JohnC

Power is an 18 yr old big fellow who right now doesn't do anything at an elite level. However, as a youngster he does everything well and projects to be a first pairing caliber defenseman. I'm not so worried about at what level he currently plays at because many in the scouting business project him to get significantly better as he physically matures. I want to make it clear that I'm not diminishing any other player who is ranked high on this year's draft board. There are legitimate reasons based on talent and projections to select another highly ranked player. So although I might disagree with others preferring another pick I'm not going to say one is wrong If you peruse the various rankings Power is at the top or near the top of the majority of rankings, and so are a few other players. As described by almost everyone in the scouting business this draft class lacks an elite "can't miss" prospect such as McDavid, Eichel and Crosby class. It should be remembered that many people in the talent scouting business categorized Dahlin as that type of prospect but because of the troglodyte coaching he was subjected to his development was set back. So right now I'm not putting him at that lofty level. Although I still believe that he can reach it if handled properly and with the right support system. As of right now with no hesitation I proclaim myself to be a Power-stan!

I clicked on the link and at the time you noted it was football talk.

Bailey Johnson from Smaht Shooting was on WGR talking about Power. In a couple of years when he gets stronger and more mature he is going to be a top pairing defenseman. It would be advisable to play another year in college. The Sabres shouldn't overthink this draft. With the first pick we should take Power. The analyst also talked about Beniers and Johnson. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy

I think sometimes people get hung up in numbers and get too enamored with the depth of the prospect pool. You can have a smaller pool of prospects yet have a talented enough pool to adequately feed the NHL club. If anyone evaluates the number of young players that you listed who are now with the Sabres the takeaway has to be that the Sabres have an expanding young core to build from. And if a few of those young players such as Mitts, Thompson, Dahlin, Samuelsson etc. take an unexpected leap then we are in a better situation than first thought. As an example Mitts is cited as a player who unexpectedly leaped forward under Granato. But another young player who isn't often mentioned is Apslund. He was a Rochester afterthought who played his way into securing a role with the Sabres. The more he played the more the better he got. He's certainly not a flashy player but he is a contributing solid player.

The irony or is it a paradox??? that for many years Buffalo has been a nondescript and irrelevant franchise in the league that the hockey world ignores. This offseason the organization is going to be the most observed and commented on during the offseason.

Mitts, Cozens, Joki, Asplund, Thompson, Dahlin, Samuelsson, Bryson, Olofsson, Quinn and some additions if trades materialize that we expect this offseason. After this draft you can add Power or Beniers to the list. What this list demonstrates is that there is a young core to work with that offers some reasonable hope for the near future. Not all the listed players will be on the opening day Buffalo roster but all of them should soon be ready to play when given the opportunity. Needless to say the GM has to be deft this offseason and maximize the return on the expected departing assets. And if the goaltending is upgraded there will be fewer stairs to climb up to the next level of competitiveness.

Absolutely not! There is a good probability that the Sabres are going to get some young players with upside who will be able to play right away if Jack and Reinhart are dealt. So they will be added to the roster mix before the pick is made. With the traded first pick that you are calling for we are losing a player (Power or Benier) who will be a quality player for a long time and will be under their cheaper rookie contract. For those who are following your recommendation ask yourself if they would they be happy if the Sabres traded the pick in which we selected Cozens? Expediency is not the solution for an organization that systemically failed taking that enticing route. It's time that this organization starts doing things the right way and follow through instead of being seduced by the quick fix that never seems to fix anything. Again, with no equivocation: Hell no!

From what I have heard about Power he is capable of playing right away. But that shouldn't be the overriding issue. The issue is whether it is better in the long run for his development to stay in school for another year and then play in the league when he is better developed.

I understand your position but disagree with it. The issue isn't so much can he play next season rather than what is the best approach to take with him that enhances his development. Playing another year in college and becoming more mature both physically and emotionally will make him more prepared when he first plays in the NHL. In addition, by playing another year in college he will get more playing time and more opportunities to play different roles. How the Sabres handled Mittestadt is an example of the perils of rushing a player/prospect before he is ready. His development was stunted not accelerated by rushing him before he was ready for the league. The organization has a history of being mediocre. It has to stop doing the same things that has contributed to their extended failure. One way to alter the course of systemic mediocrity is to take a more strategic view in how the operation is run instead of the more short-term tactical approach.

Absolutely yes! Many teams would take a chance on him if the medical reports were glowing (your word). If the reports coming back were inconclusive then there certainly would be a reluctance to give up significant assets for him. KA is not a proven GM but that doesn't mean that he is a dummy. He clearly is aware what Jack commands from the market is directly related to the medical reports coming back to him from his medical staff. He would take less of a return if the reports are troubling or inconclusive compared to demanding more for positive reports. If he feels he is being shortchanged in a deal he won't make the deal right away. Even if he wants to start fresh with Jack out of the room he is not going to follow the ROR trade roadmap that set this franchise back. Jack is under contract. So the organization isn't forced to do anything it doesn't want to do.

I would love to have him included in a Jack deal. In two to three years he could develop into a 1C or 2C caliber of player. Getting a young player who can make the roster now and have plenty of upside is the right way to rebuild. In a proposed deal I would want more than this high-end prospect but including him would make the deal more appealing. If you add him to the Mitts and Cozens center mix then the pieces are starting to fall in place.

Again, I'm not knocking him as a player. But what is so exceptional about him that makes him so indispensable? In my estimation he is not a top two pairing defenseman. He is a functional to solid blue liner.

I'm not knocking Borgen as a player but if he is taken in the expansion draft his loss would easily be absorbed.

You are devaluing Risto. He should bring back a second or at worst third line player who will be getting a lot of ice time. Selling assets short has stymied this franchise. That's not a smart way to run a business.

Risto has a lot more trade value than Borgen. If I had to make a choice I would protect Risto over Borgen.

Is Byfield ready to make the move up to the NHL or is he a year or so away? Even if he needs more time I would love to have him in our pipeline. What makes the trade calculation for Jack (if it comes to pass) tricky is that we don't know what his health status is and what the implications are for playing next season or even career? This is a case where the GM has to wait and see how it unfolds. If another team is willing to gamble on Jack's health and make a fair-value offer then I would do it if it is determined that Jack wants out. You have got to give LA credit for the impressive way it has stocked its system with top tier prospects. Getting a healthy Jack even at the expense of some of their prized young assets will accelerate their competitive timeline and make them more marketable. Not that long ago @Thornyposted Jack's goal scoring highlights for 2019. Because he didn't play much last year it is easy to forget how talented he is. This is not a situation where you make a deal for the sake of making a deal.

On the WGR clip he seemed to be knowledgeable and his presentation was excellent. Despite his place of origin I was impressed. As the draft approaches I would like to hear more of his opinions.

Is he Andrew Peters brother?

I posted this link before so I apologize for the redundancy. I thought the discussion here fits with the discussion on the board. The attached 10 min link from June 3 is a segment of Chris Peters on WGR. Much of the interview dealt with Power and some other prospects. He also talked about Beniers. He felt that for him that there was enough of a gap between Power and Beniers to take the defenseman over the more needed forward. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy

Thanks for the clarification of the original deal. I may be wrong because it is difficult to discern motivation. But I think that the uniquely talented PK got caught up in the star persona and self-promotion trap. And much of that self-marketing effort didn't endear him to his teammates. I didn't watch the series but trust your opinion Weber being the best player on the ice in the Toronto series. But as good as his play is and can be measured in stats he is also a "glue guy and presence" whose contribution can't be measured by stats alone.

I doubt that Granato would be stridently challenging Krueger's method in managing the team when he was a subordinate. That is not to say that he wasn't in his lower position encouraging change. What the internal dynamics were when he was an assistant coach we don't know for sure. What we do know is that shortly after he took over the team dramatically changed its strategy and every player played better. Increased production in itself is a persuasive argument in his behalf for his hiring as a HC. Trust your eyes.

Sounds a lot like when he is playing for Buffalo.

When Montreal traded PK for Weber I thought that they were making a big mistake because of the age differential. As it turned out they got a rock of a player who is still playing at a high level (as you noted) and Jersey ended up with a player who is more into flash on and off the ice. Montreal has a lot of young players on its roster. Weber's mature presence is a good example for these young players to follow.

For those of you who have watched the IHF series how has Tage Thompson looked?

I strenuously disagree with the idea of hiring Granato as the HC and then dictating who his assistants will be. That is a recipe for disaster. I'm a strong advocate for Granato to be the HC. If he is hired then he should have the authority to choose the assistants he is comfortable and compatible with. In addition, if Granato is the selection you wouldn't want subordinates he is not familiar with who might have different philosophies and approaches to handling players. Undercutting a coach with staff members he doesn't want (whoever the coach is) can create a divided staff before the next season begins. The next coach should be able assemble his own staff and be allowed to succeed or fail on his own merits.