The Sabres should be drafting a Goalie

[The Jokeman]

As Levi shows you can find goalies late in the draft and to me it's a position you draft every year because you never know what you could unearth. Toss in if you have too many you can usually trade one away for more than you invested in them to begin with. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by The Jokeman

[kas23]

10 hours ago, ddaryl said:

https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts/player/kenneth-trey-augustine-39822

thought you might find this interesting

 

He’s committed to University of Michigan. I don’t think my heart can take it. 

[Bfrank11]

30 minutes ago, kas23 said:

He’s committed to University of Michigan. I don’t think my heart can take it. 

I believe his committed to MSU so no bad vibes

[Taro T]

On 5/12/2023 at 9:14 AM, dudacek said:

So kind of like last year, when we had 4 goalie prospects (UPL, Portillo, Levi and Leinonen) and we watched Levi rise to the top?

Taro cited the Sharks as a team with a history of having excess goalies, so I looked them up. They’ve drafted 16 since the year 2000. 

Just 2 of them have played more than 15 NHL games. Twelve have played no NHL games at all. None of them played a significant role for the Sharks.

The thing with goalies is you want “the guy” you want a backup and you want a “potential guy” in the system.

The key though is finding the guy. If you don’t have him you need to be spending a lot of time and resources chasing him, like the Sabres have in recent years with Lehner, Ullmark, Johansson, Luukkonnen, Portillo, Levi and Leinonen.

Once you get the guy though, the pressure is off because the push for other 2 to be more than they are is more of a want than need.

Was referring to their efforts from the '90's when they were drafting 1 or 2 every year which after they developed allowed them to ride Nabakov and trade away guys like Kiprusoff & Toskala for what this kid had remembered as big hauls.  (Though looking back on the Kiprusoff trade, he didn't net the "big haul" but rather just a 2nd rounder.  Not bad converting a 5th round pick into a 2nd rounder a few years later, but had thought he netted a bigger return.  Ooops.)

Thanks for looking into it.  🍻

[Taro T]

And remember, Lombardi left San Jose after '03 and then went to the Kings.  They had some pretty good goalies selected there after that as well.

[Rasmus_]

Our defense and goal tending side of things definitely needs some more youth injected into it for long term stability.  At this point I'm expecting Johnson to leave and get the extra pick out of it. 

[ddaryl]

On 5/12/2023 at 6:27 PM, kas23 said:

He’s committed to University of Michigan. I don’t think my heart can take it. 

Actually he is committed to Michigan State. That link has it wrong

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/2023wjc-treyaugustine
 

 

[Cheektorado]

Drafting one of the top prospects this year with all the picks they have seem to be a wise move.

Taking one next year lower in the draft will probably need to be done to fill out the pipeline for the moment.  Evaluate the following draft if another one is needed.

I don't have a clue about the quality of the kids at draft time, but just looking at the current prospects I'm guessing they need a forward, 2-Ds and a G with the first 4 picks.  That is if no trades are done.  Is that "reasonable" sounding?  I know a lot depends on who's on the board when they pick, but that would seem to me to be the best result.

[JohninMinn.]

This whole thread speaks to the Goalie abuse fans have suffered since Miller.

[Marvin]

On 5/15/2023 at 8:59 AM, ddaryl said:

Actually he is committed to Michigan State. That link has it wrong

https://teamusa.usahockey.com/2023wjc-treyaugustine
 

 

Moo!  (I'm an MSU alum.)

We should draft a G in the late rounds virtually every year.

[LGR4GM]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:45 PM, Cheektorado said:

Drafting one of the top prospects this year with all the picks they have seem to be a wise move.

Taking one next year lower in the draft will probably need to be done to fill out the pipeline for the moment.  Evaluate the following draft if another one is needed.

I don't have a clue about the quality of the kids at draft time, but just looking at the current prospects I'm guessing they need a forward, 2-Ds and a G with the first 4 picks.  That is if no trades are done.  Is that "reasonable" sounding?  I know a lot depends on who's on the board when they pick, but that would seem to me to be the best result.

I would disagree. They need to add some defensive prospects sure but it does not have to be early. It can be but you make it sound as though they must and I don't think you should draft like that. Let's say that Ethan Gauthier slides and is there for you at 39 but you took Quintin Musty at 13th, the best defender on the board is ... idk Cam Allen, if I were Buffalo, I take Gauthier and worry about the rest later on. Defenders tend to slide and they tend to be found later in drafts compared to scoring forwards. Draft your board and unless two players are roughly equal, take the one that is most likely to be the best NHL player. 

[Cheektorado]

On 5/23/2023 at 11:33 AM, LGR4GM said:

I would disagree. They need to add some defensive prospects sure but it does not have to be early. It can be but you make it sound as though they must and I don't think you should draft like that. Let's say that Ethan Gauthier slides and is there for you at 39 but you took Quintin Musty at 13th, the best defender on the board is ... idk Cam Allen, if I were Buffalo, I take Gauthier and worry about the rest later on. Defenders tend to slide and they tend to be found later in drafts compared to scoring forwards. Draft your board and unless two players are roughly equal, take the one that is most likely to be the best NHL player. 

I will agree and add I am not suggesting they reach for D-men.  All things being equal, it's what I would like to see.