Crusader1969

Svechnikov early season highlights https://recrutes.ca/andrei-svechnikov-early-season-highlights/

As usual, I agree wholeheartedly with you.

sorry but this is just wrong.....Torts in New York, TB and Vancouver is not the Torts in Columbus.

After Watching all the islanders goals again, there is no way that 82 should have been playing tonight in anything but the 6th D spot. He definitely needs to be taken off the PP unit. I'd almost take Gorges dressing over him at this point Yes, I would have liked to see the Sabres fight through his mistakes but man they are egregious errors by him. When Bogo returns, he has to be the odd man out.

I think Bailey and Baptiste too. Neither were 1st round picks and both are only 22. There are lots of instances that it takes a player until they are 23 or 24 to hit their stride in the NHL. Arvidsson is a perfect example, he plays 3 years professionall, Has a few games with the preds but doesn't really score and then when he is 23 and in his 4th season he breaks out.

What does any of that have to do with next season?

I think so, I believe Nylander will have a very good season once he returns from injury and will be a full time Sabres early in the new year. I'm sure you've heard it before but he was one of the best players in the WJC but had a tough situation on a terrible AHL team BAptiste amd Bailey will be full time NHL players. Just need to find consistency. They are still very young players and more time in the AHL is never a bad thing. MIttelstandt will be a huge addition to the team next season. You have Asplund and Pu adding speed and skill as well That's 6 forwards right there. All have speed and skill. I've been saying 2018/19 forever and I'm still very optimistic that I am right. Actually, Torts was fired twice using that style of coaching. He completely changed his style last season in Columbus http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/john-tortorella-embraced-change-blue-jackets/

You are right, I've been saying 2018/19 season for a long long time

Yep. It's coming but still a year away

Definitely agree, not being comfortable in the "system" has led to way too many 2-1s against. On top of that you have the brutal turnovers in each and every game - 82 being the worst offender. Still only 3 games in and way too early to draw any conclusions. As a point of reference the Leafs started 2-7 last year.

I figured the Sabres were a year away still but I didn't think they would look this bad. Hopefully we will see huge improvements after 15 games or so but I think it will be too late if/when they do. What did we give up for 82? Looks like we got fleeced no matter how little it was.

If the Sabres get lucky in the lottery and Dahlim goes # 1, then it's a no-brainer to take Svechnikov

Andrei Svechvikov with all 3 goals for the Colts last night: 6GP 6G and 2A so far for Andrei http://ontariohockeyleague.com/video/oct-517-nb-1-bar-3

Totally agree, tough year last year with a crap team in Roch. At World Juniors showed he was still in the top group of players within his peer group. Put him on the LW with Samson and I think he will flourish. Team prediction: 5th in the Division, 10th in conference - 90 points. Yes,I'll be happy with the improvement.

Think Dahlin can be projected #1 wire to wire?

More draft lists: Smith, Merkley and Wilde in the spot I would expect the Sabres to be drafting (13-15) http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sportsnets-2018-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings/ NHL releases their "players to watch" list 23 have A prospect rankings. https://www.nhl.com/news/rasmus-dahlin-among-players-to-watch-for-2018-nhl-draft/c-291520870

Hi just turned 22 and have no worries about his development. As Ray Ferraro once said "no body ever got worse by playing in the AHL"

depends on the draft for most years I think you would in a heart beat. Which would you rather? 2016 - Nylander & Sergachev vs Luc-Dobois 2015 - Werenski & Myer vs Strome 2014 - Nylander & Ehlers vs Draisaitl 2013 - Risto & Horvat vs Drouin 2012 - Pouliot & Trouba vs Galchenyuk 2011 - Couturier & Hamilton vs Huberdeau 2010 - Burmistrov & Granlund vs Gubranson Think in almost all cases I take the 8&9 picks together over the 3rd pick?

I think it means we still have at least one more year to put up with a mediocre hockey team.

i still look at Buffalo's 3rd line and come away pretty unimpressed. I believe in Samson as a center and think he will be extremely good for the Sabres but his line-mates don't inspire much confidence. just compare to Toronto's Top 9 and there is no doubt we are behind them at the moment. The good thing about Toronto is that they are already playing with all their top players, I don't believe they have anyone who is in the minors that could eventually push for a top 9 spot. While Sabres have 3 (if not 4) who should push into the top 9 next year. Speaking of 18/19 who knows if they can afford to keep JVR and Bozak with Marner, Matthews and Nylander up for big paydays in the near future?

if that was true, he'd have spent more time in the pressbox last year, once Jack returned and Moulson was no longer needed on the PP. NOT saying I wouldn't prefer Moulson off the ice, though not sure the Sabres have the LW depth to fill his spot at the moment.

unfortunately, there is a $5million reason to dress him. Though, I won't be surprised to see him in the press box as the healthy scratch quite often.

100% on point, I see improvement and a better product to watch but playoffs? not so much But once you start adding, Mittelstadt, Nylander, Asplund& Pu, not to mention Baptiste, Bailey and Fasching with more experience..... Nylander joins the Sabres in January and never sees the AHL again. Pu signs with Sabres in the next month or so and makes the Sabres in 18/19 out of camp, along with Mittelstadt and Asplund. My prediction is that the Sabres finish with 88-92 points and 10th in the East, 21st overall. Playoffs in 18/19 and cup contender in 19/20.

Here is the play by Widle. I didnt bother to edit it to just the highlite - Unfortunately, it cuts the defensive play he makes out Scroll to 1:30 of the highlite package also, check out his goal around 2:20

There is a clip of Wilde in that game that I wanted to post but haven't had the time. He breaks up a 2-1, gathers the puck and takes it all the way down the ice, beating a dman clean and getting a nice shot on goal. Rebound was put away by a teammate. If you can find the hilites of that game, it's worth the watch. In other news: Tkachuk was the MVP of the US prospects game last night Svechnikov 2 goals in his first OHL game with Barrie.