, and Zadorov, although admittedly they could pull a surprise and send Zadorov down to the AHL for a bit. That leaves two spots open with a host of possibilities for the avenues the team could take. They could solely go to their farm system and bring up both Pysyk (beyond ready) and Ruhwedel (underrated and deserves every chance with the big club), which is the way I think they will go, or they could surprise and nab at least one free agent player from the following group: Green, Martin, Boychuk, Oduya. It all depends how much of a win now mode Tim Murray believes the team is in. If you bring in one UFA, it means Pysyk is still up but Ruhwedel remains in the AHL, which is OK. You cannot bring in two UFA D as that would mean there is no steady place for Pysyk and he both needs and deserves one. If you go the UFA route, you need to sign one of the above to as short a term deal as possible. Why? McCabe may be ready next year, but most assuredly will be ready by the middle of the season at the latest, and you cannot have someone blocking McCabe coming up when the core of Ristolainen, Zadorov, Pysyk, & McCabe could constitute the best performing bottom 4 D in the league for the money they are paid. That is the reason why I think they are going to go the route I think it will look like for next year, due to McCabe’s ability and progress.
G – Neuvirth, Lindback, Hackett
The way it could look next year…
G – Neuvirth, Greiss/Hackett
The way it will look next year…
G – Neuvirth, Greiss/Hackett
SUMMARY: another that is likely to go the way it seems as Neuvirth both can be the guy and seems to be the likeliest candidate for the number 1 next year, provided he can be healthy, and there is a chance they go after someone that is a backup+ via free agency, and despite the few bad performances from Greiss, he should be able to easily handle backup duties with a string of spot starts.
To sum up, this is how I think the lineup will likely look for the 2015-2016 season.
Kane-HOPE-St. Louis/Sharp/Stewart
Moulson-Reinhart-Ennis
Foligno-Grigorenko/Girgensons-Girgensons/Grigorenko
Deslauriers-Mitchell/Schaller-Flynn
Bogosian-Gorges
Ristolainen-Pysyk
Zadorov-Weber
Ruhwedel
Neuvirth
Greiss
If we were all dreaming at what a REAL team would look like next year, this is what 2015-2016 would be like.
Kane-HOPE-Sharp
Eriksson/Zuccarello-Reinhart-St. Louis
Moulson-Girgensons-Stewart
Foligno-Mitchell/Schaller-Gionta
Grigorenko
Bogosian-Boychuk
Green/Martin-Gorges
Ristolainen-Zadorov/Pysyk
Neuvirth
Greiss
That sure would be fun, wouldn’t it?
The way the team looks now…
LW – Ennis, Moulson, Foligno, Deslauriers
The way it could look next year…
LW – Kane, Eriksson/Zuccarello, Moulson, Foligno
The way it will look next year…
LW – Kane, Moulson, Foligno Deslauriers
SUMMARY: the LW position got markedly better with the trade for Evander Kane, but you can see how it could become even better if either a UFA like Zuccarello is signed (the Sabres have boatloads of room) or they traded for someone like Eriksson, however, this is where the contract given to Moulson is already showing it could hurt. Is the contract crippling? Hardly. Are either Zuccarello or Eriksson that much better than Moulson? You could debate that either way, but I would certainly prefer to have one of those two over him.
The way it looks now…
RW – Stewart, Hodgson, Gionta, Kaleta
The way it could look next year…
RW – Sharp, St. Louis/Jagr, Stewart, Gionta
The way it will look next year…
RW – Sharp/St. Louis/Jagr/Stewart, Ennis, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Flynn
SUMMARY: the RW position has become a convoluted mess with both Stafford and Armia gone as one of those was going to be on the team next year, and the likely upcoming trade of Stewart. That leaves a hodgepodge (pun intended) of a mess. None of their prospects are ready (Fasching, Bailey, Baptiste, Karabacek, Olofsson), and that would leave them with only Gionta as the one real RW player. Ennis and Hodgson would have to play RW almost by default. The preference would be to have Flynn play that position on the 4th line and move one of Girgensons/Grigorenko to the 3rd line RW to play opposite the other at the Center position while signing someone for the top line RW role.
The way it looks now…
C – Girgensons, Ennis, Hodgson, Flynn/Mitchell
The way it could look next year…
C – HOPE, Reinhart, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Mitchell/Schaller
The way it will look next year…
C – Hope, Reinhart, Girgensons/Grigorenko, Mitchell/Schaller
SUMMARY: this is the one position that I believe the way it could look and the way it will look have the greatest chance of being the same. Yes, that is a VERY young team down the middle, but unless the Sabres go for someone like Vermette, which I would not do unless he is somehow not going to be grossly overpaid, it is their best option for now and the future. Is Grigorenko ready right now? Maybe, maybe not, but he has put in the hard work the entire offseason prior to and including this season. The time is now for him to show his worth in a sheltered role with two linemates that play heavy hockey in Girgensons and Foligno.
The way it looks now…
D – Ristolainen, Bogosian, Zadorov, Gorges, Weber, Mezaros, Strachan, Benoit
The way it could look next year…
D – Bogosian, Boychuk, Green/Martin, Gorges, Ristolainen, Zadorov, Pysyk
The way it will look next year…
D – Bogosian, Gorges, Ristolainen, Pysyk, Zadorov, Weber, Ruhwedel
SUMMARY: perhaps the most up in the air aspect of Buffalo for next year is the defense, for a variety of reasons. There are 4 that are virtual locks for next year in Bogosian, Gorges, Ristolainen, and Zadorov, although admittedly they could pull a surprise and send Zadorov down to the AHL for a bit. That leaves two spots open with a host of possibilities for the avenues the team could take. They could solely go to their farm system and bring up both Pysyk (beyond ready) and Ruhwedel (underrated and deserves every chance with the big club), which is the way I think they will go, or they could surprise and nab at least one free agent player from the following group: Green, Martin, Boychuk, Oduya. It all depends how much of a win now mode Tim Murray believes the team is in. If you bring in one UFA, it means Pysyk is still up but Ruhwedel remains in the AHL, which is OK. You cannot bring in two UFA D as that would mean there is no steady place for Pysyk and he both needs and deserves one. If you go the UFA route, you need to sign one of the above to as short a term deal as possible. Why? McCabe may be ready next year, but most assuredly will be ready by the middle of the season at the latest, and you cannot have someone blocking McCabe coming up when the core of Ristolainen, Zadorov, Pysyk, & McCabe could constitute the best performing bottom 4 D in the league for the money they are paid. That is the reason why I think they are going to go the route I think it will look like for next year, due to McCabe’s ability and progress.
G – Neuvirth, Lindback, Hackett
The way it could look next year…
G – Neuvirth, Greiss/Hackett
The way it will look next year…
G – Neuvirth, Greiss/Hackett
SUMMARY: another that is likely to go the way it seems as Neuvirth both can be the guy and seems to be the likeliest candidate for the number 1 next year, provided he can be healthy, and there is a chance they go after someone that is a backup+ via free agency, and despite the few bad performances from Greiss, he should be able to easily handle backup duties with a string of spot starts.
To sum up, this is how I think the lineup will likely look for the 2015-2016 season.
Kane-HOPE-St. Louis/Sharp/Stewart
Moulson-Reinhart-Ennis
Foligno-Grigorenko/Girgensons-Girgensons/Grigorenko
Deslauriers-Mitchell/Schaller-Flynn
Bogosian-Gorges
Ristolainen-Pysyk
Zadorov-Weber
Ruhwedel
Neuvirth
Greiss
If we were all dreaming at what a REAL team would look like next year, this is what 2015-2016 would be like.
Kane-HOPE-Sharp
Eriksson/Zuccarello-Reinhart-St. Louis
Moulson-Girgensons-Stewart
Foligno-Mitchell/Schaller-Gionta
Grigorenko
Bogosian-Boychuk
Green/Martin-Gorges
Ristolainen-Zadorov/Pysyk
Neuvirth
Greiss
That sure would be fun, wouldn’t it?
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Blog Archive
18 Sabres Crash And Burn Against Canucks
19 Patience A Hard Pill To Swallow
24 Mike Milbury Nails Bozo The Clown Impression
26 The Mythos of Tyler Myers
26 Sabres Can't Stand Prosperity
19 Patience A Hard Pill To Swallow
24 Mike Milbury Nails Bozo The Clown Impression
26 The Mythos of Tyler Myers
26 Sabres Can't Stand Prosperity
05 Sabres Position/Prospect Watch Part 3- RightWing
06 Yet Another Tyler Myers Blog Staring Nikita Zadorov
06 Yet Another Tyler Myers Blog Staring Nikita Zadorov
I think I missed what HOPE stands for, but i am guessing one of McDavid or Echeil?
Bingo on the meaning.
Good read. Eriksson can play either wing positions too.
Homie thinks all it will take to get Eriksson is a 2nd. Agreed?
These players are coming to Buffalo why?
Message Posted
eehmmm... no way! this is more fiction that hell is freezing,or like gretzky returns to edmonton and wins a cup there in the first year..quick question: what player who not only looks for money will sign with buffalo, player who signs with the sabres the last few years only lookedfor long term overpaid contacts, like gionta or moulson, guys want to win seeking their way out of buffalo,and players like reinhard or next year for sure eichel/mcdavid will not develop in buffalo, because they wont have players to serve themto score,or player thei can assist to score...BUFFALO WILL NOT LAND A BIG SIGN IN THE OFFSEASON! for the next at least 5 yeast playing the sabres is kind of 2-points-for-sure games... sorry sabres fans
TheFlo. Thank you, I agree completely as a disgruntled Sabres fan. Exactly the issue, McEichel cannot do this alone . The Sabres squad as now constituted is now is an expansion team
Appreciate the read TheFlo...I think.
TheFlo is fuckin retarded
Steele004 TheFlo is right, the Sabres are going to be the new Edmonton at the bottom of lottery for many years. Also quality free agents will not be coming either.
Stafford and Myers have big game in defeat of Red Wings, the first of many!
Murray is not trying to add past their prime UFAs (Sharp, St. Louis, Jagr, etc.)
Gionta, Moulson, Gorges say otherwise?
King Kong The afore mentioned players are 3 bad contracts that Murray added in the offseason
Jagr would be great for a young team like ours
Grigorenko should be second line center. Reinhart can go to AHL and learn there before coming to the sabres. No need to rush these guys, besides rein hart maybe the better 1st line RW and keep Grigorenko on 2nd
If you want to make Reinhart a center we will need a top RW whether this year or next
Kane--McEichel--XMoulson--Reinhart--EnnisGirgensons--Grigorenko--GiontaDeslauriers--Larsson--FolignoRistolainen--ZadorovBogosian--GorgesPysyk--McCabeGoalie 1Goalie 2
Jagr comes to buffalo, huh?