GASabresIUFAN

No question other then center, but that’s not how the talent in this drafts falls. For us at 9 it looks like the best available will be a winger. At 16 LHD and center should be available. At 30 ish RHD comes into play. At 41 it looks like RHD and center are the top choices

Nothing precludes the team from also grabbing a rhd or additional centers with the Fla pick or our 2nd rd pick.

While you may have no interest the Sabres might especially if they know Johnson isn’t going to sign. The pipeline has no significant LHD if Johnson walks. Novikov is an intriguing prospect but is now a complete unknown given the Russia issues. The pipeline is also devoid of higher end centers. I’m also ok with Kasper or Rutger at 16.

I'm a no in general in the 1st rd on all Russian players playing in Russia, like Yurov or Trikozov. I don't see how in the current climate we can get them here for possibly 3 or more years. That's to long to wait. Miroshnichenko has the added risk of health. The caveat here is his immense talent. I don't think I'd even consider him at 28-32. However in the 2nd round a flier on him might be worth it, especially after drafting 3 1st rd players earlier in the draft. For me I really want Jiricek at 9, but doubt he'll be there (or Nemec either for that matter). Lekkerimaki seem like the obvious choice. I see him as Olofsson's replacement in a few years. At 16 someone like Mintyukov or Mateychuk seems to make sense. KA seems less worried about L vs R in DG system and if Johnson walks we need another top end LHD in the system.

Only the NHL could create a lottery system where you can't be sure where a team drafts even after the lottery.

He is a major talent. If he is still around at 16 do you take a chance and maybe get a superstar talent or would you play it conservatively and avoid the risk? Unless the kid is already playing in Europe or NA, I'm avoiding all Russian players in this draft. Too much political risk in that they maybe be allowed to leave or the US/Can could in theory bar teams from signing Russian players as part of the war sanctions. Hard enough to develop a prospect without the added issue of politics.

What makes you think KA would want him? He’s only 23. That’s 17 years to young for Adams.

I didn't realize he'd been there since 2018. The prospect pool looks thin. Outside Holmstrom, Raty and DuFour, there isn't much there. They do have a very talented but aging forward group and great goaltending. They need Granato to coach them up. They probably have to move Varlamov to add some D.

All coaches are hired to be fired. Isn't that the general rule in all pro sports. Also how many coaches have every won a Cup with more than one team besides Bowman? The answer is 1 and that is Dick Irvin in the 1930's and 40's with Tor and Mon. Ruff, Maurice and Vigneault all have 722 to 7823 wins and zero Cups. Good coaches usually have to go through the carousel a few times before finding the right situation. For example, Quenneville got his during his 3rd job, Trotz his second, Laviolette his second, and Sutter his 4th. I guess Lou being Lou decided it was time to put his stamp on this version of the NYI. Hard to question Lou given his track record.

Carolina won that Cup because rookie Ward played out of his mind.

I agree that the bridge goalie needs to be at least 3 years

https://nypost.com/2022/05/09/islanders-fire-barry-trotz-in-stunner/ The team completely underachieved this season. I guess he is the fall guy.

I've added a couple of Poll questions to see how Sabrespace thinks KA will resolve the goaltending issues.

I like this chart as well. It’s usually pretty close. There were three 2021 1st rd trades downs; 15 for 23, 48 & 138, 20 for 22 & 90, and 27 for 40 & 51. The chart said 15 was worth 28.5 pts and they received 26.25 pts in return. The chart says 20 was worth 22.4 pts and they got 21.1 in return. Last 27 was worth 16.3 pts and they accepted 14.8 in return. I’d say that’s pretty close. If anything, it may over value the 1st rd picks slightly.

There are really good players in this draft down to the mid 20’s. Make the pick and get another good player for the pipeline.

Really? So he let one “quality” player walk. He let a late round TM draft pick return to the draft after he had taken a serious step back in performance the year Jbot had to sign him. Hagel was not re-drafted, but after a huge overage season in the WHL he was given an ELC by the Hawks. He is the one in a million shot. On the other hand, Jbot took a similar chance on Murray and is getting decent results so far. Also Carmel saying that Jbot doesn’t get credit for taking Dahlin is ludicrous. There are no givens in the draft. GMs even get the 1st wrong frequently (See Nail Yakupov or Patrik Stefan). Does TM therefore not get credit for Reinhart and Eichel? Does KA not get credit for Power?

Yep. My grandparents were born in 4 different countries and their parents in 3 more. The countries include Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine, USA and Canada. They emigrated to the US and Canada between 1904 and 1924 and by a wide variety of circumstances ended up in Buffalo. For example my great grandmother was living in NJ and working for Edison making lightbulbs. She travelled to Toronto to visit her sister, meet my great grandfather an immigrant from Russia and fell in love. Got married in Canada started a family there and then for reasons unknown moved to Buffalo.

Which player did he let walk that was helping this team move forward? He was forced to trade ROR but got Thompson and Johnson. Lehrer? How much good is he doing LV and didn’t we have a better replacement in Ullmark? Kane? Jbot as I said made many mistakes, such as Colin Miller, Housley and Rasputin, but I’d suggest you look at the team he inherited and tell me if you think that was a good team ready to contend.

Jbot took Bryson 7 picks after Farrance and he has been better than both combined. Bryson is an actual NHL player.

People forgot how hard it really is to turn prospects into full time NHL players that contribute to the team. Even if you draft well the majority of drafts you’re lucky if 3 picks play 100 or more games. If you find 4 NHL players you’ve done a fantastic job. Harder still is finding legit top end talent beyond the top 10 picks. Take the 2012 and 2013 Sabres drafts. 8 of 19 picks (24%) have played over 100 games. The 8 are Risto, Zadorov, Compher, Grigorenko, Girgensons, McCabe, Ullmark and Petersen. All are ok to good players, except Grigorenko who is really a bust, but none of the 8 became star players. Of the 8, 6 are 1st or 2nd rd picks. No skaters after the 2nd rd made the NHL. 3 of the 8 were traded or lost before they made an impact on the Sabres and only Girgensons remains in a depth role.

This simply isn’t true. Mitts, Bryson, Samuelsson, Dahlin and Cozens are all Jbot picks. UPL will be in the NHL next season. His entire 2019 all had excellent seasons either in college or Europe and are headed toward the NHL including key prospects Portillo and Johnson, except Rousek. Rousek, who was injured, is now making a name for himself in Rochester. Wiessbach also had a solid rookie campaign in Rochester. Jbot also acquired Thompson, Skinner, Jokiharju and Routsalainen. Jbot mades tons of mistakes, but this notion he didn’t draft well or acquire any good players is BS.

The Sabres won’t have any problem getting to the floor in 2023-24. Thompson, KO, Z, Asplund and Cozens all need new deals.

Don't you mean https://www.starwars.com/video/never-tell-me-the-odds

Don't we need to update this thread title with correct information?

And now back to the show? What if the Sabres win the lottery and take Mr. Wright. I see him kind of in the same vain as Reinhart. I don't think he is NHL ready, but should be in another year. How does that change this lineup? Does it change the organization's view of Mitts or Krebs or even JJP? At some point, management is going have to make some hard choices on some of these talented young forwards. Here is the forwards under control breakdown (Current age) arb = arbitration eligible 1. KO (34) - 1 year left - UFA 2. Skinner (29) - 5 years left - UFA 3. Girgensons (28) - 1 year left - UFA 4. Olofsson (26) - RFA (arb) 5. Tuch (25) - 4 years left - UFA 6. Bjork (25) - 1 year left - RFA (arb) 7. Thompson (24) - 1 year left - RFA (arb) 8. Asplund (24) - 1 year left - RFA (arb) 9. Routsalainen (24) - RFA (arb) 10. Mittelstadt (23) - 2 years left - RFA (arb) 11. Murray (23) - RFA (arb) 12. Cozens (21) - 1 year left - RFA 13. Krebs (21) - 2 years left - RFA 14. Quinn (20) - 3 years left - RFA 15. JJP (20) - 3 years left - RFA At some point you can't keep everyone. After next season KO, Girgensons, Thompson, Asplund and Cozens will all need new contracts, with Krebs, and Mitts (plus Dahlin and Jokiharju) the following year. Tough decisions are coming and if you add a Wright to the mix, someone is going to left without a chair.