So #8

[Curt]

3 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Rossi

Drysdale ( I just take him if he is there , trade risto and montour then)

Holtz  (RW that can score 40 a season next to cozens) 

Lundell

Raymond ( his skating really is not so good)

Why do you say that Raymond’s skating isn’t so good?  You and @thewookie1 have both said this, but I, and I think most others, ardently disagree.

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

Why do you say that Raymond’s skating isn’t so good?  You and @thewookie1 have both said this, but I, and I think most others, ardently disagree.

Just what I read multiple times about him.

[Curt]

10 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Just what I read multiple times about him.

Any idea where?  I don’t think I’ve seen that written.

[nfreeman]

FWIW, the NHL.com mock draft has 2 of their 3 writers predicting the Sabres take Perfetti, and the 3rd says Lundell.

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhlcom-mock-draft-alexis-lafreniere-top-pick/c-319269974?tid=277764372

 

[JohnC]

Attached is a link of a Buffalo News article by Mike Harrington arguing for trading the pick. He is calling for showing more urgency in making this team a more serious team. His position is understandable and reasonable but my sense is that the Sabres are going to make the pick. And it shouldn't be surprising that economics will be a factor why the organization will be taking that route. 

 https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/inside-the-nhl-huge-week-ahead-especially-for-sabres-first-time-gm/article_32aa935c-04b5-11eb-9b73-d71b4e23b6ff.html?view=getnewpost

[Curt]

Just to add to what I was saying about Raymond’s skating.  Here is a complete video of his shifts in a SHL preseason game last month, this is against men, probably at about AHL level of play, and another of just great highlights.

Shift-by-Shift  He is #18 in Red

Highlights

I think that just from watching these you can see that his skating is really good.  His acceleration is explosive, his feet and direction changes are quick.  That combined with his stick handling make it possible for him to really attack defenses, opening up passing/shooting lanes.

This, among other things, is why if Raymond is there at #8, I would be ecstatic to get him.  He is right there with Rossi for me.

I haven’t seen any scouting reports that Raymond’s skating is anything less than very good.  If anyone has seen any, please pass them along.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Curt

[LGR4GM]

Raymond is good. I don't think he'll be there at 8.

[Curt]

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Raymond is good. I don't think he'll be there at 8.

I don’t think he’ll be there either, but I don’t think Rossi should either and that apparently has a good chance of happening, so who knows.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Attached is a link of a Buffalo News article by Mike Harrington arguing for trading the pick. He is calling for showing more urgency in making this team a more serious team. His position is understandable and reasonable but my sense is that the Sabres are going to make the pick. And it shouldn't be surprising that economics will be a factor why the organization will be taking that route. 

 https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/inside-the-nhl-huge-week-ahead-especially-for-sabres-first-time-gm/article_32aa935c-04b5-11eb-9b73-d71b4e23b6ff.html?view=getnewpost

 

I'm not a fan of Harrington's, but there is some interesting stuff in that column.

For example, I don't think I'd heard this previously:

 

Quote

All this while reportedly having financial restrictions on his work from ownership not seen since Tom Golisano was infamously telling Darcy Regier "dollar for dollar" on all trades.

 

This I think is pretty out to lunch, given the glut of goalies that will be available:

Quote

But if a scoring winger or legitimate No. 1 goalie is available (hello, Columbus), the Sabres have to consider dangling the [#8] pick to get what they need.

 

But this is a very fair observation:

Quote

Draftniks can go on and on about top prospects such as Marco Rossi, Cole Perfetti, Lucas Raymond or Alexander Holtz being the apple of the Sabres' eyes. I'll remind you what Alex Nylander never became, what we're still waiting to see from Casey Mittelstadt. 

 

As is this:

Quote

The bigger draft takeaway over the actual selections will be to see what kind of personality Adams and new scouting director Jeremiah Crowe start to forge.

 

And this is a reasonable inference:

 

Quote

 

Finances might steer the Sabres more to this side of the ocean and the hiring of former U.S. National Development Team coach Seth Appert in Rochester could further push the club to focus on American prospects.

At 34 and with experience largely as a pro scout, Crowe is viewed as a neophyte in his new role much like Adams is. What's the best part of Crowe's résumé? Two years with the USNTDP, including a stint as director of player personnel. Hmmm.

 

 

 

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

 

I'm not a fan of Harrington's, but there is some interesting stuff in that column.

For example, I don't think I'd heard this previously:

 

 

This I think is pretty out to lunch, given the glut of goalies that will be available:

 

But this is a very fair observation:

 

As is this:

 

And this is a reasonable inference:

 

 

 

When Tom Golisano took over as the owner he found that the financial books for the franchise were indecipherable and money was comingled with the previous owner's personal and other business entities. One of his first priorities was untangling the tangled finances and straightening out the books. To his credit he took over an insolvent franchise and forced financial discipline on the operation. In relative short order he put the house in order. To Golisano's credit and honor contractors and vendors who were owed money were paid their due even though he was not obligated to pay them because of the bankruptcy laws. In relatively short order he not only put this franchise on a stable footing but made sure that the franchise was going to be sold to someone who was going to keep it in Buffalo. He claimed that he had a higher offer from someone who was not committed to keeping the franchise in Buffalo. He sold the franchise to Pegula and ended up making some money on the deal. Golisano was a good businessman and honorable businessman. 

With respect to the Golisano edict to Darcy that trades were going to be made on the basis of a $ in for $ out don't be surprised if that trade requirement becomes a standard to a certain extent. It may not be enforced on every deal but when the total costs are tabulated the trade $$$ accounts will be more balanced than before. 

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

 

I'm not a fan of Harrington's, but there is some interesting stuff in that column.

For example, I don't think I'd heard this previously:

 

 

This I think is pretty out to lunch, given the glut of goalies that will be available:

 

But this is a very fair observation:

 

As is this:

 

And this is a reasonable inference:

 

 

 

Botterill already drafted a lot of American players, no? We'll see if it holds true for Adams, but I've theorized before that our draft strategy may not change as much as some think. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Thorny

[French Collection]

BPA?

Best player from America.

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, Thorny said:

Botterill already drafted a lot of American players, no? We'll see if it holds true for Adams, but I've theorized before that our draft strategy may not change as much as some think. 

It will be astoundingly different. 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-2020-nhl-draft-scouting-analytics/c-319272882

Quote

So, with three extra months to prepare, Adams asked Crowe to revisit the process in its entirety with an emphasis on merging scouting and analytics. 

"He certainly did make more than a recommendation when taking this job about the use of analytics and video to make sure we're supporting our decisions and recommendations based on all available information," Crowe said.

Quote

Once the initial viewings were complete, detailed meetings were held with Crowe, Nightingale, and scouts to weigh takeaways from games, projections for a what a player could become, and data-driven insights on a player's impact. Scouts were then asked to conduct a second wave of analysis to answer why their findings may or may not be true. 

The idea was to build a system of checks and balances to explain the "why" behind a player's performance. 

I would predict this draft is widely different from the last 3 years and I will predict having someone familiar with the USDP does not mean we continue the Botterill approach of ignoring the CHL. 

[LGR4GM]

If Crowe has any smarts at all he knows it is a down year for the USDP. Judging by what he has said thus far, he is smart. I don't think we see his USDP influence until later in the draft if at all. 

[dudacek]

The Sabres have profiled Perfetti, Rossi, Quinn, Lundell, Sanderson, Raymond, Holtz and (tomorrow) Dysdale on their website.

They will draft, at worst their fifth-ranked player from that list. They will get a good player.

[nfreeman]

From the Athletic today:  https://theathletic.com/2068947/2020/10/05/wheeler-final-2020-nhl-draft-thoughts-notes-and-predictions/

Quote

there’s no question that the very top of this draft is in the conversation, with 2015, as the deepest of the seven drafts I’ve covered, especially when you consider how strong the top half dozen forward prospects are and the strength of Yaroslav Askarov as a legitimate star-level goalie prospect.

It just feels like they're going to keep the pick, take a forward, and that forward is going to turn into a very good player.

 

[Flashsabre]

From Elliotte Friedman    
 

I wouldn’t get my hopes up for those wishing the Sabres trade#8.  They will improve the team without moving #8.
 

DRAFT DEALS

A pseudo “trade deadline” arrives somewhere around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Teams holding picks in the top half of a draft that features multiple prospects with high-end potential aren’t making those selections available via trade, but there could be some movement in the bottom half.

Toronto (15), Montreal (16), New Jersey (18 or 20) and Ottawa (28, plus four more picks in Wednesday’s second round) are among those willing to parlay a pick into immediate help if it makes sense.

Those are valuable commodities in a league where cap space and controllable assets have become king. With a flat cap of $81.5-million for the foreseeable future, we’ve seen the likes of Olli Maatta and Nick Bjugstad basically given away in recent trades that freed up more operating room for Chicago and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Actually parting with an asset?

That should land you an even bigger name.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Flashsabre

[steveoath]

Are pundits getting scared of Rossi now. Seems his stock is dropping in a lot of experts mocks. Good news for us.

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Are pundits getting scared of Rossi now. Seems his stock is dropping in a lot of experts mocks. Good news for us.

I think it's a reflection over the overall strength and variety of opinions about that group after the top 3.

Everyone seems to have Drysdale, Perfetti, Rossi, and Raymond in their top 10, and a lot of teams also have Sanderson, Holtz, Askarov, Quinn and Lundell in that group as well.

Those dominoes can fall in so may different ways.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

I think it's a reflection over the overall strength and variety of opinions about that group after the top 3.

Everyone seems to have Drysdale, Perfetti, Rossi, and Raymond in their top 10, and a lot of teams also have Sanderson, Holtz, Askarov, Quinn and Lundell in that group as well.

Those dominoes can fall in so may different ways.

The ideal situation will be for Drysdale and Sanderson to be taken before our turn comes up. What's more probable is that one instead of both defensemen get selected early. As many are saying we should come away with a highly rated prospect. I'm getting excited about the draft but to be honest I'm more excited about the deals that will be made after the draft. In a compressed scheduled season strengthening our goal tending has to be a priority. 

 Our new GM will have an opportunity to reshape and rebalance this roster with a few judicious moves. Will he and his staff seize the opportunity? The Bills are a demonstration in how a smart front office and staff can in relatively short order can dramatically change the culture and psychology of a losing organization. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by JohnC

[Brawndo]

 

[LGR4GM]

15 hours ago, Thorny said:

Botterill already drafted a lot of American players, no? We'll see if it holds true for Adams, but I've theorized before that our draft strategy may not change as much as some think. 

 

24 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Judging by what else was said and reading between the lines, the Sabres are drafting in a 100% different way then they did last year. 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

It will be astoundingly different. 

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-2020-nhl-draft-scouting-analytics/c-319272882

I would predict this draft is widely different from the last 3 years and I will predict having someone familiar with the USDP does not mean we continue the Botterill approach of ignoring the CHL. 

Their process seems to be different, but it's not like we'll know if they have a league/national bias until we start seeing the picks. 

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If Crowe has any smarts at all he knows it is a down year for the USDP. Judging by what he has said thus far, he is smart. I don't think we see his USDP influence until later in the draft if at all. 

I hope you know we are going 6/6 non CHL 

 

😉

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

The Sabres have profiled Perfetti, Rossi, Quinn, Lundell, Sanderson, Raymond, Holtz and (tomorrow) Dysdale on their website.

They will draft, at worst their fifth-ranked player from that list. They will get a good player.

You mean, on paper, according to their analysis. You don't think they thought they got a good player with the Mittelstadt and Nylander picks?

This isn't negative leaning, it's just a fact - there is far too much confidence in what amounts to a craps shoot process because those in charge are ticking off the list of the correct things to say. 

We'll see. As always. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Thorny

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

You mean, on paper, according to their analysis. You don't think they thought they got a good player with the Mittelstadt and Nylander picks?

No, I mean I feel as good as keyboard fan scout can that all of the options from that list will improve our team.

[Thorner]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

No, I mean I feel as good as keyboard fan scout can that all of the options from that list will improve our team.

That would drastically defy the odds. You listed 8 players (5 as potential Sabres targets). The chances they all end up "good" (thought admittedly dealing with some subjective wording here) is low. 

Well, at least drafting a "good" player with any and ALL of the 5, would. If the bar is simply "improvement", from the 8th slot overall, sure. An exceptionally low bar.

Edited October 5, 2020 by Thorny