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Rochester Americans 3rd best record in large AHL


Buffalo Rick

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Yes, it should mean the Sabres can soon expect an infusion at many positions.

 

Now, a couple things could still be a stumbling block:

 

1-- The Rochester American 'play style' or team philosophy.... is it the same as or similar to the Buffalo Sabres? If so, most young players should make a seamless transition.  If not, then some relearning of a style and play system would be in order, which means additional time for certain players to adjust.

 

Most NHL teams farm clubs mirror what they do, although I am sure there are exceptions. Tampa Bay is a perfect example of this. Generally, any player that is brought up through their AHL club knows what to expect, style wise, at the big club. The only thing then would be adjust from AHL to NHL superior speed and skill levels of opponents.

 

2-- HOW are the Rochester Americans succeeding?

Do they have a bunch of young 20-21 yr olds as the core, doing the lion's share of the work? Or are they relying on career minor leaguers for the most part to get the job done?

 

This is important because if your AHL core (the group driving the team to wins) is young with upside, there is a very good chance they will translate that to the NHL. Of course, not EVERY single young player or prospect will pan out, but the more of those a team has in the minors, the better the chance at least two maybe three turn out real well for the big club.

 

On the other hand, if the core of the minor league club is being driven by excellent minor league veterans instead of up n comers, then things could be bleaker at the NHL level because those 'well traveled' minor league vets have become that in the AHL for a reason: They simply weren't good enough to either play or stick in the NHL.

 

I have not looked at the Sabres minor league rosters and stats and don't know the organization beyond the Sabres themselves well enough to know which is the case.

 

Finally, goaltending.

Good goalies can mask LOTS of deficiencies of teams, whether in the minors or the NHL.

Is Rochester doing well on the back of certain goalies (again, up n comer vs. minor league veteran goalie...just as important a difference), while being just good to mediocre elsewhere?

 

If so, that could be a problem overall for Buffalo, although a stud goalie could be promoted if that is the case, and have them stabilize things with the team till they can figure out the rest.

 

So yea, I would say investigate the make up of the Rochester Americans.

See who are the real players and who is there just for the ride.

That could determine who will actually make an impact for the big club.

 

My take anyways.

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Last year the Wings ahl club the Grand Rapids Griffins won the Calder Cup with very little real NHL talent, we were made up of thirty somethings many of whom had a cu[ of coffee in the NHL along the way and had been found wanting. A few real NHL prospects but not a lot.

  Five years before the Griffins won the Calder cup and were made up of much of what is now the Wings, decent NHL players with a few AHL vets to lead the way.

 

  Looking at the Americans roster, I see C.J. Smith who if he puts on a little weight and plays a more physical game could have a decent middle six role in the NHL and the real prize, Brendan Guhle who is raw and a few years away but who will be a real quality NHL defender for a decade. Maybe Hudson Fasching and or Evan Rodrigues might provide a bit of a spark on the wing, that is about it. 

 

  The club is primarily made up of former NHL prospects who turned into suspects who are now AHL cannon fodder to fill out a roster for the real prospects to play with/against. Only the most hardened fan remembers names such as Steve Moses, Stuart Percy, Zach Redmond, Kevin Porter, Seth Griffith, Linus Ulmark or Nathan Paetsch, most will be in Europe or retired getting a real job within a year or two. 

  The number one prospect in Buffalo is Alexander Nylander who was supposed to be real good but so far in a couple of AHL seasons has looked dreadful, last year he was bad, this year he has one goal all year and is in danger of slipping from super prospect to bust in a hurry. 

  So a little, but not much to see here.

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