2025 Prospects Challenge at Harborcenter 9/11-15

[Taro T]

Game effectively over.  BJs with their 7th.

[pastajoe]

I know they’re just prospects but these games are depressing me as I see the Sabres uniforms and more losing. 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

I know they’re just prospects but these games are depressing me as I see the Sabres uniforms and more losing. 

Oh darn, they scored.

[Mr Peabody]

Is Rosen our new enforcer? 

[Brawndo]

14 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I'd give him another year in junior and then ahl or find an ncaa team. Then 2 years there. Mrtka as others have noted is going for his class with a June bday. He honestly might be better than Owen Power in the end. 

Sabres need to prioritize forward for a couple of drafts. Their forward prospect list is not great and it keeps getting weaker.

Agreed, send him back to the WHL this year.  Then two years in Rochester. 
 

I do not believe the NCAA is an option for him anymore, as he signed his ELC. 

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, pastajoe said:

I know they’re just prospects but these games are depressing me as I see the Sabres uniforms and more losing. 

We've barely used high picks on forwards the last 2 years.

[That Aud Smell]

45 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We've barely used high picks on forwards the last 2 years.

bpa?

then you can move excess excellent d prospects for a forward?

[LGR4GM]

15 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

bpa?

then you can move excess excellent d prospects for a forward?

BPA is a myth, truthfully. And the Sabres certainly are not getting the best players available. Other teams routinely out-draft them and have far better success because of it. That's neither here nor there. In the first 4 rounds of the last 3 drafts, Buffalo has selected: 

7 defenders

6 forwards

1 goalie

In the top 2 rounds the last 3 drafts Buffalo has selected:

3 D

and 3 F

Some might look at that and say "well that seems balanced" and sure except there are 12 forward spots and only 6 Defense spots. On top of that you are talking about a team that has Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. So there are only 4 defense spots. The Sabres have and continue to overdraft Defense including 5 RHD in the last 3 drafts in the first 3 rounds. 

[LGR4GM]

My point isn't some harsh criticism of the Sabres drafting, it is a note that Buffalo needs to make sure they are scouting forwards better because they don't have enough in the pipeline. Personally I would bet money that after the 2022 draft and 2023 where they took 4 forwards with 1st round picks, Adams and the braintrust down there were like "oh we need RHD! We better draft some" and have let that bias pervade their process. They probably haven't even realized it yet. Keep in mind this is not a criticism of drafting Mrtka this past year, he's a good pick with a lot of potential.