2018 NHL draft

[GASabresIUFAN]

Depends on the defender. I'm not taking a mediocre defender just to take one. Bpa

I gotta do my final ranking but Dellandrea will probably be in my 25-32 range.

IF all we draft is forwards with our top picks this rebuild will never work and won't be sustainable.  BPS is why we are in this mess in the first place.  D are worth more then forwards.  If all you draft is forwards then your team (aka Edm) will always suck.  We have used 10 of our last 11 1st and 2nd rd picks on forwards.  You can't keep doing this.

 

We need to take a page from Boston and Philly and load up on D.  They are worth more in trade and amazingly make your team better.  While we used 1 of 11 on D, Boston has used 6 of 11 on D.  They already have McAvoy and Carlo from those 6 and have Zboril and Vaakanainen coming.  Philly has recently added the Ghost. Hagg, and Provorov.  They also have Morin, Friedman, and Sanheim, knocking at the door. 

 

We need to spend our 2nd on another D even if we get Dahlin. 

Edited April 22, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

IF all we draft is forwards with our top picks this rebuild will never work and won't be sustainable. BPS is why we are in this mess in the first place. D are worth more then forwards. If all you draft is forwards then your team (aka Edm) will always suck. We have used 10 of our last 11 1st and 2nd rd picks on forwards. You can't keep doing this.

You just trade a good forward for a good defender.

The problem isn't we didn't draft defenders, the problem is we missed on forwards or traded them for other forwards.

D aren't worth more than centers.

 

You gotta let a draft come to you. If the 16th best forward is better then the 14th best defender, take the forward. This team needs talent.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Skurk Liger

[GASabresIUFAN]

You just trade a good forward for a good defender.

The problem isn't we didn't draft defenders, the problem is we missed on forwards or traded them for other forwards.

D aren't worth more than centers.

 

You gotta let a draft come to you. If the 16th best forward is better then the 14th best defender, take the forward. This team needs talent.

No you can't trade wingers for D.  The Hall trade should have made that abundantly clear.  Only top line centers are worth more then top 4 D. Top 2 D are also probably worth more then many top centers.  Look at the Jones for Johanson trade.  Teams with an abundance of D can acquire what they need.  Teams without can't.  BPA doesn't work and never has.  Organizational need must be a factor in drafting.  Teams that over wight D get better and team like us and Edm who mindlessly adhere to BPA don't.

 

As I wrote above:

 

 

We need to take a page from Boston and Philly and load up on D.  They are worth more in trade and amazingly make your team better.  While we used 1 of 11 on D, Boston has used 6 of 11 on D.  They already have McAvoy and Carlo from those 6 and have Zboril and Vaakanainen coming.  Philly has recently added the Ghost. Hagg, and Provorov.  They also have Morin, Friedman, and Sanheim, knocking at the door.  What do we have?  Guhle.

 

We need to spend our 2nd on another D even if we get Dahlin. 

Edited April 22, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[bob_sauve28]

IF all we draft is forwards with our top picks this rebuild will never work and won't be sustainable.  BPS is why we are in this mess in the first place.  D are worth more then forwards.  If all you draft is forwards then your team (aka Edm) will always suck.  We have used 10 of our last 11 1st and 2nd rd picks on forwards.  You can't keep doing this.

 

We need to take a page from Boston and Philly and load up on D.  They are worth more in trade and amazingly make your team better.  While we used 1 of 11 on D, Boston has used 6 of 11 on D.  They already have McAvoy and Carlo from those 6 and have Zboril and Vaakanainen coming.  Philly has recently added the Ghost. Hagg, and Provorov.  They also have Morin, Friedman, and Sanheim, knocking at the door. 

 

We need to spend our 2nd on another D even if we get Dahlin.

 

I totally agree with this. I still can't believe we traded away McNabb. To me, that is the one trade that is just the worst of the worst. Trading away a solid defenseman for a damn iffy forward or two.

[LGR4GM]

No you can't trade wingers for D. The Hall trade should have made that abundantly clear. Only top line centers are worth more then top 4 D. Top 2 D are also probably worth more then many top centers. Look at the Jones for Johanson trade. Teams with an abundance of D can acquire what they need. Teams without can't. BPA doesn't work and never has. Organizational need must be a factor in drafting. Teams that over wight D get better and team like us and Edm who mindlessly adhere to BPA don't.

 

As I wrote above:

 

 

We need to take a page from Boston and Philly and load up on D. They are worth more in trade and amazingly make your team better. While we used 1 of 11 on D, Boston has used 6 of 11 on D. They already have McAvoy and Carlo from those 6 and have Zboril and Vaakanainen coming. Philly has recently added the Ghost. Hagg, and Provorov. They also have Morin, Friedman, and Sanheim, knocking at the door. What do we have? Guhle.

 

We need to spend our 2nd on another D even if we get Dahlin.

This isn't how you draft. You take bpa.

 

Anaheim, over draft defense. Just got swept in the playoffs.

Stop with your Boston stat. It's way out of context. You don't have anything about who was the best player available. Great they took mcavoy, was he bpa? Yea he was just like Sergachev should have been over Nylander.

 

Thxs for mentioning zboril... they would be better with barzal or Boeser over him in that draft. Best player unless it's close then consider need.

 

Edmonton just sucks at drafting anyone outside round 1, that's why they're bad and will continue to be bad.

 

Let's say all 9 of the defenders I listed are gone. Are you taking the 20th best defender or the 12th best forward at 32?

 

Dellandrea btw, 17 year old center currently on team Canada's top u18 line.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Your assuming BPA is universal. It isn’t. Ever team makes it’s own list as uses it. You are also saying that players 45 and 46 are substantially different and therefore you always take 45 over 46. That simply isn’t true. Odds are 45 and 46 have nearly identical scores. At that point need or other factors must come into play. For example, what if 45 is a Russian who never has played in NA and 46 if in the CHL? Do you take 45 or do you take 46 because you have better access to him and signing him will be easier?

 

I actually tier my lists. I look at talent first, make my rankings and then tier them based on talent. However once the draft begins, I’m looking at tier first and then at other factors. However, once you get past the first couple of players, draft scores become very close between players. There will be steps, and this is where the tiers are formed, but general inside a tier the draft scores be the players if basically the same.

[LGR4GM]

I said close players matter. But if my player is scored an 8 and a forward, I'm not passing on him for 6.5 defender.

 

Btw if 45 is a Russian with no na experience, he probably already dropped to there on my list. We aren't talking about Russians. You said at 32 they need to take a defender. Depends on who's available at 32.

Foote, Brannstrom or Valimaki? All defense taken after Casey. Which one are you over drafting because of position?

 

I think part of the issue is my tiers are narrower.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Skurk Liger

[Taro T]

I said close players matter. But if my player is scored an 8 and a forward, I'm not passing on him for 6.5 defender.

Btw if 45 is a Russian with no na experience, he probably already dropped to there on my list. We aren't talking about Russians. You said at 32 they need to take a defender. Depends on who's available at 32.

Foote, Brannstrom or Valimaki? All defense taken after Casey. Which one are you over drafting because of position?

I think part of the issue is my tiers are narrower.

Unless you are looking at the top 3 spots in the draft, there is a TREMENDOUS run on a position, or somebody you really liked slid a mile; you should never have that big of a gap in the rankings. In any of those cases, sure, take BPA. Otherwise go for need.

 

Personally, an idea I'd like to toy w/ as need can change tremendously w/in a year or 2 (D was a huge need when Ristolainen was taken, but by '14 the Sabres very likely would've passed on Eckblad) is for them to choose the weakness to fill & make that the 1st 3 selections (unless there is a huge gap in talent of the next best positional player available) & pick a different one the following year. Figuring you should get at least 1 player to fit into the LT plans at a 2nd line/pairing out of that draft.

 

Along w/ that concept, would only use Tier II FA to try to snag true 1st liner/pairing types & role players. You over pay too much for 2nd & 3rd liners & 2nd pairing guys. Also grab as many ELC FA's as you can.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I said close players matter. But if my player is scored an 8 and a forward, I'm not passing on him for 6.5 defender.

 

Btw if 45 is a Russian with no na experience, he probably already dropped to there on my list. We aren't talking about Russians. You said at 32 they need to take a defender. Depends on who's available at 32.

Foote, Brannstrom or Valimaki? All defense taken after Casey. Which one are you over drafting because of position?

 

I think part of the issue is my tiers are narrower.

You are proving my point. You don’t do strict BPA if you are downgrading someone based on something other then talent. Also no matter how u tier your players there is no tier with a F w a draft grade of 8 and a D at 6.5. Also as the draft unfolds it’s also highly unlikely that a F with a grade of 8 is available when we are down to D’s at 6.5.

[LGR4GM]

You don't know that. That's the point. It happens all the time. I've watched drafts where positions get taken because or a guy gets taken because he's big. There's all kinds of ways good players slide.

 

Also what's the crap now about bpa meaning most talented? I've never said that. It doesn't make sense. How are you defining talent? Does attitude matter, skating, iq, shooting? What constitutes talent?

IF all we draft is forwards with our top picks this rebuild will never work and won't be sustainable. BPS is why we are in this mess in the first place. D are worth more then forwards. If all you draft is forwards then your team (aka Edm) will always suck. We have used 10 of our last 11 1st and 2nd rd picks on forwards. You can't keep doing this.

 

We need to take a page from Boston and Philly and load up on D. They are worth more in trade and amazingly make your team better. While we used 1 of 11 on D, Boston has used 6 of 11 on D. They already have McAvoy and Carlo from those 6 and have Zboril and Vaakanainen coming. Philly has recently added the Ghost. Hagg, and Provorov. They also have Morin, Friedman, and Sanheim, knocking at the door.

 

We need to spend our 2nd on another D even if we get Dahlin.

The original point is the final sentence. No we don't have to draft a D with the 32nd pick. Edited April 22, 2018 by Skurk Liger

[LGR4GM]

 

 

Here's the good news. It's far more likely a defender slides than a forward. It happens more often. It's how you get Good, second round defenders.

[LGR4GM]

Anyways... Rasmus Sandin, 5'11" LHD 190lbs who plays for a strong Greyhounds squad currently occupies a spot in my top 20. I have 13 defenders in the top 30 right now with a slight chance of that changing to 14. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

What's with all the young dudes named Rasmus?

 

Did they run out of names in the Norse countries?

[Crusader1969]

I like the idea of going D and D in this draft. Of course, I don't pass up Svechnikov Tkachuk or Wahlstrom if they are rated higher than Hughes / Boqvist / Bouchard, Dobson  but assuming sabres draft 3 / 4,. it would work out if the highest ranking player on their board is a Dman. Then I go there again in the 2nd round as there should be some good ones still on the board.  Im really curious about Johnny Tychonic, Got a couple of the Canada U18 games recorded and look forward to watching him.   

 

Who knows, with the issues regarding Merkley, he could be there too. I really like Sandin but I don't see him not being a 1st rounder at this point.

 

next year, we get real lucky in the lottery, moving up big time to get a top 3 pick and winger for Eichel. Yes, I would love to see them be the 2018/19 version of the Avalanche but that is asking a lot of them.

[ubkev]

What's with all the young dudes named Rasmus?

 

Did they run out of names in the Norse countries?

It's the Nordic version of Aiden.

[LGR4GM]

I like the idea of going D and D in this draft. Of course, I don't pass up Svechnikov Tkachuk or Wahlstrom if they are rated higher than Hughes / Boqvist / Bouchard, Dobson  but assuming sabres draft 3 / 4,. it would work out if the highest ranking player on their board is a Dman. Then I go there again in the 2nd round as there should be some good ones still on the board.  Im really curious about Johnny Tychonic, Got a couple of the Canada U18 games recorded and look forward to watching him.   

 

Who knows, with the issues regarding Merkley, he could be there too. I really like Sandin but I don't see him not being a 1st rounder at this point.

 

next year, we get real lucky in the lottery, moving up big time to get a top 3 pick and winger for Eichel. Yes, I would love to see them be the 2018/19 version of the Avalanche but that is asking a lot of them.

Tychonic is super interesting at 32. Is he just a BCHL kid or is there another level? He had 17 points in 11 BCHL playoff games. Currently listed at 6' 174lbs and is a LHD. 

[jsb]

Worst case scenario, for the pick. Edmonton wins #1, Montreal #2, NY Rangers #3 than us. Who do we select at 4??

Only thing worst than this is the Blackhawks win #1.

I'm going with this because I am awful at predicting this sh!t. It may be our only chance.

 

I'm secretly hoping my 1K post is winning Dahlin.

Edited April 23, 2018 by jsb

[LGR4GM]

Worst case scenario, for the pick. Edmonton wins #1, Montreal #2, NY Rangers #3 than us. Who do we select at 4??

Only thing worst than this is the Blackhawks win #1.

I'm going with this because I am awful at predicting this sh!t. It may be our only chance.

 

I'm secretly hoping my 1K post is winning Dahlin.

At 4? Wahlstrom, Tkachuk, Boqvist, or Dobson (possibly Hughes)

[Brawndo]

With Botterill stating the Sabres need to get faster on the wings does that eliminate Tkatchuk from consideration as he is not a fast skater?

[LGR4GM]

With Botterill stating the Sabres need to get faster on the wings does that eliminate Tkatchuk from consideration as he is not a fast skater?

Maybe. It's definitely something to consider. I think zadina is also a question. There's some speedy defenders in that mix and of course Svechnikov.

[Derrico]

With Botterill stating the Sabres need to get faster on the wings does that eliminate Tkatchuk from consideration as he is not a fast skater?

I think so. If we get pick one or two you take the consensus guy. If it's 3 or 4 you take the best dman available which is still bpa in my opinion.

[North Buffalo]

I think so. If we get pick one or two you take the consensus guy. If it's 3 or 4 you take the best dman available which is still bpa in my opinion.

Not sure you take a D if not Dhalin, more D later on, but Sabres need a scorer first imo. Walstrom if not Zadina or the Russian who I have a doubt about... Unless said D can jump up this year. Hughes maybe the only D to fit the scorer bill back on D but needs to gain weight. Unless you feel that a scorer or two can be had next year and the second tier D are worth the risk.

[LGR4GM]

Not sure you take a D if not Dhalin, more D later on, but Sabres need a scorer first imo. Walstrom if not Zadina or the Russian who I have a doubt about... Unless said D can jump up this year. Hughes maybe the only D to fit the scorer bill back on D but needs to gain weight. Unless you feel that a scorer or two can be had next year and the second tier D are worth the risk.

Svechnikov is really good. I don't agree on Hughes being the only D to be a scorer and I think outside of the top 2 there is some wiggle room with the next 4-5. I am not worried about the D jumping up this year if it isn't Dahlin. If the player is worth it, I am fine with them taking a year or 2. 

[North Buffalo]

Svechnikov is really good. I don't agree on Hughes being the only D to be a scorer and I think outside of the top 2 there is some wiggle room with the next 4-5. I am not worried about the D jumping up this year if it isn't Dahlin. If the player is worth it, I am fine with them taking a year or 2.

 

Normally i am fine with a year or two but not sure Sabres can wait that long to show some improvement. Not sure they do unless they get a guy who can step in next year. Psychologically if nothing else itll add both skill and young enthusiasm.

[Derrico]

I don't think there is anyone outside of the top 2 that can make the jump and be a big time impact player next year anyways. D take longer to develop and the potential of those next tier of wingers is close to the next tier of d. So I go d. Let's just hope after Saturday we won't have to have this discussion anyways. But not holding my breath.