2016 NHL Draft

[Derrico]

 

 

I like Keller and if we take him I am perfectly comfortable with that but raising Keller up and tossing out all the defenders except Juolevi has been a major theme of this thread and it makes absolutely no sense. 

 

 

 

Also here is a Keller scouting report, it has some good quotes from scouts. 

http://thehockeywriters.com/clayton-keller-the-next-ones-nhl-2016-draft-prospect-profile/

It's scouting reports similar to what you posted that are having people fall in love with the idea of Keller.  Risk is there but potential Patty Kane ceiling? I think picking 2nd vs 8th might have something to do with picking on Reinhart's size (although I think it was more skating that people were worried about then size).  At 2nd overall you want a franchise player there.  At 8th your hoping for an impact player but understand they likely will have a couple of warts.

[darksabre]

Saw this out on Twitter. Very amusing stuff:

 

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/tix/5604948787.html

:lol:

[Taro T]

I'd still rather see a D-man drafted. Odds are they'll get the 2nd one off the board. Unless this year's D class is the equivalent of the NFL's 2013 QB class, they will get a LT 1st pairing guy. IF this is the equivalent of QB13, then yes, Nylander or Keller please.

 

This team should be looking to be real contenders about the time the kid would be ready to step into the line up. A year or 2 later while they're getting used to being contenders, he'll be ready to either be paired w/ Risto giving the Sabres their own Keith Seabrook or he could solidify the pairings when Ristolainen isn't on the ice giving the Sabres their own Pronger Niedermaier.

 

They can trade or FA the ST top pairing LHD for this season. As for the missing top 6 piece, Fasching will be ready to step in before the guy drafted at 8 will. If they need to trade for the 6th piece of the top 6 (or even 5th & 6th) those will be easier to trade for or find in FA than a top pairing D man will be (unless Sakic has a wild hare, but one can't count on that every year) IMHO.

[North Buffalo]

Luv it that is hysterical.

[Taro T]

Luv it that is hysterical.

:huh:

[North Buffalo]

:huh:

Craiglist ad

[beerme1]

Saw this out on Twitter. Very amusing stuff:

 

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/tix/5604948787.html

 

 

I'd like to think that was one of us lol

 

 

I'd still rather see a D-man drafted. Odds are they'll get the 2nd one off the board.

As for the missing top 6 piece, Fasching will be ready to step in before the guy drafted at 8 will. If they need to trade for the 6th piece of the top 6 (or even 5th & 6th) those will be easier to trade for or find in FA than a top pairing D man will be (unless Sakic has a wild hare, but one can't count on that every year) IMHO.

 

I'm not sure I see Hudson in top six. He might end up as Foligno's replacement.

[LGR4GM]

Exactly. Touch to play against is usually thrown around there as more physical, but it really doesn't need to be. ROR is tough to play against

 

 

"heavy" is, IMO, nothing more than a saying for teams with less skill that hit you and are very difficult to play along the boards because of their size and style (i.e. dump and chase with a relentless forecheck). The Ducks are the typical "heavy" team. 

Exactly as dudacek says. We don't have to hit on our pick this year, it's more for shits and giggles than the apocalypse 

 

 

Disagree if Sabres are building a champion, they need to hit on one this year and develop at least two into future.

I agree with NB, we need these picks to hit. The Sabres lack critical mass to win a championship but they can get there by hitting now. 

[Thorny]

I get what Blue means with nebulous, but to me hard to play against is simple and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how physical you are: it's simply guys who don't make it easy for the opponent to do what they want to do. No matter what methods they use, they are guys who care about winning and find a way to do it.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Nick Lidstrom was much harder to play against than Milan Lucic because he never lost focus and never got stupid. Mike Peca was harder to play against than Miro Satan because he would cross lines that Miro would never approach.,Pat Lafontaine was harder to play against than Pierre Turgeon because of his relentless fearless speed.

 

 

Which forwards (or Dmen) potentially available to us at 8 qualify as hard to play against in your view?

 

I'd still rather see a D-man drafted. Odds are they'll get the 2nd one off the board. Unless this year's D class is the equivalent of the NFL's 2013 QB class, they will get a LT 1st pairing guy. IF this is the equivalent of QB13, then yes, Nylander or Keller please.

This team should be looking to be real contenders about the time the kid would be ready to step into the line up. A year or 2 later while they're getting used to being contenders, he'll be ready to either be paired w/ Risto giving the Sabres their own Keith Seabrook or he could solidify the pairings when Ristolainen isn't on the ice giving the Sabres their own Pronger Niedermaier.

They can trade or FA the ST top pairing LHD for this season. As for the missing top 6 piece, Fasching will be ready to step in before the guy drafted at 8 will. If they need to trade for the 6th piece of the top 6 (or even 5th & 6th) those will be easier to trade for or find in FA than a top pairing D man will be (unless Sakic has a wild hare, but one can't count on that every year) IMHO.

Good stuff. It'll all come down to how Murray ranks the 3 defencemen and Nylander and Keller. 3 of those 5 will be available at 8. If only we could get a look at their internal draft ranking.

[Rasmus_]

https://thebloggerstribune.com/2016/05/26/the-bloggers-mock-draft-part-1-the-lottery/

 

Has Tkachuk available at 8 and we take Chychrun, while I want Chychrun if Tkachuk were on the clock, I would be pissed if we took the D.  I guess that's the only case for me in a forward :).  Nevermind, this mock is terrible. 

Edited May 27, 2016 by TheCerebral1

[Eleven]

https://thebloggerstribune.com/2016/05/26/the-bloggers-mock-draft-part-1-the-lottery/

 

Has Tkachuk available at 8 and we take Chychrun, while I want Chychrun if Tkachuk were on the clock, I would be pissed if we took the D.  I guess that's the only case for me in a forward :)

 

 

Nope, I want Chychrun in that situation.

[Rasmus_]

Nope, I want Chychrun in that situation.

 

Haha, fair enough.  Can we just have both?!? :P

[Thorny]

Nope, I want Chychrun in that situation.

Not high on Tkatchuk? I run to the podium and grab Tkachuk if I'm Murray and he's available at 8. Top 5 draft talent in a strong draft.

[LGR4GM]

Not high on Tkatchuk? I run to the podium and grab Tkachuk if I'm Murray and he's available at 8. Top 5 draft talent in a strong draft.

Depends on what else is available at 8. I think my major problem this draft is outside of the top 3, I don't love anyone that much. 

[Eleven]

Not high on Tkatchuk? I run to the podium and grab Tkachuk if I'm Murray and he's available at 8. Top 5 draft talent in a strong draft.

 

Just high on Chychrun is all.

[Thorny]

Depends on what else is available at 8. I think my major problem this draft is outside of the top 3, I don't love anyone that much.

 

Well in posted mock there, the main options available at 8 would be Tkachuk, Chychrun and Keller. I take Tkachuk.

Just high on Chychrun is all.

So am I. He's my favourite of the D. I really like Tkachuk but doubt he falls to 8. Very unlikely.

[TrueBlueGED]

Juolevi > Sergachev > Chychrun for me. I probably shouldn't have Sergachev second because I think his floor is considerably lower than the others, but my god am I infatuated with his offensive game.

[Thorny]

Juolevi > Sergachev > Chychrun for me. I probably shouldn't have Sergachev second because I think his floor is considerably lower than the others, but my god am I infatuated with his offensive game.

I feel like Juolevi has the lowest ceiling, and Sergachev has the lowest floor. Chychrun to me is the happy medium, as I think his ceiling is high, higher than Juolevi's and maybe a touch below Sergachev's, but while not as much of a sure thing as Juolevi, he's more certain than Sergachev.

 

My ranks would be, with the first number being ceiling, and the second being certainty of success:

 

Juolevi - 3, 1

Chychrun - 2, 2

Sergachev - 1, 3

 

As you can see, each guy has a total of 4. But I'll lean towards Chychrun because his numbers are most balanced, in terms of my (completely personal opinion based) way of ranking them.

[dudacek]

Which forwards (or Dmen) potentially available to us at 8 qualify as hard to play against in your view? .

Not as informed as I usually am this year, but superficially Tkachuk is head and shoulders.

Juolevi appears to have brains, skill and ice water. He's number two.

Dubois is competitive, not sure if he is disciplined enough, same with Serge, who has some focus questions.

Chychrun I have reservations about his intelligence. Nylander I already touched on.

Keller may have the it factor. Brown I am much more concerned about.

But really I'm OK with any of them at eight. In Tim I trust.

[Thorny]

Not as informed as I usually am this year, but superficially Tkachuk is head and shoulders.

Juolevi appears to have brains, skill and ice water. He's number two.

Dubois is competitive, not sure if he is disciplined enough, same with Serge, who has some focus questions.

Chychrun I have reservations about his intelligence. Nylander I already touched on.

Keller may have the it factor. Brown I am much more concerned about.

But really I'm OK with any of them at eight. In Tim I trust.

Definitely agree on the last point. And we agree on Tkachuk being at the top.

[TrueBlueGED]

I feel like Juolevi has the lowest ceiling, and Sergachev has the lowest floor. Chychrun to me is the happy medium, as I think his ceiling is high, higher than Juolevi's and maybe a touch below Sergachev's, but while not as much of a sure thing as Juolevi, he's more certain than Sergachev.

 

My ranks would be, with the first number being ceiling, and the second being certainty of success:

 

Juolevi - 3, 1

Chychrun - 2, 2

Sergachev - 1, 3

 

As you can see, each guy has a total of 4. But I'll lean towards Chychrun because his numbers are most balanced, in terms of my (completely personal opinion based) way of ranking them.

I can't say I strongly disagree, but I do think Juolevi's ceiling is being under sold because his floor is high. It feels like he's gotten the label as the safe but unspectacular pick without truly earning the latter portion of that.

[Thorny]

I can't say I strongly disagree, but I do think Juolevi's ceiling is being under sold because his floor is high. It feels like he's gotten the label as the safe but unspectacular pick without truly earning the latter portion of that.

This would make sense, in that if there is less of a discrepancy between his floor and ceiling, on quick view it could be seen that he doesn't have much space to rise up - but that may be because, like you said, he's already established a fairly high floor.

[WildCard]

I agree with NB, we need these picks to hit. The Sabres lack critical mass to win a championship but they can get there by hitting now. 

I gotta disagree on this one. I think hitting on this pick would be huge, and a great addition for us, but I really don't think it breaks us.

[WildCard]

I can't say I strongly disagree, but I do think Juolevi's ceiling is being under sold because his floor is high. It feels like he's gotten the label as the safe but unspectacular pick without truly earning the latter portion of that.

I have the same order you do. I think Juolevi will really be the smartest decision here

 

Let's play a game. Guess the player! (Two are current NHL players)

 

A:

Very sturdily built D-man that leans into his hits, competes hard, and possesses elite-level vision and hockey sense. Looks stronger game-by-game and adapts very quickly to his surroundings and situations. Scouts liken () to Olli Maatta of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both are fluid skaters and have deep-rooted understandings of their position. Both have tremendous skill and talent, and both will go far in their careers. 

 

 

B:

a mobile defenseman who is effective in the transition game and not out of place offensively. He does a good job of identifying passing lanes and also has the ability to jump into the rush when he sees an opportunity. How much upside () ultimately has is a question mark...[/size]

 

 He is not a flashy player, but he does everything well. He best skill is his hockey sense. He thinks the game at a level well beyond his years, and he does not make many mistakes on the ice. He is an aware, effective defenseman who can close gaps with his body or with his stick. With the puck, he shows calmness, but he can process the game quickly when the situation calls for it. He can man the point on the power play...[/size]

 

C:

is a good all-round defenseman that has solid hockey sense and a good skillset. He's a good passer, can be a puck mover and possess a very good shot from the point. The young blueliner has a complete game with minor weaknesses but also doesn't have a standout talent either. He has good size and solid skating but needs to play more physically down low and in front of his net.() projects as a possible top-four defenseman at the NHL level.

 

D: 

Consistently displays elite four-way skating ability and is not afraid to throw his weight around physically. Plays with poise and composure through high pressure situations and, with the puck on his stick, can direct the play up-ice. Exhibits a particularly potent shot that works its magic on the power play and on the forecheck. Excellent first pass and uses his vision and awareness to keep the puck moving in the direction of the opposition's tail or to a teammate with more time and space. Defensively adept at tracking the puck and staying a step ahead of the opposition. Proactive with his stick and body, exerting pressure on the opposition and forcing them to make hurried decisions.

Edited May 28, 2016 by WildCard

[WildCard]

FRIDAY

Friedman on potential for NHL draft position trades

“Montreal and Buffalo have two general managers that are not afraid to try anything. I think absolutely they would consider it.

 

“I think the other team there is No. 7 Arizona. I think they’re going to be interested and willing to try some stuff there – up or down, both directions.”

 

“I just think the one thing Columbus really wants as much as anything else is a center. They traded Johansen, which I thought they made a really fair deal. But their depth at center, especially as you move forward over the years, it’s not as strong.

 

“I know some guys who are in the western part of Ontario, and they think that Columbus has some interest in Logan Brown. I can say this though – I don’t that think they’ve moving out of there if they think that Puljujarvi is long-term a center. But as I wrote, if they don’t project him as a center, I wonder if there’s the possibility they could move down.

 

“But two things have to happen. 1, they have to make sure the guy they want is available. And 2, they have to make sure they’re given enough to move down.

 

“I think it’s early. You’ve been talking to guys this week. I’ve been talking to guys this week too. Everybody now is bluffing. It’s like the early hands in poker. As one guy said to me today, ‘A lot of these decisions probably aren’t going to be made until the draft floor.’

 

“But I think some teams are wondering just how married Columbus is to that pick. Probably very happily in love, but you never know if something comes up.”

Edited May 28, 2016 by WildCard