no way quinn will be there

Did you mean to put Cozens there instead of Quinn?

im so confused...quinn over cozens and rieder over lazar?

Others may disagree with me here, but it’s just an idea.

Hall-Eichel-Olofsson
Skinner-Staal-Reinhart
Girgensons-Eakin-Thompson
Reider-Lazar-Okposo

Dahlin-Montour
McCabe-Jokihariju
Ristolainen-Miller
(Idk a lot about BUF defence. but I know Dahlin is a top pairing guy, obviously. and Jokihariju should play in the top 4, ON THE RIGHT SIDE.)

Ullmark
Hutton

This could be altered and changed/fixed, but it’s better than that, imo.

Why would Quinn make the team over Cozens???
Makes no sense

I would be very surprised if Buffalo benches Toby, he is an excellent PKer

I agree 100 %
I thought there were better players to sign than Rieder and Eakin.
Larsson for one, and Pysyk could play RW as well as RHD.
You get to watch Rieder more than I but, Lazar at the end of the season, took many key face offs.
Lazar is also a gook PK forward.
Rieder had a great playoff but Lazar IMO found his game.
Lazar played more SH min/gm than Rider, had a higher PDO on a non playoff team, can win faceoffs, and had a higher pt/60.
The problem with the Sabres PK was not the players but the system.
The Sabres were to passive.

I actually see more Sabres games then you would think as they are the 2nd closest team to me and Leafs tickets are too expensive.

Anyways I digress, I am not saying to bench Lazar, I am saying that Rieder should be a regular member of the 4th line, it should be noted that when Tkachuk went down in the playoffs it was Lazar who was then placed on the Monahan line (Lindholm moved down to the Backlund line). I could see him likely getting a spot over Thompson who may need more sheltering, or Okposo who has fallen off a lot.

I could see a scenario where both Lazar AND Reider are in the lineup, and Tage could get sent down
Idk why (seemingly) everyone is acting like Thompson is a “lock” to make the team
He’s looked terrible with the Sabres since we traded for him,
had a few good games in the AHL,
and then got hurt

He might very well make the team,
but he’s by no means a “sure thing” to do so

I understand your point of view.
IMHO this is why I would have Thompson over Rieder:
Thompson is 6'6" 215 lb, Rieder is 5'11" 186 lb. Big players take longer to develop.
Thompson turned 23 yo last month Rieder will be 28 in 6 weeks.
Thompson had great prospect challenge in 2019, outstanding playoffs for Rochester in 2019 and in his other 24 Rochester games he has 12 goals and 21 pts.
Rieder is what he is, Thompson will still grow and I think he is a late bloomer.
Let me add one more, Rieder had ZERO goals playing 67 games for Edmonton in the 2018-19 season.
Thompson had 7 goals that season as a 21 yo and was instantly labeled a bust.
What is Rieder if he had ZERO goals.

I value your opinion and do not want to get into a food fight over this, let's agree to disagree until the end of the season.

BTW, let's be happy that Buffalo has the challenge of finding playing time for Eichel, Hall, Skinner, Staal, Reinhart, Cozens and Olofsson.
There could also easily be up to six options for the third line.
Okposo, Ruotsalainen. Thompson, Mittelstadt, Cozens, Girgensons.
As you also pointed out there a many viable options for the fourth line as well.
Lazar, Rieder, Eakin, Asplund, as well as Okposo, ang Girgensons.

Before you look at my line up, let me add that only Eichel, Olofsson and Reinhart had more pt/60 min than Okposo did last year.
So here it is:
Skinner Eichel Okposo we need to reunite Jack and Jeff. I think Okposo could provide the same qualities as Sam did last year.
Hall Staal Cozens give Dylan two good playmakers who have tons of NHL experience to Sheppard him through his freshman year.
Olofsson Mittelstadt Reinhart the line could also be centered by Ruotsalainen. This also gives Sam the chance to show he can drive his own line.
Girgensons Eakin Thompson
Ruotsalainen and Lazar in the press box.
Rieder and Asplund in Rochester.
We can shuffle the defense as there are many solid combinations if Montour can play the left side as he did last year.
Maybe Pilut will come back and play LHD for the Sabres.

IDK about GK.
Ullmark has some very good statistics.
He had the highest SV% on shots over 31' 0.984
He had the 6th best EV SV% of all GK who played in at least 30 games 0.926.
If Buffalo can solve the PK, and force long shots, who knows.

EDIT: That is my rant of the day.

4th liners aren’t on the team to score goals,
They’re there to prevent them

Tage isn’t on the Sabres till he proves he deserves it
Meanwhile, Reider is a proven NHL player who fits into the bottom6
And that’s not the type of player Tage is

Maybe Tage will make the team
But after how badly he looked here, I’m not gonna predict it- or him actually playing well here- till it actually happens

Until then, it’s just wishful thinking

Absolutely not on Okposo
He can’t skate in the top6 & he’s proven he’s just not that player anymore
Plus, he’s settle in well as a 2way forward on a defensive line

Makes no sense to take him from a spot where he’s been playing well,
and put him in a spot where he’s shown to be unsuccessful

And we probably don’t have time to be playing around with the lines too much with a shortened season
Plus it’s obvious that Jack & Sam have chemistry & like playing with each other