dudacek

The point is that players will sign where they feel it is in their best interest to sign. Their first and foremost consideration is almost always fit and opportunity: where am I being offered a role that will put me in a position where I can succeed? After that, money, team success, family, lifestyle, travel and familiarity will all play a part in their decision and different people look for different things in each category. The Sabres certainly rank at the bottom of the team success scale, but it’s only one element. They can compete with the others.

I’m think in the case of Minnesota, the issue is less cap hit this year, and more the following three years when they are carrying about 14 million in dead cap space for Parise and Suter. I’d retain $2 million on Eichel but they’re going to have to add to Boldy and Rossi.

Vegas 1st = St.Louis 1st Elvenes = 2nd Krebs > Thompson Smith > Berglund, Sobotka If anyone is keeping score

I will say that as a guy who throughly enjoyed the play of Team Canada at the World Juniors this year, the thought of potentially adding Krebs to our team puts a huge smile on my face. That was a team that outscored their opponents 41-6 and didn’t allow an even strength goal until their seventh game, and it’s best players were Byrum, Drysdale, Krebs, Levi and Cozens, with Jack Quinn chipping in 5 points and a tourney 3rd best overall +10.

“10 (mostly) NHL club head scouts”, according to Bob. (Direct quote) Worlds away wouldn’t be my choice of words, but I agree with your basic point: just because Power is an industry #1 this year doesn’t mean he’d be in contention other years. However, it is my perception that the number of observers who believe Power will be a legit 25-minutes a night 1st-pairing D is greater than the number of observers who predict Cozens or Krebs will be legit 1Cs. Doesnt mean I believe that, or that they’re right, it’s just my perception of what’s being said by actual scouts.

Ristolainen. If you want to argue #2 it was used factually, in the sense that over that stretch I was citing he was 2nd in ice time. As you say, McCabe was injured and Borgen contributed a handful of games on the 3rd pairing to the Granato version of the team.

I hope my subsequent posts have clarified that I am arguing that is part of why I think the industry thinks that, which doesn’t necessarily mean I think it, and it certainly doesn’t mean the industry is right.

You’re very hard to talk to when it comes to Power. It feels like you are less responding to my posts than you are carts full of baggage from previous conversations with other posters. You said I have no idea how many teams had Power at the top of their boards. I said I do, and posted evidence. Im not sure why I shouldn’t have responded. I know you think less of Power than the industry and I know why. I tend to agree with you and certainly aren’t attempting to argue that point. I’m not sure why you think I don’t understand your point. My point was that I think the industry (as in NHL scouts) likely has Power ranked ahead of Krebs and probably Cozens as well. It’s an observation. It shouldn’t be infuriating.

I hope not either, since I personally don’t have “1st overall” hopes for him. I project him as good but not elite and if I’m outright disappointed in him, he’s going to probably be Ryan Murray.

Bob McKenzie asked 10 teams. Every single one had Power number 1 it was no surprise that — just as they did in TSN’s mid-season rankings in April — 10 out of 10 NHL scouts surveyed ranked Power No. 1 on TSN’s Final 2021 NHL Draft Rankings. It was unanimous, obvious and fully deserving. “If there was any debate who the No. 1 prospect was, and I’m not sure there was, but if you were looking to create or engage in a ‘Who’s No. 1’ debate, [Power] ended that at the Worlds,” said one NHL head scout. “How could you not make him No. 1?” said another team’s head scout. “His game reached another level at the World Championship.” “He reinforced, reaffirmed and erased any doubt,” said a third NHL team head scout. “He really earned it there. He didn’t start out the tournament as a top-pair, 20-to-30-minute guy, but he got to that point by earning the trust of [Team Canada head coach] Gerard Gallant. He did exactly in that tournament what he’s expected to do in the NHL — play top-pair minutes and impact the game in every situation, penalty kill, power play, 5 on 5 — and he did it against pro-level competition.”

I have a pretty damn good idea from Bob McKenzie’s report, and credible reports from the Athletic. You can dismiss them if you wish. If you don’t see the irony following your first sentence with your second, I don’t know what to say.

Minnesota version: Rossi, Rask, Beckman and a 1st Montreal: Kotkaniemi, Drouin, Guhle and a 1st Anaheim: Unprotected 1st, Rakell, Lundestrom, Perreault Rangers: Kakko, Strome, Georgiev, 1st Flames: Zary, Gaudreau, Pelletier, 1st Anyone like any of those? Or at least prefer them to Vegas?

When listing where you or I, as an individual, rank prospects, no. But when attempting to show how highly-ranked a prospect is by the industry, it is one of the very few pieces of evidence you have. It becomes less relevant the further away you move from the draft, but it gives you a starting point from which to draw a line from the player’s subsequent performance. In the case of Cozens he was ranked at about 5 going in, was picked at 7 and did nothing but cement his stock since; arguing that the industry ranks him as among the top 5 in his class based on that is fair and logical. In the case of Power, he topped the draft board of a majority of teams going in to the draft and was picked #1. No games have been played since. It is absolutely fair to say you don’t think he is the best prospect in his draft class, but arguing against his industry status as the top prospect in his class is kinda silly.

This is blatantly revisionist history. They refused to flip him at the deadline for an asset and were negotiating with him right up until free agency arrived. They wanted him back and acted like they expected him back, but they drew a line in the sand on term, refused to cross it and it cost them. You’re telling me Plan A was effectively pulling a guy out of retirement and signing the man who was statistically the worst goalie in the NHL last year?

After losing its first 6 under Granato, the team went 9/11/2 to finish the season. However that 9/11/2 became 5/10/1 without Ullmark, who they haven’t replaced. And it has also dumped its first-line centre and its #2D without adding anything of significance to replace them. Barring further significant additions, if he guides this team to more than 65 points next year, Granato should win the Jack Adams.

Cozens left the WJC tournament neck-and-neck with Zegras for top prospect in the world. He was the best player on Team Canada at this WJC and led the tourney in goals - 8 in 7 games to go along with 8 assists. Krebs played top 6 minutes on wing and at centre. He had 3 goals and 8 points. He left the tournament probably ranking in the top 20 drafted prospects in the world. I don’t think there is any doubt Cozens is more highly thought of than Krebs Power is an interesting one. It seems to me the lack of hype for this draft a few months ago has really affected his ranking here. I find it hard to see how the best prospect in this entire draft class is behind the ~ 5th and ~ 10th best prospects from 2 years ago but I guess it’s possible. I’d have to rank him 1st in our pipeline, even including Cozens.

Me neither. I fully expect the trade to include someone we react to with a collective disdain that a few months later turns into hope because we learn things about him that get us excited. It's kinda the way things work with fanbases.

Well played. But it makes me want to clarify my own narrative: I have never said I believe Jack Eichel is a cancer and needs to be moved to cleanse the team. I do think that Kevyn Adams believes the Sabres have a Jack-centric culture that interferes with his vision of team-building and the best way of addressing that is to move Jack. I don’t think any of us has enough insight into the locker room to know whether Adams is correct in his chosen path or not, however we do know that change of some type is necessary. I do think Jack will excel in a new environment.

I can live with it because I’m a Krebs fan and seeing a centre with top six potential included is a priority for me. That said, the other three parts are generally pretty meh: Elvenes and a Vegas 1st are 50/50 to be NHL players; Reilly Smith is a good player, but his value to us, is in his potential as a flip. And that is probably going to be another 50/50 prospect or pick.

I missed that. Not seeing it in @tom webster’s recent posting history.

Why the certainty on Tuch and Reilly?

So you only consider signed pick in the system? For example, Power isn't yet in the system?

Chytil is an interesting player. Same draft as Mitts. He's big and fast and plays hard. His point totals — 22 points in 42 games as a no-PP 3C — are pretty good for 21-year-old. He's got skill but so far the NHL game hasn't slowed down for him; he's not great at setting up his teammates. Really, his game at that moment is a lot like where Zemgus was in his second year: if you squint hard enough, you can project him turning into Ryan Kesler-esque 2C, but he could just as easily be a useful bottom-6er. I like him, but not as a key piece in an Eichel trade.

Kakko still has 1st-line power forward upside. I’m not high on him, but the skillset is there. Power forwards take time. He’s ahead of Rantanen at the same age. Braden Schneider is someone I am very high on. He’s got Risto size, edge and talent. Hopefully he is developed a little better and grows into a steadier player. Those are two 1st-rounders who will almost certainly play in the NHL for a long time and have the potential to be part of our core. A deal with those two coming back is something worth talking about.

I’d put that Rangers offer at the rough equivalent of picks 18, 28, 40 and 45. Which generally means 1-2 NHL players and no guarantee any of them will be a core piece. Not much risk there for the Rangers at all. Laughable offer.