Crusader1969

If you take D at number 8, you are still taking Dineen at 38? I think i would lean towards a winger in this scenario. 1) Boris Katchouk 2) Jordan Kyrou 3) Janne Kuokkanen

If you sign Stamkos you will have 7 guys for $48 mill. Bogo and Ennis are gone c Fowler will cost you $6milliom. So $54 million for 8 guys - you are probably spending $5 mill on goalies. McCabe should cost you $3.5. I've got 6 forwards , 3 d and 2 goalies coming in at$62.5 million Bailey and Fasching will also be up for contracts $3 mill each? $68 million and 13 guys signed. You better hope the cap is up to $80. Which will allow you to spend $1mill for everyone else. I've shredded bogo, Girgensons, foligno, Pysyk, ennis. Larrson. And let go of Kane. Sabres line up vesey Eichel reinhart Stamkos o'reilly Fasching ELC ELC Bailey League min for 4th line Fowler Risto McCabe ELC League min 3rd pair d Please let me know if I have something wrong Sign Campbell for 2 years find another cap team needing to unload. Don't sign Stamkos

Bottom line is that he isn't worth the 8th pick. I'll be happy if they can get him but the deal would include Girgensons or Pysyk as the centre piece

Im assuming they either sign Stamkos or add another large contract through trade. If you add up the numbers, the cap becomes a real problem quickly. Core 5 players plus Moulson $36 Ennis and Bogo $10 If you attribute $10m to UFA`s over the next two summers - now you have $56mill and only 9 or 10 guys signed. McCabe is going to earn some money this summer, Pysyk (if he isn`t traded) next summer. Fashing, Bailey, Baptiste all come up that summer (17/18). You would hope that in 2017/18 Guhle or the guy you draft at 8 is ready to step into Fowlers role. Again, Id be happy to trade for Fowler, I have Pysyk, Girgensons or some later picks plus maybe a prospect but I think you are wayyyy overpaying by giving up the 8th pick for Fowler. We sti

Mine is similar - had Brown going to before the Sabres draft and Juolevi to Arizona. Now, after Goligoski, think Nylander to Arizona leaving Sabres with all 3 dmen on the board.

whats your off-season Free agent game plan? If you plan to pay Fowler in 2 years you can`t be signing anyone of significance this summer. The way it looks to me I have 5 core (Vesey, Eichel, Risto, Reinhart and O`Reilly) players plus 1 bad contract (Moulson) in 2017/18 that will cost you at least $36 million. If you add in Ennis and Bogo thats another $10 million. add Stamkos or another $8m plus high end player for the top 6 -the available cap space is being eaten up quick. Again, im not against adding Fowler but not for the 8th pick and you have to be prepared to see him walk in 2 years.

I have - saw him twice this year, Once in Windsor and the other in Hamilton. Plus probably about 15 times on TV. I think he is fantastic. extremely nasty guy to play against, elite skating for a man of his size, and once a game (at least) will drive to the net and create either a scoring chance for himself or a teammate. Plus he can QB a power play and has a great shot, not much not to like. I don`t think anyone ever complayed about Tyler Myers skating for a guy that is 6`7 - it was his intelligence and compete level - neither should be a worry about Sergachev. I think I posted this before but Sergi had a slow start while adjusting to the NA rinks but after Halloween he plays 41 games and puts up 43 points. The only time his effort has been questioned is playing at the U18s when all but him and the guy from Q were suspended from Team Russia.

He makes $4 million now and is thought to be a bargain at that price. I`d have to think some team will offer at least $6m for him. In 2 years you have Eichel, Reinhart and (Hopefully) Vesey coming off their ELC`s. Sabres already have to move out $$ in order to even attempt to pay Stamkos. I don`t mind trading for Fowler for 2 years, Im just not trading the 8th pick for him.

BPA is likely to be a Dman. That`s good cause you will need him in 4 years since Fowler is a UFA in 2 and likely Sabres won`t have the $$ to re-sign him.

Trading the 8th pick for Fowler would also be blasphemous. You can`t trade a top end D prospect, that has potential to be a high end top pair Dman for the next decade, for a good (not great) player with only 2 years left on his deal is CRAZY!!! I don`t mind adding Fowler but I`d be offering Girgensons, a lower draft pick and maybe a decent prospect. Yes you may have to be patient for the 8th pick to develop but his floor should be turning into Fowler, his ceiling is much much higher. why do you need Tkachuk if you have Vesey and Stamkos? IF they can pull off Vesey, alone, they should go D in First round.

the whole thing is based around Eichel. without him the trade doesnt happen. Do you think that Eichel and Vesey have already had a conversation? Im assuming they have.

Im confident. Murray is no dummy and wouldn't have traded a 3rd rounder if he had absolutely no clue if there was interest from the Vesey camp. They have to be very careful of what they say publicly but there is no way, in my mind, that there wasn't a conversation between Eichel and Vesey and it has be relayed back to Murray. Hopefully I am not wrong cause it will suck for this guy to snub the Sabres to go pay for the Leafs. Especially if Stamkos is offered $12M to play with Sabres and signs for Leafs for $10 or so.

Unless there is a run on Dmen prior to the 8th pick then I would say its highly likely one of Joulevi, Sergi or Chyrchrun is a Buffalo Sabres come Friday. I think it also dampens any trade rumours of Sabres moving up to 3 or 4 to grab a forward.

With the Vesey trade, my percentage of them drafting a D at pick 8 increased to about 75%. Its been 3 whole days, maybe a record to stay with the same guy, and I've remained on Team Chychrun

I think he projects as a guy who can step into a top 6 role. I have to think/hope they know they can get him with the connection through Jack. You can't give up a 3rd rounder for a complete "shot in the dark". Very exciting but lets wait till he signs before going completely overboard in celebration.

My best guess is the Oilers draft Tkachuk and trade 1 or two skill forwards for fill in their D. Maybe Bogosian or Pysyk could come into play?

Tkachuk is going to Edmonton - 80 percent confident. Though I did call the Oilers to make the playoffs last year - so any prediction should be taken with grain of salt.

I dont agree that the draft strategy has changed from 2013 to when Murray came in for 2014 and 2015. I'm not saying that Murray isn't the final decision maker but over the last few drafts they've been looking for athletes. My guess is that Bailey and Baptiste are exactly Murray type prospects. I don't think its a coincidence that McCabe was drafted in 2012 after testing strongly though he definitely wasn't as raw as Baptiste and Bailey.

True, but Kevin Devine and many of the scouts have been with the Sabres for ages. However, if you want to go back just over the last 2 drafts - 6 second and third rounders - only Karabaceck doesn't show up on the list of top combine results -that's actually a higher percentage than the 9 out of 12 from 2012 till present. (83% compared to 75%)

thanks for noticing - its Wade Allison! and I don`t believe there is any relations between the two.

I've gone through combine testing results from 2012 through 2015 to see if there is any correlation to how the Sabres draft. Over the last 4 years the Sabres have had 12 2nd and 3rd round draft picks. The only 3 guys they've drafted in this 4 year time frame that didn't show up on any top 10 finishes are JT Compher, Vaclav Karabacek and Justin Kea. The other 9 guys drafted in this time frame show up at least once and many of them have multiple top 10 finishes. Its also interesting to note that in 2013 both Fasching and William Carrier (prospects traded for) both had multiple top 10 finishes. looking back at 2013 you can see the Sabres relying heavily on combine results as both Bailey and Bapiste had 3 top 10 finishes, while Hurley had 2 (you will even see Zadorov and Risto's names as you scan through the results). In 2015 Brendan Guhle dominated the combine with 7 top 10 finishes. In 2014, both Brendan Lemieux and Eric Cornel do very well at the combine with multiple top 10 finishes. Going through the recently completed 2016 results I've pulled a few names who tested well and could be potential guys that the Sabres will value. with the 38th pick here are a couple of names to watch for: 1) Jordan Kyrou - 3 top 10 finishes at the combine and a top performer at the CHL prospects games on-ice testing. He could be gone before the Sabres draft at 38 as most have him projected as a late 1st or early 2nd round pick. great skill, great skater and could be a steal if he drops to Sabres 2) Wade Allison - 4 top 10 finishes. Had a huge 2nd half of the season with Tri-city in the USHL. He is a power forward who strong on his skates scoring 25 goals in 56GP . Should be a 2nd round pick but there are some draft outlets that have him going early in 3rd round. 3) Tyler Benson - 2 top 10 finishes. Was thought to be a lock for the 1st round but injuries derailed his season. Could drop into the mid second round where the Sabres could grab the highly touted LW. who was originally 14th overall on Bob Mckenzies preseason draft board. 4) Boris Katchouk - 2 top 10 finishes at combine. First thing of note is that he is a Canadian kid!He plays with a fierce passion to win at all costs. had 3 fights this season including a battle against a 6`7 Knights Dman (Boris is 6`1). has good wheels, fearless and showed offensive ability scoring 24G for SSM. The kid is an energy player who has top 6 potential. In the 3rd Round here are some names to keep in mind: 1) Jonathan Ang - Peterborough OHL - 7 top 10 finishes 2) Trent Frederic - USDP - 4 finishes in top 10 3) Artur Kayumov - Team Russia u18 - 3 top 10 4) Givani Smith - Guelph OHL - 3 times in top 10 Top 10 2 times: 5)Henrik Borgstrom - Finland 6) Nichols Caamano OHL 7) Dillon Dube - WHL 8) Matt Filipe - USHL 9) Samuel Girard - Q 10) Noah Gregor - WHL 11)Taylor Raddysh - Erie OHL

I probably sound like a broken record but maybe if you add the Hartnell contract then maybe it makes sense? Otherwise I can't imagine Foligno along with pick 8 and 3rd rounder being enough

you are right, had it in my head the Puljujarvi played LW Arizona getting rights to Goligoski - could change my mock draft of Juolevi going to the Coyotoes, if they sign him.

Here is a real shot in the dark but I'm going to throw out a name to use on one of the Sabres multiple picks in the 3rd round Beck Malenstyn of the Calgary Hitmen. Could eventually be a 4th line energy / character guy. Will do anything it takes to win and loves to hit. http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=247477 McKeen's hockey has him at 86 Central scouting has him at 73 of NA skaters should be drafted bottom of 3rd round or 4th round. Draft buzz "he's durable, hard charging, and works his tail off every shift" "has infinite potential and finite finish" "an NHL ready skater with power" basically has very little offensive ability but is an elite Defensive forward who will play each shirt like his hair is on fire. I know he isn't an exciting pick but could be an important foot-soldier for them a few years down the road.

i dont think he was saying trade Reinhart. I believe the idea is to have a Puljujarvi, Eichel and Reinhart #1 line. The question is to me - can you trade Girgensons, #8 and possibly a top prospect to take on contract of Hartnell (who would still have a bottom 6 role with them) and Puljujarvi? Maybe you don't even need a top prospect in the deal? you are doing them a huge favour taking that contract off their hands.