tom webster

And the 27th pick in the NFL draft would be one of over 600 starters if he’s lucky. I really don’t know where you are going with this. Have a great day.

Why is it sad? It’s just a function of the sport. There are 22/23 spots on an NHL team. 12/15 NBA. A third liner in hockey would be a top 18 player. A starter in the NFL could be the 22nd player.

Actually, football is the only draft where you expect a player at the 27th pick to be a starter.

There is no doubt winning a draw is better then losing a draw and like you intimated, all draws aren’t equal. Like most things, there are several factors involved and rarely does one factor define to, or lead to success.

Sure, throw some factual link out there while I try to compose a well thought response.😉

You would think the last sentence would be obvious but it’s not. History has shown that there is less correlation than one would assume between winning face offs and maintaining possession. Colorado, Minnesota and Seattle are amongst the worst face off teams in the league yet easily made the playoffs. If all coaches put a premium on winning draws, faceoff specialists would be employed by every team.

Your middle sentence is correct.

Compher had 18 goals last year and after struggling early in his career he is at virtually 50% on draws last two years. I’m not a big face off guy but you want your defensive center to at least be competent and he has developed into that.

I am assuming Girgs, Savoie and Kulich, maybe Rousek. Savoie because there really is no realistic option, Kulich because they showed with Quinn and JJP they believe they can learn as much up here as down there and Rousek because he deserves. Krebs’ other issue is to that he hasn’t been very effective at wing.

I keep going back to the same thing. They can’t keep everyone and I keep hearing they believe they need a Compher type center, a more defensive guy but with some solid skill. Something has to give. Either they believe Cozens is better suited on the wing or they aren’t as high on someone as the rest of us, or they plan on going with 15 forwards and 3 defenseman( just kidding). Somebody good is going to be traded. I’ve thought it would be Mitts but his play the last couple of months plus his maturation off the ice has me believing Krebs is the odd man out.

Compher and Hanifan have been mentioned by multiple people who cover the team. I know both were part of Chad’s off-season plan. Chad takes some heat but he has a couple of pretty good sources. Wilson was rumored on two less than reliable sources but when I asked, it wasn’t dismissed as strenuously as I would have expected. The Sabres are in an interesting position, they believe they need a couple of certain things upfront, but they also know they could run it back with players and prospects they already have. It will be an interesting off-season.

I don’t know that I’ve met two people whose personalities were more dissimilar to the personalities of Tuch and Miller.

It’s interesting to me that Wilson, Compher and Hanifan are names that I keep hearing being mentioned in connection with Buffalo. It might not end up being the actual player, but everyone seems to be targeting three skill sets; 1) defensive first center with some skill, 2) rugged winger with skill, 3) top 4 defenseman.

Where did I say that? I did say that both of them gained virtually nothing from playing in the AHL.

I believe players can develop their game without any exposure to the AHL. That being said, the AHL definitely serves a purpose for “non-elite” prospects.

Buffalo and Boston both knew Ullmark would be a hood goalie before last year. The only difference between the two organizations was a little inexperience on one of the GM’s part.

I like Lance a lot but there is no way, after watching this guy play and bring so closely involved in his development that they still haven’t decided. I still believe he signs, but this feels like “spin control.”

Yes. Goaltenders are just do unpredictable. It’ll be great if Levi is the next great one but counting on that would be unforgivable given this team’s prospects for next year.

I also believe both Mollers played for them.

Just a hunch, but I believe he will sign before noon today.

It is possible but I think unlikely. I believe they really like Johnson.

First, you don’t know why he might pass. Just as likely, maybe more likely, that it has nothing to do with Buffalo. Second, Toronto and Minnesota both signed their guys by agreeing to burn a year. It’s how it’s done.

I agree with all of that but for an elite prospect, wouldn’t all that be just as likely with an expanded roster where the bottom twelve practiced at home with all the same resources and played an NHL game once a week. Teams have more data available to them than ever before. The smart teams evolve ahead of the curve.

This, plus no one else can burn a year so from a long term financial impact, it’s a no brainer. On the other hand, like you said, no one knows what truly motivates someone else.

I understand the argument but believe it’s just a function of the current system. Until someone discovers a parallel universe there really is no way of knowing if development is a function of playing in the AHL or just growing up.