Published by hockeybuzz.com 6-24-2017
The results are in and the Buffalo Sabres left the 2017 NHL draft with six prospects--two centers, two defensemen, one goalie and one left winger--using one first-rounder (No. 8-overall,) two seconds (37, 54) a third (89,) fourth (99) and seventh rounder (192) to make their selections. The huge gap between the fourth and fifth rounds were due to Buffalo trading a fifth to St. Louis for goalie Anders Nilsson and a sixth to Las Vegas to protect goalie Linus Ullmark in the expansion draft.
The extra second round pick (54) came courtesy of the Minnesota Wild in the Chris Stewart trade and the Sabres also acquired a third round pick (89) which they got from Washington in the Mike Weber trade. Buffalo traded their own third round pick (68) to Montreal for Nathan Beaulieu which was new GM Jason Botterill's first trade as Sabres GM.
Buffalo came into the draft with serious organizational needs on defense and in goal, but in true best player available fashion, the Sabres selected two centers with their first two picks then selected Central Scouting's top-rated European goalie with their extra second rounder. They plucked two smallish defenseman after that--one from Finland and one in college- and finished off the draft by taking a left winger.
This was a draft with world-wide vision for Botterill and the Sabres as Buffalo selected one American, one Canadian, two Finns and two Swedes.
Although the torches and pitchforks remained at bay in the first round, some Sabres fans worked themselves into a tizzy over on social media with the Sabres passing on defenseman Timothy Liljegren at No.8. Having Toronto select him at No. 17 added fuel to the fire as he'll become the most scrutinized first round d-man passed on since they bypassed Mikhail Sergachev who was selected one spot after Buffalo last year.
And to further fan's panic attack, Buffalo's first round pick will be headed to college with the specter of losing him ala Jimmy Vesey and Cal Petersen to free agency, which hovers like a dark cloud over their fandom.
Not to be finished with a 'woe is me/what the hell are they doing?' type approach to the draft, some were wondering why the Sabres passed on drafting a low-ranked defenseman to draft the top-rated Euro goaltending prospect as Buffalo took the first goalie off the board on Day-2 of the draft.
This was an unremarkable draft in many respects as it lacked star power with long, deep tiers offering similar talent amongst various positions. The top two picks were centers and after the top-two d-men were taken next, nine forwards in a row were taken off the board before a run on defenseman started with pick 14 and finished five picks later.
I'd hazard to guess that if former GM Tim Murray were still employed by the Sabres, the torches and pitchforks would have come out in full force over this draft even though through Buffalo's picks through the first two rounds were well-grounded to say the least.
With that said, here's what the Sabres 2017 draft class.
8--C, Casey Mittelstadt
Having a player widely considered to be a top-five draft prospect drop to the Sabres at No. 8 in the NHL Entry Draft was a pleasant surprise for first-time GM Botterill, no matter how much he tried to down play it. "Isn't that the cliche'?" Botterill deadpanned as he spoke to the media after Round-1 of the draft. "You've got to say, 'Oh, I can't believe that he was there!'"
The player they were referring to is center Casey Mittelstadt and it was a poignant response that drew laughter from the gathered press. Not very many, if any, expected the Eden Prairie High School Graduate and Minnesota's 2017 Mr. Hockey to be there when the Sabres were on the clock. Central Scouting had him as the third-best North American skater and Kris Baker of sabresprospects/Sabres.com ranked him No. 3. McKeen's hockey ranked him fifth-best while International Scouting Services had him at seventh.
When Mittelstadt fell, however, he put Botterill in a bit of a tough spot although it seemed as if there was a team consensus on the pick.
The Sabres selected center Jack Eichel second-overall in 2015 and traded for Ryan O'Reilly at that draft then signed him to a long-term deal. Those two will be the Sabres one-two punch down the middle for years to come. They also drafted center Sam Reinhart second overall in 2014 but he's been moved to wing, and they drafted two centers last year--Rasmus Asplund and Cliff Pu--in the second and third rounds, respectively. If there's anything they didn't need at No. 8, it was another center.
Yet, Mittelstadt ended up in a group that Botterill said was "surprisingly [made up of] forwards," one that they were very comfortable with, which included "a couple [that] went before us and a couple [that] went after." There was no mention of defense, most notably Liljegren who took a precipitous year-over-year drop in the rankings and was available in that spot. Knowing that the Sabres are thin on defense and in goal in the system, Botterill was asked if that would be a particular focus in the second round where Buffalo has two picks (Nos. 37 and 54.) "As I've talked about before," began the first-time GM, "if there's a fit, then we are going to make that selection for a defenseman or a goaltender, but we're not going to force it."
"I don't like saying this word when talking about hockey players, but you're trying to get the best athlete. If there's another good centerman tomorrow in our early picks we're probably going to select him. If it's close then we'll probably lean towards a defenseman" (they ended up taking a center with their first pick in the second round.)
Perhaps Botterill didn't want to use the word "athlete" because Mittlestadt didn't have the greatest of NHL Combines last month in Buffalo. He admitted to being a pudgy kid in an interview after the combine while also saying has a bit of a pudge still with him. Mittelstadt has 199 lbs. on his 6'1" frame and sculpted he is not. Like 2014 fourth-overall pick Sam Bennett, couldn't do a single pull-up at the combine and he could only do one rep at 160 lbs. on the bench press. However the kid showed a little moxie saying later, "I don't work on my bench press or my pull ups."
Mittelstadt will have plenty of time to work on that at Minnesota when he joins Don Lucia and the Golden Gophers next year, but he wasn't a top-10 pick in the draft for his workouts. He was ranked high because of his speed and skill-level.
Mike Morreale of NHL.com said "has elite skills and assets to consistently impact and produce results at any level" of Mittelstadt while International Scouting Services tweeted he "plays in traffic, can read and react well. Will beat opponents with speed and smarts."
Kris Baker of sabresprospects.com, in his Sabres.com draft preview, said Mittelstadt "has cemented his top-six forward projection at the NHL level with his vision and sense, he has also made a mark as a fierce competitor with his ability to pressure the puck, battle along the walls, and simply do what it takes to be a difference maker in all three zones for the full 60 minutes." And USA Today's Kevin Allen, who had Mittelstadt mocked at No. 6 to Vegas, wrote in his Day-1 recap, "He’s got an explosive stride with an effortless shot release. We love his competitive fire."
There's a lot to like about this kid and you can see some of it in the following video from YouTube's, The Draft Analyst.
Mittelstadt has some work to do with his frame changing his "pudge" to muscle and could top out in the 210-215 lb. range while still maintaining his speed. He's got a lethal shot too and a sweet set of hands that might remind some of Thomas Vanek, who was also selected by the Sabres and attended the University of Minnesota.
37--C, Marcus Davidsson
True to his word, Botterill once again went with best player available after the top two defensemen on Day-2 went off the board and drafted Swedish centerman Marcus Davidsson.
The 6'0" 191 lb. Davidsson spent last season with Djurgardens Swedish Hockey League scoring five goals and adding nine assists in 45 games for the top club while also six goals in nine games for their junior club.
Baker had him rated as the 31st overall prospect in the draft and wrote the 18 yr. old "is a gritty two-way worker who has the look of an opportunistic middle-line pivot. When on his game, Davidsson brings loads of speed and energy while causing chaos in front of the opposing goal." Which kind of reminds me of a faster version of Johan Larsson. Baker also noted that Davidsson played left wing last year.
G, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (54)
Other than the fact that Finn's name would make for a nice scrabble score, Luukkonen is a big goalie whose 6'4" 198 lb. frame takes up space and there's still room for growth. Not only does he have the size teams are looking for these days, Luukkonen is agile enough to cover the bottom half of the net well and has quick hands to cover the top corners.
From Goran Stubbs, NHL Director of European Scouting, "“Luukkonen was a key performer for Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Under-18 Championships. He plays an effective butterfly style and does an excellent job of controlling rebounds.”
Luukkonen is under contract in Finland for the next two seasons.
89--D, Oskari Laaksonen
Sabres fans finally get their d-man in the fourth round, but nobody knows much about the native of Espoo, Finland. In fact his eliteprospects page had him listed at 130 lbs. and no one may ever have noticed had he not been drafted. They eventually changed it to 165 with the final NHL.com numbers having him listed at 6'1" 165 lbs.
Even with that listing, his NHL page has nothing on him save for stats which covers a year in U-18 and one in junior.
Sabres director of European Scouting Anders Forsberg must have gotten a good word from his scouts that Laaksonen is worth a fourth rounder pick on. One tidbit I did manage to unearth came from a Finnish Junior hockey tweet: "Sabres pick Oskari Laaksonen 89th overall. Played for Ilves U18/U20. Gifted puck mover with great vision, good long-term upside.
Laaksonen the 'mystery pick' will be fun to follow just to see where he ends up.
99--D, Jacob Bryson
Botterill continued on defense with the 99th pick in the draft taking Providence Friars defenseman Jacob Bryson (no relation to Peabo.)
The 19 yr. old Bryson came to Providence after a year with Omaha of the USHL. While with the Lancers, the London, Ontario native had 31 points (3+28) in 56 games but was a minus-8 while in his freshman season with the Friars Bryson finished with 20 points (3+17) in 39 games and an even plus/minus.
In a College Hockey News interview from 2014 after making a commitment to Providence, Bryson described himself as one who "strives to be a fast, smart, offensive defenseman."
"I love setting up plays," he continued, "especially on the power play. I’m undersized so it’s critical I continue to work hard at getting bigger and stronger while utilizing my strengths. I’m inspired by players like Ryan Ellis and Torey Krug who despite their smaller stature have proven they can compete and be very successful at the next level."
Bryson would've caught the ear of new Sabres head coach Phil Housley with the mention of Ellis. Housley coached Ellis when he was in charge of the Western Conference Champion Nashville Predators.
Bryson is listed as 5'9" 179 lbs.
192--LW, Linus Weissbach
It was a long wait for Buffalo to make their final selection as they last selected at No. 99, but when it finally did come to them they once again went with a Swede in selecting left winger, Linus Weissbach.
The 5'9" 161 lb. left-handed shot played for the USHL's Tri City Storm last year and is committed to the University of Wisconsin. Weissbach lead the Storm in scoring last season with 47 points (19+28) in 49 games.
A Wisconsin newspaper called the new Badger "a highly sought recruit known for his speed and scoring ability." Todd D. Milewski, who penned the article for the Wisconsin State Journal, quoted Tri City coach Bill Muckalt as saying Weissbach's "an explosive skater that every school in the country would have an interest in."
Muckalt went on to say that even at Weissbach's size, he adapted very well to the more physical North American game after coming over from Sweden. "He's got a really good base and strength in his legs," said the coach in the Milewski piece. "I think as the strength and conditioning (increases) and as he matures, that'll continue to go in the right direction for him."
Weissbach is from Gothenburg, Sweden, same hometown as Buffalo goalie Robin Lehner.
Showing posts with label 2017 NHL Draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 NHL Draft. Show all posts
Monday, June 26, 2017
Saturday, June 24, 2017
2017 NHL Mock Draft
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-23-2017
Jeff Crisp, Buffalo's top amateur scout who was thrust into running the draft (along with Kevin Devine) when the Sabres did some house cleaning in April, called the 2017 NHL Entry Draft as "normal." Crisp went on to say that, although the draft is lacking in "star power" at the top, "it's deep and there will be some pretty good players that come out of it in the end."
Perhaps we've been a bit spoiled watching the draft over the past couple of years. Sabres fans were directly involved in the 2015 "McEichel" Draft with the generational/franchise talents of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel right there at the top and last year the one-two punch of Auston Matthews and Patrick Laine ended up wowing in their 2016-17 rookie seasons. So a bit of normalcy might have been expected.
Regardless of the lack of star power, through it's worldwide appeal and top-notch international leagues, the NHL has been able to constantly bring in upper-eschelon talent year-in/year-out through the draft. Although no one can say with certainty that the triple-draft downers of 1999, 2000 and 2001 will never appear again, there's bound to be a clunker here and there but probably never reaching the depths of that '99 draft class (one which made Brian Burke a star) where we had the Sedin twins, a couple of All-Stars in Nick Boynton and Martin Havlat, but nothing else to speak of.
As we barrel towards tonight, I like what Kris Baker said this morning on WGR about the big club not dictating who the scouts should draft. It's not the NFL where the player drafted is expected to at least have a shot to make the team that same year. NHL teams draft 18 yr. olds and in the more or less, two to three years it takes them to develop, a lot can change. That's why were hear the "best player available" mantra at the end of nearly every first round pick below the top tier.
And I'm always leery of a "perfect fit." The 2009 Sabres pick of rugged Zack Kassian, who was selected as the perfect pick to balance the soft but skilled roster then skating for Buffalo. Kassian was great in Edmonton last season, showing off the exact traits the Sabres drafted him for at No. 13. Only eight years later.
The NHL Draft is a crapshoot. It's been said time and time again and this year it'll probably be truer than any time since 2011. There will be some good players picked, there will be some surprises and many will disappoint as well. All a scouting department can do is take their research, watch the board and make their selection.
Which is where I'm at now.
New Jersey Devils--C, Nolan Patrick. The 2006 NHL Draft might still in the head of Devils GM Ray Shero. Sure his new team, the New Jersey Devils, made an envious jump from fifth to first-overall via the lottery but with it comes pressure. And he knows it, telling NJ.com, "Wasn't Michael Jordan drafted No. 3?" Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top-two players in the draft and No. 3, but perhaps he's got his eye on a player whom he thinks might be the Jordan of the draft--defenseman Cale Makar. Dallas has been rumored to want out of the No. 3 overall pick but they're looking to trade down, not up, and there probably isn't a team out there that has the assets to move up to 3rd then take another jump to the first overall. Which may leave Shero in a 1998 NFL-type Ryan Leaf/Peyton Manning draft instead. When Shero was in Pittsburgh the Pens selected Jordan Staal second overall. The third overall pick was Jonathan Toews.
Philadelphia Flyers--C, Nico Hischier. The ghost of Ed Snyder waited a year before invoking his powers from beyond the grave to help catapult Philadelphia from the 13th slot to second-overall. Perhaps Snyder had seen enough after watching his beloved Flyers become the only team in NHL history to go on a 10-game winning streak and eventually miss the playoffs. However, he's got to be snickering while watching a division rival squirm knowing full well that his beloved Flyers will get a preeminent player in Hischier. For some reason I get the feeling Philly fans are riding the airy sway of I'll Be In Your Mirror, by the Velvet Underground and Nico. Snyder might hate on that album, but here's a banana for ya, Ed. It's a small price to pay for this much fun.
Dallas Stars--D, Miro Heiskenen. GM Jim Nill is unaccustomed to drafting this high. After spending 18 years in the Detroit Red Wings organization where they never drafted higher than 19th, and didn't have a first rounder in 11 of those drafts, this upper part of the draft stuff may not compute. Word on the street is that the Nill is entertaining offers for the third-overall pick, which might be a clear indication, Mr. Shero, that Nill feels there's no Michael Jordan sitting there. And Dallas hasn't really had any success with top-10 picks either since their move from Minnesota (see: Todd Harvey, Richard Jackman, Scott Glennie.) Miro, Miro on the wall, what will the Stars do? Side note: Jason Botterill is a former 20th-overall selection by Dallas (1994.) Connection? Maybe.
Colorado Avalanche--D, Cale Makar. Boy did the 'Lanche get the shaft in this draft. Not only did they have, by far, the worst record in the NHL, most feel they weren't even tanking. And to add salt to the wound, the 5th, 13th, and 8th slotted teams in the draft all jumped over them via the lottery. The Avs have some serious issues moving and although drafting Cale Makar may ending up being the steal of the draft at No. 4, he won't help them dismiss the Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog trade rumors, nor will he help the Avs goaltending or make their defense immediately better. Right now Colorado is bouncing along the lows of the original Colorado Rockies NHL teams which was dubbed "Rocky Hockey." It should be noted that "Rocky Hockey," was not in reference to a Sly Stallone mythological boxing character. It's derived from a punching bag sense. "Rocky Hockey" is back in Denver. Until Makar starts making his presence known.
Vancouver Canucks--C, Casey Mittelstadt. From 1998- 2006 'Nucks GM Jim Benning was in Buffalo as the Sabres director of amateur scouting. First round picks were never his forte' in Buffalo but he seems to have gotten things right in Vancouver. Benning has a team is on the decline and in a period of transition but in the three drafts since he's been there, the Canucks have made real solid first-round picks in RW Jake Virtanen (2014,) RW Brock Boeser (2015,) and D Olli Joulevi. The Sedins won't last forever and they'll need another top-six center which brings Benning back to drafting a forward in Mittelstadt. Vancouver had the second-worst record in the league and dropping to No. 5 hurts, but Mittelstadt may take a bit of the sting out of it.
Las Vegas Golden Knights--C, Gabe Vilardi. The expansion Golden Knights enter their first-ever draft at No. 6, which is a bummer for them. The NHL worked the expansion draft in their favor but could do nothing about the lottery. Knights GM George McPhee's moment came as he played King of the Awards Show while announcing his roster and a pretty good trade-haul he received from teams looking to add more protection to their roster. Some say he didn't do well, other said he did. Too bad the 2017 draft isn't like the last three where there was plenty of talent stretching deep into the second and early third rounds as the Knights have six picks in the first two rounds. That said, Gabe Vilardi is a bit of a coup as he drops to the Knights. The Kingston, Ontario native and Memorial Cup champ with the Windsor Spitfires has an NHL-ready frame, a strong hockey IQ, offensive acumen and the size to handle a rugged Western Conference. Some have compared him to Ryan Getzlaf which would not a be a bad start for the Knights.
Arizona Coyotes--C, Cody Glass. Arizona's core is in their early 20's and with them jettisoning 40 yr. old Shane Doan, this team just got younger. They're still a few years away but if GM John Chayka's plan works out, they could be a force for years to come. They have enough depth in the system where they could just take just about anybody, which could lead them to snapping up fast-rising center, Cody Glass. The Winnipeg native exploded this year with 94 points while making having a huge effect on his linemates. 'Yotes did well plucking defenseman Jakob Chychrun last year at No. 16 and their defense is getting stronger, center is their next area of need and it just happens to coincide with a player who might be the best available at No. 7.
Buffalo Sabres--RW, Owen Tippett. Luckily this is Jason Botterill's first year as GM. Add that to his background with Pittsburgh, which includes three Stanley Cup rings, and you have a situation where he could tab a d-man lauded as the "perfect fit" for Buffalo and their needs in Timothy Liljegren. The Sabres d-pipeline is pretty thin, and Liljegren would be placed right near the top of the prospect rankings, but it might also be hard to pass on right wing Owen Tippett. The 6-1, 200 lb. Peterborough, Ontario native has been labeled a pure goal-scorer with size, speed and a helluva shot. It could easily be argued as a best player available move by Botterill, which is something that former GM Tim Murray probably couldn't get away with if he were still running the team. A Tippett choice would be probably be universally panned in Sabreland even though it could very well end up being the correct pick.
Detroit Red Wings--D, Timothy Liljegren. The Red Wings are still feeling the sting of losing key drivers over the past few years. They also lost their owner Mike Illitch this past year and for the first time since 1989 the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs. The changeover goes further as they'll leave legendary Joe Louis Arena and head to the new Little Ceasars Arena. However, they still have one of the best GM's in the business and they always seem to draft the right player. When all's said and done a few years down the road analysts might be saying the Wings still have it as a boom or bust pick in Timothy Liljegren may be working magic from the back-end for Detroit. Liljegren has all the necessary ingredients to do so but his hiccup this past season was cause for differing levels of concern. Those concerns dropped him from atop the draft to various spots here and below.
Florida Panthers--C, Elias Pettersson. The Cats have a new coach in Bob Boughner and a core that's pretty strong after years of high draft picks. The Las Vegas Golden Knights took Reilly Smith and his bloated $25 million contract off of Florida's hands for a fourth round pick but it cost the Panthers 30-goal scorer Jonathan Marchesault. No doubt a big loss for Florida but they gained cap-flexibility in the process. They lost a center in Marchesault but GM Dale Tallon willl have the opportunity to land Pettersson, who worked wonders for Timra IK of Sweden's second-tier Allsvenskan league.
Los Angeles Kings--C, Martin Necas. If the old tandem of GM Dean Lombardi and coach Daryl Sutter was still in place, big center/left wing Michael Rasmussen would most definitely be in play for the Kings. But Hall of Fame defenseman Rob Blake, who was no stranger to skill, is the new GM and he'll be moving the LA Kings into the 21st century. Necas played in his native Czech Republic last season and did well. Kris Baker, in his piece for Sabres.com, calls Necas, "A nimble, slippery forward with explosive acceleration and impressive four-way mobility" as well as "one of the most compelling offensive prospects when he hits open ice. " Sounds like a good way for Blake to kick off his tenure.
Carolina Hurricanes--D, Jusso Valimaki. The 'Canes went relatively unscathed in the expansion draft and are said to be looking to trade from their deep stable of d-prospects for a top-six center. They'll also have an opportunity to keep that talent pool stocked with the choice of Valimaki. The 6'2" 201 lb Nokia, Finland native can skate well and can get the puck up ice, although he still needs work on the finer points of his game.
Las Vegas Golden Knights (From Winnipeg)--D, Callan Foote. GM McPhee snared this pick in the draft in a swap of firsts from a Jets team that didn't want them to pick defenseman Toby Enstrom. Foote might be exactly what the Golden Knights need going forward on the back-end as he's a solid, steady defenseman whom many believe will have a long career in a top-four role. The game may have changed to the point where more mobile and active defenseman are coveted, but the word 'defense' is still in the title and teams need defense and a 6'4" 215 lb. Foote is considered a very safe pick who will could help anchor the expansion Knights defense for a decade.
Tampa Bay Lightning--C, Nick Suzuki. Tampa Bay took a step back as the 2016 Eastern Conference champ just missed the playoffs last year. They have a great stable of forwards who are quick and skilled albeit on the smaller side and the 5'11" 185 lb. would fit right in. The London, Ontario native is a gifted playmaker with little fear which seems to be what GM Steve Yzerman likes in his forwards. The Lightning just traded away a shifty goal-scorer in Jonathan Drouin (for d-prospect Mikhail Sergachev) and in a couple of years, Suzuki will be in line to add to the deep stable of forwards at Tampa's disposal.
Las Vegas Golden Knights (From NY Islanders)--LW, Kristian Vesalainen. Yet another first rounder for McPhee and his Knights. After grabbing a Getzlaf-type in Vilardi at center, and a possible anchor on the blueline in Foote, the Knights add a power-winger in Vesalainen. At 6'3" 205 lbs. he already has an NHL frame and he was tested early on while playing for Frolunda of the top Swedish league. Vesalainen won the Most Valuable Player Award at the 2017 IIHF U-18's on the power of 13 points (6+7) in seven games. They could go for a goalie here, but it's a little high in the draft and they could get one, or even two, in the second and third rounds. Then again, you never know what McPhee is capable of (see Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat trade.)
Calgary Flames--D, Eric Brannstrom. If it were up to Flames president Brian Burke, Calgary might be inclined to take hulking center Rasmussen here, but GM Brad Treliving once again makes the call and goes for Brannstrom. The Flames haven't picked a defenseman with their first overall pick since 2009, and although that doesn't mean they're required to do so here, Brannstrom has got the skill, edge and brains that make him a great choice for Calgary.
Toronto Maple Leafs--C, Michael Rasmussen. Leafs saw what a plus Dan Boyle was last season and having a bigger and possibly more talented version of him in the system might be very appealing which means Rasmussen finally comes off the board at No. 17. Rasmussen is 6'6" 215 lbs., is tough to get off the puck and nearly impossible to move in front of the net. He's got that Dave Andreychuk-type net-front/powerplay skill, although whether that package is still viable in today's NHL remains to be seen. But for a team like Toronto who has a fast, highly-skilled top-six, Rasmussen may balance that out nicely.
Boston Bruins--LW, Ryan Poehling. The Bruins lost defenseman at the expansion draft, but it wasn't a huge loss as GM Don Sweeney didn't make a deal to protect him. Boston still has a nice pool of d-men in the ranks, but could use some upper-end skill. There might not be the d-man Sweeney's looking for here so he taps goes to St. Cloud State for budding two-way forward Ryan Poehling who is a good skater and responsible in all three zones. Poehling, who's been compared to Ryan Johansen and Patrick Berglund, struggled early on for the Huskies as a freshman playing D-1 hockey but came to life against his peers in the U-18's.
San Jose' Sharks--D, Urho Vaakanainen. Vaakanainen has been described as smooth and polished and bonus points are out there for anyone who can spell his name correctly without making a mistake. The bonus points for the Sharks lie in Vaakanainen's solid stay-at-home style of play where he rarely gets beat. He's mobile enough to get the play going and has the passing ability to hit a man on a stretch pass. Baker writes that "he knows his role as a defenseman," and doesn't try to do to much.
St. Louis Blues--C, Klim Kostin. At one time Kostin was ranked near the top of the draft, but a shoulder injury knocked him down to the mid-lower level of this year's prospects. The speedy forward who skated for Dynamo Moscow has mad stick skills to score or set up and could be added to a group of talented fellow Ruskies that includes names like Tarasenko, Jaskin, Barbashev and, yes, former first-overall Edmonton selection, Nail Yakupov.
NY Rangers--C, Lias Andersson. The Rangers pounce on the 5'11" 200 lb. Andersson at No. 21 and will watch him grow overseas for the next two seasons. Andersson projects as a bottom-six NHL'er with great hands and a dogged style of play.
Edmonton Oilers--D, Connor Timmins. With Connor McDavid ready to lead the offense for years to come, defense continues to be an area of focus for Edmonton. Timmins can do a lot of things but many feel his passing is what stands out. The Oilers mantra is, if you get the puck in McDavid's hands when he's on the ice, preferably in stride, very good things usually happen.
Arizona Coyotes (From Minnesota)--C, Robert Thomas. 'Yotes continue to try and strengthen the middle, first with the selection of Vilardi and now with Thomas who plays a two-way, 200' game. The Aurora, Ontario native chimes in at 6' 190 lbs. and is a winner. He won the gold at the WHC Under-17 level, plus an OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2016. And he's got speed whether he's heading north/south or east/west.
Winnipeg Jets (From Columbus via Las Vegas)--RW, Kailer Yamamoto. Las Vegas received this pick from Columbus who paid a hefty price to keep their roster intact but still lost F, William Karlsson to the expansion draft. Vegas switched picks with the Jets as a part of the "hands-off-Enstrom" deal. The Jets still get a great player in Yamamoto although at 5'8" 160 lbs. he is on the smallish side. To put it succinctly, add a couple of inches and a few pounds to a fearless puck-wizard with sniping skills and it would be the formula for an easy top-10 pick in this draft.
Montreal Canadians--D, Nicolas Hague. The Habs traded defense for scoring in the Sergachev/Drouin trade and they also traded away a puck-moving defenseman in Nathan Beaulieu to avoid losing him for nothing in the expansion draft and they lost yet another defenseman in Alexei Emelin to the draft. The prospect pool is getting thin. Hague is a big defender at 6'6" 215 lbs. and size seems to be where the Canadiens are headed on the back end as evidenced by the PK Subban for Shea Weber deal. Hague is a big defensive d-man, who much like Weber, has a great shot from the point.
Chicago Blackhawks--C, Josh Norris. Hawks jump into the Day-1 draft festivities with a first round pick for the first time since 2014. They avoided giving it away at the expansion draft when they exposed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, whom the Knights selected with the Hawks also giving away Marcus Kruger and his rather large contract in the process. The Knights just traded van Riemsdyk and a seventh round pick to Carolina for a second round pick. Norris is a 6'1" 195 lb. two-way center who's considered well rounded and looks to be a solid selection.
St. Louis Blues (From Washington)--G, Jake Oettinger. The Kevin Shattenkirk trade to Washington yields the best goaltender prospect in the draft for St. Louis. After grabbing a quick and speedy forward in Klim Kostin, who dropped to them at No. 20 the Blues add to their goalie stable and take Oettinger who might be considered the best player available at No. 27. Only one goalie has been taken in the first round the last four drafts (Ilya Samsonov, WSH) and the Blues get themselves a 6'4" 205 lb., bona fide No. 1 goalie in Oettinger.
Ottawa Senators--C, Filip Chytil. The versatile Czech forward who can adeptly play center or wing is one of the youngest players in the draft with a September 5 birthday. Chytil played in the top Czech men's league as a 17 yr. old scoring eight points (4+4) in 38 games last season. He has foot speed and quickness, a good hockey IQ, a nice set of hands and at 6'0" 178 lbs. he has a smaller yet projectable frame.
Dallas Stars (from Anaheim)--LW, Jason Robertson. How does a 6'2" 195 lb. player that scores 81 points (42+39) in 65 junior games fall this low in the draft? Playing for the OHL's lowest scoring team, the Kingston Frontenacs, might yield part of the answer. Of Robertson's 42 goals, 25 of them were 5v5 with many of the power forward's goals coming between the dots in close quarters. The Northville, MI native needs work on his skating, which undoubtedly contributed to his low ranking, but he's said to have the work-ethic to pick it up a notch.
Nashville Predators--D, Henri Jokiharju. The Preds lost Housley to the Sabres, but the formula remains and they continue to add to their stable of mobile, puck-moving defensemen. Jokiharju finished his first season in North America with 48 points (9+39) in 71 games for the Portland Winterhawks with 38 of them coming in the last 48 games of the season. “I don't think his skill is top-end level," wrote ESPN's Corey Pronman, "but he's going to be able to rack up a lot of points thanks to his vision, feet and decision-making.” Sounds like a good fit for Nashville.
Pittsburgh Penguins--C, Shane Bowers. The Pens try to keep the pipeline flowing behind centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Considered smart and physical, Bowers is a nice two-way player that looks to be a mid-line center with some offensive punch to his game. He's a jack-of-all-trades type player who never stood out in one area but does have some scoring upside. Just the type of player Pittsburgh likes to plug in with Crosby, Malkin and Co.
Jeff Crisp, Buffalo's top amateur scout who was thrust into running the draft (along with Kevin Devine) when the Sabres did some house cleaning in April, called the 2017 NHL Entry Draft as "normal." Crisp went on to say that, although the draft is lacking in "star power" at the top, "it's deep and there will be some pretty good players that come out of it in the end."
Perhaps we've been a bit spoiled watching the draft over the past couple of years. Sabres fans were directly involved in the 2015 "McEichel" Draft with the generational/franchise talents of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel right there at the top and last year the one-two punch of Auston Matthews and Patrick Laine ended up wowing in their 2016-17 rookie seasons. So a bit of normalcy might have been expected.
Regardless of the lack of star power, through it's worldwide appeal and top-notch international leagues, the NHL has been able to constantly bring in upper-eschelon talent year-in/year-out through the draft. Although no one can say with certainty that the triple-draft downers of 1999, 2000 and 2001 will never appear again, there's bound to be a clunker here and there but probably never reaching the depths of that '99 draft class (one which made Brian Burke a star) where we had the Sedin twins, a couple of All-Stars in Nick Boynton and Martin Havlat, but nothing else to speak of.
As we barrel towards tonight, I like what Kris Baker said this morning on WGR about the big club not dictating who the scouts should draft. It's not the NFL where the player drafted is expected to at least have a shot to make the team that same year. NHL teams draft 18 yr. olds and in the more or less, two to three years it takes them to develop, a lot can change. That's why were hear the "best player available" mantra at the end of nearly every first round pick below the top tier.
And I'm always leery of a "perfect fit." The 2009 Sabres pick of rugged Zack Kassian, who was selected as the perfect pick to balance the soft but skilled roster then skating for Buffalo. Kassian was great in Edmonton last season, showing off the exact traits the Sabres drafted him for at No. 13. Only eight years later.
The NHL Draft is a crapshoot. It's been said time and time again and this year it'll probably be truer than any time since 2011. There will be some good players picked, there will be some surprises and many will disappoint as well. All a scouting department can do is take their research, watch the board and make their selection.
Which is where I'm at now.
New Jersey Devils--C, Nolan Patrick. The 2006 NHL Draft might still in the head of Devils GM Ray Shero. Sure his new team, the New Jersey Devils, made an envious jump from fifth to first-overall via the lottery but with it comes pressure. And he knows it, telling NJ.com, "Wasn't Michael Jordan drafted No. 3?" Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top-two players in the draft and No. 3, but perhaps he's got his eye on a player whom he thinks might be the Jordan of the draft--defenseman Cale Makar. Dallas has been rumored to want out of the No. 3 overall pick but they're looking to trade down, not up, and there probably isn't a team out there that has the assets to move up to 3rd then take another jump to the first overall. Which may leave Shero in a 1998 NFL-type Ryan Leaf/Peyton Manning draft instead. When Shero was in Pittsburgh the Pens selected Jordan Staal second overall. The third overall pick was Jonathan Toews.
Philadelphia Flyers--C, Nico Hischier. The ghost of Ed Snyder waited a year before invoking his powers from beyond the grave to help catapult Philadelphia from the 13th slot to second-overall. Perhaps Snyder had seen enough after watching his beloved Flyers become the only team in NHL history to go on a 10-game winning streak and eventually miss the playoffs. However, he's got to be snickering while watching a division rival squirm knowing full well that his beloved Flyers will get a preeminent player in Hischier. For some reason I get the feeling Philly fans are riding the airy sway of I'll Be In Your Mirror, by the Velvet Underground and Nico. Snyder might hate on that album, but here's a banana for ya, Ed. It's a small price to pay for this much fun.
Dallas Stars--D, Miro Heiskenen. GM Jim Nill is unaccustomed to drafting this high. After spending 18 years in the Detroit Red Wings organization where they never drafted higher than 19th, and didn't have a first rounder in 11 of those drafts, this upper part of the draft stuff may not compute. Word on the street is that the Nill is entertaining offers for the third-overall pick, which might be a clear indication, Mr. Shero, that Nill feels there's no Michael Jordan sitting there. And Dallas hasn't really had any success with top-10 picks either since their move from Minnesota (see: Todd Harvey, Richard Jackman, Scott Glennie.) Miro, Miro on the wall, what will the Stars do? Side note: Jason Botterill is a former 20th-overall selection by Dallas (1994.) Connection? Maybe.
Colorado Avalanche--D, Cale Makar. Boy did the 'Lanche get the shaft in this draft. Not only did they have, by far, the worst record in the NHL, most feel they weren't even tanking. And to add salt to the wound, the 5th, 13th, and 8th slotted teams in the draft all jumped over them via the lottery. The Avs have some serious issues moving and although drafting Cale Makar may ending up being the steal of the draft at No. 4, he won't help them dismiss the Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog trade rumors, nor will he help the Avs goaltending or make their defense immediately better. Right now Colorado is bouncing along the lows of the original Colorado Rockies NHL teams which was dubbed "Rocky Hockey." It should be noted that "Rocky Hockey," was not in reference to a Sly Stallone mythological boxing character. It's derived from a punching bag sense. "Rocky Hockey" is back in Denver. Until Makar starts making his presence known.
Vancouver Canucks--C, Casey Mittelstadt. From 1998- 2006 'Nucks GM Jim Benning was in Buffalo as the Sabres director of amateur scouting. First round picks were never his forte' in Buffalo but he seems to have gotten things right in Vancouver. Benning has a team is on the decline and in a period of transition but in the three drafts since he's been there, the Canucks have made real solid first-round picks in RW Jake Virtanen (2014,) RW Brock Boeser (2015,) and D Olli Joulevi. The Sedins won't last forever and they'll need another top-six center which brings Benning back to drafting a forward in Mittelstadt. Vancouver had the second-worst record in the league and dropping to No. 5 hurts, but Mittelstadt may take a bit of the sting out of it.
Las Vegas Golden Knights--C, Gabe Vilardi. The expansion Golden Knights enter their first-ever draft at No. 6, which is a bummer for them. The NHL worked the expansion draft in their favor but could do nothing about the lottery. Knights GM George McPhee's moment came as he played King of the Awards Show while announcing his roster and a pretty good trade-haul he received from teams looking to add more protection to their roster. Some say he didn't do well, other said he did. Too bad the 2017 draft isn't like the last three where there was plenty of talent stretching deep into the second and early third rounds as the Knights have six picks in the first two rounds. That said, Gabe Vilardi is a bit of a coup as he drops to the Knights. The Kingston, Ontario native and Memorial Cup champ with the Windsor Spitfires has an NHL-ready frame, a strong hockey IQ, offensive acumen and the size to handle a rugged Western Conference. Some have compared him to Ryan Getzlaf which would not a be a bad start for the Knights.
Arizona Coyotes--C, Cody Glass. Arizona's core is in their early 20's and with them jettisoning 40 yr. old Shane Doan, this team just got younger. They're still a few years away but if GM John Chayka's plan works out, they could be a force for years to come. They have enough depth in the system where they could just take just about anybody, which could lead them to snapping up fast-rising center, Cody Glass. The Winnipeg native exploded this year with 94 points while making having a huge effect on his linemates. 'Yotes did well plucking defenseman Jakob Chychrun last year at No. 16 and their defense is getting stronger, center is their next area of need and it just happens to coincide with a player who might be the best available at No. 7.
Buffalo Sabres--RW, Owen Tippett. Luckily this is Jason Botterill's first year as GM. Add that to his background with Pittsburgh, which includes three Stanley Cup rings, and you have a situation where he could tab a d-man lauded as the "perfect fit" for Buffalo and their needs in Timothy Liljegren. The Sabres d-pipeline is pretty thin, and Liljegren would be placed right near the top of the prospect rankings, but it might also be hard to pass on right wing Owen Tippett. The 6-1, 200 lb. Peterborough, Ontario native has been labeled a pure goal-scorer with size, speed and a helluva shot. It could easily be argued as a best player available move by Botterill, which is something that former GM Tim Murray probably couldn't get away with if he were still running the team. A Tippett choice would be probably be universally panned in Sabreland even though it could very well end up being the correct pick.
Detroit Red Wings--D, Timothy Liljegren. The Red Wings are still feeling the sting of losing key drivers over the past few years. They also lost their owner Mike Illitch this past year and for the first time since 1989 the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs. The changeover goes further as they'll leave legendary Joe Louis Arena and head to the new Little Ceasars Arena. However, they still have one of the best GM's in the business and they always seem to draft the right player. When all's said and done a few years down the road analysts might be saying the Wings still have it as a boom or bust pick in Timothy Liljegren may be working magic from the back-end for Detroit. Liljegren has all the necessary ingredients to do so but his hiccup this past season was cause for differing levels of concern. Those concerns dropped him from atop the draft to various spots here and below.
Florida Panthers--C, Elias Pettersson. The Cats have a new coach in Bob Boughner and a core that's pretty strong after years of high draft picks. The Las Vegas Golden Knights took Reilly Smith and his bloated $25 million contract off of Florida's hands for a fourth round pick but it cost the Panthers 30-goal scorer Jonathan Marchesault. No doubt a big loss for Florida but they gained cap-flexibility in the process. They lost a center in Marchesault but GM Dale Tallon willl have the opportunity to land Pettersson, who worked wonders for Timra IK of Sweden's second-tier Allsvenskan league.
Los Angeles Kings--C, Martin Necas. If the old tandem of GM Dean Lombardi and coach Daryl Sutter was still in place, big center/left wing Michael Rasmussen would most definitely be in play for the Kings. But Hall of Fame defenseman Rob Blake, who was no stranger to skill, is the new GM and he'll be moving the LA Kings into the 21st century. Necas played in his native Czech Republic last season and did well. Kris Baker, in his piece for Sabres.com, calls Necas, "A nimble, slippery forward with explosive acceleration and impressive four-way mobility" as well as "one of the most compelling offensive prospects when he hits open ice. " Sounds like a good way for Blake to kick off his tenure.
Carolina Hurricanes--D, Jusso Valimaki. The 'Canes went relatively unscathed in the expansion draft and are said to be looking to trade from their deep stable of d-prospects for a top-six center. They'll also have an opportunity to keep that talent pool stocked with the choice of Valimaki. The 6'2" 201 lb Nokia, Finland native can skate well and can get the puck up ice, although he still needs work on the finer points of his game.
Las Vegas Golden Knights (From Winnipeg)--D, Callan Foote. GM McPhee snared this pick in the draft in a swap of firsts from a Jets team that didn't want them to pick defenseman Toby Enstrom. Foote might be exactly what the Golden Knights need going forward on the back-end as he's a solid, steady defenseman whom many believe will have a long career in a top-four role. The game may have changed to the point where more mobile and active defenseman are coveted, but the word 'defense' is still in the title and teams need defense and a 6'4" 215 lb. Foote is considered a very safe pick who will could help anchor the expansion Knights defense for a decade.
Tampa Bay Lightning--C, Nick Suzuki. Tampa Bay took a step back as the 2016 Eastern Conference champ just missed the playoffs last year. They have a great stable of forwards who are quick and skilled albeit on the smaller side and the 5'11" 185 lb. would fit right in. The London, Ontario native is a gifted playmaker with little fear which seems to be what GM Steve Yzerman likes in his forwards. The Lightning just traded away a shifty goal-scorer in Jonathan Drouin (for d-prospect Mikhail Sergachev) and in a couple of years, Suzuki will be in line to add to the deep stable of forwards at Tampa's disposal.
Las Vegas Golden Knights (From NY Islanders)--LW, Kristian Vesalainen. Yet another first rounder for McPhee and his Knights. After grabbing a Getzlaf-type in Vilardi at center, and a possible anchor on the blueline in Foote, the Knights add a power-winger in Vesalainen. At 6'3" 205 lbs. he already has an NHL frame and he was tested early on while playing for Frolunda of the top Swedish league. Vesalainen won the Most Valuable Player Award at the 2017 IIHF U-18's on the power of 13 points (6+7) in seven games. They could go for a goalie here, but it's a little high in the draft and they could get one, or even two, in the second and third rounds. Then again, you never know what McPhee is capable of (see Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat trade.)
Calgary Flames--D, Eric Brannstrom. If it were up to Flames president Brian Burke, Calgary might be inclined to take hulking center Rasmussen here, but GM Brad Treliving once again makes the call and goes for Brannstrom. The Flames haven't picked a defenseman with their first overall pick since 2009, and although that doesn't mean they're required to do so here, Brannstrom has got the skill, edge and brains that make him a great choice for Calgary.
Toronto Maple Leafs--C, Michael Rasmussen. Leafs saw what a plus Dan Boyle was last season and having a bigger and possibly more talented version of him in the system might be very appealing which means Rasmussen finally comes off the board at No. 17. Rasmussen is 6'6" 215 lbs., is tough to get off the puck and nearly impossible to move in front of the net. He's got that Dave Andreychuk-type net-front/powerplay skill, although whether that package is still viable in today's NHL remains to be seen. But for a team like Toronto who has a fast, highly-skilled top-six, Rasmussen may balance that out nicely.
Boston Bruins--LW, Ryan Poehling. The Bruins lost defenseman at the expansion draft, but it wasn't a huge loss as GM Don Sweeney didn't make a deal to protect him. Boston still has a nice pool of d-men in the ranks, but could use some upper-end skill. There might not be the d-man Sweeney's looking for here so he taps goes to St. Cloud State for budding two-way forward Ryan Poehling who is a good skater and responsible in all three zones. Poehling, who's been compared to Ryan Johansen and Patrick Berglund, struggled early on for the Huskies as a freshman playing D-1 hockey but came to life against his peers in the U-18's.
San Jose' Sharks--D, Urho Vaakanainen. Vaakanainen has been described as smooth and polished and bonus points are out there for anyone who can spell his name correctly without making a mistake. The bonus points for the Sharks lie in Vaakanainen's solid stay-at-home style of play where he rarely gets beat. He's mobile enough to get the play going and has the passing ability to hit a man on a stretch pass. Baker writes that "he knows his role as a defenseman," and doesn't try to do to much.
St. Louis Blues--C, Klim Kostin. At one time Kostin was ranked near the top of the draft, but a shoulder injury knocked him down to the mid-lower level of this year's prospects. The speedy forward who skated for Dynamo Moscow has mad stick skills to score or set up and could be added to a group of talented fellow Ruskies that includes names like Tarasenko, Jaskin, Barbashev and, yes, former first-overall Edmonton selection, Nail Yakupov.
NY Rangers--C, Lias Andersson. The Rangers pounce on the 5'11" 200 lb. Andersson at No. 21 and will watch him grow overseas for the next two seasons. Andersson projects as a bottom-six NHL'er with great hands and a dogged style of play.
Edmonton Oilers--D, Connor Timmins. With Connor McDavid ready to lead the offense for years to come, defense continues to be an area of focus for Edmonton. Timmins can do a lot of things but many feel his passing is what stands out. The Oilers mantra is, if you get the puck in McDavid's hands when he's on the ice, preferably in stride, very good things usually happen.
Arizona Coyotes (From Minnesota)--C, Robert Thomas. 'Yotes continue to try and strengthen the middle, first with the selection of Vilardi and now with Thomas who plays a two-way, 200' game. The Aurora, Ontario native chimes in at 6' 190 lbs. and is a winner. He won the gold at the WHC Under-17 level, plus an OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2016. And he's got speed whether he's heading north/south or east/west.
Winnipeg Jets (From Columbus via Las Vegas)--RW, Kailer Yamamoto. Las Vegas received this pick from Columbus who paid a hefty price to keep their roster intact but still lost F, William Karlsson to the expansion draft. Vegas switched picks with the Jets as a part of the "hands-off-Enstrom" deal. The Jets still get a great player in Yamamoto although at 5'8" 160 lbs. he is on the smallish side. To put it succinctly, add a couple of inches and a few pounds to a fearless puck-wizard with sniping skills and it would be the formula for an easy top-10 pick in this draft.
Montreal Canadians--D, Nicolas Hague. The Habs traded defense for scoring in the Sergachev/Drouin trade and they also traded away a puck-moving defenseman in Nathan Beaulieu to avoid losing him for nothing in the expansion draft and they lost yet another defenseman in Alexei Emelin to the draft. The prospect pool is getting thin. Hague is a big defender at 6'6" 215 lbs. and size seems to be where the Canadiens are headed on the back end as evidenced by the PK Subban for Shea Weber deal. Hague is a big defensive d-man, who much like Weber, has a great shot from the point.
Chicago Blackhawks--C, Josh Norris. Hawks jump into the Day-1 draft festivities with a first round pick for the first time since 2014. They avoided giving it away at the expansion draft when they exposed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, whom the Knights selected with the Hawks also giving away Marcus Kruger and his rather large contract in the process. The Knights just traded van Riemsdyk and a seventh round pick to Carolina for a second round pick. Norris is a 6'1" 195 lb. two-way center who's considered well rounded and looks to be a solid selection.
St. Louis Blues (From Washington)--G, Jake Oettinger. The Kevin Shattenkirk trade to Washington yields the best goaltender prospect in the draft for St. Louis. After grabbing a quick and speedy forward in Klim Kostin, who dropped to them at No. 20 the Blues add to their goalie stable and take Oettinger who might be considered the best player available at No. 27. Only one goalie has been taken in the first round the last four drafts (Ilya Samsonov, WSH) and the Blues get themselves a 6'4" 205 lb., bona fide No. 1 goalie in Oettinger.
Ottawa Senators--C, Filip Chytil. The versatile Czech forward who can adeptly play center or wing is one of the youngest players in the draft with a September 5 birthday. Chytil played in the top Czech men's league as a 17 yr. old scoring eight points (4+4) in 38 games last season. He has foot speed and quickness, a good hockey IQ, a nice set of hands and at 6'0" 178 lbs. he has a smaller yet projectable frame.
Dallas Stars (from Anaheim)--LW, Jason Robertson. How does a 6'2" 195 lb. player that scores 81 points (42+39) in 65 junior games fall this low in the draft? Playing for the OHL's lowest scoring team, the Kingston Frontenacs, might yield part of the answer. Of Robertson's 42 goals, 25 of them were 5v5 with many of the power forward's goals coming between the dots in close quarters. The Northville, MI native needs work on his skating, which undoubtedly contributed to his low ranking, but he's said to have the work-ethic to pick it up a notch.
Nashville Predators--D, Henri Jokiharju. The Preds lost Housley to the Sabres, but the formula remains and they continue to add to their stable of mobile, puck-moving defensemen. Jokiharju finished his first season in North America with 48 points (9+39) in 71 games for the Portland Winterhawks with 38 of them coming in the last 48 games of the season. “I don't think his skill is top-end level," wrote ESPN's Corey Pronman, "but he's going to be able to rack up a lot of points thanks to his vision, feet and decision-making.” Sounds like a good fit for Nashville.
Pittsburgh Penguins--C, Shane Bowers. The Pens try to keep the pipeline flowing behind centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Considered smart and physical, Bowers is a nice two-way player that looks to be a mid-line center with some offensive punch to his game. He's a jack-of-all-trades type player who never stood out in one area but does have some scoring upside. Just the type of player Pittsburgh likes to plug in with Crosby, Malkin and Co.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Sabres jump on expansion draft casualty--3rd for MTL's Beaulieu
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-17-2017
The Buffalo Sabres need to bolster their blueline and there was a possibility that the Montreal Canadiens were going to lose d-man Nathan Beaulieu to the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Now they'll get something in return. According to the Habs, the Sabres have traded the 68th pick in the NHL Draft to the Canadiens for Beaulieu.
The 6'2" 205 lb Strathroy, Ontario native was selected by Montreal with the 17th overall pick in the 2011 draft. After finishing his final season with the St. John's Sea Dogs, Beaulieu split time between Montreal and their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. In 225 games for the Canadiens over the last five seasons Beaulieu totaled 60 points (7+53) and had a plus-19 rating with only one season on the negative side.
Beaulieu was projected as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman with size, offense and the ability to qb the powerplay. Opportunity knocked for him last season but according to a June 13 article by Joey Allen of Pro Hockey Talk, "Expectations were high for Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu going into last season, but things definitely didn’t work out as planned. He opened the regular season on Montreal’s top pairing with Shea Weber. But after just a handful of games, Michel Therrien decided he had seen enough."
New coach Claude Julien didn't have a lot of faith in him either as Beaulieu was a healthy scratch for Game-6 of the Habs/NY Rangers series. Montreal lost that game 3-1 at Madison Square Gardens and lost the series 4-2.
In dropping down the depth chart the expansion draft demanded the Canadiens make a choice--leave him unprotected with the possibility that the Knights might take him or trade him. Allen would conclude that "Even though the 2011 first rounder’s stock is at an all-time low, you’d have to think that Vegas would pounce on him if he’s left unprotected by the Canadiens.
"Over the last three seasons, there have been moments when Beaulieu has looked terrific on the ice, but like most young defensemen, consistency has been a problem."
The 24 yr. old Beaulieu joins 22 yr. old Rasmus Ristolainen and 23 yr. old Jake McCabe in young but inconsistent category for the Buffalo Sabres, but new head coach Phil Housley looks to have some mobility with which to revamp his defense-corps.
In trading for Beaulieu to likely join Ristolainen and McCabe, it looks as if the Sabres will be leaving two veteran players unprotected in the expansion draft--Zach Bogosian and Josh Gorges. Bogosian has three years left on his contract with a $5.14 million cap-hit while Gorges has one year at $3.9 million.
Will Las Vegas GM George McPhee be interested in either of those two and/or will there be enticements for him to select either of them or the high-dollar contracts of Tyler Ennis or Matt Moulson?
We won't know until next week, but the Sabres did themselves some good by landing a d-man like Beaulieu.
Buffalo's draft picks as of now are:
#8
#37
#54 (from Minnesota)
#89 (from Washington)
#99
#161
#192
Defense -- shoots L
Born Dec 5 1992 -- Strathroy, ONT
[24 yrs. ago]
Height 6.02 -- Weight 205
The Buffalo Sabres need to bolster their blueline and there was a possibility that the Montreal Canadiens were going to lose d-man Nathan Beaulieu to the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Now they'll get something in return. According to the Habs, the Sabres have traded the 68th pick in the NHL Draft to the Canadiens for Beaulieu.
The 6'2" 205 lb Strathroy, Ontario native was selected by Montreal with the 17th overall pick in the 2011 draft. After finishing his final season with the St. John's Sea Dogs, Beaulieu split time between Montreal and their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. In 225 games for the Canadiens over the last five seasons Beaulieu totaled 60 points (7+53) and had a plus-19 rating with only one season on the negative side.
Beaulieu was projected as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman with size, offense and the ability to qb the powerplay. Opportunity knocked for him last season but according to a June 13 article by Joey Allen of Pro Hockey Talk, "Expectations were high for Canadiens defenseman Nathan Beaulieu going into last season, but things definitely didn’t work out as planned. He opened the regular season on Montreal’s top pairing with Shea Weber. But after just a handful of games, Michel Therrien decided he had seen enough."
New coach Claude Julien didn't have a lot of faith in him either as Beaulieu was a healthy scratch for Game-6 of the Habs/NY Rangers series. Montreal lost that game 3-1 at Madison Square Gardens and lost the series 4-2.
In dropping down the depth chart the expansion draft demanded the Canadiens make a choice--leave him unprotected with the possibility that the Knights might take him or trade him. Allen would conclude that "Even though the 2011 first rounder’s stock is at an all-time low, you’d have to think that Vegas would pounce on him if he’s left unprotected by the Canadiens.
"Over the last three seasons, there have been moments when Beaulieu has looked terrific on the ice, but like most young defensemen, consistency has been a problem."
The 24 yr. old Beaulieu joins 22 yr. old Rasmus Ristolainen and 23 yr. old Jake McCabe in young but inconsistent category for the Buffalo Sabres, but new head coach Phil Housley looks to have some mobility with which to revamp his defense-corps.
In trading for Beaulieu to likely join Ristolainen and McCabe, it looks as if the Sabres will be leaving two veteran players unprotected in the expansion draft--Zach Bogosian and Josh Gorges. Bogosian has three years left on his contract with a $5.14 million cap-hit while Gorges has one year at $3.9 million.
Will Las Vegas GM George McPhee be interested in either of those two and/or will there be enticements for him to select either of them or the high-dollar contracts of Tyler Ennis or Matt Moulson?
We won't know until next week, but the Sabres did themselves some good by landing a d-man like Beaulieu.
Buffalo's draft picks as of now are:
#8
#37
#54 (from Minnesota)
#89 (from Washington)
#99
#161
#192
Defense -- shoots L
Born Dec 5 1992 -- Strathroy, ONT
[24 yrs. ago]
Height 6.02 -- Weight 205
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Is defenseman Timothy Liljegren the answer at No. 8?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-9-2017
Using a long-lost, 50's style, Leave It To Beaver-type expression revived by former FBI Director James Comey to answer the above question, "Lordy," he sure does.
If the Buffalo Sabres, who are without a coach right now, do end up bringing in Phil Housley, one can easily see his eyes lighting up at the thought of them drafting Timothy Liljegren at No. 8. Housley was a slick offensive defenseman who's style was compared to the great Bobby Orr and Liljegren has many of those same qualities.
Housley is an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators and is kinda preoccupied with that Stanley Cup thing, but once they finish he'll have a job waiting to coach either the Florida Panthers, who seem to be odds-on favorites, or the Buffalo Sabres. With Buffalo drafting eight and Florida 10th, one shouldn't be surprised if either team plucks Liljegren, if available, at either spot (although Detroit sitting at No. 9 might have something to say about that.)
Whether Housley or any other coach takes the reigns of the Sabres, Liljegren should be of supreme interest to any team with the way the NHL is played today. Teams want and need active defensemen that can join the rush and create. Liljegren does that as he can go coast to coast but he can also thread a stretch pass, which is another need. He combines speed, skill, hockey sense and finish to the point where he's been compared to Erik Karlsson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
But on his way to becoming one of the top picks in the 2017 NHL Draft, Liljegren was sidelined by mononucleosis, a disease that causes fatigue and is not cured by antibiotics. The usual recovery time is 2-4 weeks but it would seem as if Liljegren had pretty bad case of mono. He missed the first two months (after trying to come back too soon) and played a partial season for Rogle BK in Sweden's top league. In 19 games he scored a goal and added four assists, the exact same stat-line he had the prior season for Rogle. Two goals and 10 assists in 38 games total might not seem like a lot, but for a 16/17yr. old teenager playing in the top men's league it's very respectable.
SB Nation's Raw Charge, a Tampa Bay Lightning blog, put Liljegren's production in perspective. "In Victor Hedman’s U18 season in the SHL, he had four points in 39 games," they wrote before adding, "due to Hedman’s December birthday, compared to Liljegren’s April birthday, Hedman did have another season in the SHL before being drafted, and put up 21 points in 43 games. Erik Karlsson has a similar birthday as Liljegren. When Karlsson was a U18 player, he only played in thirteen SHL games between the regular season and playoffs, and only had one point."
Regardless of the comparisons, Liljegren's rankings dropped from near the top of the first round to somewhere in the 8-10 range right now. Mono didn't help, nor did an underwhelming performance at the Under-18 World Championships where the assistant captain for Team Sweden could only muster two assists in seven games. Because of that drop, it puts Liljegren right in Buffalo's wheelhouse.
For those excited about the possibility of drafting a prospect like Liljegren, it's best to keep in mind that we probably won't be seeing him in the Blue and Gold for at least two or three years. Liljegren is under contract with Bogle for one more season and more than likely it will take at least a year or two for him to adapt to the North American pro game. He'll need to deal with a smaller ice surface which will limit his free wheeling and he'll also need to add some bulk to his frame to play against the grizzled vets of the AHL and NHL.
However, if the Sabres and new GM Jason Botterill are serious about acquiring talent and developing them at their own pace, this is a pick that could pay off handsomely a few years down the road.
Using a long-lost, 50's style, Leave It To Beaver-type expression revived by former FBI Director James Comey to answer the above question, "Lordy," he sure does.
If the Buffalo Sabres, who are without a coach right now, do end up bringing in Phil Housley, one can easily see his eyes lighting up at the thought of them drafting Timothy Liljegren at No. 8. Housley was a slick offensive defenseman who's style was compared to the great Bobby Orr and Liljegren has many of those same qualities.
Housley is an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators and is kinda preoccupied with that Stanley Cup thing, but once they finish he'll have a job waiting to coach either the Florida Panthers, who seem to be odds-on favorites, or the Buffalo Sabres. With Buffalo drafting eight and Florida 10th, one shouldn't be surprised if either team plucks Liljegren, if available, at either spot (although Detroit sitting at No. 9 might have something to say about that.)
Whether Housley or any other coach takes the reigns of the Sabres, Liljegren should be of supreme interest to any team with the way the NHL is played today. Teams want and need active defensemen that can join the rush and create. Liljegren does that as he can go coast to coast but he can also thread a stretch pass, which is another need. He combines speed, skill, hockey sense and finish to the point where he's been compared to Erik Karlsson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
But on his way to becoming one of the top picks in the 2017 NHL Draft, Liljegren was sidelined by mononucleosis, a disease that causes fatigue and is not cured by antibiotics. The usual recovery time is 2-4 weeks but it would seem as if Liljegren had pretty bad case of mono. He missed the first two months (after trying to come back too soon) and played a partial season for Rogle BK in Sweden's top league. In 19 games he scored a goal and added four assists, the exact same stat-line he had the prior season for Rogle. Two goals and 10 assists in 38 games total might not seem like a lot, but for a 16/17yr. old teenager playing in the top men's league it's very respectable.
SB Nation's Raw Charge, a Tampa Bay Lightning blog, put Liljegren's production in perspective. "In Victor Hedman’s U18 season in the SHL, he had four points in 39 games," they wrote before adding, "due to Hedman’s December birthday, compared to Liljegren’s April birthday, Hedman did have another season in the SHL before being drafted, and put up 21 points in 43 games. Erik Karlsson has a similar birthday as Liljegren. When Karlsson was a U18 player, he only played in thirteen SHL games between the regular season and playoffs, and only had one point."
Regardless of the comparisons, Liljegren's rankings dropped from near the top of the first round to somewhere in the 8-10 range right now. Mono didn't help, nor did an underwhelming performance at the Under-18 World Championships where the assistant captain for Team Sweden could only muster two assists in seven games. Because of that drop, it puts Liljegren right in Buffalo's wheelhouse.
For those excited about the possibility of drafting a prospect like Liljegren, it's best to keep in mind that we probably won't be seeing him in the Blue and Gold for at least two or three years. Liljegren is under contract with Bogle for one more season and more than likely it will take at least a year or two for him to adapt to the North American pro game. He'll need to deal with a smaller ice surface which will limit his free wheeling and he'll also need to add some bulk to his frame to play against the grizzled vets of the AHL and NHL.
However, if the Sabres and new GM Jason Botterill are serious about acquiring talent and developing them at their own pace, this is a pick that could pay off handsomely a few years down the road.
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Keeping up with the Pegulas. Plus other Sabres stuff
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-3-2017
Although they'll never keep up with the Kardashians as a (silly) reality show and social media dynasty, the Pegula's, Terry and Kim have their own dynasty centered around land development, sports, and music that's growing bigger by the day. Recently Pegula Sports and Entertainment just announced ventures with Labatt USA and Uber, however the areas of interest for us Buffalo sports fans is the ongoing saga with their two major sports frachises--the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the NFL's Buffalo Bills--both of which are ships without a captain at this time.
After two very disappointing seasons from both the Sabres and the Bills, the Pegulas ended up firing both of their GM's within a matter of a week-and-a-half. One, hockey GM Tim Murray, was a surprise firing not long after the Sabres season ended while Bills GM Doug Whaley was fired 10 days later after the completion of he three-day NFL Draft. Oh to have a camera rolling as Terry and Kim, along with other insiders like PSE President Russ Brandon, discussed the futures of those two and the franchises in general.
Regardless of the lack of reality show appeal, the reality for the Pegulas centers around getting their franchises out of the dregs. And there's a ton of work to do.
What's been going on with the Pegula's and their sports teams?
--The Sabres are getting closer to finding their general manager and although there's not been an official count of who they've interviewed so far, piecing things together via twitter and media reports has the total at six or more. But the big development is the Sabres reportedly bringing in Pittsburgh Penguins AGM Jason Botterill for a second interview. From what I've been told, the Pegulas were very impressed with him, fellow Penguins front office-man Bill Guerin and Calgary Flames AGM Craig Conroy during their respective interviews.
--As for the Bills GM search, things are just getting started. The Pegulas, in conjunction with head coach Sean McDermott, are said to be very interested in Carolina Panthers AGM Brandon Beane, whom McDermott worked with while in Carolina, and it's also been reported that Houston Texans director of player personnel, Brian Gaine is slated for an interview tomorrow.
--Be it known that contrary to popular belief, Sabres franchise center Jack Eichel is not involved in the search for either GM. He's busy in Germany and France playing for Team USA in the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. Eichel was on the top line with wingers Anders Lee (NYI) and Johnny Gadreau (CGY) for USA as they had a tune-up game. Eichel scored with his a wicked-wrister 1:24 into the game. The real bullets fly beginning on Friday.
--Fellow Sabres Ryan O'Reilly is on Team Canada in the tournament. O'Reilly was playing right wing on the top line which is becoming the norm for him in international play.
--We all know the story of Evander Kane getting into some trouble last June while Buffalo was hosting the NHL Entry Draft. Kane and his attorney made a plea agreement with Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee who last fall, according to the Buffalo News, ordered an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal of the charges. Kane kept his nose clean and charges were dismissed. Now the big question. With one year left on his contract and a reported strong disliking of him by Kim Pegula (and presumably, Terry as well) where does the talented winger end up? Many (like myself) would like to see him extended at a reasonable rate and term while others can't wait for him to be moved.
--Speaking of things being moved, TBN's Mike Harrington wants the Sabres to move the eighth-overall pick in the NHL Draft. The reasoning, "Winning next year has to be an immediate priority and improving the blueline is paramount." Harrington wants the new GM to package the first-rounder to a "defense-rich" team to land an "NHL-level" defenseman. By NHL-level, I'm assuming he means at least a top-four.
--Harrington has a solid foundation for his beliefs, but perhaps it's a tad early to go for the immediacy of NHL-level help on the blueline. The Sabres have the eighth pick which should land them one of the top three defensemen in the draft. Although there aren't any marquis names in this draft, ala McDavid/Eichel, Matthews/Laine, it's a draft where an incubation period is to be expected for most prospects. Word from the draft pundits is that there are some talented d-men in the draft that are pretty much equal but have different traits. I get the idea that patience sux for those of us in Sabreland, but perhaps we should let the new GM get a draft under his belt and get a feel for what he has before moving a first-rounder.
--UMASS commit Cale Makar, Tri-City (WHL) defenseman Juuso Valimaki and Swedish Super Elit d-man Timothy Liljegren are generally seen atop the group of d-prospects and dependent upon what those in front of the Sabres do, any or all could be there when the Sabres pick at No. 8.
--On Sunday Terry Pegula announced that not only did he fire his football GM, but also the entire Bills scouting department. With that in mind and the NHL Draft fast approaching, Sabres fans are worried about the team heading into this draft without a GM and a scouting department that might be on edge. The Buffalo News put fears to rest with an article saying that a massive overhaul of the scouting department isn't in the cards in Buffalo. As for the GM not being on board yet with the draft less than two months away, the scouting department has their lists and should be gathering soon to compare notes. And we should also not forget that Kevin Devine is still on board. Devine, a former Sabres AGM and Head Amateur Scout, has run drafts before so there shouldn't be that much to worry about in that department.
--Finally, amidst the positives coming out of PSE in the form of the Labatt and UBER joint ventures, the NHL announced that their Draft Combine will remain in Buffalo for 2019. The combine moved from Toronto to Buffalo in 2015 with the Sabres putting on quite the show downtown. HARBORCENTER with it's spaciousness and proximity to KeyBank Center plus two Marriotts right on the doorstep, makes an ideal setting for the combine, NHL reps, the media and attendees.
Although they'll never keep up with the Kardashians as a (silly) reality show and social media dynasty, the Pegula's, Terry and Kim have their own dynasty centered around land development, sports, and music that's growing bigger by the day. Recently Pegula Sports and Entertainment just announced ventures with Labatt USA and Uber, however the areas of interest for us Buffalo sports fans is the ongoing saga with their two major sports frachises--the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the NFL's Buffalo Bills--both of which are ships without a captain at this time.
After two very disappointing seasons from both the Sabres and the Bills, the Pegulas ended up firing both of their GM's within a matter of a week-and-a-half. One, hockey GM Tim Murray, was a surprise firing not long after the Sabres season ended while Bills GM Doug Whaley was fired 10 days later after the completion of he three-day NFL Draft. Oh to have a camera rolling as Terry and Kim, along with other insiders like PSE President Russ Brandon, discussed the futures of those two and the franchises in general.
Regardless of the lack of reality show appeal, the reality for the Pegulas centers around getting their franchises out of the dregs. And there's a ton of work to do.
What's been going on with the Pegula's and their sports teams?
--The Sabres are getting closer to finding their general manager and although there's not been an official count of who they've interviewed so far, piecing things together via twitter and media reports has the total at six or more. But the big development is the Sabres reportedly bringing in Pittsburgh Penguins AGM Jason Botterill for a second interview. From what I've been told, the Pegulas were very impressed with him, fellow Penguins front office-man Bill Guerin and Calgary Flames AGM Craig Conroy during their respective interviews.
--As for the Bills GM search, things are just getting started. The Pegulas, in conjunction with head coach Sean McDermott, are said to be very interested in Carolina Panthers AGM Brandon Beane, whom McDermott worked with while in Carolina, and it's also been reported that Houston Texans director of player personnel, Brian Gaine is slated for an interview tomorrow.
--Be it known that contrary to popular belief, Sabres franchise center Jack Eichel is not involved in the search for either GM. He's busy in Germany and France playing for Team USA in the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. Eichel was on the top line with wingers Anders Lee (NYI) and Johnny Gadreau (CGY) for USA as they had a tune-up game. Eichel scored with his a wicked-wrister 1:24 into the game. The real bullets fly beginning on Friday.
--Fellow Sabres Ryan O'Reilly is on Team Canada in the tournament. O'Reilly was playing right wing on the top line which is becoming the norm for him in international play.
--We all know the story of Evander Kane getting into some trouble last June while Buffalo was hosting the NHL Entry Draft. Kane and his attorney made a plea agreement with Buffalo City Court Judge Barbara Johnson-Lee who last fall, according to the Buffalo News, ordered an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal of the charges. Kane kept his nose clean and charges were dismissed. Now the big question. With one year left on his contract and a reported strong disliking of him by Kim Pegula (and presumably, Terry as well) where does the talented winger end up? Many (like myself) would like to see him extended at a reasonable rate and term while others can't wait for him to be moved.
--Speaking of things being moved, TBN's Mike Harrington wants the Sabres to move the eighth-overall pick in the NHL Draft. The reasoning, "Winning next year has to be an immediate priority and improving the blueline is paramount." Harrington wants the new GM to package the first-rounder to a "defense-rich" team to land an "NHL-level" defenseman. By NHL-level, I'm assuming he means at least a top-four.
--Harrington has a solid foundation for his beliefs, but perhaps it's a tad early to go for the immediacy of NHL-level help on the blueline. The Sabres have the eighth pick which should land them one of the top three defensemen in the draft. Although there aren't any marquis names in this draft, ala McDavid/Eichel, Matthews/Laine, it's a draft where an incubation period is to be expected for most prospects. Word from the draft pundits is that there are some talented d-men in the draft that are pretty much equal but have different traits. I get the idea that patience sux for those of us in Sabreland, but perhaps we should let the new GM get a draft under his belt and get a feel for what he has before moving a first-rounder.
--UMASS commit Cale Makar, Tri-City (WHL) defenseman Juuso Valimaki and Swedish Super Elit d-man Timothy Liljegren are generally seen atop the group of d-prospects and dependent upon what those in front of the Sabres do, any or all could be there when the Sabres pick at No. 8.
--On Sunday Terry Pegula announced that not only did he fire his football GM, but also the entire Bills scouting department. With that in mind and the NHL Draft fast approaching, Sabres fans are worried about the team heading into this draft without a GM and a scouting department that might be on edge. The Buffalo News put fears to rest with an article saying that a massive overhaul of the scouting department isn't in the cards in Buffalo. As for the GM not being on board yet with the draft less than two months away, the scouting department has their lists and should be gathering soon to compare notes. And we should also not forget that Kevin Devine is still on board. Devine, a former Sabres AGM and Head Amateur Scout, has run drafts before so there shouldn't be that much to worry about in that department.
--Finally, amidst the positives coming out of PSE in the form of the Labatt and UBER joint ventures, the NHL announced that their Draft Combine will remain in Buffalo for 2019. The combine moved from Toronto to Buffalo in 2015 with the Sabres putting on quite the show downtown. HARBORCENTER with it's spaciousness and proximity to KeyBank Center plus two Marriotts right on the doorstep, makes an ideal setting for the combine, NHL reps, the media and attendees.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Crazy 8's and the Pegula's clean house again.
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 4-30-2017
I’ll take full responsibility for the Buffalo Sabres drafting eighth overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
I’ll take full responsibility for the Buffalo Sabres drafting eighth overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Sabres Draft Lottery representative Larry Playfair and many
in Sabreland watched as the Philadelphia Flyers, who finished 10 points ahead
of them standings and had only a 2.2% chance of winning the lottery, leaped
high over the Sabres and 10 other teams to the No. 2 slot. In a more reasonable
move for Sabres fans (if there can be such a thing for a team that has no luck
when it comes to this lottery thing,) the Dallas Stars, who finished with one
more point in the standings than Buffalo, hurdled five teams to land at No. 3
overall while the New Jersey Devils, with slightly better than Buffalo 8.5%
chance of winning the lottery will select first overall in the 2017 NHL Entry
Draft.
The Colorado Avalanche bore the brunt of the ping-pong ball
madness as they will pick fourth overall after finishing with the least number
of points in a season since the league returned from the year-long lockout in
2005. The second-worst team in the league, The Vancouver Canucks will pick
fifth while Bill Foley saw a $500 million expansion fee for his Las Vegas
Knights turn into the sixth-overall pick. The Arizona Coyotes, who may have
worse luck than Buffalo
When I wrote about symmetry and continuity for the Sabres at
this year’s draft I was thinking that a second-overall pick would be apropos
for a Buffalo
When the Sabres started the rebuilding process in the latter half of the 2011-12 season their 89 points and third-place finish in the division netted them the 12th-overall pick in the draft. A year later they drafted eighth-overall after finishing 23rd-overall while 2014 and 2015 featured two second overalls. Last year they landed in the No. 8 slot and this year because of the luck of the ping-pong balls they're back in at No. 8 for a 12, 8, 2, 2, 8, 8 draft order from 2012-17.
Eighth-overall in this draft isn't such a bad spot considering the organizational needs. No doubt either Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier would be great additions to any club as both are very talented centers and considered the top-two players in the draft. And I wouldn't snub my nose at forwards Owen Tippet, Casey Mittelstadt and my personal favorite amongst the second-tier, Gabe Vilardi. The Sabres, however, have more pressing needs in the system than forward--defense.
No doubt a weak defense-corps was exposed this past season and as injuries hit, that position was exposed all the way down to Rochester. In his quest to bolster the forward ranks and depth, which was sub-par at best when he took over, especially at center, former GM Tim Murray's supreme focus seemed to be up front. In the last three drafts, minus the easy sells of centers Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, both of whom were taken second-overall, Murray did not select a defenseman in the draft higher than 51st overall (Brendan Guhle, 2015.) In the 2014 draft, he selected only one defenseman out of nine selections and while he did draft five defensemen out of seven picks in 2015, after Guhle they were all fourth-round picks or lower.
Last year Murray waited until the third round to select a defenseman, and selected three more from the fifth round on down.
It's not to say that these d-men won't turn into anything. Guhle looks like a steal in the second round and has the tools to be a top-four NHL d-man. Will Borgen (2015, 92nd-overall) and Devante Stephens (2015, 122nd) look like they could be NHL defenseman with Stephens making his pro debut next season. There's also been plenty of talk about Casey Fitzgerald, (2016, 86th) and his strong development at Boston College. And I wouldn't dismiss completely players like Brady Austin or Casey Nelson, both of whom spent the bulk of there time in Rochester last season. Although they had mixed results, both players showed that they could be able to hang full-time in the NHL.
All of the above mentioned defensemen are at their proper developmental levels which does say a lot for how the Sabres approach player development, but the glaring weaknesses with the big club cast a pall over the organizational depth on defense.
Which leads us now to a new and as of yet unnamed GM entering the 2017 NHL Draft with definitve needs system-wide on defense and a draft slot which may give them the opportunity to select one of the two or three best defensemen in the draft. From International Scouting Services the top defenseman in the draft is Timothy Liljegren whom they see as the sixth-best player in the draft. After him it's Callan Foote coming in as the ninth-best rated prospect and Juuso Valimaki ranked 11th-best. All of them are right in Buffalo's wheelhouse. Fast-rising Cale Makar may also be there when the Sabres step to the podium.
So you can put the blame on me for the ping-pong balls not falling the Sabres way, but also know that fate has them here and ultimately, it's what the new GM and his staff do with their picks that will determine where this team is headed in the near-mid future.
It's the draft and these are 18 yr. old kids. Very few make the immediate jump to the NHL and those are usually found at the top of the draft, even an NHL that keeps getting younger. Patience sucks but that's where we're at...again.
Hopefully next season a sign of progress will have us saying goodbye to 2's and 8's and hello to double digit draft positions once again, preferably upper-double digits.
*****
For posterity's sake, the Sabres have selected eighth-overall only twice--Rasmus Ristolainen, 2013 and Alexander Nylander, 2016.
*****
It was a bloody Sunday for Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley and the scouting department. After doing the work on the 2017 NFL Draft, Bills (and Sabres) owner Terry Pegula did a house cleaning today giving Whaley and the entire scouting department their walking papers less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the draft.
After disappointing seasons from both of his franchises, Pegula busted out the hatchet on both of his GM's a mere 10 days apart.
Pegula has been searching for a GM since dismissing Murray 10 days ago and he told the gathered media at today's presser that "we are close on the Sabres to having a final answer" on the Sabres GM position.
Nothing official has come out as of yet but some of the candidates that have been mentioned through sources are: Jason Botterill, Bill Guerin, Michael Futa, Bill Zito, Norm MacIver and Paul Fenton.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Sad words in Sabreland: NHL Draft Lottery Day
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 4-29-2017
After a major jump in their first season coming out of their rebuild, only the most optimistic of souls predicted the Buffalo Sabres in the 2017 NHL playoffs this year. Most pundits had the Sabres at or slightly above where they ended up finishing: 8th in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference, 26th in the League.
But very few predicted the dysfunction that would engulf the team this seasons as GM, coach and players all played a big role in the Sabres finishing with less points than the prior season. Buffalo's roster had holes to begin with and when major injuries hit, former GM Tim Murray stood on the sidelines. Former head coach Dan Bylsma lost the room around mid-season into his second season with the club and the players feuded with the coach and amongst themselves through the latter part of the season as well.
The word 'former' in front of Murray and Bylsma is a sure indication that a) ownership expected more from this club and b) neither of them had any answers. For Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Sabres, it wasn't good enough and they cleaned house just over a week ago. They made the move despite having no one in the hockey department ranked higher than assistant general manager and with a lot of crucial decisions to be made between now and mid-July.
Amongst items Buffalo's new GM will have on his docket is the expansion draft, NHL Entry Draft, free agent contract decisions, contract extension negotiations with Buffalo's other lottery picks, Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, decisions on players like Evander Kane and Robin Lehner and the start of free agency on July 1.
But there's one thing in the hockey department that even Russ Brandon could handle, the NHL Draft Lottery, which will be shown live tonight just prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins/Washington Capitals second round playoff game.
Buffalo will be looking for some luck that they didn't have in 2014 and 2015 when they ended up selecting second overall after finishing last in the league. Unlike in 2015 when the last place team could fall no more than one slot, the NHL now has the first three picks up for grabs.
This year the expansion Las Vegas Knights are in the lottery and will draft no lower than third which means the Sabres will not be in the Nos. 4 or 5 slot. Here are Buffalo's odds for where they could pick:
1--7.6%
2--7.8
3--8.0
4--xx
5--xx
6--14.3
7--38.2
8--21.4
9--2.6
Representing Buffalo at the Draft Lottery tonight will be former Sabres enforcer and president of the Sabres Alumni Association, Larry Playfair. Perhaps if things don't go their way he'll have a flashback and deck somebody.
Am of the opinion that continuity demands the Sabres end up with the No. 2 pick. It's a small consolation for having things go against them in '14 and '15, and it's not like there's an Eichel waiting there for them, but having the opportunity to select either Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier, the clear-cut top two prospects in the draft would/should/could be a nice symmetrical close to a dark era for the Sabres.
For those who have time to kill and/or are interested in testing their luck with the lottery, the NHL has a lottery simulator found here.
Test your luck.
Here's what I came up with on my one and only spin this morning:
Buffalo
Vancouver
Las Vegas
You can believe it or not, but that's how it came out.
After a major jump in their first season coming out of their rebuild, only the most optimistic of souls predicted the Buffalo Sabres in the 2017 NHL playoffs this year. Most pundits had the Sabres at or slightly above where they ended up finishing: 8th in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference, 26th in the League.
But very few predicted the dysfunction that would engulf the team this seasons as GM, coach and players all played a big role in the Sabres finishing with less points than the prior season. Buffalo's roster had holes to begin with and when major injuries hit, former GM Tim Murray stood on the sidelines. Former head coach Dan Bylsma lost the room around mid-season into his second season with the club and the players feuded with the coach and amongst themselves through the latter part of the season as well.
The word 'former' in front of Murray and Bylsma is a sure indication that a) ownership expected more from this club and b) neither of them had any answers. For Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Sabres, it wasn't good enough and they cleaned house just over a week ago. They made the move despite having no one in the hockey department ranked higher than assistant general manager and with a lot of crucial decisions to be made between now and mid-July.
Amongst items Buffalo's new GM will have on his docket is the expansion draft, NHL Entry Draft, free agent contract decisions, contract extension negotiations with Buffalo's other lottery picks, Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, decisions on players like Evander Kane and Robin Lehner and the start of free agency on July 1.
But there's one thing in the hockey department that even Russ Brandon could handle, the NHL Draft Lottery, which will be shown live tonight just prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins/Washington Capitals second round playoff game.
Buffalo will be looking for some luck that they didn't have in 2014 and 2015 when they ended up selecting second overall after finishing last in the league. Unlike in 2015 when the last place team could fall no more than one slot, the NHL now has the first three picks up for grabs.
This year the expansion Las Vegas Knights are in the lottery and will draft no lower than third which means the Sabres will not be in the Nos. 4 or 5 slot. Here are Buffalo's odds for where they could pick:
1--7.6%
2--7.8
3--8.0
4--xx
5--xx
6--14.3
7--38.2
8--21.4
9--2.6
Representing Buffalo at the Draft Lottery tonight will be former Sabres enforcer and president of the Sabres Alumni Association, Larry Playfair. Perhaps if things don't go their way he'll have a flashback and deck somebody.
Am of the opinion that continuity demands the Sabres end up with the No. 2 pick. It's a small consolation for having things go against them in '14 and '15, and it's not like there's an Eichel waiting there for them, but having the opportunity to select either Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier, the clear-cut top two prospects in the draft would/should/could be a nice symmetrical close to a dark era for the Sabres.
For those who have time to kill and/or are interested in testing their luck with the lottery, the NHL has a lottery simulator found here.
Test your luck.
Here's what I came up with on my one and only spin this morning:
Buffalo
Vancouver
Las Vegas
You can believe it or not, but that's how it came out.
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