darksabre Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Another year in the OHL. 2 years in the AHL with an occasional call up in year 2. Baptiste could be a very good RW3 or solid RW2. Much like many of our other prospects, Hurley, Bailey, Possler, Armia... we should take our time with some of these guys. Then you have Zadorov who is going to be ready next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Trust me, I drink beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Timelines I'd like to see for our top prospects based on what I've seen/read so far: Rasmus Ristolainen can be either in Buffalo or Rochester next year. I don't think it makes much of a difference. I'd lean towards Rochester. Buffalo either next year or in 15-16. Nikita Zadorov should stay in London one more year. I would give him another tryout in Buffalo to start the year. If he plays as good or better then I can see him staying. Buffalo either next year or 15-16. Mikhail Grigorenko should spend a full or near full year in Rochester next season. We'll have to resign him after that, but I see him in Buffalo in 15-16. Joel Armia should get a tryout in Buffalo to start the season next year, but I see him needing another year in Rochester. Learn to play the new ice. Buffalo in 15-16. JT Compher will likely play at least two more years in Michigan. He may be a guy who could jump from college to the NHL when he decides to go, but he could spend some time in Rochester first. Buffalo in 16-17 or 17-18. Jake McCabe could very well be ready to make the team next year. If he follows a trend of NCAA players skipping their senior year he could play in Rochester or Buffalo next season, but I'll say he comes to Buffalo in 15-16. Johan Larsson should spend the rest of this season in Rochester and then come to Buffalo full-time next year (14-15). Connor Hurley will play his first college season next year. Likely a year behind Compher in development. 17-18 at the earliest. Nick Baptiste should play another year in Sudbury before playing in Rochester. Buffalo in 16-17 for him. Brayden McNabb should be a full-time NHLer right now or next year at the latest. It's time for him. Obviously some of these guys will either take less or more time, or be moved by the time they get a shot. Some could suffer major injuries or setbacks and never make it. That's just based on what I know so far. Edited February 16, 2014 by Tankalicious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Apparently Baptiste isn't considered a lock to make the NHL by folks who assess these things. Kris Baker @ SabresProspects 1h Baptiste's marker gives him 13+10 in 17 games since Jan. 1. Scott Michalak @ScottyMCSS 1h @ SabresProspects Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future)? Kris Baker @SabresProspects 1h Disagree with that assessment. Has the feet + other tools for a 3RW. RT @ ScottyMCSS Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future Edited February 16, 2014 by weave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 @SabresProspects Nick Baptiste gets his second hat trick of the year to guide Sudbury to a 5-3 win at Niagara. Baptiste now at 35-35-70 after 53gp. #Sabres @SabresProspects Mikhail Grigorenko scores his seventh goal of the season to give Quebec a 1-0 lead on Shawinigan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Apparently Baptiste isn't considered a lock to make the NHL by folks who assess these things. Kris Baker @ SabresProspects 1h Baptiste's marker gives him 13+10 in 17 games since Jan. 1. Scott Michalak @ScottyMCSS 1h @ SabresProspects Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future)? Kris Baker @SabresProspects 1h Disagree with that assessment. Has the feet + other tools for a 3RW. RT @ ScottyMCSS Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future That "assessment" was made by HockeysFuture before the season. Before this season I think many felt the same way. But he's having a HUGE breakout season which completely changes things. They'll likely think differently when they update it after the season. @SabresProspects Nick Baptiste gets his second hat trick of the year to guide Sudbury to a 5-3 win at Niagara. Baptiste now at 35-35-70 after 53gp. #Sabres 13 regular season games left for Sudbury. If he continues the pace he'll finish around 44-44-88 in 66 games. That's an INSANE improvement over 21-27-48 in 66 games last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Apparently Baptiste isn't considered a lock to make the NHL by folks who assess these things. Kris Baker @ SabresProspects 1h Baptiste's marker gives him 13+10 in 17 games since Jan. 1. Scott Michalak @ScottyMCSS 1h @ SabresProspects Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future)? Kris Baker @SabresProspects 1h Disagree with that assessment. Has the feet + other tools for a 3RW. RT @ ScottyMCSS Still a "long shot" to make the NHL (per H-Future The HockeysFuture ratings aren't all that helpful. Check out what they have for Buffalo: Ruhwedel has a higher ceiling than Girgensons? And apparently so does Catenacci? Huh? I know coming up with talent ceilings and "probabilities of success" for 18 year olds is basically a fool's errand, but you're going to have to completely reassess each prospect every year from the time they're drafted. I kinda feel like HF just picks "safe" rankings for everyone and doesn't update them all that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm with Baker. Baptiste is fast and gritty. He may not be able to transfer the offence to the NHL, but he's doesn't need that to play a role. His floor is Corey Tropp and if he can create some offence, he could be a Randy Burridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I really like "re-drafts" when you imagine how a draft would have gone a year after it actually took place. If you re-rank the guys we drafted last June: I have Zadarov, Risto, Compher, Baptiste, then Possler or Hurley, and then Bailey or Peterson. For 2012, it's Girgensons, McCabe, and then Grigorenko. And it'll probably scramble around even more in 12 more months. Draft order and prospect rankings pretty much de-couple immediately after the draft is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) I think if you were to rerank 2013 this offseason based on the seasons that the prospects have had the top ten would look like this: 1. Nathan MacKinnon. 2. Seth Jones 3. Aleksander Barkov 4. Jonathan Drouin 5. Valeri Nichushkin 6. Anthony Mantha 7. Darnell Nurse 8. Sean Monahan 9. Nikita Zadorov 10. Rasmus Ristolainen Edited February 16, 2014 by Tankalicious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) I think if you were to rerank 2013 this offseason based on the seasons that the prospects have had the top ten would look like this: 1. Nathan MacKinnon. 2. Seth Jones 3. Aleksander Barkov 4. Jonathan Drouin 5. Sean Monahan 6. Anthony Mantha 7. Darnell Nurse 8. Nikita Zadorov 9. Elias Lindholm 10. Rasmus Ristolainen Your list lacks Nichushkin. Edited February 16, 2014 by TrueBluePhD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Very interesting piece on the long road prospects take, focused on Ristolainen and Nurse: http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/01/17/should-the-edmonton-oilers-have-drafted-rasmus-ristolainen-instead-of-darnell-nurse/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Your list lacks Nichushkin. I know. I considered putting him in place of Lindholm. Nice play by Armia: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think if you were to rerank 2013 this offseason based on the seasons that the prospects have had the top ten would look like this: 1. Nathan MacKinnon. 2. Seth Jones 3. Aleksander Barkov 4. Jonathan Drouin 5. Sean Monahan 6. Anthony Mantha 7. Darnell Nurse 8. Nikita Zadorov 9. Elias Lindholm 10. Rasmus Ristolainen IMO, your top ten is not valid w/o Nichushkin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I know. I considered putting him in place of Lindholm. Nice play by Armia: I'd have him ahead of Monahan at #5 personally. Although, I was arguably hanging from his junk around the draft, so there's that :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Trust me, I drink beer. This had me rolling. Thanks for the guffaw, fellas. GO SABRES!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Edited my list to satisfy the masses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre snipe Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I think if you were to rerank 2013 this offseason based on the seasons that the prospects have had the top ten would look like this: 1. Nathan MacKinnon. 2. Seth Jones 3. Aleksander Barkov 4. Jonathan Drouin 5. Sean Monahan 6. Anthony Mantha 7. Darnell Nurse 8. Nikita Zadorov 9. Elias Lindholm 10. Rasmus Ristolainen Like others have said nichusckin has to be on there. Still wish we got him and zadorov or even mantha and zadorov but I do still like risto a lot. Just want a great forward prospect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Very interesting piece on the long road prospects take, focused on Ristolainen and Nurse: http://blogs.edmonto...-darnell-nurse/ Huh. Edmonton full of prospects on defense? Who knew? Sabres fans better not expect Edmonton to draft Ekblad if they are ahead of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Huh. Edmonton full of prospects on defense? Who knew? Sabres fans better not expect Edmonton to draft Ekblad if they are ahead of us. Ekblad still gets the nod as the top prospect on many lists. I still expect them to take him because of that and because they'll probably keep drafting defense until they get it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Huh. Edmonton full of prospects on defense? Who knew? Sabres fans better not expect Edmonton to draft Ekblad if they are ahead of us. I think Reinhart is the guy for us if we draft no.1. If we draft 2nd and he's gone, I'm not sure what we do. Everyone gushes about Ekblad but we are dying for first line forwards. Do we pass to take Bennett? Take Ekblad and try to trade Risto or Zadarov for a young forward? Try to trade down a couple spots to take Dal Colle or Draisaitl? And then all of this depends on if we have the Islanders pick this year. I'd be thrilled with Ekblad at no.2 overall if I knew we were getting Dal Colle or Draisaitl at no.5. It gets complicated fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Kris Baker @SabresProspects 23s Grigorenko gets his second of the game to give the Remparts a 5-1 lead on Shawi in the 3rd. Mike G now 8+8 in 12 QMJHL games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Kris Baker @SabresProspects 23s Grigorenko gets his second of the game to give the Remparts a 5-1 lead on Shawi in the 3rd. Mike G now 8+8 in 12 QMJHL games. @SabresProspects Grigorenko completes the hat trick in the final minutes. Quebec defeats Shawinigan 6-1. So that's two tricks today (Baptiste the other). @SabresProspects Ristolainen skates it up ice, makes a nice backhand pass to Bagnall, who connects with Varone for the OT GWG. http://youtu.be/wwkSfa04dZI Edited February 16, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 @SabresProspects Grigorenko completes the hat trick in the final minutes. Quebec defeats Shawinigan 6-1. So that's two tricks today (Baptiste the other). @SabresProspects Ristolainen skates it up ice, makes a nice backhand pass to Bagnall, who connects with Varone for the OT GWG. Great play and a great win for Rochester. They came back from down 3-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
respk Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Grigorenko still seems to have the most talent of anyone in the farm system. Hopefully, he can put the hard work part of it together with the talent. I may be wrong but it just doesn't seem that the Sabres have that #1 winger or centerman in the drafted players. Seems to be lots of #2 and #3 line players. The defensive prospects seem to be better as a group though. There are more than enough that could be top four defensemen in the coming years. I'm hoping they draft the top forward in the next two drafts, assuming the tank is on again next year, and we can get a couple of top line forwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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