Flashsabre

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/scouts-analysis-ranking-the-top-50-prospects-for-the-2025-nhl-draft/ Good write up on the upcoming draft.

It’s pretty solid. From what I have read this draft drops off quite a bit but the top 5 is good. Schaefer seems to be the consensus number 1. He’s very young for this draft so there is extra development time. Not sure if he will be a superstar but he will be an all star. Hagens and Misa are very talented players. Martone has a nice package but I don’t think he is this punishing power forward that some seem to think he is.

I was making my own point😁 My point was whether people think a player is rushed (Benson) or not rushed (Rosen) there are too many of them right now to fit in a competitive lineup. With guys like Quinn and JJ up for deals they have to make some decisions on who to keep, who to move up and who to move on from. They need to turn a couple of these guys into good vet players that can help this team win now. Rosen is looking like a guy who will need a look soon but whether that is in Buffalo or somewhere else is the question. The years of littering the lineup with kids and hoping they figure it out has to be over if this team wants to compete.

I don’t think EP40 is a soft player. He competes hard. He is a tremendous 2 way centre. The knee injury is a concern though. With a player of his calibre and cap hit, the Sabres medical team would have to thoroughly check him out first and sign off on the deal first.

The question with EP40 is has his production fallen because of the drama and the system he plays in or has his knee issue caused the drop. The year he had a 100 points he was in the 90th percentile for speed. Last couple years he’s been in the 50th percentile for speed and the production has dropped. Biron and Duff were discussing it one day. For an $11+ million player that is something you better make sure you know the answer to before pulling the trigger. Edit: someone on Reddit did the work about the situation: ” So this is somewhat interesting. NHL edge has his top skating speed stats going back to 2021-22: https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20212022-regular-8480012 and his numbers are all over the place. 2021-22 > 56 Percentile > 68 points 2022-23 > 94 Percentile > 102 points 2023-24 > 65 Percentile > 89 points 2024-24 > ~50 Percentile > 62 point pace” Apparently his issue is tendinitis in the knee.

How much cap space do the Bills have for next year? Diggs hit will be gone and what about Miller’s? Beef up the D in the draft and FA and take another run with better personnel. This team was written off as 3rd place in the division as it was a rebuilding year. They made it to the AFC Championship and with a couple proper calls could be Super Bowl bound. They were undefeated at home all season. They will be in much better shape next season. Yeah losing sucks but don’t pretend this team is dead.

Pronman’s new ratings. Top 10: 1. Schaefer 2. Hagens 3. Misa 4. Desnoyers 5. Martone 6. Eklund 7. McQueen 8. Frondell 9. Aitcheson 10. O’Brien

The answer was in the room the whole time.😝😁

For those people saying there is nothing to these rumors there is way too much smoke from too many people that would be in the loop on some level.

The million dollar question is: Is Adams a lame duck GM? If he is (and I have no idea how he can keep his job) then I don’t want him doing much of anything.

The answer is in the room. They just haven’t found where in the room it is.😝

IF they make the Pettersson deal I would go EP40, Tage, Kulich, McLeod to start as a centre spine. Have Helenuis develop another year in Rochester and see what happens in the draft “Misa, Hagens” A healthy Tage as a 2C makes this team competitive as long as other parts of the team are addressed. My biggest worry is what do they do to address the D corps if Byram is moved? Do they try to put Muel back with Dahlin? Still a massive hole beside Power.

Canucks need a centre back as a major piece of the deal. Joshua got a contract and has completely forgot what got him the contract.

Because Miller would laugh in your face

Some of the young players need to go for established NHL talent. Dont care which players it is as long as the return helps the team win

Rosen and Kulich have tremendous chemistry. Like to see him get a shot in Buffalo with Kulich or be used as a piece in a big deal. Sabres have so many young forwards a couple need to be cashed in for major pieces.

I would love to see the Sabres trade for EP40. I would hate to see Adams be in charge of making that trade.

Do It!! EP40 is a great player. Great playmaker, great defensively, can snipe. A true number 1 centre. Build around EP40 and his friend Dahlin on the backend. Staying the course with this lineup is a non starter. Make some bold moves. Try something different.

Pretty much every Chiefs win this season they should have lost.

IDK if this trade makes Carolina better. If the Hurricanes pony up the money to extend Rantanen then it changes but Necas and Drury were big parts of that team to move for a rental. And Hall doesn’t impress anymore.

Why would Adams make this trade? Rantanen was never in the room and we know the answer is in the room so the trade makes no sense for Buffalo.😝

The key is can the Hurricanes sign Rantanen. Necas and Drury are big pieces to lose for a rental.

Someone on hfboards wrote this line and I like it so much I thought I would share it here: ”In my life following pro sports, 4 decades plus, I cannot recall a larger gap between the expectations set by a GM and the reality delivered” Probably one of the worst GM performances of modern times. If Adams isn’t fired at season’s end then there is absolutely no accountability or hope that Pegula is treating the Sabres as a serious sports franchise.

Isles sign Tony D’Angelo

From Friedman’s 32 Thoughts: ”11. With all of the noise around the Penguins, I believe they have interest in some of Buffalo’s younger, NHL-ready prospects. It fits what they want.” What do the Pens have that the Sabres want? I don’t see a match at all. If Adams does something insane like Rosen and Helenuis for EK65 they might as well fold the franchise😝