Curt

Ok. That’s not really what you said before. You seemed to be saying that the skills themselves were not important, not that defensemen are unfairly left off such lists. Whats a doodlebug? Is that one of the new hypoallergenic poodle hybrids?

Dahlin was less productive than Eklund in their SHL draft year. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=201658 Here. Only 18 players have ever been more productive in the SHL during their 18 year old season, and for a lot of those guys it was their draft +1 season. https://www.quanthockey.com/shl/en/player-age/18-year-old-shl-players.html

For a 17-18 year old, yes. It’s been many years since a player has produced so much in their draft season.

I’m as surprised as anyone.

Skating is a very important quality for a defenseman. I’m surprised that you don’t think so. Yes, Risto is a good skater, especially for his size.

Ok. I disagree with you. Stickhandling, yes, not many D will be cracking that list, though it’s still an important thing for defensemen. However, skating and hockey IQ are extremely important qualities for a defenseman, and areas where they should be able to equal their forward counterparts. I can’t see the list either.

I am very curious to see who Buffalo will draft. A segment of people will be upset with whoever the pick is. This is the first time that there is legitimate doubt and debate about who should and will be picked at #1 or #2. I would encourage everyone to remain calm and civil. Our battle isn’t with each other. None of us has any control over the situation, and it’s ok to disagree. Please don’t call each other names for having a different opinion about which teenage hockey player will grow up to be the best player. It’s a rather silly thing to get seriously upset about.

Of course, and all these guys need work in multiple areas, but needing to be “coached up” in an area is a negative mark against a prospect.

That is crazy good production for a draft eligible player in the SHL. Seriously, there hasn’t been such a productive draft year player coming from the SHL in many years.

Didn’t say that he hasn’t. I was just surprised to see someone doubt that those things relate to being a good defenseman.

What does skating, puck handling or hockey IQ have to do with being a good defenseman? If you think that the answer is “Nothing”, I don’t trust your player analysis.

This should hurt my insides............but I feel nothing.

Yup, there were no extenuating circumstances. It was just plain weird. In the grand scheme of things it was inconsequential, so I brushed it off fairly easily, but trading the 1st pick of the 6th round for what would surely be a late 6th the following year is pretty impressive asset mismanagement, all be it on a tiny scale.

Absolutely. Extremely punchable face.

Actually, yeah, I think so. I looked at the positive. It keeps him off of broadcasts.

He will still be drafted. The NHL system is different from the NBA, NFL, and MLB in that regard. Every year many players, including high first round picks are drafted and return to play in college. Many more are drafted and then start playing in college. Many Sabres have played in college after being drafted. Excuse my explanation if you are already familiar with all this and its something else tripping you up.

If it keeps him off of broadcasts, then I’m all for this hire. I don’t see how he is qualified to be honest. He hasn’t worked for an NHL team for 25 years. His highest level experience for an NHL team is one year as Assistant GM/Head Coach of the Hartford Whalers. Being on television hockey broadcasts is not equivalent to NHL front office experience.

I’d take that. I hope they get an offer that good.

I do understand what you mean here, he doesn’t impress with puck skills, but he just consistently does things that put his team in a better position. I think people would have said that guys like O’Reilly and Toews also don’t have high end skills.

I hope they issued an explanation with it. Who do you was more surprised by this? Patrick Kane or Connor McDavid?

Beniers-Eklund for me.

I’d rather not. You know what I mean.

Apples to Oranges. This isn’t a wide ranging marketing poll. It doesn’t need 400 responses, it just needs a good percentage of the people who regularly use SabreSpace. Mods, how many people use SabreSpace on a weekly basis? Anyone have that info?

If Sabres were a contender with lots of forwards and not enough D, who wanted to swing the trade to go for it, then figure out the contract stuff later, then fine, but shouldn’t the Sabres be looking for assets that they control for more than one season? Isn’t that the point of trading Reinhart in the first place?

Without Risto, the RD depth chart is Jokiharju, Miller, Borgen. That could change though. It’s not that hard to find a D to play kind of poorly.