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French Collection

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  2. Vsevolod Komarov named QMJHL defender of the year

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    10 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

    Is he here? I could be wrong, but I think if you go back to Russia you still have to do it. This was part of what was involved with the Flyers and Fedotov. He didn't want to go to the Ukraine but there were some weird negotiations there as well.

    Still here but is going back next week because of his visa. He has until the end of the year on his tourist visa so he’s hoping to return for work or school. He’s still trying to get anything.

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  4. NHL Playoffs (First Round) discussion

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Thorny said:

    The media here severely oversaturates the market with Canadian team content under the guise that folks support these teams for no other reason than their geographical location. It’s hard to explain if you are a buffalo citizen (if you are) because you aren’t exposed to that narrative. Imagine being bombarded with Rangers content because they are representing your great nation’s cup pursuit.

    I feel like you wouldn’t give a shite and ultimately come to resent the narrative 

    In Ontario, the Leafs get almost all of the oxygen. The other Canadian teams combine for a small percentage of the coverage.

    There are people who look at me funny when I say I’m pulling for the Avs when there are Canadian teams left.

    • Like (+1) 1

  5. Vsevolod Komarov named QMJHL defender of the year

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    Posted

    48 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

    They have mandatory military service over there. Did he skip that by coming over? 

    Probably. I think they can be exempted for hockey or studying.

    My son has a Russian friend who is 22 and hasn’t done his military stint. He has played junior hockey and taken college courses. I am not sure if it is required once his studies are done. He is trying to get a work visa to remain here.

  7. Off-season Game Plan 2024

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by French Collection

    9 hours ago, TheAud said:

    Stephenson and Monahan…yes.

    Domi? Sorry I can’t deal with a Domi in a Sabres uni. 

    He’s in pursuit of Mike Sillinger’s record of 12 different teams. Next team is number 8.

    • Like (+1) 1

  13. 2024 NHL DRAFT Talk

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    9 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

    Liger's List: Top 10 April 2024

    1. Mack Celebrini, 6' 190lbs C - when you play your entire NCAA Freshmen season as a 17yr old, that is noteworthy, when you do it to the tune of 64pts in 38 games leaving you as 2nd in PPG for the entire NCAA, that is otherworldly. BTW the player above and the 2 players directly below him on that list are all linemates on the same team versus Mack, who's next closest teammate is at 11... and is a defender. He can do it all, defense, offense, pk, pp, whatever you want. If Matty Beniers was more skilled, you would have Celebrini. His shot is excellent, I think his skating looks better and better, and this IQ is not quite Benson but he is a smart cookie. Buffalo has a 3% chance of drafting him, so keep your fingers crossed because he would immediately slot into a center position in Buffalo and give us depth behind Cozens and Tage. 
    2. Ivan Demidov, 5'11" 168lbs RW - to be blunt, the MHL (Russian Jrs) is simply a league below his skills. His skating is Skinner-esque and his shot is bedard-esque (not bedard level btw). He is an offensive threat anytime the puck is on his stick or he is in the zone. Smart and able to do about all the moves, there is a flash to his game that reminds me a bit of afinogenov. What else can we say other than he needs muscles and to get to NA to continue to refine the 200ft aspects of his game. Some places rank him lower but I don't understand how, he's got first line winger skills and when I say refine his 200ft game that isn't code for doesn't have one. He works hard in all 3 zone with sublime passing skills. One knock on his skating is he isn't fast so much as elusive and I get that. Still he has a ton of skills and every time I manage to find some video of him, I find myself smiling at his creative and fun style. 
    3. Artyom Levshunov, 6'2" 209lbs RHD - the big man from Belarus is an all around defender that uses his size to physically end plays in his own zone as well as protect the puck in any zone. Big story for him this year is how well he adapted and grew in the NCAA where he put up 0.92ppg for Michigan State. Skates very well with good agility and a quickness that makes a 6'2" guy very dangerous. He has an array of shots and loves loves loves putting pucks on net from just about anywhere which probably needs a little refinement. His passing is crisp and I feel as though there is more deception between first half highlights and second half. Defensively he works hard but needs more coaching IMPO. Good ideas but sometimes slow to execute which is a bit of the opposite of his offensive zone ideas. Still he isn't bad defensively and again uses his physicality to shut things down when he can. Another year in the NCAA should help to round out his game. He has a high floor and good ceiling so that is why he ends up at 3rd for me. 
    4. Berkly Catton, 5'11" 163lbs C/LW - when you put up 54g in 68 games, that is really noticeable. When you add 62 assists to the total, well you are in some rare territory. In fact that puts you 7th in the WHL for ppg and #1 for draft eligible guys. Add to that a vastly improving defensive game with great skating and shooting, and you get Catton. No, I don't have some fetish for sub 6ft light forwards, there just seems to be a trend of guys that fit that description and score like Catton... you know like Benson and Savoie. Anyways, he's a good player and will be a good pro, probably needs 2 more years in jrs and a rochester year so a beat out but man is he gonna be fun. 
    5. Cayden Lindstrom, 6'4" 216lbs C/LW - oh what might have been. 27g in 32 games translates out to 57g in 68 games but alas that isn't what happened. Injured early and then he managed to come back and pick up where he left off only to get injured again. No, I don't think he is injury prone but medicals will be important to look at here. Still who doesn't want a 6'4" forward that plays physically, can skate as good as Cozens and can score at a good clip? There only issue I seem to have with Lindstrom is idk how smart he actually is with the puck. There are times if you watch some of his shifts, where he just doesn't make the play that I want and he occasionally is a little to north south without having some of the deception we could hope. Still he tries hard and sending him back to jrs for 2 more years will probably help iron out a lot of his weaknesses. Considering his strengths, skating and shooting, I think he has all the potential to be a solid #2 center or even a top line winger. 
    6. Zayne Parekh, 6' 178lbs RHD - what would happen if you took a Maserati but asked it to play defense? Parekh is what would happen. 96pts in 66 OHL games or 1.45ppg from a defender in the OHL is, absurd, crazy, fun. In the offensive zone, Parekh will attack at the slightest opportunity, he ends up below the goal line a bunch, he will drive the slot, makes amazing passes, is really good about getting the puck inside and will use excellent edges and quick bursts to get it there. Dude flat out is a baller in the offensive zone... so lets talk about defense. First, it isn't like he refuses to try or won't play defense. He uses his skating and has a good active stick, although I question his turn and acceleration. The issue is that because he takes a ton of risks for lots of reward offensively, you need really good wingers and centers to rotate for him. Sometimes he just does too much and gets caught out of position. His defensive game is okay but needs refinement for sure. If you need a PP1 guy, draft him. If you need a 3rd defender to lock down your zone... maybe look elsewhere. Still, the offense is fun and reminds me a bit of how Brandt Clarke was in his draft year. 
    7. Sam Dickinson, 6'3" 204lbs LHD - if Parekh is a Maserati, Dickinson is a Jeep. Rugged, can go wherever you need, has some style and flash but overall just solid. With a June bday, Dickinson is young and that should scare ppl because there is just more there IMPO, his 70pts and 1.03ppg from the defense position for a strong London Knights team shows how good he is. Great skating with agility for days and a hard to knock off the puck stride, if he was lightning fast (he's good but not great) we would be talking about him higher up and I almost put him 4th. So why didn't I? Offensively he is good, makes smart plays, has a good shot that he gets through, and overall reminds me a bit of Owen Power in the o-zone. Not flashy but solid. I would want a bit more from a defender at 4th or 5th overall. His bread and butter is his defense. He's big with good skating so goo luck going around him or through him. Physical when needed and disciplined with excellent positioning, if you want a guy who can eat 25mins a night, lead a breakout, shutdown top lines, and be a solid #2/3 defender, take him. And if his offensive game continues to add deception and skills, this ranking will look stupid in a few years. Love me some Dickinson. Pitter Patter GIF by Crave
    8. Tij Iginla, 6' 185lbs LW - imagine if Benson had a slightly bigger brother who was slightly less of a gunz blazing full throttle hellian, let me present Tij. Son of Jarome Iginla, this guy has rocketed up draft boards because ppl started catching on. He is remarkably consistent all year and manages 47g and 1.31ppg which is good but not remarkable, so why does he slide up boards? Quite frankly it is because of his 200ft game and excellent shot including 9g in 11 playoffs games. He skates well, his a hard worker on fore and backchecks, and he scores in bunches. Couple that with an Aug 1 bday and honestly we can't truly be sure how good Tij actually is, he is only 45 short of being 2025 eligible so how do we handle that? For me, seeing as he is the best forechecker in the WHL, I handle it by thinking that a guy that already has his shot and skating coupled with his work ethic is probably a 2nd line guy all day and has first line potential. The work and the attention to detail stand out in good ways and personally I think you can improve things like skating, passing, shooting, but the will to win is harder to "develop". I would be pretty happy if we landed him and can only hope that the flashes of smooth hands and some elite manipulation truly blossom next season. A bit of risk but I will take it. 
    9. Konsta Helenius, 5'11" 181lbs C/RW - Finland has quietly produced some really solid guys the last few years. Helenius might be one of the best. He spent the entire season in Liiga, Finland's top men's league where he casually had 14g, 22a for 36pts in 51 games as a 17yr old with a May bday. You know, just normal stuff that no one does. For example Anton Lundell as an 18yr old (Oct) in Liiga put up 10g, 18a, 28pts in 44 games. That's 0.71ppg to 0.64ppg if you doe the math all while being 5 months younger than Lundell was when he started his 28pt season. So yea, lots to like here. He plays well in all 3 zones, is super smart, great skating, passing is fantastic and he is not and will not be a perimeter player. He has a fearless attitude for a kid in a men's league. I want to see more of him, but there is a chance he ends up higher when this is all said and done. I hope Buffalo sends a bunch of guys to Finland to see him because he is another guy along with Tij and Catton that just has lots of skills to display while also being a solid worker all over the ice. 
    10. Anton Silayev, 6'7" 211lbs LHD - look, I get it. He is really big and he skates well but like, his offense is meh. Not saying it doesn't exist, more that it just isn't that much of a wow factor. Owen Power has way more offensive wow in comparison while having similar skating. Now that isn't to say he is a lug who can't generate offense, he has good hands and makes solid plays but go watch him, there is not a lot of manipulation or driving low or advanced offensive instincts there. He reminds me a bit of big Jokiharju where sure, he can make solid passes and he can stick handle here and there, that isn't really his game. Which brings us to the defensive side of things where he smothers you and will lay you out. He uses his size well to shield guys and start breakouts. He has enough agility that it is hard to beat him in close and obvious reach making him hard to beat wide. If I needed a solid #3 defender that I could pair with say Byram or Dahlin or maybe even Power, you know a true offensive talent, Silayev would be the dude but I just highly doubt his offensive game, more so than most judging by his consolidated ranking of #7 and he's got 8 rankings in the top 5. 

    Well that is it for April and it until I actually sit down and figure out 1-32 or whatever I do. There is some depth to this class but not as good as last year for sure. 

    Nice job on this, lots of good information. I am usually up on the draft prospects but have been avoiding it this year. Maybe the Sabres trade their first rounder for a change.

    The only guy on your list I don’t like is Parekh. This is just my opinion and personal preference.

    He is an offensive force and he may translate into an NHL PP QB someday. When I watched him he plays most of PP1 and 2. He also plays some time at RW. There are a lot of similarities to Tony DeAngelo at the OHL level. He was a rover who rarely played D. The other comparable you mention is Brandt Clarke. This is very accurate and I also do not like Clarke for similar reasons. They are offense first guys who are not good defensively and seem to be me first types. They spell team with an I. They make Quinn Hughes look like a defensive stalwart.

    Again this is just my take and I may be way off base.
     

  15. Off-season Game Plan 2024

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    3 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

    Matthew Fairburn of the Athletic with a bunch of players who could be signed to remake the bottom 6.  
     

    https://theathletic.com/5458480/2024/04/30/sabres-free-agent-targets/

     

    If you don’t have a subscription, here are the names(without cutting and pasting the entire article)…

    Dakota Joshua
    Anthony Mantha
    Stefan Noesen
    Ryan Lomberg
    William Carrier
    Warren Foegele
    Yakov Trenin
    Teddy Blueger
    Tyler Motte
    Kiefer Sherwood
    Christian Fischer
    Brandon Duhaime

     

    I like Joshua, Noesen and Sherwood for a 3rd line. I am not sure if Joshua can play C at the NHL level but he is listed as a C while Vancouver uses him mainly as LW.

  17. Off-season Game Plan 2024

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

    Leafs about to blow it up. Crazy hypothetical situation that is more a mental exercise than reality. The guy that will probably go is Marner but with his deal and being one year from UFA and his NTC he will be tough to move and get any value for the Leafs.

    Trade for Marner as long as Skinner is part of the deal. You add a young prospect and Joker to make it worthwhile for the Leafs. Does he fill the toughness or bottom six role, no but players as talented as he is don’t become available often. 

    Reasoning: fans here in Toronto are ready to run him out of town on a rail. He has 1 more year left and then is a free agent. He is a tremendous regular season player who falls apart in the playoffs.  He has a NTC but Buffalo for a year might appeal as it is close to home and doesn’t have the pressure of Toronto.  Skinner has a NTC too but would most likely waive for Toronto. Joker would give them a young RHD that they need. One of the prospects would make it worthwhile for them. Skinner plus Joker’s salary offsets Marner’s so you still have money to fill out the other needs in the lineup.

    Marner on the top line with Tage would easily turn him into a 50+ goal scorer. Get to the playoffs next year and see if Marner has a different playoff outcome with a different team. I’d it works out you look at your lineup and see if there is a pathway forward with him on a new deal. If he doesn’t work out he walks in FA but you have rid yourself of Skinner’s deal in the process.

    Likelihood if this happening is very small but fun to think about. It is a move to get you in the playoffs next season.  The main idea of the whole trade is getting out of Skinner’s deal while rolling the dice that Marner has a different outcome in a different environment for 1 year.

    I think ultimately Dubas will be all over him and bring him to Pittsburgh to play with Crosby.

    I had a similar thought today watching the Toronto media meltdown last night. I don’t like wimpy Marner but one year trial and getting away from Skinner’s contract and lack of D play is interesting. 
    His playmaking would be an asset in the regular season but his softness in the playoffs would not change.

    I would sweeten the deal with Rosen, who seems less likely to help the Sabres.

  19. NHL Playoffs (First Round) discussion

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    6 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

    Watched the game with all my Leafs buddies tonight..OH BOY

    6 straight playoff losses at home. 8 years in the playoffs with this group, one series win.

    Leafs have to be blown up. Dubas is a complete fraud. The worst constructed team I have seen. All the money dumped into high end forwards with no D or goalie focus. Treleving has a giant mess to clean up.

    I would imagine both Shanahan and Keefe get canned. The media and fans are out for blood here. 

    High end regular season forwards. No grit or extra gear when it matters.

  22. Off-season Game Plan 2024

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, dudacek said:

    Tampa has no picks, prospects or cap space. They are loaded with experience and edge.

    The Sabres are exactly the opposite.

    I don't think you'll find many teams that are a better trade match.

    i wonder if Nick Paul or Tanner Jeannot might be available at a price we can afford.

    Nick Paul would be a solid 3C. Not a great skater but he gets there. He is big and will play in front of the net. He can play special teams and has been around 50-54% on faceoffs the past few years.

    I think his cap hit $3.15 for 5 or 6 more years. He is from southern Ontario and played his junior in North Bay, where we met him. Good kid.

    Gaustad vibes.

    • Like (+1) 1

  24. AHL PLAYOFF GDT - Crunch @ Amerks - Friday, April 26, 2024 - 7:00 PM (EDT) AHL TV, 950/95.7 WROC

    in The Aud Club

    Posted

    11 minutes ago, JustOneParade said:

    Can guys like Wahlberg and Östlund, and even Savioe, play in ROC next season?

    Yes. I believe Komarov will be another one eligible. I think he and Savoie could join them if their teams get knocked out of the CHL playoffs and the Amerks are still playing. I am not sure if they could play, (Savoie has played there and is under contract) but they could be a part of the Black Aces for the playoff run.

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  25. Zach Benson, the 5'10" 170lb, 18yr old rookie's first season review

    in The Aud Club

    Posted · Edited by French Collection

    19 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

    Honest question for the folks on the board who know more about actual development: I keep reading that Benson's skating is not great (good, but not great) and he could use a harder/quicker shot ... a player can still work on their skating and shooting at 18/19 yrs old, right?? I mean I read about players who get drafted with "flaws" that they work on and correct. Given his apparent work ethic, I would not be shocked at all (atol) if he came back with improvements in those two areas next fall.

    He is a competitive kid so that will drive improvement. He is only 18, his physical peak is still years away. The Sabres staff will have specific things for him to work on this summer. They will track his progress and provide support. He has more room to grow stronger and faster in one summer than a mature man like Girgensons. He is an NHLer now which will open doors for him in the summer, training with other NHLers, better gyms, better trainers and better partners. He has more money which will enable more resources to be available to him.

    My take, no way he isn’t a certain percentage stronger and faster than last September when he shows up for camp.

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