Sabres Officially Select #9, #16, and #28

[Curt]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

There must be A lot of smoke surrounding Yurov Buffalo at 16 because I’ve seen a lot of people mock him to them

It depends on who else is available at 16, but Yurov would be acceptable there.  Especially if they grab Kasper, who feels like a safe pick, at 9.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

29 minutes ago, Contempt said:

I was explaining the meaning of what was written to the person who was asking because the way it was written was ambiguous, but feel free to miss the point and respond only to me.

Yup.  And I was making it clear what he said.  He did not say that the trade was worth it.  He said that it might be.

[PerreaultForever]

5 hours ago, Curt said:

The thing is that these 18 year old hockey players are not the Kremlin, they just happen to have been born in Russia.  In fact, not drafting them and not bringing them over to the NA is exactly what the Kremlin wants.  I understand where you are coming from, but I don’t think it’s a productive avenue.

The Fedotov case is a little bit different than most in that he was the starting goalie for the CSKA team and trying to leave for the NHL without fulfilling his KHL contract.

Maybe. But I think it can still be tricky and uncertain. They'd certainly have had to have done their homework and know all about the player in question and I definitely wouldn't over reach and grab them early. The question will be how far do they fall before teams take a chance. 

I think a likely scenario is as soon as the first Russian is picked, at whatever point that is, the rest will go quickly after that. But idk, it's an interesting question. Draft night intrigue. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

It depends on who else is available at 16, but Yurov would be acceptable there.  Especially if they grab Kasper, who feels like a safe pick, at 9.

My hot take is that Yurov will have a better NHL career than half the players in the top 10.

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

My hot take is that Yurov will have a better NHL career than half the players in the top 10.

Assuming he gets to the NHL and Putin doesn’t send him to the front.

[Taro T]

25 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Assuming he gets to the NHL and Putin doesn’t send him to the front.

Totally get the questions about whether the Russian prospects will be allowed to leave the Motherland and whether they might get conscripted.  But does ANYBODY honestly expect their best athletes to get sent to the front lines in Donbas?

That's not how they do things.

[GrassValleyGreg]

40 minutes ago, dudacek said:

My hot take is that Yurov will have a better NHL career than half the players in the top 10.

My hot take is Gleb is the only Russian forward in this year’s draft to find a high level of success in the NHL. I understand Yurov’s points comps in the MHL, but I really don’t see any elite skill in the offensive zone (maybe his forecheck?).

 

Miroshnichenko is also getting a bit overrated in my opinion. Folks tend to think he’d be a top 10 lock if it weren’t for his passport and health concerns, and we’d be getting a hell of a discount if he fell to us at 28. But I just don’t see it from my limited viewings. He’s a consistent threat on the power play with his shot, but there’s a pretty consistent chorus of critique from scouts for his off the puck play (“floating”, “constantly trailing the rush”, “getting lost”).

Add in the so called “Russian factor”, and I’d rather we pass on these two. There’s simply too much high ceiling talent in the top 41 to justify the risk.

 

Gleb on the other hand…

[Curt]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Maybe. But I think it can still be tricky and uncertain. They'd certainly have had to have done their homework and know all about the player in question and I definitely wouldn't over reach and grab them early. The question will be how far do they fall before teams take a chance. 

I think a likely scenario is as soon as the first Russian is picked, at whatever point that is, the rest will go quickly after that. But idk, it's an interesting question. Draft night intrigue. 

Yeah, they are certainly going to fall and it’s certainly going to add some intrigue to the draft.

Id imagine that it will be player specific in large part.  A lot will depend on  the players’ KHL organization, contract status, and perceived desire to come over to NA.

Personally, no way I take anyone at 9.  At 16, maybe I’d take Yurov, maybe Miroshnichenko if your doctors are super optimistic about his health recovery.  At 28 and 41, there are a couple other forwards who become a possibility Trikozov and Perevalov.  In the 3rd/4th there are a couple additional forwards and several defenseman who become reasonable possibilities.

In the first and second round combined, I doubt more than 4 Russians total are drafted.  I think the top guys will slide by half a round or more, and guys who would normally go in the 3rd/4th will slide by a full round or two.  I could see something of a run on those guys who would normally be 2nd/3rd round prospects in the 4th/5th/6th rounds.

If I’m Buffalo, I’m looking to grab guys who may be top-5 or top-10 level prospects at 16 or even at 28, and in the 3rd/4th/5th I’m considering loading up on guys who may normally have gone in the 2nd or 3rd.

With where Buffalo is in their development cycle and how many extra picks they have, it seems like a good opportunity to be opportunistic.

Edited July 4, 2022 by Curt

[Curt]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

My hot take is that Yurov will have a better NHL career than half the players in the top 10.

Certainly possible, he kind of gets a label of a Jack of all trades with no elite skills.  Low ceiling.

For me, Trikozov at 28 or 41 seems like a nice high upside pick.

I don’t really know though.  I haven’t had time to spend lots of time watching these guys myself.

[Crusader1969]

7 hours ago, Brawndo said:

They traded the 38th and 100th Overall Picks to San Jose for 34th to select JJP in the 2020 NHL Draft

There must be A lot of smoke surrounding Yurov Buffalo at 16 because I’ve seen a lot of people mock him to them

So many have mocked him there there that it probably won’t happen.   
though I hope they do.  

[Contempt]

29 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

So many have mocked him there there that it probably won’t happen.   
though I hope they do.  

Every single time I run the draft simulator, if I don't take Yurov at 9, he goes to Winnipeg at 14. I must've run it 25 or 30 times. Of those 25 to 30 times McGroarty was the choice at 16 every single time.

I realize it's a simulator, programmed by one guy. It is how it turned out though. So much so that I stopped trying because it got boring. I got McGroarty at 16 25 times in a row.

[PerreaultForever]

TSN Mock Draft with Craig Button today had us taking Kasper, Yurov and then McGroarty (all the way down at 28?) . Kind of odd ordering I thought and might explain why Button is an analyst and not a GM but if that was the 3 we got I'd be satisfied. 

https://www.tsn.ca/button-has-habs-making-the-wright-pick-in-final-mock-draft-1.1819441

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

TSN Mock Draft with Craig Button today had us taking Kasper, Yurov and then McGroarty (all the way down at 28?) . Kind of odd ordering I thought and might explain why Button is an analyst and not a GM but if that was the 3 we got I'd be satisfied. 

https://www.tsn.ca/button-has-habs-making-the-wright-pick-in-final-mock-draft-1.1819441

I’d be ecstatic..

Kasper and Yurov (along with Savoie) are the three I like best who might be there at 9 and McGroarty is a guy I’d be fine with at 16.

 

[PerreaultForever]

32 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I’d be ecstatic..

Kasper and Yurov (along with Savoie) are the three I like best who might be there at 9 and McGroarty is a guy I’d be fine with at 16.

 

Ya, idk what Button doesn't like about him but no way do I see McGroarty still there at 28. 

[dudacek]

18 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Ya, idk what Button doesn't like about him but no way do I see McGroarty still there at 28. 

McKenzie’s poll of scouts has him down at 27 too.

Apparently, he just doesn’t skate well enough in a lot of people’s eyes to justify a top 20 pick.

Read something recently that said he has a lot of similarities to Curtis Lazar and could develop in similar fashion: great intangibles, good size and hockey sense, not enough skill.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

McKenzie’s poll of scouts has him down at 27 too.

Apparently, he just doesn’t skate well enough in a lot of people’s eyes to justify a top 20 pick.

Read something recently that said he has a lot of similarities to Curtis Lazar and could develop in similar fashion: great intangibles, good size and hockey sense, not enough skill.

Lazar? Really? I've seen him compared to Couturier and Killorn. idk, I think he's just what we need to help balance this roster. He will be a perfect 3rd line fit in 2-3 years, maybe even better. But of course, who really knows. I doubt Sabres draft him. 

[GrassValleyGreg]

12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Lazar? Really? I've seen him compared to Couturier and Killorn. idk, I think he's just what we need to help balance this roster. He will be a perfect 3rd line fit in 2-3 years, maybe even better. But of course, who really knows. I doubt Sabres draft him. 

As mentioned, skating is the overriding concern. From Elite Prospects: "His hunched-over stride affects every aspect of his game, not only his speed and agility. It limits his ability to lean against opponents to cut toward the net, to dangle them off the rush (as he can’t shift his weight smoothly enough to sell defenders on a fake), and to recover the puck after a mistake. McGroarty had no issue matching the pace of USHL opponents this season, but as he rises in level, his strength and motor might not be able to compensate for his inefficient stride mechanics".

All that said, he has to be one of the higher character guys in the draft. I also think he has the skill and mind to overcome and improve the skating technique. I'd be ok with him as a safe pick at 28. Not so much at 16.

Edited July 5, 2022 by GrassValleyGreg

[GASabresIUFAN]

I thumbed through 10 Mock drafts

9. Gauthier (3), Savoie (3), Kasper (2), Lekkerimaki (2)

16. Kasper (2), Nazar (2), Yurov (2), Bichsel, Mateychuk, Howard, Ostlund all with 1

28. Rinzel (3), Nazar, Ostlund, McGroarty, Firkus, Luneau, Bichsel, and Pickering with 1.

[GrassValleyGreg]

Names I'm rooting for per draft pick:

9) Savoie, Kasper, Nazar

16) Ohgren, Mintyukov

28) Firkus, Trikozov, Mesar, Howard, Havelid, Odelius

41) Lund, Lutz, Goyette

Others: Sykora, Ludwinski, Haight, George, Hamara, Minten, Sapovoliv, Greene 

I think I'm most excited about our 28/41 picks. There's just so much talent there. 

[Crusader1969]

11 minutes ago, GrassValleyGreg said:

Names I'm rooting for per draft pick:

9) Savoie, Kasper, Nazar

16) Ohgren, Mintyukov

28) Firkus, Trikozov, Mesar, Howard, Havelid, Odelius

41) Lund, Lutz, Goyette

Others: Sykora, Ludwinski, Haight, George, Hamara, Minten, Sapovoliv, Greene 

I think I'm most excited about our 28/41 picks. There's just so much talent there. 

I like the Lutz pick.   Maybe 2 times lucky taking a German in the 2nd round ?

[dudacek]

 Nice Athletic piece on Kasper

https://theathletic.com/3388698/2022/07/05/marco-kasper-nhl-draft/

He just sounds like the embodiment of what the Sabres look for under Adams. Descriptors include:

• engine
• smart
• selfless
• willing
• strong-skating
• trust
• tenacious
• engaged
• fan-favourite
• details
• initiative

I only see 2 things standing between him and the Sabres: GMs in the top 8 and this:

“But it is also apparent that Kasper isn’t a gifted passer or a necessarily imaginative facilitator when he has the puck.”

You are definitely getting a player with Kasper. But are you getting enough from a top 10 pick?

[woods-racer]

I've read every post since May 10th (the inception date?) hoping to come away with some insight as to who the Sabres have a good chance at drafting.

The only thing I know for certain is that this is going to be one wild and crazy draft. The top 5 aren't even a sure thing.

The mood swings come next week will be awesome to read.

[Flashsabre]

https://www.toutsurlehockey.com/tslh-espoirs/nhl-draft-ranking-2022-by-simon-st-l/

If you start reading this now you might be done before the draft starts.😀

[Buffalonill]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

 Nice Athletic piece on Kasper

https://theathletic.com/3388698/2022/07/05/marco-kasper-nhl-draft/

He just sounds like the embodiment of what the Sabres look for under Adams. Descriptors include:

• engine
• smart
• selfless
• willing
• strong-skating
• trust
• tenacious
• engaged
• fan-favourite
• details
• initiative

I only see 2 things standing between him and the Sabres: GMs in the top 8 and this:

“But it is also apparent that Kasper isn’t a gifted passer or a necessarily imaginative facilitator when he has the puck.”

You are definitely getting a player with Kasper. But are you getting enough from a top 10 pick?

[Cozenscousin]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

 Nice Athletic piece on Kasper

https://theathletic.com/3388698/2022/07/05/marco-kasper-nhl-draft/

He just sounds like the embodiment of what the Sabres look for under Adams. Descriptors include:

• engine
• smart
• selfless
• willing
• strong-skating
• trust
• tenacious
• engaged
• fan-favourite
• details
• initiative

I only see 2 things standing between him and the Sabres: GMs in the top 8 and this:

“But it is also apparent that Kasper isn’t a gifted passer or a necessarily imaginative facilitator when he has the puck.”

You are definitely getting a player with Kasper. But are you getting enough from a top 10 pick?

Kasper is the prospect I would love at #9 but I would bet $100 that Detroit takes him at #8. Yzerman has excellent scouts in the Swedish league, probably the same guy that found Seider, as he played for the same team as Kasper. Kasper and Seider have a lot in common. Kasper is mature, smart (fluent in 3 languages) good size, good skater and I think he has a lot of offensive upside. I think he would be an instant top player for Rochester and would be a Sabre after 1 year. His background would be a great fit with JJP.