pi2000

Oh ok, thought it was new. I had no issue with them meeting face to face to discuss the off-season game plan.

Sad that the GM has to bounce literally everything off the owner. Let KA do his damn job.

Maybe they can't do better than Granato... sad. With the roster largely up in the air it will be hard to attract top candidates.

Jason Spezza

Ahh, gotcha. I agree Cozens and Toews are more similar than Beniers and Toews. Both Power and Beniers are good prospects IMO. In a normal draft year I don't believe either are worthy of a top 3 pick. I'm team Power because I believe he has rare traits, but... that said, he has deficiencies that concern me.... which can be said about all the top prospects this year. It just sucks that Buffalo has the #1 pick in what is shaping up to be a lean draft year.

After watching more tape and talking to a few scouts... Beniers is a high motor 200ft pest who lacks scoring touch, lacks an NHL level shot, the vast majority of his goals are scored around the net front cleaning up. His top end speed is lacking, has trouble beating defenders to the outside. However, he has elite quickness and moves well in and out of cuts. Is easily the best defensive forward among the top prospects, but lacks high level awareness in the offensive zone normally present in top forward prospects. That said I just don't see much offensive upside in his game.... if you're going to draft him fine, but I'd look to do so in the 3-5 range, not #1.

NO His floor his higher. 🙂

Surprisingly there have only been 5 forwards drafted in the top 15 between 2008-2018 coming off their freshman college season. These kids played as true freshman which is a rarity these days. points per game their freshman season: Colin Wilson 0.95 Jaden Schwartz 1.57 Jack Eichel 1.78 Luke Kunin 0.94 Brady Tkachuk 0.78 Beniers 1.0 Beniers' production is comparable to Colin Wilson and Luke Kunin, both centers... Wilson at BU (Hockey East) and Kunin in the Big10 same as Beniers. Wilson has averaged around 30-40 points/season in his NHL career. Luke Kunin 31 points in 63 games in 2019-20. 19 points in 31 games this past season.... which is around 50 points in a full season. This is probably Beniers middle ground.... is that #1 OA worthy? IDK.

...and Kent Johnson 🙂

Dies anybody have a list of point per game college freshman forwards who were selected near the top of the draft the past 10 years or so?

If that's the case then Kent Johnson ranks ahead of Beniers.

Sold. Still room on the Team Beniers bandwagon? Oh wait, Power was a +18.... nevermind.

I have, what's your point? Lemme guess, Power will be a bust because Logan Brown was a bust? Ok.

And if Beniers was 6'4, 215 he'd be consensus #1. But that's not the case, in this universe Power if big and has a crazy reach which he uses to his advantage to defend.... so yeah, it matters.

Kent Johnson has more skill than Beniers IMO. Beniers was the 3rd leading scorer on Michigan. I do like his game alot, but he's not a can't miss elite forward prospect... he could very easily be the next Drew Stafford or Brian Holzinger.

Anders Bjork part duex

Probably atleast 7.

If they keep McCabe and Risto 🤮, then I'm OK with Beniers as the pick. If McCabe ain't coming back and Risto is moved, then you have to go Power.

The difference in agility and quickness is quite simply an optical illusion due to their relative physical statures.

IMO the Eichel situation needs to be settled before hiring a coach. It changes the direction of team and what type of coach will be affective. And I'm sure some of the veteran candidates have told KA that if Eichel's out, then I'm out.

Nah. Do better.

Third option... amputate

AM&A's

I think Beniers and Power are both excellent prospects. That said, I think it's more difficult to find a defenseman with Power's abilities and hockey sense at his age, than it is a forward. And for that reason, all things being equal, I would take Power over Beniers but I won't be upset if Beniers is the pick. What concerns me is Adam's statement about taking the the guy who will blossom in 3, 4, 5 years from now... and if that's the case somebody like Edvinsson might be in play.