dudacek

This thread just gets sadder and sadder.

I’m still struggling with the fact we just picked 6 consecutive wingers in the space of a little over two rounds. Don’t bother telling me they were doing anything other than taking the highest player of their list, especially after taking wingers with their top two picks last year. Also, 7 picks, but not a single American, let alone USNDTP player? Talk about crushing the stereotypes.

The two CHL kids (!) both seem like attempts at 3rd liners after the 3 Russian swings for 2nd liners. I see more size and ability to play in traffic.

This is about taking a kid who missed a year due to COVID because he was a stud in midget. Similar numbers in the Greater Toronto league to 1st-rounders Zach Dean and Wyatt Johnson, but struggled in his rookie OHL season. Would have had been heavily scouted this year to see is he had progressed. Power forward type who can skate and score from what I gather.

To be fair, Levi’s numbers were ridiculous the previous year, although admittedly in a low league. His scouting reports in terms of athleticism, positioning and tracking are all excellent, and he was obviously high on Hockey Canada’s radar. You don’t get to be Team Canada’s goalie by being the Zamboni driver when the regular guy gets sick. He’s talented and seems like a great kid. Seems like the main reason he wasn’t a mid-round pick was his size. The NHL wants goalies who are 6’3” or more. Which is fair, because Juse Saros types are few and far between.

I’m thinking the Russian kids in particular are going to be heavier than their listed weights already. We may be seeing their 16-year-old weights there.

Great find. This certainly inspires hope from the “overlooked ‘cause COVID file” His numbers the year before COVID are sick: 28 goals and 85 points in 24 games?

I usually agree with you when you are on this stream, but I suspect that in this case there were offers most of us would have considered “better.” The Sabres probably think more of Levi than we do - more UPL than Dustin Tokarski.

I think this needs to be moved into the “could this team be for sale?” thread.

Talk about obscure. Another rail. I want to hear the back story because his numbers sucked last season, but were amazing the year before. This has Laaksonen written all over it. The trend this year is getting bizarre.

Im preparing myself for Kotkaniemi, Romanov, next year’s 1st and a guy we’ve never heard of.

I would have been happy with Risto for this return. I would have accepted Sam for the Risto return. Im too old to have favourite players, but Sam is someone I enjoyed watching and appreciated his professionalism on the ice. I’m going to miss him. It sounds like it was a conditional 1st, the league didn’t like the conditions and maybe the Panthers just removed the conditions and the additional pick to let iT go through?

I can’t remember the particulars @nfreeman, but you’re right, I’m wrong. Give me the specs and I will pay up. Terrible return and I like Levi. They must love Him, because that pick looks a lot more like the ROR next year’s 1st than the Erik Karlsson 1st.

Are we to the point where they have to take at least two non-wingers in that stretch? And 7 of the top 100 picks makes the draft a lot more interesting than last year’s 2 in the top 130.

I’m pretty sure Adams didn’t tell Friedman anything and I doubt Zito did either. Given how Adams acted last night, he knew there might be issues with the trade and the fact that it’s out there before it’s approved is not on him.

Yes. These guys are no Alex Nylanders. Rosen is always moving and sticking his nose in. Poltapov seems to approach the game like Forsberg. Will they grow enough to play that way in the NHL? That’s the question. I don’t think size is an issue with Power.

Poltapov (I’ll get his name right eventually) in particular seems to have that “I don’t give ***** how small you think I am, get out of my way” vibe. I think I’m going to like him.

Reinhart must be wondering if his nightmare will ever end?

Poltopov and Kisakov are the types of picks that turn into Kiprisovs and Kucherovs. Note, I did not say they will. More often they turn into guys you never hear about again.

Credible sources have reported Sam has been told he’s been traded to Florida and Levi’s camp believes he’s coming to Buffalo. They’ve also reported the holdup is about conditions tied to the picks (plural) involved. We’ll find out when the conditions are sorted out.

Im think you’re on the right track here. I tend to tune Adams’ blathering out after a while, but he has frequently referenced what kind of player best represents a Sabre. I’m going to guess that they’ve tried to quantify the quantifiable elements of that in some analytical fashion and have been been picking BPA based on a mix of the less tangible “mindset” criteria and the resulting data.

Was he already picked by a team that recently committed to analytics and given a cool nickname only minutes later?

And, again, to a type. Although I’m not sure if he has that all-situations element and didn’t play U18. Great numbers in his league. Very skinny and he’s an ‘02 birthday.

That’s a lot of talent for that draft slot. Unlikely that there was a more skilled offensive player available. Not likely to make it if he’s not in your top six.

This is bizarre. The NHL must have had issues with the conditions and sent it back for clarification. It S the only thing that makes sense.