Call me crazy, but I expect them to be our #1 line this year; not Vanek-Roy-Pominville.

In fact, I think Stafford is going to outscore Vanek this year, although I expect Vanek to get more assists.

I like their size and power out of Stafford and Leino. Leino is one of the best I've seen at shielding the puck and establishing a cycle, and with Stafford's size and Ennis' shiftiness... Look out NHL.

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Wheelhouse

You're crazy.

I see this thread is done...I'll move on.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

It IS the perfect line... Stafford the scorer, Ennis the puck handling playmaker, and Leino the crafty grinder.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I wouldn't call Leino a crafty grinder at all.. that guy is a pure playmaker he can dangle to set up the pass or just dangle and score. Stafford-Leino-Ennis could be our top line or be our second first line if you know what i mean.. because Vanek-Roy-Pommers isnt a bad line at all either.. we have so much depth is kind of ridiculous

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The Board Drunk.

I meant the guy can pretty much score and pass well, but he can dig for the puck and shield it from the other team.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

How about 1A and 1B. I expect Vanek, Pommers and Roy to have slightly more ice time, but because of the special teams. Ruff will probably want to play the top 2 lines equally on even strength, maybe the Stafford line a bit more. Anyway, I think having those 2 good lines and no clear 'top line' will be a strength.

Who do you defend against? Probably the Vanek and Roy line because they are known as the most dangerous Sabres forwards in recent years but that will just make the '2nd' line even more dangerous against middle and bottom parirings.

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LET'S GO BUFFALO!

It's not so much a matter of which line will be better. With depth very much like the 06-07 team, other teams just won't be able to match up all night and one line will have the advantage. The same way the Vanek-Roy-Afinogenov "3rd" line saw mis-matches and lit it up back then, I expect one of the bottom two lines to bump their production up.

I wouldn't mind seeing Boyes play a top-two RW spot, but with the depth I expect him to play lesser opponents and pad his stats with Hecht and McCormick.

Poor start, good finish.

Time will tell.

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Wheelhouse

its a good line. not the sabres best.

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I still think the most versatile line I saw during the preseason was Vanek-Adam-Boyes, I wouldn't be shocked to see Hecht or Gerbe skate with Roy and Pomminville before too long this season. I have a feeling by the all-star break our top lines will look like

Vanek-Adam-Boyes
Ennis-Leino-Stafford
Gerbe-Roy-Pommers
Hecht-Goose-Kaleta
McCormick in there as well, with him and Hecht almost splitting time or a trade that moves Hecht

I really like what Luke Adam has done over the past year, and think he's ready to play some serious minutes with the big club. And that's not a knock on Hecht, or McCormick because they are both great players, but Gerbe and Adam have really come into their own this preseason, and show me no signs of slowing down what so ever.

I also find it curious that nobody is wearing Luke Adam's junior number of 19 this season, I wonder if/when he earns his roster spot if he will switch to number 19...I hope so, especially with Connolly gone, that number needs some good vibes with it in a Buffalo Uniform

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

sorry but you're crazy if you think adam is first line material already. not even after the all star break.. not even after the season is over.. roy and vanek have been on the same line for years.. they have chemistry together. i like adam but no way he is our number one center.. no way.

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The Board Drunk.

Didn't most of us agree that Vanek and Roy on the same line was no longer working? I seem to remember people saying that.

that is correct

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Who cares? There isn't a line on this team that will be together all year.

That's true, but it's always nice to know you have a pairing to fall back on if you need to. Roy might drive us and Vanek crazy with his over-handling of the puck, but they still produce together. Roy and Vanek is a safe bet in my mind, even if Vanek showed he could be even more dangerous by 'himself' (with linemates less skilled than him).

The idea of separating Roy and Van comes from Vanek's last season where he was by himself (Hecht and Connolly...) and was even better than before. I think everyone would want to maximize the potential of every player, so if Vanek and Roy can be on different line and be more effective, it's a win-win.

Sorry if i'm stating some pretty obvious stuff here.

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LET'S GO BUFFALO!

I figured Vanek and Roy would play different lines to start, but a recent article in TBN had Roy talking about adjusting his game now to let Vanek do his thing. Hopefully they can both still produce to potential on the ice at the same time. It's the overall deep forward line-up that will have the biggest impact though. If one line is hot and starts to draw the toughest match-ups, another line will have an advantage and have to step up.

Of course, with any topic like this I feel obligated to mention how Ruff will play musical chairs with the line-up anyway. So all this talk is only worth so much.

For what it's worth, Vanek-Adam connection hooked up again last night at the scrimmage, Adam scored twice in the scrimmage. I think he's locked down atleast a roster spot for the Europe trip. It's on him to keep it through out this trip.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

I would like to see Leino and vanek on the same line together.

If I was Lindy I'd do this.

Vanek-Leino-Stafford
Ennis-Roy-Pominville
Gerbe-Gaustad-Boyes
Hecht-McCormick-Kaleta

Myers-Regehr
Leopold-Ehroff
Gragnani-Sekera
Weber

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

I like that idea, but I don't like breaking up the Gerbe Gaustad Kaleta line. That line needs to stay together.

Also, my man out on defense wouldn't be Weber. I'd be rotating Leopold-Sekera-and Gragnani between games to keep them all skating and fresh.

Roy and Ennis were ridiculously good together earlier last season.

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Wheelhouse