What they should have done at the TDL

allow me to knit pick because i think this is realistic and a good idea. skinner and eichel need to stay together and olofsson and reinhart do too. VO would be great with eichel but given that the east is a bloodbath and we have so many new pieces, it's going to be bumpy to start the season. i hope they don't panic and stack lines and i'd like to see lazar and asplund get more run than larsson or okposo. the 2nd line is your o-zone deployment line and your 3rd line looks like a good third line a contender would have. you also have leftys and rights for faceoffs on each line. i know the first line doesn't have great defensive ability but the best defense is a good offense. i'd still have hutton as the clear 1, too. an older goalie plays better early in the season and he was the 2nd best goalie in the league through 25 games last season. i think your D pairs are correct unless they want to give scandella some run early in the season or leave risto on the 3rd pair.

skinner-eichel-vesey
oloffson-mittelstadt-reinhart
johansson-rodrigues-sheary
thompson-asplund-lazar

Yeah I agree, it’s hard to pan out right now I don’t think Asplund is going to make it he hasn’t looked that great to me. I think the biggest wild card is tage Thompson I just don’t know where he’s going he looks stronger this year I wouldn’t mind seeing him with Jack.
Plus I don’t want Okposo to play, but 6 million dollars in the press box is tough.

i hear you. i think thompson should either play with eichel or start in rochester and light it up to get his confidence up for when he gets called up. and i'm not that worried about terry's 6 million. he's got plenty of them. i'd even consider sending him down so thompson and lazar would be the two right wingers fighting for playing time.

TBH Okposo was one of the more noticeable players these past two games, so IMO $6,000,000 in the press box for the next four years is not a great idea.
Buffalo has too many players who appear capable of 15 to 20 goals, Johansson, Sheary, Vesey, Olofsson, Okposo, Rodrigues, Mittelstadt, Thompson (maybe, I am guessing here). While only 3 who appear to be capable of 30 or more, so it is a real crap shoot where everyone plays.
Olofsson was very good at getting back to help the defense (typically the first forward back). So I could actually see him on the third line as easily as in the top six. Do either of you remember Wayne Presley? He played the fourth line with Hannan and Ray. Ray protected Hannan and Presley would collect Hannan's stretch passes and score goals. Because he appears to be responsible defensive player, he is fast, has a good shot, I think he could be productive on any of the top 3 lines.
Girgensons and Larsson are very good possession forwards (over 50% Corsi with only 15% OZ starts) and are very good on the PK. But with them in the line up, one of the 8 forwards I mentioned above do not make the team.
Let me add, Gilmour was an amazing off season signing. A month ago we were all talking about how many RHD were on the roster, The LHD is looking tight now with Dahlin, McCabe, Pilut, Gilmour and Scandella (I know he was on the ice for Gerbe's goal but that was not his fault, Mittelstadt fell down and let Gerbe skate around him). Imagine, two year ago the team had 3 NHL quality defensemen (Ristolainen, Bogosian and McCabe), now how many, ten?
Finally, Johansson looks very comfortable at center, and most NHL coaches try not to play forwards on their off wing (Vesey and Rodrigues could be switched).


I agree Asplund does not appear to be ready and Thompson is an unknown.


I agree, Thompson may be best suited in Rochester. While I am not worried about $6,000,000, but he needs to be moved or played, that is too much dead cap with Skinner, Dahlin, Reinhart and Eichel to pay.
BTW, I hope Jack steps up, he is not up to form no matter how many pts he has.