SDS Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 this is probably a loaded question with TV's monster game tonight, but man is it nice to see 3 young guys like this just stepping up like they have been... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Vanek. Pominville has a complete game, but I would say that Vanek has the bigger upside and is playing with some heart that he learned in the offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Andrew Peters. Can there be any other choice :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Hard to say of the 3, but I can definitely see each of them having a very strong season and solidifying his status as a true member of the core. I'd also have to include Roy in the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR HOLLIDAY Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 I like all three, but Vanek has the biggest offensive future........ B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 It's Vanek. He's likely the most talented player the Sabres have had in over a decade. I wasn't crazy about the choice when it was made, because I wanted Phaneuf but he's certainly made me a believer. BTW, that 2003 first round was ridiculous. Fleury. Staal. Horton. Zherdev. Vanek. Michalek. Phaneuf. Carter. Brown. Bernier. Parise. Getzlaf. Burns. Kesler. Richards. Perry. Eaves. Add Bergeron and Carle in the second and Stempniak in the third. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg17 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 After the numbers that Vanek put up at U. of Minn, Rochester, and his rookie season, it will be disappointing if he doesn't develop into a star. He sure looks headed that way. For a guy his size, the creativity he shows is incredible. Pominville could end up the most solid all-around with his ability on the PK and point work on the PP. Novotny's career numbers going back to his homeland are average at best. Looks to be a nice replacement for Greer but I don't imagine he'll draw many comparisons to Poms or TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 BTW, that 2003 first round was ridiculous. Fleury. Staal. Horton. Zherdev. Vanek. Michalek. Phaneuf. Carter. Brown. Bernier. Parise. Getzlaf. Burns. Kesler. Richards. Perry. Eaves. Add Bergeron and Carle in the second and Stempniak in the third. That is an absolutely sick draft class. I didn't remember Phaneuf and Kesler being in that lot. Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 After the numbers that Vanek put up at U. of Minn, Rochester, and his rookie season, it will be disappointing if he doesn't develop into a star. He sure looks headed that way. For a guy his size, the creativity he shows is incredible. Pominville could end up the most solid all-around with his ability on the PK and point work on the PP. Novotny's career numbers going back to his homeland are average at best. Looks to be a nice replacement for Greer but I don't imagine he'll draw many comparisons to Poms or TV. I think you're selling Novotny short. He's really talented and has the size to go with it. It's just taken him a bit longer to adapt to North America, which shouldn't be a surprise since the other two guys have pretty much been here forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg17 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 I think you're selling Novotny short. He's really talented and has the size to go with it. It's just taken him a bit longer to adapt to North America, which shouldn't be a surprise since the other two guys have pretty much been here forever. Perhaps, but it doesn't look like he brought much offense to North America in the first place. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?i...name=nhl-sabres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Perhaps, but it doesn't look like he brought much offense to North America in the first place. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?i...name=nhl-sabres Dude, he was 18 years old playing in the top league in his homeland against 30 year old pros. Names like Kotalik, Spacek, Modry, Zdlicky, Kaberly, Dvorak, Michalek, Hasek, Hemsky, Erat, Neckar, Straka, Hamrlik, Svoboda, Jagr, Havlat, Hejduk, and Elias all started there. The stats don't always tell the whole story. That's one of the Top 5 leagues on the planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 It's Vanek. He's likely the most talented player the Sabres have had in over a decade. I wasn't crazy about the choice when it was made, because I wanted Phaneuf but he's certainly made me a believer. BTW, that 2003 first round was ridiculous. Fleury. Staal. Horton. Zherdev. Vanek. Michalek. Phaneuf. Carter. Brown. Bernier. Parise. Getzlaf. Burns. Kesler. Richards. Perry. Eaves. Add Bergeron and Carle in the second and Stempniak in the third. Carle was an absolute steal wasn't he? The dude is a friggin stud. I agree with you on Vanek. Phaneuf is an awesome player, but Vanek is starting to come around. Damn was he all over the ice tonight or what? Pominville is one of those players who is "exciting" when he gets the puck, but he's not as complete of a player as Vanek is. Part of Pommy's excitement I think comes from not always doing exactly the right thing, :lol: Vanek is turning into a fast, yet big forward who can establish a forecheck and score goals, which is EXACTLY the type of forward Buffalo needs on each line. Tonight I agree with Rob Ray, the Sabres were at their best when they used speedy, yet powerful guys to establish play in the opposite end of the zone. This is something that Vanek can give you, while Pominville cannot. Honestly, if they were playing on the same line they're a good compliment for each other, kind of like how Roy and Afinogenov compliment Vanek so nicely. Vanek's the "big" guy (yet still fast) who is sir powerful (not related to sir charge) and can really control the flow of the game. Afinogenov is the speedy bastard who can skate circles around people, and Roy is a small demon who can disrupt plays, skate really hard, and yet has a good shot at the same time. Perfect playmaking center for this team IMO. Dude, he was 18 years old playing in the top league in his homeland against 30 year old pros. Names like Kotalik, Spacek, Modry, Zdlicky, Kaberly, Dvorak, Michalek, Hasek, Hemsky, Erat, Neckar, Straka, Hamrlik, Svoboda, Jagr, Havlat, Hejduk, and Elias all started there. The stats don't always tell the whole story. That's one of the Top 5 leagues on the planet. Novotny made some huge plays tonight. I'm having a hard time remembering which play exactly I'm thinking about, but I remember a play where Novotny dropped back on defense and broke up a Carolina rush in front of Miller. Talk about huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 That is an absolutely sick draft class. I didn't remember Phaneuf and Kesler being in that lot. Amazing. There were some prognosticators that thought the Sabres would take Phaneuf instead of Vanek. Considering it was the 1st real chance to try to grab a stud scorer post Criminals, I didn't see any way the Sabres wouldn't grab Vanek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 All of three of them. I knew Vanek had it in him, so no surprise there. One part of his game that hasn't been mentioned (but came up big tonight) is his ability to draw penalties. I think he drew both the late ones tonight. However, he'll still get chewed on a bit; wasn't he covering the guy who scored the 3-on-5 shorthanded goal and stopped skating? I think it was either him or Pommy. Whoever it was, I'm sure they'll get a gentle reminder not to give up on the back check. Novotny has really surprised me this year though; he is just an all-around stud. If he doesn't score too many goals, that's fine, but he is a complete two-way player (reminds me a bit of Kris Draper of the Red Wings, though it's too early to tell). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topshelfcookies Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 I agree with most everyone else that Vanek has the biggest growth potential. He could become a guy like a Forsberg, who can control shifts and completely change the priorities of a defense. I just wrote this in a different thread, but the more I watch Novotny the more I like him. He might not have "superstar" potential, like Vanek has, but I think he could develop into that critical 2nd line, two way center that every really successful team has to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Andrew Peters. Can there be any other choice :P i know you jest, but there is a lot of truth to that statement... peters has played a lot better than he had in the past. he had a couple good shifts last night, and like rob ray, his 1 or 2 goals per season will come. now, for the skill guys... vanek has been a monster... pominville has stepped up big time as a complete player... novotny has shown that he can be a #3 center... right now, the edge goes to vanek. he's playing tougher, he's making the great passes, he's getting goals and assists. He's definitely a budding all star. You have to mention pominville in there too though. he's playing a COMPLETE game. Also, by the end of the season, the award for brightest rising star might go to novotny or pominville... its just so tough to say with this complete team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottnc Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 I have to say I've been really impressed with Vanek so far. I remember many times last season where it seemed like he was floating around the ice at times waiting for the play to come to him. This year I've noticed him skating harder, backchecking, forechecking, doing it all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Pominville is most impressive so far, but Vanek is definately playing better this season. I'm not a huge Novotny fan, I think he gets too much ice time and responsibility for a rookie. But on the other hand, he hasn't made many mistakes, so I guess it's not such a bad thing... I would just rather see Paille. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Andrew Peters. Can there be any other choice :P He was a monster last night! Couldn't believe how much he played, and he plyed well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 He was a monster last night! Couldn't believe how much he played, and he plyed well! 4:10? It was like there were two of him :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 4:10? It was like there were two of him :lol: Well, in the first period, anyway. He was on the pine the rest of the game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topshelfcookies Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 I'm not a huge Novotny fan, I think he gets too much ice time and responsibility for a rookie. But on the other hand, he hasn't made many mistakes, so I guess it's not such a bad thing... I would just rather see Paille. Why exactly would you rather see Paille? I don't really know too much of what Danny brings to the table, but the way that Novotny's been playing it seems hard to imagine that Paille could contribute in all the ways that Lindy's leaning on Novotny. The amount of ice time he's getting isn't neccessarily too surprising. Novotny got extensive playing time, in all sorts of situations (late in the game, PK, etc) throughout the playoffs, once Vanek started sitting. I've been trying to think of who Novotny might be able to develop into, and I'm thinking maybe Mike Fisher of Ottawa? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Yeah, I have some thoughts... in fact, I posted them already in this thread: Novotny has really surprised me this year though... (reminds me a bit of Kris Draper of the Red Wings, though it's too early to tell). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffalOhio Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 All of three of them. I knew Vanek had it in him, so no surprise there. One part of his game that hasn't been mentioned (but came up big tonight) is his ability to draw penalties. I think he drew both the late ones tonight. However, he'll still get chewed on a bit; wasn't he covering the guy who scored the 3-on-5 shorthanded goal and stopped skating? I think it was either him or Pommy. Whoever it was, I'm sure they'll get a gentle reminder not to give up on the back check. Novotny has really surprised me this year though; he is just an all-around stud. If he doesn't score too many goals, that's fine, but he is a complete two-way player (reminds me a bit of Kris Draper of the Red Wings, though it's too early to tell). It was Pominville who gave up on the back check. Good lesson to learn for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Marek Zagrapan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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