Crusader1969

another scenario im thinking about - edmonton pass florida and sabres win the lottery. what do the oilers give up toget the #1 pick? setting up a tandem of Nurse and Ekblad

Craig Button just did a 5 pick mock draft on tsn 1) buffalo sam bennett 2) edmonton Ekblad 3) Florida Dal Coll 4) Buffalo Draisaitl 5) Calgary Reinhart he assumes the Islanders wont give up the chance to enter McDavid / Eichel sweepstakes how do you feel if thihe is right?

I wont be very nervous about this years lottery, I won't lose to much sleep about not winning and drafting 2nd. Next year, I probably wont be able to sleep for the entire 2 weeks prior to the lottery.

Just so everyone understands, next years draft is not McDavid or bust. Some believe that Eichel could actually challenge him for the #1 spot. If this team loads up with 3 top 4 or 5 picks over the next two years, plus the talent they have accumulated over the last 2 drafts we don't become playoff contenders we become CUP contenders within 3 to 4 years. Or we can just settle for playing for at best 5th to 8th in conference and win a round maybe two for the rest of the Sabres existence.

watch Rochester next year and watch the top prospects for the 2015 draft. How far is it from where you are to either Erie or St.Catharines? This is actually one of the most exciting periods in Sabres history! well said, the Ping Pong balls don't fall your way and you miss out on McDavid - you still get Eichel GUARANTEED!!! Rumours out there that Eichel may play in OHL next year instead of heading to BU. now that would be exciting!

Ryan Kennedy at the Hockey News giving Leon Draisaitl lots of love this afternoon and thinks he should be the #1 pick in the draft. I know he didn't have a great WJC but he certainly has picked up the pace since returning to Prince Albert. There is another interesting piece that the Red Line Report that has Draisaitl ranked only behind Ekblad.

it gets a bit confusing but if Sabres get St.Louis first in 2014 then St.Louis will get the Minny #2 pick (and Sabres 3rd I believe).

PERFECT!! Why would I want great goaltending next year??? If any Sabre fan questions why the Sabres TANK continues for 2015 - they NEED to take a drive out to Erie and watch McDavid. I've seen him play live in Kitchener and once online through OHL live and he is worth the price of admission and worth every second of this rebuild. Yes, we are not guaranteed to get him even if we come in Last but you need as many ping pong balls as possible.

Here is McDavid's goal vs London last night, unfortunately it cuts short the moves he put on Sabres prospect Austin where he turns him inside and out and inside once again. still shows the patience McDavid has as he waits out the goalie while Austin wonders where his jock strap is.

McDavid one-on-one vs Zadorov - nice poke check by Nikita much different result then when he went up against Austin.

Brady Austin just got his lunch handed to him by Connor McDavid. They are saying the nicest goal McDavid has scored for Erie. Unbelievable skill! TANK ON!!!! Andre Burakovsky ( Rumoured to be part of a deal that would send Miller to Washington along with one of the Caps young tenders) scores a beauty too.

I think I remember him getting hurt last night late in the game. I wouldn't read anything into it.

Whomever they draft, I would hope they stay on their junior team for another year. I know that isn't the recent trend with #1 or 2 picks but I think this is the best scenario for the team and the player. Rumour that the Sabres are trying to re-sign Miller once again, the only way I see this as a good ploy is that it increases his trade value. If the Sabres can't get a high valued prospect or a #1 pick for him. Do you agree in keeping him?

Tavares out for the Season is much bigger news then Vanek partying 2 days before a game. Looking more and more probable we are going to get 2 tickets to the McDavid sweepstakes. Saw him play Monday vs Kitchener Rangers - the kid is silky smooth!

Linus is a huge part of Tank Nation 2014-15. Hope to see him on our number one line come next Septemer!

and Dal Colle on the other wing :thumbsup:

I don't think you want Girgensons or Larsson playing first line wingers and neither Reinhart or McDavid have the size of Dal Colle or Ritchie. Don't get me wrong, I want one of the Sams with the top pick and IM tank Nation strong for McDavid (or Eichel as a secondary prize). Just thinking that with the Islanders pick we should lean toward a big scoring winger - maybe Draisitl fits that bill?

At some point we have to start seriously thinking about wingers dont they? How many Centres can you have in the system? We already have Hodgeson, Grigorenko, Compher, Larsson, Girgensons (though could play wing). Its 99% sure they will have one of the Sams. Plus, Im going to assume that the Sabres pick top 3 next year as well and all the top prospects - McDavid, Eichel, Strome and Barzal are all centres. Thats why I like Dal Collie or Ritchie with the potential 2nd pick. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button: Michael Dal Colle is just beginning to 'touch' his physical maturity. His combination of size, skill and power will only be enhanced as he continues to grow on and off the ice. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button: Ritchie's blend of skill, power and size is second to none. He has an excellent shot that can overwhelm goalies. He has the capability of being brilliant yet is still growing as a player. Scary thought! If anyone is keeping track - 42 points is the magic number to wrapping up last place.

The only way the Islanders defer their top 5 pick this year is if Garth Snow gets fired. He can not pass up on a top 5 pick, no matter how soft the draft is after the top 3 or 4, and concede that the team with John Tevares may actually be worse the following year. That being said the Islanders have stock piled a number of good prospects and have some good young players already on the team. So hoping that they come bottom 2 or 3 next year is wishful thinking on our part and we may be better off with two picks in the top 5 this year (Reinhart and Dal Colle perhaps) and our own 1st next near. Either way, it seems to work out pretty well for the Sabres.

Was this post a joke,? I cant believe anyone would say the Sabres D is strong right now. Guys like Sulzer are here to keep the bed warm while Risto and the boys develop. Do you really see Sekera playing a role with this team in 2 years if he stayed? TJ Compher projects to a 2nd or 3rd line player as per HockeyFuture.com for whatever that is worth. I'll say good trade for Darcy.

I don't agree, let Mcnabb continue with the Americans and send Rudy down there with him. I'd build the best team possible in Rochester this year and next. I'd love to see Zadorov in Rochester next season but as he will be only turning 19 this April I'm assuming he can't. Can anyone confirm?

If there has ever been a must lose game in Sabres franchise - this is it! Tankstrong!

Lets assume Sabres trade Miller and plan to take a serious run at finishing last in 2014-15 and getting either McDavid or Eichel who are both C's. Does this put Dal Colle to the top of the wish list? I'm good with Sabres getting a top 4 pick this year. Doesn't seem to be much seperation between Reinhart, Dal Colle, Bennett. I'll assume Ekblad is picked in top 4 leaving one of the 3 top forwards to the Sabres. Magic number for this scenario is 47. Tank Nation Strong!

You can't be done now! the biggest prize for tanking will come next year not this. 15 more months of tanking could lead to 10 years of contending for a cup, not just making the playoffs. I've been watching this team for close to 40 years. 1 more full season of bottom feeding is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

What are your thoughts, since the Islanders pick is top 10 procted and assuming they finish bottom 5 this year, do we wan them to keep the pick and then we have 2 tickets in the Conner McDavid sweepstakes. Or do we prefer getting two picks in the top 5 this year? I'm leaning towards 2 tickets for the 2015 draft but would be interested in what others think.