Who Sits When Danny and Timmay Return?

[anEinherjer]

Title says it all. Peters is one, but who's two? Roy? Talked for a while today about it, and can't figure it out. Maybe Taylatt if he returns to his former non-performing self.

Maybe trade one plus Biron for a Fitzie replacement......

[Wally]

Roy and Peters sit.

[The REAL Sabres]

Roy and Peters sit.:correct:

[atomheart]

You have to sit Roy... A) you don't need 5 centers (6 counting Hecht now) and b) we can send him back to Rochester w/ no worries. So, our hand is sort of forced.

[dwoz9093]

why sit roy he is one of the hardest working forwards on yhe team..i say sit taylor and jp if he dose not pick it up ....

[Norwoodsrevenge]

I would hate to see Roy be the odd man out. He had a good game against Ottawa, I read somewhere that he logged over 20 minutes of ice time.

[Iggy72]

I say give Pyatt a shot and send Roy to Rochester. I like Derek, but he is better served getting ice time in Rochester than rotating with Peters and Pyatt in the press box.

By the way, I have a nagging thought in the back of my head that says that Biron may not get traded. Anyone have the same thought?

Pax.
Iggy72

[eSabre]

It's too early to tell. Who says we'll be completely healthy when they are? Another player could go down as one or both are coming back. Although that would suck, the depth we have is a good because of all these injuries.

[thegame]

You never know. Peters seems like the easy option but it might not be an issue. Its a good problem to have this kind of depth. I'd like to see Roy stay and Pyatt sit more, but if there is another injury between now and when both Connolly and Briere return, you're still set. Its better than being a one line team like the Rangers and Flyers.

[Thumper]

Don't forget about Adam Mair. He can be plugged into the lineup as soon as he gets back as well.

We have a lot of fire-power with our forwards to make a trade to upgrade our defense. We need one more guy back there.

McKee
Tallinder
Numminen
Lydman
Campbell

Those 5, as a unit, are as solid as any in the league. Kalinin has been a huge disapointment, and Fitzpatrick is just not at their level. If we can solidify that last spot by trading a forward with Biron or Noronen, look out.

Dumont could be trade bait. Maxim Afinogenov could be as well. If Pyatt slips into inconsistancy, he could be as well. We've got some serious bullets in the chamber to tie up any loose ends we might have....

But at the same time, their might not be a loose end to tie.

Hey thegame, great to see you back!

[sfoote]

I'd sit Connolly and Peters. If anybody slacks off, then I'd put Connolly back in.

[beTough54]

Remember that if Roy stayed he would be forced to play Pyatt's natural position on the wing and his effectiveness would be greatly reduced. Pyatt is the choice.

[pigpen65]

Remember that if Roy stayed he would be forced to play Pyatt's natural position on the wing and his effectiveness would be greatly reduced. Pyatt is the choice.

disagree. Roy stays at center. Peters and Pyatt sit. Hecht and Briere play wing.
Roy is too good to sit. Pyatt isn't.

[beTough54]

disagree. Roy stays at center. Peters and Pyatt sit. Hecht and Briere play wing.
Roy is too good to sit. Pyatt isn't.

Hecht will play wing but there is no way Lindy puts Briere on the wing to keep Roy in the lineup, especially with the way Pyatt has been playing.

Pyatt has been outplaying Roy the past few games.

[Thumper]

Hecht will play wing but there is no way Lindy puts Briere on the wing to keep Roy in the lineup, especially with the way Pyatt has been playing.

Pyatt has been outplaying Roy the past few games.

What was wrong with the Briere-Connolly-Kotalik line? Ruff has already put Briere on the wing while Roy played center before Connolly's injury.

Whatever lineup keeps the best talent dressed for a game is all that matters. If Briere has to play wing with Connolly as his center so that Roy can stay in the lineup, I'm all for it.

What about benching Afinogenov? I know he's exciting, I know he's stretches the D, but with his penalty minute total and the amount of times he still tries to do everything on his own, keeping Pyatt AND Roy in may be a better option.

From what I've seen the last few games, I think both Pyatt and Roy are contributing more than both Dumont and Afinogenov.

[Thumper]

I'd sit Connolly and Peters. If anybody slacks off, then I'd put Connolly back in.

Why in the hell would you sit the guy who lead the entire team in points before he got injured?

Have you seen how Connolly's absence has negatively affected the powerplay?

[pigpen65]

Hecht will play wing but there is no way Lindy puts Briere on the wing to keep Roy in the lineup, especially with the way Pyatt has been playing.

Pyatt has been outplaying Roy the past few games.

Thumper hit it. Ruff already did put Briere on the wing in order to keep Roy in the lineup. When it comes down to it, Roy has contributed to the success of this team more than Briere and Pyatt have combined. There is a variable here that i understand. Playoff hockey will probably not be officiated the same way the regular season has. If that's the case than i would be all in favor of sitting Roy in place of Pyatt to add some muscle around the net. But as it stands now, the team is winning and Roy should stay where he is. The injured players should added in where there is a need instead of replacing players and basically trying to fix something that isn't broken. Roy and Afinogenov have worked well together all year. If you are going to sit Roy, you might as well sit Afinogenov as well because he just has never been as productive as he has this year playing along side Roy. In which case you have just taken out two very talented, speedy play makers out of the lineup.

[pigpen65]

What about benching Afinogenov? I know he's exciting, I know he's stretches the D, but with his penalty minute total and the amount of times he still tries to do everything on his own, keeping Pyatt AND Roy in may be a better option.


The thing with Afinogenov's penalty minutes though is that he litterally draws about as many if not more penalties against him as he's called for. It's easy to look at his totals and say that he's hurting the team, but with the power play and penalty killing the Sabres have, the penalties he takes are worth it if he's giving the Power play more opportunities. Which he definitely has.

[Thumper]

The thing with Afinogenov's penalty minutes though is that he litterally draws about as many if not more penalties against him as he's called for. It's easy to look at his totals and say that he's hurting the team, but with the power play and penalty killing the Sabres have, the penalties he takes are worth it if he's giving the Power play more opportunities. Which he definitely has.

That's an interesting point. I would hate to deplete the speed of the team. But Connolly and Briere will force two guys to sit. They add speed to the lineup as well. If anyone draws penalties with his speed, and doesn't make his team shorthanded the very next shift, its Briere.

Just because the Sabres have one of the best PK's in the league doesn't make it alright for Max to take undisciplined penalties every game.

Its a good problem to have, but if other guys can contribute more positives to the team without nullifying them with negatives, the right choice has to be made.

[Junior]

I could see Afinogenov being moved, his act is getting really old here, lazy penalties, not hustling, and i think his selfishness is starting to show again, if you ever watch when he loses the puck and starts trying to back check, the first thing he always does is hook the guy or poke him with his stick, its just getting really really old, just my opinion.

[Smapdi]

I don't see how anybody would want to bench Pyatt after the past two games. He adds size and speed to this team. Towards the end of the Ottawa game he took the puck coast to coast moving like a madman for his size. I've been on him the past couple years but it seems he has come back motivated from that injury. This team has spent years developing this kid and he has finally started to show some promise.

You definately sit Peters and whoever is performing the worst when Danny and Timmy come back. I'd rather not randomly pick somebody to sit; just package them with Biron for a top 2 defensemen.

[atomheart]

How many roster spots are you allowed to keep after the trade deadline??? Cause as of right now, we need to make two moves to compensate for Mair, Conolly and Briere coming back. That's why Roy is the obvious choice, we can send him down w/out passing through waivers. We don't need five centers, and if I had to rank our centers Roy would be #4, but I wouldn't bench Goose, he's more important to this team than Roy.

[buffalofan19]

Hecht will play wing but there is no way Lindy puts Briere on the wing to keep Roy in the lineup, especially with the way Pyatt has been playing.

Pyatt has been outplaying Roy the past few games.

Here's the thing though. Briere was playing wing with Connolly and Kotalik before his injury, and that line was dynamite. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ruff try it again.

[unklechucky]

With the talent in Buffalo and down in Rochester so deep......let the bubble players compete for PT. How can anyone possibly predict who will be playing well and who won't a few weeks down the road? Let the team know the hungry will be the ones dressed instead of in a suit and tie.

[mviewer1]

Vanek - Connolly - Dumont -> Timmah to get JP going again?

Briere - Roy - Afinogenov -> Nasty fast.

Hecht - Drury - Kotalik -> Grier mired in worst slump among forwards.

Pyatt - Gaustad - Pominville -> Best 4th line in hockey (discounting Olympics).

[Millertime27]

Peters is a default


I really cant see sending Roy down. I wouldn't mind see Grier go with Marty. Hes to slow for our team and pomminville can take over his job on the PK and forecheck....

[billspwn]

idk, but this is the best problem i've had in months

[pi2000]

I think Ruff will keep 5 centers on the team. They'll be plenty of ice time for everyone in March, 17 games in 30 nights. I'd expect him to rotate them into and out of the game, and giving each of them atleast 1 or 2 nights off during the final stretch.

[camian]

You're also assuming that no one else will go down in the mean time. The way guys have been dropping this year that's a huge assumption.

[hftornadoes1]

No matter who sits this is good problem to have. The biggest factor into who sits and who plays is how well each guy is playing because if roy is playing awsome he's not going to sit. Its going to be intresting to see how Ruff handles this, but we're also assuming no one else gets injured or gets tarded before connolly, briere, or mair comes back. But, having this much depth will pay off during the stretch of 17 games in 30 days.

[sabresfan65]

This is what I see as the future lines "IF" everybody is healthy at once:

Pominville-Drury-Grier

Vanek-Briere-Dumont

Afinogenov-Connolly-Hecht

Pyatt-Gaustad-Mair

Extras-Roy,Peters

However, will everybody ever be healthy at once?

[Thumper]

This is what I see as the future lines "IF" everybody is healthy at once:

Pominville-Drury-Grier

Vanek-Briere-Dumont

Afinogenov-Connolly-Hecht

Pyatt-Gaustad-Mair

Extras-Roy,Peters

However, will everybody ever be healthy at once?

Some how you forgot our team leader in goals.

The lines, as I see them if everyone is healthy.

Briere-Connolly-Kotalik

Vanek-Drury-Grier

Hecht-Roy-Afinogenov

Pominville-Gaustad-Dumont

Dumont could get outplayed by Pyatt, but I'm not ready to predict that just yet. But its a possibility.

Our depth at center is a luxury. Even if Roy were to get outplayed by both Dumont and Pyatt, Briere obviously slides into the center position with Hecht and Afinogenov on his wings.

This line up just screams DEPTH. The 4th line is like another scoring line.

[beTough54]

It will really come down to Pyatt v. Roy.

I don't think Mair will be back this season...

[LALAFONTAINE]

I don't see how anybody would want to bench Pyatt after the past two games. He adds size and speed to this team. Towards the end of the Ottawa game he took the puck coast to coast moving like a madman for his size. I've been on him the past couple years but it seems he has come back motivated from that injury. This team has spent years developing this kid and he has finally started to show some promise.

You definately sit Peters and whoever is performing the worst when Danny and Timmy come back. I'd rather not randomly pick somebody to sit; just package them with Biron for a top 2 defensemen.

Exactly. Whoever advocates benching Pyatt especially after the past two games knows nothing about hockey. He dominated with his speed against Ottawa and with his body against Montreal. He's starting to get consistent.

Whoever thought Roy should be benched is smoking happy leaf as well. He's played excellent the past few games.

I'd rest Gaustad, and sit Novotny and also Peters.

[LALAFONTAINE]

How many roster spots are you allowed to keep after the trade deadline??? Cause as of right now, we need to make two moves to compensate for Mair, Conolly and Briere coming back. That's why Roy is the obvious choice, we can send him down w/out passing through waivers. We don't need five centers, and if I had to rank our centers Roy would be #4, but I wouldn't bench Goose, he's more important to this team than Roy.

When the rosters expand, you can have as many as you want to pay up to $39.6M