GASabresIUFAN

How is what possible? To grade the draft now, even though not one of these guys has set foot in the NHL and won't for years? It's just a grade based on potential based on the scouting reports, "expert" rankings and team needs. Sabres added skill, speed, and competitiveness and filled needs at center and goaltender. As I wrote in the initial thread there are 5 guys I think have legit NHL potential. If all 5 make it that would be an exceptional result. 5 years from now we may look back at this draft and say KA blew it, but I doubt it.

Allegedly. I mentioned that in the Goalie Carousel thread. I post a link to the story if I can find it again.

Now you know why most of the rankings gave him a solid 2nd rd grade and the Sabres, who apparently have very good Russian scouting, had him in the 1st rd. I'm sure they were shocked when he fell into the 3rd round.

Who is realistically left to the Sabres at this point in trade or UFA? Murray and Gibson have apparently already turned us down. The top of the heap is Kuemper and Campbell and it's unlikely either comes here with established playoff teams still looking for help. According to capfriendly the remaining UFA goalies, who played at least 17 games last year, are Greiss (36 years old - 3.66 . 891 last season), Jones (32; 3.43 .900), Halak (37; 2.94, .903), Rittich (29; 3.58, .886), Lankinen (27; 3.50 .891), Comrie (26; 2.58, .920), Gillies (28; 3.71, .887) and Tokarski (32; 3.27, .889). Any interest other than Comrie? Who might be available in trade? Talbot (35; $3.667 for one more year - 2.76, .911) Varlomov (34; $5 for one more year, M-NTC - 2.91 .911) Allen (31, $2.875 for one more year - 3.30 .905) Quick (36, $5.8 for one more year - 2.59, .910) Although he doesn't have a NTC/NMC, the career King is unlikely to get traded without his consent. To me it looks like Allen, Talbot and Comrie are KA's best bets at this point. Comrie is the one that interests me the most as I think he has been a slow developing goalie that has Husso like potential next season. I'll add one more possible but unlikely trade target. Would WPG honestly move Hellebuyck in the right deal? He's 29 (2.97 .910 last season) and under contract for two more years at $6.166. He has no trade protection.

I said "entering it's 3rd year" and that is absolutely accurate. So far all we have to show for 3 KA off-seasons so far is downgrading Ullmark to Anderson and a failure to secure even decent backup goaltending. Until he gets a real starter in the net in Buffalo, he has failed to adequately man that position.

Sad but true.

Day 1 - I’m not sure they could have done any better. My only gripe is that they didn’t take a RHD with the 28th pick, but that is a tiny criticism consider they grabbed Kulich at 28. They elevated our center pipeline from nearly non-existent to very deep, fast and skilled in a day. Savoie, whether on the wing replacing someone like Skinner or VO or at center is a huge upgrade in talent. Östlund, like Krebs, is a fast highly skilled playmaker, who just needs to add some muscle and improve his shot to make the NHL. Kulich is a Swiss Army Knife and my favorite player of our picks. Grade A+. I can see why others may downgrade us some for taking Östlund early and the lack of height on the 3 guys, but none of this trio plays small. Day 2 - My grade for day 2 is a B. On the plus side they added the top goalie on their board and drafted two huge value players in Neuchev and Lindgren in rounds 3 and 4 who the consensus had solid 2nd round grades on. I also like the Karlsson pick. On the downside, the team has now ignored RHD in the 1st 2 rounds for the 9th straight years. Hard to develop RHD if you don’t draft any. I also think that they took Topias much to early, but hard to be overly critical considering they drafted the guy they thought was the best goalie in the draft. I also didn’t like the overage player they drafted. He doesn’t look like he does anything at an elite level. With overagers like Morrison, Devine and Mittelstadt on the board, I would have rather had one of them. I also worry we may regret missing out on RHD like Luneau, Casey and Havelid in the second. I hope the plan is to restock our RHD with the 3 2nd rd picks next season. Overall KA and staff get an A-. I think it’s not unreasonable to believe that all 3 centers will become effective NHLers and that Neuchev and Lindgren have legit NHL potential. Getting 5 NHLers from a single draft would be an exceptional result.

I fully agree. Sometimes patience is not a virtue. He keeps watching as other GMs solidify their goaltending situations waiting for the right guy to fall in his lap. Last year, this lead to the Anderson Dell signings as a stop gap with less than stellar results. This year we seem to be going down the same rabbit hole.

He does. After Kasper this was my favorite player in the draft who I thought we had a reasonable shot at. Don't get me wrong, I really like Savoie and Östlund, but there is something about this kid that the team and the fans will gravitate to. He's one of those guys a coach loves because he can carry out anything the coach needs done; score, create, kill penalties, stop the opponents best line; done, done and done. I don't think his ceiling is as high as Savoie or even Östlund (at least as a playmaker), but he could become our Bergeron type player (no pressure kid).

I'm kind of surprised that this pick didn't get more interest from the board. How many guys do you find in the 6th round that scored 30+ goals (in only 41 games) in their draft season.

Debrincat (saves Chicago 6.6 mill on the way toward their tank)? Luke Kunin (saves Nash about 2.3 mill)? Carolina trading D'Angelo to the Flyers is certainly a cap saving move. Tony is coming off a 51 pt season and is an RFA. Carolina paid him only 1 mill last season and couldn't afford to re-sign him.

I have. I've seen great patience work both for him (Eichel) and against him (the continued failure to secure adequate goaltending entering it's 3rd season). I've seen him act quickly and get rewarded (Risto) and act quickly but not get a max return (Reinhart). I've seen smart moves to get to cap floor (Boychuk and Bishop) and a dumb move to get to the cap floor (Butcher). Ultimately, KA has been mostly on the plus side of his deals, but I don't think he has quite learned when to be aggressive and when not to be. Stevie Y wanted to improve his goaltending and went out and made it happen. KA is still waiting for someone to fall into his lap.

Is KA playing chicken with the UFA and trade markets to see who the 20 cap strapped teams need to dump to fit signings of guys like Kadri or Johnny Hockey under their caps?

That’s asking a lot especially with Tage, Mitts, Cozens, Asplund, Krebs and Girgensons already in the NHL

Apparently Stevie Y knows how to do this to get the goalie he wants. Come on KA step up.

The problem there is the defense not the goalies as Freddy Anderson proved last season. Maybe they should trade Nylander to open cap to get a real D or two. If not they are doomed to not compete for a Cup. So sad, to bad.

So would ours in pure joy.

Nothing will help Toronto’s porous defense. Murray needs all the protection he can get.

I wonder how many of the newly drafted prospects will attend? With the 11 new picks, there are now 41 prospects in our system. Sprinkle in some college UFAs and it should be an interest camp.

Just like last year. We maybe equally disappointed.

So you are unhappy in Ottawa because they are treating you poorly so you stayed to spite them? How about growing up and going somewhere where you were wanted and try to work things out with Bales.

Good question.

It will be interesting to see him at the development camp against some older players. It might help decide whether he goes to the A or plays in the CHL or goes home. Considering his International experience, I’m wondering if the A is the most likely scenario.

KA has already said both Johnson and Portillo will be attending the Development Camp.