Sabres Prospect Pool ranked #1 by Yahoo Sports Canada...says rest of NHL should be terrified

[matter2003]

Says to have so many young highly skilled players already in the NHL and still have the number 1 ranked prospect pool should be terrifying for the rest of the NHL.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/ranking-nhl-best-and-worst-prospect-pools-sabres-red-wings-canadiens-blackhawks-devils-120025136.html

 

Here's how the top half of our NHL prospect pool rankings shake out.

[Randall Flagg]

What year is it

[GASabresIUFAN]

14 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

What year is it

This one.

I like Ian Kennedy.  I utilize his prospect rankings during the draft as one of the boards I look at to make the consensus list. 

I can understand Kennedy's rating.  We have 4 very high-end forward prospects.  An all-world goaltending prospect. Other forwards and D who are easy to project into the NHL and a good group of "others" who have shown NHL depth or better potential like Kovak and Nadeau.

The only thing holding back our pipeline to any extent is the lack of clear high-end D prospects.  Admittedly with Power and Dahlin, it's not really a necessity.  I also really like Novikov.  He showed a much better toolkit than we had given him credit for.  If he continues to develop he could someday force his way into the top 4.  

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[inkman]

Maybe this will be the year it pays off 🙃

[French Collection]

This team has had some good prospects over the last few years but a weak team at the NHL level.

Now the team is ready to take the next step with a strong prospect pool to provide depth, push the players to new heights or to be moved for assets that are required.

I know I am wearing rose coloured glasses but I feel this team can be a force for 8-10 years.

[Curt]

The Blackhawks being 6th on this list is kind of a joke.  They have some decent prospects, but just having Bedard as part of their group should probably make them #1 or at least very close to it.

[French Collection]

14 minutes ago, Curt said:

The Blackhawks being 6th on this list is kind of a joke.  They have some decent prospects, but just having Bedard as part of their group should probably make them #1 or at least very close to it.

Kind of like the game, one guy does not make a team, or a pool. I don’t know much about Chicago’s pool but Buffalo’s has some high end guys across multiple positions.

[PASabreFan]

Lol

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Says to have so many young highly skilled players already in the NHL and still have the number 1 ranked prospect pool should be terrifying for the rest of the NHL.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/ranking-nhl-best-and-worst-prospect-pools-sabres-red-wings-canadiens-blackhawks-devils-120025136.html

 

Here's how the top half of our NHL prospect pool rankings shake out.

I think Novikov is the most underrated player in Buffalo's prospect pool currently. Kid is going to have a field day in the AHL after he gets up to speed. 

[Randall Flagg]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This one.

I like Ian Kennedy.  I utilize his prospect rankings during the draft as one of the boards I look at to make the consensus list. 

I can understand Kennedy's rating.  We have 4 very high-end forward prospects.  An all-world goaltending prospect. Other forwards and D who are easy to project into the NHL and a good group of "others" who have shown NHL depth or better potential like Kovak and Nadeau.

The only thing holding back our pipeline to any extent is the lack of clear high-end D prospects.  Admittedly with Power and Dahlin, it's not really a necessity.  I also really like Novikov.  He showed a much better toolkit than we had given him credit for.  If he continues to develop he could someday force his way into the top 4.  

 

Damn. The league better be terrified!!

[Night Train]

Terrified ! 

 

[French Collection]

59 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Novikov is the most underrated player in Buffalo's prospect pool currently. Kid is going to have a field day in the AHL after he gets up to speed. 

A smarter, more mobile Zadorov would be nice to have.

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This one.

I like Ian Kennedy.  I utilize his prospect rankings during the draft as one of the boards I look at to make the consensus list. 

I can understand Kennedy's rating.  We have 4 very high-end forward prospects.  An all-world goaltending prospect. Other forwards and D who are easy to project into the NHL and a good group of "others" who have shown NHL depth or better potential like Kovak and Nadeau.

The only thing holding back our pipeline to any extent is the lack of clear high-end D prospects.  Admittedly with Power and Dahlin, it's not really a necessity.  I also really like Novikov.  He showed a much better toolkit than we had given him credit for.  If he continues to develop he could someday force his way into the top 4.  

 

What caliber of pairing player do you project Ryan Johnson at? I thought he would at best be a third pairing player when more developed. Others felt that he could rise to the second-pairing. Where do you believe his ceiling is as a blueliner?

[inkman]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Novikov is the most underrated player in Buffalo's prospect pool currently. Kid is going to have a field day in the AHL after he gets up to speed. 

I may just have to take in a few more Merks games this year 

[GASabresIUFAN]

59 minutes ago, JohnC said:

What caliber of pairing player do you project Ryan Johnson at? I thought he would at best be a third pairing player when more developed. Others felt that he could rise to the second-pairing. Where do you believe his ceiling is as a blueliner?

His skating and defensive skill set make him easy to project into the NHL.  I project him as a good 3rd pairing guy on the Sabres, but a possible 2nd pair guy on another team.  Hard to beat out Power and Dahlin for an LHD slot.

Edited July 11, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Mango]

A lot of the time you see a team on the rise drop in prospect rating because...well...players become players rather than prospects. 

I put the Sabres at 105-110 points this year. That is my pass fail line. If they hit that and have the number one prospect pool to go with it.....Look out NHL!

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

What caliber of pairing player do you project Ryan Johnson at? I thought he would at best be a third pairing player when more developed. Others felt that he could rise to the second-pairing. Where do you believe his ceiling is as a blueliner?

Expecting he's a 3rd pairing guy based on talent alone.  But if this LHD can find some chemistry with either LHD Dahlin or LHD Power; well that's what pairing he'll be for the Sabres. 

Kind of like how Warrener and Lydman successfully got pulled up a level because of chemistry with their partners or how ClearsItNotOut got pulled up 2 levels because he could speak his partner's native tongue and his goalie got bored if he didn't get to see enough action.  (Pretty sure he washed the goalie's car after practice and ran other errands too, but either way the greatest goalie of all time liked having him on the ice for reasons only beknownst to him so ClearsItNotOut got to play quite a bit.)

[Randall Flagg]

33 minutes ago, Mango said:

A lot of the time you see a team on the rise drop in prospect rating because...well...players become players rather than prospects. 

I put the Sabres at 105-110 points this year. That is my pass fail line. If they hit that and have the number one prospect pool to go with it.....Look out NHL!

The Sabres could build a 105-110 point team if they want to. But I see mid-90s right now assuming the injury bug doesn't hit harder than average

[JohnC]

37 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

His skating and defensive skill set make him easy to project into the NHL.  I project him as a good 3rd pairing guy on the Sabres, but a possible 2nd pair guy on another team.  Hard to beat out Power and Dahlin for an LHD slot.

As time goes by the ROR trade looks better and better. We got Tage and a probable future defenseman. In the aftermath of the deal ROR and the Blues got their Cup. As with the Eichel deal it worked out for all the parties involved. It won't be surprising that of all the deals that KA made during the trading of the old Eichel core that the most consequential deal might turn out to be the acquisition of Levi in the Reinhart deal. Very often it takes time to get a better perspective on the impact of any particular deal. Sometimes the immediate, short-term assessment of a deal becomes much more positive as time goes by. 

[JohnC]

24 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Expecting he's a 3rd pairing guy based on talent alone.  But if this LHD can find some chemistry with either LHD Dahlin or LHD Power; well that's what pairing he'll be for the Sabres. 

Kind of like how Warrener and Lydman successfully got pulled up a level because of chemistry with their partners or how ClearsItNotOut got pulled up 2 levels because he could speak his partner's native tongue and his goalie got bored if he didn't get to see enough action.  (Pretty sure he washed the goalie's car after practice and ran other errands too, but either way the greatest goalie of all time liked having him on the ice for reasons only beknownst to him so ClearsItNotOut got to play quite a bit.)

I'm not suggesting that our blueline staffing is at a premier level. But compared to last year this unit is much more presentable. And if Ryan Johnson is able to move up after a stint in Rochester it will look even better. A far cry from last year!

[RochesterExpat]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

His skating and defensive skill set make him easy to project into the NHL.  I project him as a good 3rd pairing guy on the Sabres, but a possible 2nd pair guy on another team.  Hard to beat out Power and Dahlin for an LHD slot.

I'm not the biggest fan of Ryan Johnson, but I will add one other underrated skill he has: a pro mindset. If you look at any of the interviews with any of his coaches or the development staff, they all stress just how serious he takes the game. More often than not, coaches are saying he takes it too seriously.

That's one thing that can't be easily taught or improved on through practice.

[Flashsabre]

People get so caught up with 2nd pair-3rd pair.

I look at it this way: whoever played with Ray Bourque was a first pair guy. Whoever played with Denis Potvin was a first pair guy. 

Guys like Dahlin and Power will be so good that whoever plays with them will be first or second pair guys. Johnson can easily be a second pair guy with Power. Same with Clifton.

[Curt]

19 hours ago, French Collection said:

Kind of like the game, one guy does not make a team, or a pool. I don’t know much about Chicago’s pool but Buffalo’s has some high end guys across multiple positions.

One Connor Bedard is worth more than 4-5 Kulich/Savoie/R Johnson/Rosen’s.

Would you trade 4-5 middle 6 forwards or bottom 4 defensemen for Connor McDavid?

Yes, roster depth is important, but there are several ways to find/acquire/build roster depth.  There is really no way to acquire an elite player.  They are worth more because they are nearly impossible to get.

[JohnC]

18 minutes ago, Curt said:

One Connor Bedard is worth more than 4-5 Kulich/Savoie/R Johnson/Rosen’s.

Would you trade 4-5 middle 6 forwards or bottom 4 defensemen for Connor McDavid?

Yes, roster depth is important, but there are several ways to find/acquire/build roster depth.  There is really no way to acquire an elite player.  They are worth more because they are nearly impossible to get.

Vegas got Eichel in a trade. I consider him to be an elite player. In my view, the return on Eichel was more than fair. What it did for the Sabres is add two players, one of which (Tuch) turned out to be a high-end player. The dealing of Eichel also internally reconfigured the roster in that it elevated Tage's role, and with the addition of Tuch contributed to building a quality first line. I'm not fully disputing your premise about the difficulty in acquiring an elite player. But in the Buffalo/Vegas trade there was a multiplier effect for Buffalo that balanced out the trade of our star player. 

[FrenchConnection44]

Nice article. I am pretty excited about the prospects and the potential of this team. The NHL lineup has some weaknesses on lines 3-4 but the future is really bright. If we can get Dahlin under contract before the season and get a deal with Power by next year this team should be on fire the next 3-4 seasons.