Curt

A 3rd line NHL player isn’t equivalent to a NFL backup. NFL team has 22 starters, NHL team 19 starters. A 3rd liner is a starter. An NHL equivalent of the NFL “backup” is in the AHL or getting healthy scratched in the NHL. Also, I’d expect that NHL careers are generally longer than NFL careers, so an NHL starter is going to hold that position longer, which means less available openings for rookies each season. Also also, NFL players are drafted at age 21-22, compared to 18 for NHL players. In the NFL draft, you are much more certain of what you are getting, starters early, backups later. In the NHL there are more busts early and surprises later.

I don’t know what’s going to happen exactly, I just wouldn’t want to be too reactionary and overly cautious. Yes, I could see this happening again to a KHL player who tries to tear up his KHL contract in favor of the NHL, especially CSKA players, but I don’t think it will occur with players who finish out their KHL contracts. Who knows what the situation will be like in a couple years? Could be better, could be worse. Putin might not even be in power or even alive by the time these prospects are turning 21-22. If other teams are going to be extremely averse to drafting Russians, you might be able to get real leg up by drafting them a round or two or three below their talent level. I would take the risk in some instances. This is quite a good crop of Russian prospects too, much better than average. I don’t really care if it takes them 4 years to get over to the NHL. They could show up as near fully developed 22-23 year olds ready to contribute (while on an ELC too).

While interesting as a theoretical examination, this isn’t very useful or reflective in terms of what it actually takes to trade up/down in the NHL draft. For example, according to this, you could trade two early 3rd round picks for 20th overall, or trade up from 5th overall to 1st overall just by tossing in an early 3rd round pick. Seems way off.

Echoing what Tom says here. Kuemper has been a high level starting goalie for years.

Hard to say how everything will translate to the NHL, but yeah, definitely some similarities to a Skinner type.

I don’t think I’m a guru, but I’ll answer. My thoughts for the Sabres, he would be a decent upside swing at #28 if he is still there. I think there will be better options at #16 and if we took him there I’m going to be a little bit bummed. He is a smallish winger (5’10” 180). Very good skater, good puck carrier in transition, very good shooter, only a decent passer, defensive play needs work. He is kind of a sneaky scoring winger who is better finding open ice where he can receive a dangerous pass than he is at playmaking for others. He is kind of a risky pick because if he can’t make it as a top-6 scoring winger, he probably won’t be an NHL player because of his lack of physicality and defensive play. Comparing him to Quinn: Quinn is a couple inches taller/bigger, and was noted to have a much better 200 ft game and compete level. Howard is a better skater though.

I purposely did not take guys at 9 at 16 that I felt pretty sure wouldn’t be there in real life (No Nemec or Jiricek at 9, no Kasper at 16). I have to say that I’m still fairly happy with the results.

Yeah, I probably wouldn’t take Ohgren or Yurov at 9, mostly because one of Gauthier, Nazar, Savoie, or Kasper will be available. All those guys have a shot at being C’s. I really really like Ohgren though.

No, I’m also meh on Lekkerimaki and Kemell. Hope they are off the board before #9. I prefer forwards Gauthier, Nazar, Savoie, Kasper, Ohgren, Yurov.

Yeah, this was posted a couple days ago. Bystedt seems like a reach at 28 and it’s kind of dumb to mock Wright dropping to 4. Not gonna happen.

If it’s true that he attempted to “self terminate” his contract, whatever that even really means, then I can understand why this happened. Russian players are not going to be able to come to North America until their KHL contracts are completed. I think that’s generally already been accepted as fact.

Fedotov’s KHL contract was up? Not to be a pain, but do you have a source for this? I did a search and didn’t come up with the info. I’m interested in that particular piece of information because I think it’s an important point.

I’m worried about your punctuation usage.

I don’t think that’s the case. Plenty of other Russian players have signed contracts to come over to the NHL this offseason. None of them have been arrested apart from Fedotov. I think we need to ask what makes this particular case different.

This is a very good point. CSKA is kind of a team apart. It is formerly the team that all the Soviet national team players played for, the KHLs most successful team, Putin’s favorite team, and also it is owned by the Russian government. Normal rules do not apply to this team. Also, I couldn’t find it anywhere, but I wonder what Fedetov’s KHL contract status is. Was his KHL contract complete or was he attempting to skip out on part of his contract? That makes a big difference.

That’s a very long commitment for a 3rd liner.

I’ll say that he is probably beater as a backup than starter. He was better early last season, but was then injured and wore down under a starter workload after returning. I think with a backup workload he is much more likely to stay healthy and perform better.

On cap friendly it lists different salaries for NHL and AHL. I thought that any contract like that was a 2 way.

Should add that a 7th round pick was acquired in the Bishop trade. It’s just a 7th, but still should be noted.

Totally agree. At 16 and 28 I’m fine with it. Especially if we can grab a “safer” C at 9. Kasper, or I actually think Nazar is fairly safe too.

He literally has no choice but to sign more goalies. He currently only has a total of two under contract for Rochester and Buffalo.

I like this a lot as long as it is for the backup role. I’m sure that most feel the same way. I’m not going to read through the whole thread because I’m assuming it’s a bit of a tire fire.

My personal opinion. Basically 0% chance that Miroshnichenko is available at #28.

Do you have any evidence that Buffalo was not interested? Because Fiala was traded to the Kings, do you just assume that the Kings were the only interested team?

What reports were wrong?