Digger

I was thinking the same thing about leaking the picks. It kind of kills the buzz for tonight.

That's what I would do to. I wonder if there's any value (I'm sure that there's some) for trading the 1OA to either Seattle or Anaheim if we can get an agreement that they won't pick Eklund. Seattle would get the publicity of choosing 1st overall in their first year in the league.

It's a strange year. I kind of wish that the Sabres did not have the first overall pick with the pressure to pick Owen Power (hopefully the team will make the right choice). Looking back on previous drafts it's kind of like the 2014 draft. The hype that year was Sam Reinhart vs Sam Bennett. Which Sam would go first? Of course neither did. Ekblad went 1st, then Reinhart (2nd), Draisaitl (3rd), Bennett (4th). Other notables in the first round were W. Nylander (8th), Ehlers (9th), Tuch (18th), Pastrnak (25th). Draisaitl looks like he should have been the pick for 1st. Brings me to another point of how closely we have followed the Oilers. Think if we had picked Draisaitl and then had won the McDavid lottery. Where would we be today? Same place as sellers? I know our issues have been less about the players and more about the poor ownership, GM's, and coaching.

And the Sabres are having a garage sale with our best players. 😒

@LGR4GM what's your thoughts on another smaller player Florian Elias who played well with JJ Peterka at the WJC? He was not selected in last year's draft but seemed to play pretty well this year. Where might he fall in the draft this year (or not)? https://thehockeywriters.com/florian-elias-2021-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

Rumors in general are very exciting for us as fans because it gives us something to talk about, debate, weigh the pros and cons of potential trades, etc. but I have to wonder why any information ever comes out ahead of a trade. I can't imagine being in the front office of the Sabres and going home at night and feeling that I have to leak information about how bad a trade offer is or how good an offer is. These rumors are being used to help condition us as fans to not get our hopes too high. Teams wanting to trade for Eichel purposely leak that they won't trade their best prospects. Why? To keep their fans happy, maybe to keep their top prospect happy (if they listen to rumors) and hopefully to win the public opinion battle that it's okay to make the trade without getting back A+ prospects or that it's the best deal available. I love the rumors but I just figure we need to understand that they are being leaked with an intent to influence the fans not the GM's. That's my opinion. We should listen to them but not get too high or low until the trade actually happens.

We will never know but I bet Boston would have really offered a huge package for Eichel that year. I don't remember what the hype was around Pastrnak at that time in the league. It was before he was a proven star and he was the 25th pick in the 2014 draft. Boston really wanted to make a splash in the draft moving up (but failed miserably with their eventual picks that they made). My point was that I doubt Buffalo would have accepted that as being enough at the time because we wanted the franchise center. Let's hope that we get a good deal for Eichel when and if it happens.

I was just responding to @Eleven that I would like to see the border open again as well and that Canadians and Americans have lots in common. I wasn't interested in having a political discussion in a hockey forum. You are right that there's a plan to reopen so we can agree on that.

I'm looking forward to it.

Your explanation is possible but if that's the case then they should choose the right scouts to participate in the poll. Having 25% say they can't offer an opinion because they haven't watched the top picks seems a bit odd to me.

The thing that works in our favor with Borgen is that he was injured for most of last season. There's not a huge amount of NHL experience for him. Miller is the safer pick and should be a player that they can move at the trade deadline next year.

Posted 13 minutes ago Athletic out of 8 scouts 3 went Power, 2 went Beniers, 1 went Eklund, the others 2 didn't feel comfortable answering. I find it strange that 2 scouts don't feel comfortable in answering. It's first overall (unless they are the Sabres and Seattle scouts wanting to keep their positions secret.)

Since we are in a wait and see what happens (trade freeze), consider a hypothetical situation from 2015: After tanking for the season for Connor McDavid, we lose the draft lottery and fall to picking 2nd winning the chance to pick Jack Eichel. I’m sure we all remember being a bit disappointed but still really excited to get Eichel. What if we had considered trading the 2OA pick that year to Boston? I would have said no way and I imagine most of the fan base would have rejected the idea. We wanted the franchise center for the team to lead us to the “promised land” (or at least into the playoffs). But in hindsight (especially where we are today with wanting to trade Eichel and worried about getting value in return) it would have been the best move for the Sabres. Here’s what could have happened: Buffalo trades the 2015 2OA pick (Jack Eichel) to the Boston Bruins for picks #13, #14, #15 and David Pastrnak. I believe Boston would have made that trade and that Buffalo would have rejected it as not enough. Boston had a new GM Don Sweeny wanting to make an immediate impact on the team. He traded Dougie Hamilton for an additional 1st and Milan Lucic for an additional 1st. David Pastrnak was still an unproven prospect who had played 46 games that season scoring 10 goals, 17 assists for 27 points. Did Boston know he was going to be as good as he is today? Boston would have loved to draft the home town boy in Eichel. Boston made some really weird picks that year in picking Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn. No one could believe they were passing on such great players still on the board. The next 3 picks after Boston’s picks (#16, #17, #18) were Matt Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Thomas Chabot. All 3 were predicted by the draft experts to be drafted ahead of the Boston picks. So imagine having a Buffalo Sabres team without a Jack Eichel but having Matt Barzal, Kyle Connor, Thomas Chabot, and David Pastrnak. It could have happened……………………

As an example if we (Botterill) had held out for Ryan O'Reilly (when St.Louis would not give any of their A+ prospects) we would have been better off. St.Louis would not have won the cup if they hadn't made the trade. They would have been fine including better prospects in the trade and still have won the cup. The deadline hurt our leverage. I still think ownership forced Botterill to make the trade and get him out of here. We would have had to pay the salary lump sum bonus that was due (which was the deadline for making the trade and why he settled for Tage and a first). Adams needs to hold for the best deal even if he lets them believe it can be after the draft. We all want a top 10 pick this year as part of the deal if we can get it but I'm not sure that this has to be the absolute deadline if the deal does not materialize. Even letting GM's think he may wait it out will up the offers because the 2022 draft looks like a stronger year (GM's would rather give up their first round pick this year to make the deal).

From my standpoint I would just say that the Canadian government's stance doesn't really reflect the people's feelings of Canada. Most of us want the border open again and travel back and forth between us. We have more in common than we have differences. God bless America, God bless Canada.

Yes I agree with you compared with some of the other team's lists of available players. I doubt that the Sabres pick will make a big impact for Seattle. I've seen mock drafts picking anyone of Miller, Borgen, or McCabe's rights to sign as a UFA. Colin Miller will most likely be the choice and it's doubtful it will hurt us down the road. That being said hopefully Thompson and Bjork improve their worth this upcoming season. I'm glad that we are keeping both but would have loved to have better more established players on the roster to protect ahead of them.

I could see 4) if Seattle wants the publicity and prestige of choosing 1st overall, and if the Sabres aren't convinced they want Power, but if it happens I would think it might involve a trade of someone from the expansion draft that the Sabres would like to add (would be interesting since the #1 pick never seems to be available in trade). For 2) I would love to get Byfield and pick 8OA. Byfield will never be as good as Eichel but he does look to be a good centre that we could build around with Cozens. It is reasonable and a fair trade. So is Zegras and 3OA. So is Rossi and Boldy. I agree with 5) drafting Beniers and Eklund but it wouldn't surprise me if they choose a D (Power, Hughes, Clarke) if they get another high pick depending on what pick and who is available. 6) absolutely. They really need some leadership on the blue line to help the younger guys and stabilize the D overall. I'm hoping assistant Dan Girardi has some positive influence here for our D corps next year. 7) goalies - yes I hope his is addressed this season. It's been a weakness for us. Ullmark is good and I hope that we resign him but he does seem prone to injury when getting played too much. Need 2 reliable starters.

Chicago protected Brandon Hagel (F) which surprised me. He was a former Sabres pick that we did not sign and has gone on to develop pretty well as a player (not a star but still a NHL player). Heard that Chicago is having trouble signing Zadorov because he wants too much.

Hopefully the "other scout" doesn't work for the Sabres. Maybe one of our former scouts. 😏

Swap Patrick for Glass - 2 prospects that haven't turned out..........yet.

Haven't heard that term before, "bankrupt as a person". Ouch. I wasn't a big fan of his Dad (Tie) who always seemed so much more arrogant than Rob Ray. I see he only has 1 year left and then a UFA. If Seattle takes him I suspect a good contract year. He had 72 points in 2018-19 with Montreal.

No he's an RFA and needs a deal for this coming season. I suspect a bridge deal as well.

Darren Dreger @DarrenDreger Teams are putting the finishing touches on their protected lists. Hearing CBJ are planning on leaving Max Domi unprotected. I would be surprised if Seattle doesn’t claim him. ___________________________________________ Thoughts on picking up Domi? He had some nice chemistry with Reinhart when they played in the WJC together.

We're talking Montreal in the New York post. 😊 I don't see New York willing to give up Lafreniere in a deal but I would have to think they would consider Kakko who had a poor rookie season. I'm not convinced the Rangers are willing to give enough to make the trade work for us. Montreal? I don't think they have enough to make it work unless they are willing to include Caufield and I doubt they do that. For both I would rather have a A+ prospect that has a good chance to become a first line center for us (playing for the team this year).

I remember that Domi had some nice chemistry with Reinhart when they played in the WJC together. I'm not sure how he's been as a team member (culture wise). I thought he played well in Montreal.