Sabres & NHL 2017-18 - Entry Draft on June 22

[26CornerBlitz]

Behind a paywall, but a delicious description by Wheeler nonetheless. Me hungry!!

[JohnC]

23 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Oh man, the  start of that interview with Dahlin was just embarrassing... 

 

Asking him what type of underwear he is wearing. 

 

Asking him if he knows who Ivan Drago is (why the **** would he know a character from a rocky movie made decades before he was born. And Drago was RUSSIAN, not Swedish. Idiots...). 

 

 

Now they're asking him about Crapes. A French food. 

 

 

 

 

I cringed about 5 separate times during that interview.

 

Welcome to Buffalo kid! lol 

I agree with you. That was a dumb an inane interview. Dahlin seem dumbfounded and didn't know how to respond to such foolishness. 

 

What I found impressive is for a young person and a foreigner he had a pretty good grasp of the english language. There were some hesitations responding to some idioms but overall the kid exhibited a good nature and pleasant personality. 

 

The radio hosts knew in advance that Dahlin was going to be a guest on a segment. A few minutes of preparation is all that would have been needed to come up with some better questions among them that would have gotten more illuminating responses about the player. It seemed the three hosts did more jostling with one another rather than engaging with the young player. 

[ddaryl]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 2:02 AM, Fadingpain said:

I will concede that your opinion here is widely held among Sabres fans and the old uniforms are generally loved.

 

But man, I hate those things!  The royal blue is cheesy and the color scheme in general is not very good.

 

I was too little to remember the French Connection era.  Other than that, I have never associated anything with the old uniforms other than losing and being a really mediocre sports franchise.

 

I would like to start a new era too, but one where we go BACK to the black/white/red era....but where we replace the goat head with something good.  I liked those uniforms and we did a lot of winning in them.

 

 

 

 

Never ever ever ever ever.. I love our originals the best, and the demonic goat head must be burried and never revised

[elltrain22]

23 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

I think he'll get a shot to make the Sabres out of TC, but it would not surprise me if he started the season with the Amerks to allow him to adjust to the North American game and ice size. 

 

We need wingers with speed and can shoot the puck. I think Oloffson has a very legit chance to crack the starting lineup, maybe even the top 9

15 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I agree with you. That was a dumb an inane interview. Dahlin seem dumbfounded and didn't know how to respond to such foolishness. 

 

What I found impressive is for a young person and a foreigner he had a pretty good grasp of the english language. There were some hesitations responding to some idioms but overall the kid exhibited a good nature and pleasant personality. 

 

The radio hosts knew in advance that Dahlin was going to be a guest on a segment. A few minutes of preparation is all that would have been needed to come up with some better questions among them that would have gotten more illuminating responses about the player. It seemed the three hosts did more jostling with one another rather than engaging with the young player. 

 

It was dumb if you were expecting a standard interview. I thought they tried to lighten the mood by asking off the wall questions. I thought the interview could've been better, but for the most part, I enjoyed it!

[26CornerBlitz]

Just now, elltrain22 said:

 

We need wingers with speed and can shoot the puck. I think Oloffson has a very legit chance to crack the starting lineup, maybe even the top 9

 

Here's to him being ready right out of camp because the team needs goal scoring badly.  We'll see. 

[26CornerBlitz]

On 5/7/2018 at 10:48 AM, 26CornerBlitz said:

5-7: TSN's Scott Cullen Discusses the Sabres' Offseason Plans (18:53)

The Buffalo Sabres have gone seven straight seasons without making the playoffs, and finished with the worst record in the league in 2017-2018. That did come with a reward, however, as the Sabres won the draft lottery and have the first pick in 2018.

Off-Season Game Plan looks at a Sabres team that might finally be on the right track, or at least moving in that direction.

[26CornerBlitz]

Five Sabres Prospect Questions with SHL Writer and Scout Jokke Nevalainen

I had the opportunity to speak to Jokke Nevalainen and ask him a few questions about some Sabres prospects in the SHL. We discussed the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, Victor Olofsson, Rasmus Asplund, Lawrence Pilut, and Marcus Davidsson.

 

Question: Since the Sabres won the lottery pretty much every quote about Rasmus Dahlin that’s out there has made its rounds through the Sabres community. The defense version of Connor McDavid, close to no flaws in his game, franchise changer. Frolunda was a solid team this past year going 25-15 with a 2nd round playoff loss – how big of an impact did Dahlin make on that team and what kind of impact do you anticipate him making immediately in the NHL?

 

Jokke: Dahlin was a top-pair defenseman for Frölunda, and his even strength ice time was highest among his team at 17:20 per game. Dahlin is capable of playing on either side, and he was actually used on the right side in Frölunda even though he’s a left-handed shot. He was also used on the second power play unit but wasn’t used on the penalty kill. Dahlin’s minutes weren’t huge but his impact was big, and he was one of their best players in the playoffs.

 

Next season, I think Dahlin can handle a top-four role in the NHL. If the Sabres use him on their top power play unit, Dahlin could get close to 40 points. I know some people have huge expectations for him right away but I’d like to preach patience because Dahlin is still just a kid who’s maturing both physically and mentally. I believe he’ll be a franchise player but I don’t like the McDavid comparison because McDavid and Sidney Crosby are on a different level from everyone else. However, I think Dahlin will be in that next tier alongside elite players like Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel for example.

[BillsFan4]

I love when I check this thread and there's new stuff about Dahlin to read!   

[26CornerBlitz]

Evander Kane on UFA priorities: 'money, chance to win and lifestyle' - Sportsnet.ca

“Common sense tells you, there are three priorities that you look for as a player: money, chance to win and lifestyle,” Kane told reporters at Tuesday’s locker clean out. “Those are the three priorities and it just depends on how you rank them.”

[26CornerBlitz]

5-10: TSN Draft Analyst Craig Button Talks Rasmus Dahlin and Sabres' Needs on WGR (13:07)

 

TSN's @CraigJButton joins Howard Simon right now on WGR to talk about the #Sabres and the future arrival of Rasmus Dahlin! Tune in:

 

Button - Dahlin is the McDavid or Matthews of defensemen. He's a franchise guy who can change the course of their team. #Sabres

 

Button - Jason Botterill knows what the significance of Rasmus Dahlin is to the #Sabres franchise. This is like winning Gilbert Perrault in 1970.

 

Button - Dahlin has played above his age group for as long as I can remember. At 16, he's playing as a regular on Frolunda, a top team in the SHL. At 17, you couldn't tell he was that young playing for them. #Sabres

 

Button - Dahlin is allowed to play his game, he's smart, and understands the position. All he needs is some physical maturity, and that will come. I have seen him excel at defense, better than some others who are older than him. #Sabres

 

Button - Dahlin will be able to play as much as you want him to play. You don't have to protect him. He's competitive and stands up to every challenge. Others have tested him, and he meets those challenges. Those are things that will translate to the NHL. #Sabres

 

Button - Rasmus Dahlin is a franchise defining player. #Sabres

 

Button - The biggest thing that Jason Botterill has to identify is who will be on the team and be the competitors. It's not easy to do. Right now, that's a big area of concern for the #Sabres.
 

 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

5-10: TSN Draft Analyst Craig Button Talks Rasmus Dahlin and Sabres' Needs on WGR (13:07)

 

 

 

Button - The biggest thing that Jason Botterill has to identify is who will be on the team and be the competitors. It's not easy to do. Right now, that's a big area of concern for the #Sabres.
 

 

The most interesting part of the interview with  Craig Button was his concluding comments about identifying the non-competitors and moving them out. Button noted that anyone who has watched the Sabres can easily recognize that this roster as it is currently constituted lacks the heart to consistently compete. Without question this team lacks  talent compared to most teams. But there is an evident lack of spirit and fortitude that your core players have to exhibit for it to spill-over to prop up the rest of the players. The player that comes to mind on this issue is O'Reilly. I like him a lot but I get the impression that the accumulated losses has depleted him and left him dispirited to the point that it has affected his play. He represents to me the cliché that a change of scenery is the best thing for him and for the organization. I don't want to make him out to be a scapegoat because that would be unfair. But the player mix on this roster has to change before it infects players such as Jack and Sam. 

[shrader]

18 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The most interesting part of the interview with  Craig Button was his concluding comments about identifying the non-competitors and moving them out. Button noted that anyone who has watched the Sabres can easily recognize that this roster as it is currently constituted lacks the heart to consistently compete. Without question this team lacks  talent compared to most teams. But there is an evident lack of spirit and fortitude that your core players have to exhibit for it to spill-over to prop up the rest of the players. The player that comes to mind on this issue is O'Reilly. I like him a lot but I get the impression that the accumulated losses has depleted him and left him dispirited to the point that it has affected his play. He represents to me the cliché that a change of scenery is the best thing for him and for the organization. I don't want to make him out to be a scapegoat because that would be unfair. But the player mix on this roster has to change before it infects players such as Jack and Sam. 

 

He has essentially done nothing but lose during his entire time in the NHL.  Now I know it's not fair to blame that on him, but at the same time, you can't help but wonder how much of a role in it that he plays.  This is his second stop where he was on a team that was supposed to be making that big step forward, but stalled out.  He didn't put those teams in that crappy position, but he also didn't help them get out.

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, shrader said:

 

He has essentially done nothing but lose during his entire time in the NHL.  Now I know it's not fair to blame that on him, but at the same time, you can't help but wonder how much of a role in it that he plays.  This is his second stop where he was on a team that was supposed to be making that big step forward, but stalled out.  He didn't put those teams in that crappy position, but he also didn't help them get out.

I'm not for getting rid of him unless there is an equal or near equal return. Because of his contract I don't think there is much of an appeal for him. In a previous WGR interview with another analyst the guest felt that a team that would be willing to take him on is St. Louis. He stated that they had a loaded system and would be willing to part with some very good prospects but not their top two or three prospects. 

 

The former tough talking GM made a couple of big contract deals that got us O'Reilly and Okposa. Neither player has played up to their contracts. And due to his big acquisitions he squandered his cap situation by bringing in the wrong players at the wrong price. Botterill has his work cut out for him this offseason. 

 

 

[shrader]

49 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm not for getting rid of him unless there is an equal or near equal return. Because of his contract I don't think there is much of an appeal for him. In a previous WGR interview with another analyst the guest felt that a team that would be willing to take him on is St. Louis. He stated that they had a loaded system and would be willing to part with some very good prospects but not their top two or three prospects. 

 

The former tough talking GM made a couple of big contract deals that got us O'Reilly and Okposa. Neither player has played up to their contracts. And due to his big acquisitions he squandered his cap situation by bringing in the wrong players at the wrong price. Botterill has his work cut out for him this offseason. 

 

 

 

I think those acquisitions look a bit different if he had made any attempt to work on the blue line.  I know there usually isn't too much available at that position, but shopping at the bargain bin for the likes of Franson and Colaiacovo was never going to fix that issue.  He did make two serious attempts at adding actual NHL level d-men and failed miserably with them (Bogosian and Kulikov).

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, shrader said:

 

I think those acquisitions look a bit different if he had made any attempt to work on the blue line.  I know there usually isn't too much available at that position, but shopping at the bargain bin for the likes of Franson and Colaiacovo was never going to fix that issue.  He did make two serious attempts at adding actual NHL level d-men and failed miserably with them (Bogosian and Kulikov).

If you objectively assess the Sabre roster last year and compare it to serious playoff teams this team is from an overall standpoint bereft of talent in comparison. When your big deals turn out to be modest in impact it reverberates throughout the roster. 

 

My belief is that there is not only no quick fix but resorting to such an expedient approach for the sake of respectability will only stall the movement forward to being a serious team. There is talent in the pipeline. Let it develop and then bring them in when they are ready. 

 

With respect to Bogo I'm not giving up on him. As I have said in other posts he needs to be less of a guerrilla player with a muscular game and become more of a finesse and skater and puck moving player. His talents very much mesh with the type of defense that Housely wants to run.  

 

I'm also not giving up on Nylander because he is still very young. If he doesn't develop that will be a major setback. I'm not optimistic about his prospects. 

[26CornerBlitz]

5-11: SHL Reporter Uffe Bodin Talks Rasmus Dahlin on WGR (14:02)

 

With his thoughts on Rasmus Dahlin and some other #Sabres Swedish prospects, @UffeBodin joins Howard Simon next on WGR!

 

Bodin - I just remember the first few times seeing Rasmus Dahlin as a 16-year-old. He was doing things that you never usually see as a defenseman. It was a revelation to me with what he could do. #Sabres

 

Bodin - This season, Dahlin was a bit more physical in his game and played with even more drive. He took a lot of steps in the right direction, and looked more comfortable with his game. #Sabres

 

Bodin - In the SHL, he played on a veteran team and was sheltered. Coming to the World Juniors and the Olympics, that's a big stages with a lot of pressure. I think when he comes to Buffalo, people will expect great things from him, but he'll be ready for that role. #Sabres

 

Bodin - Lawrence Pilut is an intriguing player. You don't have to be a big hockey defenseman anymore. He is a smart player, moves the puck well and was the best defenseman in the SHL this year. He took great strides in his game. #Sabres

 

Bodin - Victor Olofsson was the best goal scorer in the SHL this year. He's a sniper with a great shot, can pick the corners. I don't know if he'll be a NHLer right away, probably not, but his goal scoring qualities are something the #Sabres have been lacking.

 

Bodin - Rasmus Asplund has taken some good strides this season with his game. He's a great two-way center, can kill penalties, played better offensively. Would be a good third line center in the NHL. #Sabres

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Dahlin Opens Doors

 

Adding Dahlin, the odds-on favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, opens doors for Sabres General Manager Jason Botterill to explore. Picking up such a talented player, radically changes the dynamic of the offseason. His acquisition gives the beaten-down franchise an instant lift and helps Botterill in his quest to change the roster and the culture.

 

Dahlin’s gifts are rare: a combination of quickness, explosive acceleration, precise passing and goal-scoring. He is one of the most talented defensemen to enter the draft in decades and a transformational talent that can impact a game every night. He could very likely become the league’s best defenseman and a perennial Norris Trophy contender. He’s as complete a package as they come.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[4merper4mer]

18 hours ago, JohnC said:

If you objectively assess the Sabre roster last year and compare it to serious playoff teams this team is from an overall standpoint bereft of talent in comparison. When your big deals turn out to be modest in impact it reverberates throughout the roster. 

 

My belief is that there is not only no quick fix but resorting to such an expedient approach for the sake of respectability will only stall the movement forward to being a serious team. There is talent in the pipeline. Let it develop and then bring them in when they are ready. 

 

With respect to Bogo I'm not giving up on him. As I have said in other posts he needs to be less of a guerrilla player with a muscular game and become more of a finesse and skater and puck moving player. His talents very much mesh with the type of defense that Housely wants to run.  

 

I'm also not giving up on Nylander because he is still very young. If he doesn't develop that will be a major setback. I'm not optimistic about his prospects. 

What crap.  A year ago Vegas had zero players, we have Eichel, are about to get Dahlin and now we're supposed to wait 5 more years to sneak into the 8 seed?

 

That is a joke.  Botterill should cut bait on losers like Beane did.  Nylander, Bogo, neck tatto and Drunken Donut need to be gone.  Maybe we can get something for Reinhart before the rest of the world realizes that he sucks.  The old GM was a loud loser. A quiet loser is less annoying but with the same end results.  He needs to get off his butt and not rely on 4 more lotteries.  Every other team in the league has had at least some success since we starting sucking at historic levels.  Sitting around and the tethering ourselves to losers is not a move forward strategy.

Edited May 11, 2018 by 4merper4mer

[zevo]

3 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

What crap.  A year ago Vegas had zero players, we have Eichel, are about to get Dahlin and now we're supposed to wait 5 more years to sneak into the 8 seed?

 

That is a joke.  Botterill should cut bait on losers like Beane did.  Nylander, Bogo, neck tatto and drunken donut need to be gone.  The old GM was a loud loser. A quiet loser is less annoying but with the same end results.  He needs to get off his butt and not rely on 4 more lotteries.  Every other team in the league has had at least some success since we starting sucking at historic levels.  Sitting around and the tethering ourselves to losers is not a move forward strategy.

I agree...with some actual hockey trades and good goaltending i see no reason why we cant compete for playoffs next year.