DarthEbriate

I don't see this as an issue at all. He now has the experience and body to step immediately into the NHL and contribute at his proper level (bottom 6). It's how you supplement your core once you have it. TBL, and PIT and DET before them, had great rosters and then out of nowhere an 23-25 year old AHLer steps in and they don't miss a beat. The issue would have been rushing Rousek up at age 22 as soon as he crossed the pond to play with Skinner-Cozens in the top 6 because his game complemented theirs.

Another view on where everyone is with Sabres contracts (or UFA status) in the minors/feeders

^ He does want to be here!

This is my assessment as well. I do think we could see a dual tryout. You don't want both Savoie and Benson on the roster at the same time and you don't want to crush their WHL team by doing so, either. So I could see Savoie getting his 8 games, then the conditioning assignment, WJC and back to Wenatchee. And when he's done, Benson gets 8 games to get his NHL taste before going to WJCs/WHL. But both will need at least an entire season to build up their bodies so they don't get toppled in every loose puck battle. Next season, they can compete for an NHL spot, but the AHL is waiting for them to fill out their frames as well.

All I've got is Operation Nordwind. From the German perspective it was successful but ultimately ineffectual. From a personal perspective it resulted in my grandpa spending a winter in a Nazi POW camp... so I won't be promoting that one. Nothing Star Warsy, unfortunately. I hope he turns into a hell of a hockey player and Sabre HOFer.

Can't easily build a table... so maybe an image will work. This draft filled out the feeder leagues nicely. NHL/AHL not shown. Strbak and McCarthy replace Nyberg and Lyckasen when they fall off next offseason. Keohane and Panocha fill the gaps left by Johnson and Novikov graduating to Rochester. Lots of centers who can float to the wing. The deficiency at the moment is at right wing, but still plenty of very young RWs in Buffalo and Rochester. I expect that position to be addressed in next year's draft.

Ref: I thought Savoie played defense... and was... taller. Appert: What? No, no, no. He plays forward and defense. Like Fedorov and Dandenault. A note on Savoie: As he's from the Quebec Remparts, he's just helped win the Memorial Cup and has played with Komarov who will join the Amerks next season. He'd have to sign an extension to play with Komarov again next year, but the familiarity would be there.

If Ratzlaff were already 6'2" he'd have gone in that 2nd round run of six goalies selected.

This is the neat part. 2024-25 season in Rochester battling with Kozak for that grinder 3C role. 2024-25 could be a wild ride in Rochester. Östlund in the fold. Neuchev in a second season. Probably the final half-season showing of either Rosen or Kulich before they're both in the NHL for good. Novikov, Komarov, and Lindgren on the backend.

Good Bogg! How could we not draft a Good Bogg?

If a D hadn't been selected in the 6th, I'd have said take a flier on Kid Mitts in the 7th.

Shoots left, so that checks the balance box for handedness in the pipeline.

Matthew Mania off the board. Good name! And there went Milic.

And next year he'll have the net to himself with Milic aging out.

Whoa-ho-ho! No Milic or Suchanek late. Ratzlaff from the T-Birds. Interesting. Now I've got to budget for a bunch more games this season.

Rounds 5-7, now I need some names. Kai Uhacz, Anton Topilnyckyj, Ryan "will be" Fine, Hugo Hell, Rainiers Rullers, Elis Rix, Zeb Forsfjall, Otso Ylitalo, Aksels Ozols, Hampton Slukynsky. And early in the 5th great name: Marcel Marcel (good World Jrs tourney) goes to Chicago

The size and speed and backchecking "relentlessly" with the big league SHL club is good to see, as is the coach trusting him more from one game to the next. Outworking the opposition is always a welcome trait.

Inconsistency is what you'd expect for a 4th rounder. In a couple years, when Murray has moved on and Nadeau is established -- it'll be good to bring in the next mammoth guy in Rochester and see what he can do. Miedema is a good Star Warsy name. I hope he makes it.

Dang. There goes the name of names. Montreal has both Xhekajs. Now there are two of them!

Chicago gets Bailey, buys him out for the cap hit. Then trades for Perry, whom they can flip at the deadline to a contender and retain half the salary. But in the meantime they've got Perry and Hall to help Bedard along. Still good tanking. They've got a decent plan.

Sort of like how Eichel bunked with Moulson... McCarthy can move down the block to GM Sheevyn's. Like an apprentice.

But does he want to be here?

Except... now it's the Wenatchee Wild.

That's sort of how the entry draft works.

Could he be a right-handed Jake McCabe? Someone who is a stud as a 5/6, but with the right partner can easily handle top 4 minutes.