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

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, woods-racer said:

So an inevitable Liger/buffnill meltdown coming from opposite ends of the spectrum?

Blasphemy.

Idk what I'm supposed to meltdown over. Dudacek is correct, only thing I might change is a name or two. 

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhl.com/news/ottawa-may-trade-no-7-pick-in-2022-nhl-draft/c-334316764

Would you trade up to 7 if Jirecek or Nemec were available?

For Jiricek, I'd might do 41 and 9. Depends on what the board looks like. Lots of defensive depth in this draft. 

[French Collection]

I might have a meltdown if they take a LHD with 2 of the 3 picks.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

11 hours ago, woods-racer said:

So an inevitable Liger/buffnill meltdown coming from opposite ends of the spectrum?

Blasphemy.

lol !!

Prepare for the inevitable denials of meltdowning by both @LGR4GM and @Buffalonill ... ha !!

[Curt]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Nemec, yes

Jirecek, no (his skating concerns me)

I'd be more worried about the potential price; 9 & our 3rd or 4th would be the most I'm giving to move up 2 spots

What about Jirecek’s skating concerns you?  Or where have you seen it reported as a concern?

Don’t believe I’ve see it reported anywhere as a concern.  I’ve always seen people report that his skating is good.

Edited May 27, 2022 by Curt

[Buffalonill]

9 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhl.com/news/ottawa-may-trade-no-7-pick-in-2022-nhl-draft/c-334316764

Would you trade up to 7 if Jirecek or Nemec were available?

Nope  

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Idk what I'm supposed to meltdown over. Dudacek is correct, only thing I might change is a name or two. 

For Jiricek, I'd might do 41 and 9. Depends on what the board looks like. Lots of defensive depth in this draft. 

I think the actual trade would be 9 and 41 for 7, 71 and a late pick.  

If we can get a really top notch D prospect by making that deal, I'd do it in a minute.

Edited May 27, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think the actual trade would be 9 and 41 for 7, 71 and a late pick.  

If we can get a really top notch D prospect by making that deal, I'd do it in a minute.

NHL teams typically trade up when there is a player they love who falls out of the tier they were ranked, like Peterka did, and the GM can buy him for less than he would have paid. The NFL-style moving up to take a targeted position player before another team can seems to happen far less often in the NHL.

So I can certainly see the Sabres trying to make this move if they had a D ranked in the top 3 still available at 7.

But I don't see them doing it just to ensure they get a defenceman if they have other players on the same tier.

Edited May 27, 2022 by dudacek

[woods-racer]

13 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

This isn’t a year for anyone to have a meltdown.  There are a bunch of players all in the same general area. No one really stands out. 

Its going to be fascinating to see how the top 10 plays out. The Sabres will have some interesting options at #9 and there will be a couple players available that some probably didn’t think would be there.

A couple years  ago I got caught up in the Rossi tunnel vision and couldn’t believe when they took Quinn. I learned a lesson. I trust this staff will pick a good player at #9, someone who fits the culture and is talented,

For the first time in ?? years can this be said? I also believe that.

I looked back from 1994 till 2014 ( any later than 2014 players are still TBD) draft and the Sabres have been at best in any given draft just better than average but most times bad. In those 20 years only 10 draft classes resulted in a class that produced 3 or more players that played at least 200 NHL games.

They have to hit so much better on their selections than that.

 

[thewookie1]

4 hours ago, Curt said:

What about Jirecek’s skating concerns you?  Or where have you seen it reported as a concern?

Don’t believe I’ve see it reported anywhere as a concern.  I’ve always seen people report that his skating is good.

Could of sworn that was the reason why he's slid beneath Nemec on most boards

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

NHL teams typically trade up when there is a player they love who falls out of the tier they were ranked, like Peterka did, and the GM can buy him for less than he would have paid. The NFL-style moving up to take a targeted position player before another team can seems to happen far less often in the NHL.

So I can certainly see the Sabres trying to make this move if they had a D ranked in the top 3 still available at 7.

But I don't see them doing it just to ensure they get a defenceman if they have other players on the same tier.

There are 3 players in the second tier in this draft, Kemell, Nemec and Jiricek.  If one of those 2 D somehow fall to 7, KA should absolutely move to 7 and grab him if he can.  

[Curt]

2 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Could of sworn that was the reason why he's slid beneath Nemec on most boards

Not to my knowledge.  Nemec is a smooth skating, puck moving maestro who put up record breaking offensive production for a player his age in his league.  Not big but not small, not bad defensively, but not too physical.

Jirecek is bigger, stronger, meaner, and more raw.  He can be nasty to play against, but is also a good skater.  He is a 2-way defenseman who gets involved offensively but his game isn’t as polished as Nemec’s.

I’ve seen people say that Jirecek actually has a higher upside but will take some time to reach it, as most large defensemen do.  Nemec looks like a super safe bet to be a top 4 defenseman, who can also QB your PP though.

Just my impression from everything I’ve seen.

[PerreaultForever]

Okay I've gone over these lists and players as much as I'm likely to and my (realistic, as in not impossible) dream picks are as follows:

9. Cutter Gauthier

16. Rutger McGroarty

28. Maveric Lamoureaux

If Gauthier goes super early, which I doubt, best left of my top 8 which is Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky, Jirichek, Nemec, Savoie, Kemell, Lekkerimaki in that order.

If McGroarty is gone, Frank Nazar, Jimmy Snuggerud, Liam Ohgren, Connor Geekie in that order. I can't imagine all of them being gone. Some of those D men will be taken leaving the forward(s) for us at 16. 

Somebody might jump on Lamoureaux early due to his size (Toronto be my guess) and if he's gone I'm going to go off book a little and grab another RHD, as I mentioned him earlier, Noah Warren (and yes, I know it's early, but with multiple picks why not go for need with at least one of them to make sure you fill it)

As a side note, if we took Lekkerimaki at 9 it might be interesting to consider Ohgren at 16 if he's available. Just a consideration/possibility. 

Later rounds idk, idc, maybe some size, maybe some grit, definitely a goalie project in a later round cause I always believe in that. 

[dudacek]

Lamoureaux doesn’t appeal to me as even a borderline 1st rounder, but Gauthier is also my preferred option at 9 if he’s there and McGroarty would be fine at 16.

It would not be unthinkable (and pretty cool) to walk away with the entire line of Lekkeramaki, Ohgren, Ostlund with our 3 1sts, although the one we snagged at 28 would be a huge bargain. Like all 3 of those players.

Edited May 28, 2022 by dudacek

[bunomatic]

I’m kind of hoping they take a eastern european with 13 or 14 letters in his name to make Rob Ray sound like he has a mouth full of marbles every time he tries to pronounce it. That and hopefully he’s really good at hockey.

[steveoath]

4 hours ago, bunomatic said:

I’m kind of hoping they take a eastern european with 13 or 14 letters in his name to make Rob Ray sound like he has a mouth full of marbles every time he tries to pronounce it. That and hopefully he’s really good at hockey.

"With the 28th pick the Buffalo Sabres are proud to select Ivan meeroshnyshenencko"

[LGR4GM]

On 5/28/2022 at 1:17 AM, dudacek said:

Lamoureaux doesn’t appeal to me as even a borderline 1st rounder, but Gauthier is also my preferred option at 9 if he’s there and McGroarty would be fine at 16.

It would not be unthinkable (and pretty cool) to walk away with the entire line of Lekkeramaki, Ohgren, Ostlund with our 3 1sts, although the one we snagged at 28 would be a huge bargain. Like all 3 of those players.

Lamoureaux to me is a borderline 2nd rounder. His edges need work, his gap control needs work, his offensive game is just okay, his full defensive game is underdeveloped. He's a player that needs 2 more years of juniors and then 2-3 years of the AHL and you might get a 4-6 defender out of him. In the 50-64 range, I would consider him but at 28, I think there will be easier to project options that offer more upside and higher floors. 

[steveoath]

Listened to Scouch's latest podcast. He seems very high on Lambert. (No2 on his ranking). I like what he says about him. What's the thoughts of the sabrespace hive mind? 

Would first round of

Lambert, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko

Be an achievable haul? I really hope they are in a position to go for miro with that flap pick. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, steveoath said:

Listened to Scouch's latest podcast. He seems very high on Lambert. (No2 on his ranking). I like what he says about him. What's the thoughts of the sabrespace hive mind? 

Would first round of

Lambert, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko

Be an achievable haul? I really hope they are in a position to go for miro with that flap pick. 

Achievable sure. But I don't think it's likely.

I just don't think Lambert has the team-first, self-starter, trending up makeup that Adams seems to prefer.

Mintyukov plays with Bloom on Saginaw, so I suspect they have a great feel for him. I think he is good value at 16, but I think a number of others who aren't offensive LHD will be good value there as well.

I'd be overjoyed if Miro drops to 28, but looking at the teams picking 18-25, I'd be shocked if he slips through that area. I'd be fine if the Sabres took him at 16.

But your guess is as good as mine.

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, steveoath said:

Listened to Scouch's latest podcast. He seems very high on Lambert. (No2 on his ranking). I like what he says about him. What's the thoughts of the sabrespace hive mind? 

Would first round of

Lambert, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko

Be an achievable haul? I really hope they are in a position to go for miro with that flap pick. 

Lambert is a no touchy with #9, the fact he fell so much and the supposed reasons raise red flags. At #16 however I’d be more open to it.

[Curt]

3 hours ago, steveoath said:

Listened to Scouch's latest podcast. He seems very high on Lambert. (No2 on his ranking). I like what he says about him. What's the thoughts of the sabrespace hive mind? 

Would first round of

Lambert, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko

Be an achievable haul? I really hope they are in a position to go for miro with that flap pick. 

 

I would not take Lambert so high and I doubt any other team would.  I also would not want the Sabres to take a LD in the top half of the 1st.

I think they should focus on trying to find a couple forwards with skill and grit at #9 and #16 (Savoie, Gauthier, Kemell, Ohgren, McGroarty, Kasper, Miroshnichenko).

Then at #28 and #41 look for RD (Cheasly, Luneau, Warren) and home run swings at forward (Lambert, Trikozov, Perevalov, Beck, Snuggerud, Firkus, Howard, Goyette, Gaucher, Schaefer)

Edited May 31, 2022 by Curt

[LGR4GM]

5 hours ago, steveoath said:

Listened to Scouch's latest podcast. He seems very high on Lambert. (No2 on his ranking). I like what he says about him. What's the thoughts of the sabrespace hive mind? 

Would first round of

Lambert, Mintyukov, Miroshnichenko

Be an achievable haul? I really hope they are in a position to go for miro with that flap pick. 

I'd honestly throw up. 

You got a possible character issue guy with hockey iq questions. A lhd which is literally the only position we have in abundance. Finally a kid with literal cancer who might never play at a high level again. I'd rather they focus elsewhere than taking on all that risk. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by LGR4GM

[thewookie1]

52 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I'd honestly throw up. 

You got a possible character issue guy with hockey iq questions. A lhd which is literally the only position we have in abundance. Finally a kid with literal cancer who might never play at a high level again. I'd rather they focus elsewhere than taking on all that risk. 

Let us not replace a locker room cancer with literal cancer…. Sorry I just had to.

 

I do hope he makes a full recovery regardless and can still play the game he loves after he beats it.

[DarthEbriate]

As others have said, Lambert is a no go for me at 9 or 16, or even 28. He doesn't appear to model the culture that GM Sheevyn and Darthy Meatballs are trying to establish.

If the 9 is a homerun (somebody you love falls because Detroit goes against the grain like they did with Seider), then maybe you take a riskier pick (Miroshnichenko) at 16 or 28 (if he's there). I doubt he makes it to 28 because you'll be amongst playoff teams who are good and will be good and can afford to take a mid-to-late 1st flier on him.

[Curt]

8 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

As others have said, Lambert is a no go for me at 9 or 16, or even 28. He doesn't appear to model the culture that GM Sheevyn and Darthy Meatballs are trying to establish.

If the 9 is a homerun (somebody you love falls because Detroit goes against the grain like they did with Seider), then maybe you take a riskier pick (Miroshnichenko) at 16 or 28 (if he's there). I doubt he makes it to 28 because you'll be amongst playoff teams who are good and will be good and can afford to take a mid-to-late 1st flier on him.

The character stuff is all going to depend on what they are hearing about him from sources and what his interviews are like.  That has the potential to take him off the board completely.

But if they feel ok about Lambert the person, I still wouldn’t take him at 16 for hockey reasons.  He can really skate and handle the puck, but he hasn’t been able to turn that into productive play against men and a lot of people think it’s because he doesn’t think the game at a high level.  I’m not sure how much you can improve that.

At 16 I would much rather take a chance on Miroshnichenko’s health issues, which are said to be progressing well.

Edited June 1, 2022 by Curt

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Curt said:

 

But if they feel ok about Lambert the person, I still wouldn’t take him at 16 for hockey reasons.  He can really skate and handle the puck, but he hasn’t been able to turn that into productive play against men and a lot of people think it’s because he doesn’t think the game at a high level.  I’m not sure how much you can improve that.

This. So much this.

You’ve got a physically gifted kid who may have peaked relative to his peers at 16 and has never learned how to properly play hockey with his brain and his teammates.

He screams Benoit Pouliot.