SalarySwishSalarySwish
Avatar

WCSF

WCSF
Member Since
Dec. 30, 2018
Favourite Team
Buffalo Sabres
Forum Posts
68
Posts per Day
0.0
Forum: Armchair-GMFeb. 27, 2021 at 8:51 a.m.
Thread: Bruins and Sabres fans
Sabre fan here. Mittelstadt has been an unfairly maligned player in Buffalo. He was rushed to the NHL. Had he spent a 2nd year in college and then a full year in the AHL and been slowly integrating into the NHL this year, Sabre fans would be over the moon with excitement. As is, there is tempered enthusiasm regarding his play in 5 games this season; he has looked engaged, quick, capable defensively and has flashed dynamic offensive skill.

I think he is a very difficult player to gauge for trade value. His ceiling in my view remains very high. For what it's worth, my ceiling for him is Jake Guentzel and I think Mittelstadt ultimately ends up being a winger with either Eichel or Cozens and he produces strong offensive production in that role. Based on that, the only way I would trade Mittelstadt would be as part of a package for an established near-star-level player (ie: Mittelstadt++ for established #2 centre or established #1 goalie).

Of course, the Sabres may see him as a player who will be exposed in the expansion draft and be happy to just get something for him.
Forum: Armchair-GMJan. 30, 2021 at 9:04 a.m.
Thread: Okposo is cooked
I agree and would like to see Mittelstadt get some games in. I recognize that he has been a disappointment to this point in his career, but people should consider that he was not given a place on Eichel's line or on PP 1 like Olofsson has been given (not saying Olofsson hasn't earned it) and he was not brought along slowly and allowed to play wing with a veteran centre the way Cozens has been brought in. Mittelstadt was immediately asked to centre a 2nd scoring line and to carry players like Sheary and Vessey. It really is kind of shameful how he has been treated.

The changes I would make to your lines are:

- I would flip Mittelstadt and Hall; this gives Mittelstadt a chance to play with Eichel/Reinhart and allows Hall to drive play on line 2
- I would flip Lazar and Eakin; I still think Eakin is better suited to 3rd line duty than is Lazar and I think Sheahan/Lazar/Reider is a fine/gritty 4th line
- On D I would put Joker with Dahlin; Joker is still inexperienced but it is time I think for these two to play together and start becoming a 1st pairing partnership
- Miller would move to the #6/7 role, rotating in with Irwin
Forum: Armchair-GMDec. 20, 2020 at 1:32 p.m.
Thread: Still the Flames baby baby still the Flames
Thanks for the replies guys. All fair points. I'm certainly not eager to trade Reinhart. My logic though is the following:

- Skinner and Okposo, and their contracts, are not going anywhere soon
- While it is not a certainty, I'm banking that Hall will mesh well with Eichel and that he will be signed to a long-term deal; this will 1.) Eat up valuable cap space and 2.) Make it logical to move Olofsson to the right-side in the future if not as early as this year
- While Thompson, Quinn and Pekar are far from sure things, the three of them combined with Olofsson gives the team long-term right wing options
- Room for Hanifan is basically made by moving Miller (who has two years left) and by Montour and McCabe being UFAs next year and Risto being a UFA in 2 years. Long-term, Dahlin, Hanifan and Jojiharju are the top 3 with Dahlin playing either the left or right side depending on which of the Sabres D prospects develop the best for the NHL
- At some point a huge key to long-term success is taking a step forward in the short-term. Strengthening centre depth and solidifying the backend on D and in net is the best way to do that this year. The addition of Rittich, Hanifan and Ryan make the Sabres a playoff team from a talent and depth perspective, in my view. If both Cozens and Thompson are not ready or if Okposo cannot sustain middle 6 play, then Olofsson can be moved to the right-side and Girgensens can move to third line LW. Ruotsalainen is also a potential option.
- Losing Reinhart would hurt to be sure, but I would rather have a hole on RW than multiple additional weak-spots in centre depth, penalty killing, left-side D and goaltending.
Forum: Armchair-GMSep. 5, 2020 at 5:39 p.m.