2017 Draft discussion- Sabres pick 8th. Part 2

[tsujimoto74]

I think Vegas will take Rasmussen

What a rough way to start a franchise that'd be. I think any team that takes him in the top half of the 1st (at least) will live to regret that pick.

Not sure what scouts are seeing in him that's keeping him ranked in the top 10, but historically guys of his ilk do not fare well.

 

[Reddawg]

What a rough way to start a franchise that'd be. I think any team that takes him in the top half of the 1st (at least) will live to regret that pick.

Not sure what scouts are seeing in him that's keeping him ranked in the top 10, but historically guys of his ilk do not fare well.

I agree, but I can just kinda see it coming. Brand new franchise has to make a statement with their first ever draft pick...to me if you're given a cluster of guys that are somewhat equal, you pick a 6'5" center to be the tentpole of the organization. It's certainly possible I'm wrong, it's just a hunch. This is the furthest down the ladder an expansion franchise has ever drafted if I'm not mistaken. No real precedent for what they will do.

 

[Jim Bob]

I agree, but I can just kinda see it coming. Brand new franchise has to make a statement with their first ever draft pick...to me if you're given a cluster of guys that are somewhat equal, you pick a 6'5" center to be the tentpole of the organization. It's certainly possible I'm wrong, it's just a hunch. This is the furthest down the ladder an expansion franchise has ever drafted if I'm not mistaken. No real precedent for what they will do.

Does he look like a guy that Washington took with GMGM at the helm?

He doesn't look like that kind of player to me.

 

[Chainshot]

What a rough way to start a franchise that'd be. I think any team that takes him in the top half of the 1st (at least) will live to regret that pick.

Not sure what scouts are seeing in him that's keeping him ranked in the top 10, but historically guys of his ilk do not fare well.

It seems like they keep looking at his height and making projections.

 

[1972]

I agree, but I can just kinda see it coming. Brand new franchise has to make a statement with their first ever draft pick...to me if you're given a cluster of guys that are somewhat equal, you pick a 6'5" center to be the tentpole of the organization. It's certainly possible I'm wrong, it's just a hunch. This is the furthest down the ladder an expansion franchise has ever drafted if I'm not mistaken. No real precedent for what they will do.

I feel like I've read this exact paragraph somewhere else lol

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

picking where vegas is I trade everything not nailed down, finish last, and start building a defense while I wait for a franchise center to make it to me

 

[BananaSquad]

I agree, but I can just kinda see it coming. Brand new franchise has to make a statement with their first ever draft pick...to me if you're given a cluster of guys that are somewhat equal, you pick a 6'5" center to be the tentpole of the organization. It's certainly possible I'm wrong, it's just a hunch. This is the furthest down the ladder an expansion franchise has ever drafted if I'm not mistaken. No real precedent for what they will do.

Worked out for the Jets with Scheifele.

 

[is the answer jesus]

Does he look like a guy that Washington took with GMGM at the helm?

He doesn't look like that kind of player to me.

A suppose a loose comparison could be made to Tom Wilson. I dont see McPhee taking Rasmussen though. There'll be a better player available when they pick.

 

[Reddawg]

I feel like I've read this exact paragraph somewhere else lol

Probably, I've been saying it for a couple weeks.

 

[Jim Bob]

A suppose a loose comparison could be made to Tom Wilson. I dont see McPhee taking Rasmussen though. There'll be a better player available when they pick.

Wilson was drafted not as a "tentpole" but rather as a banger with skill, kind of like the Kassian pick here. And both those guys were taken outside of the top 10.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

Las Vegas needs a Kriukov

 

[truthbluth]

The Draft Analyst makes a good case for Vegas taking Pettersson. The dude does have a very high ceiling. He may be the most skilled player above 6 ft in the draft. Burakovsky was a very slender swede with crazy skill, and that worked out well for GMGM in the past.

If the top centers are all gone, I could see Pettersson being a sneaky good pick there.

Mittelstadt is the one guy in that kind-of-consensus-at-this-point top group that could slide. I'm not sure I'd want the Sabres to grab him if he does.

Guys I'd be stunned if they made it to the Sabres
Patrick
Hischier
Vilardi
Heiskanen
Glass

Guy I'd be pleasantly surprised to see
Makar

Guys I realistically expect to be choosing from
Liljegren
Pettersson
Necas
Tippett

 

[1972]

Vegas doesn't need to hit a home run here, if they can get a long term 2nd line center they're gonna be very pleased.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

With the big Russian signings, Vegas is going to be a team that isn't competitive sooner rather then later. I see them drafting the player who is closest to NHL ready available. I do feel bad for them. Not only is their first ever draft a weak one, they are picking SIXTH! Ouch.

 

[sabrebuild]

Having watched almost no juniors this year, Rasmussen has one of the least impressive highlight packages of an expected top ten pick in years.

Tall, less physical Brendan Lemieux.

 

[sabrebuild]

The Draft Analyst makes a good case for Vegas taking Pettersson. The dude does have a very high ceiling. He may be the most skilled player above 6 ft in the draft. Burakovsky was a very slender swede with crazy skill, and that worked out well for GMGM in the past.

If the top centers are all gone, I could see Pettersson being a sneaky good pick there.

Mittelstadt is the one guy in that kind-of-consensus-at-this-point top group that could slide. I'm not sure I'd want the Sabres to grab him if he does.

Guys I'd be stunned if they made it to the Sabres
Patrick
Hischier
Vilardi
Heiskanen
Glass

Guy I'd be pleasantly surprised to see
Makar

Guys I realistically expect to be choosing from
Liljegren
Pettersson
Necas
Tippett

Petterson has top notch skill. Pretty impressed by his hands in tight, fast spaces.

 

[truthbluth]

Petterson has top notch skill. Pretty impressed by his hands in tight, fast spaces.

Yeah, he's legit. If the Sabres drafted Petterson, it would be a long term investment. Like the Sharks drafting Logan Couture in 2007, even though they had Joe Thornton and 22 year old phenom Joe Pavelski. Couture wasn't a core contributor until 2010-11, 4 years post draft, when the Sharks had 7 20 goal scorers and 105 points in the regular season. RoR is young, but he's only 2 years younger than Joe Thornton was when San Jose drafted Couture.

Petterson is a long term project, but I wouldn't hate the pick....
unless Makar or Heiskanen was still on the board.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juni...-memorial-cup-top-prospects-great-storylines/

Why watch the 2017 MasterCard Memorial Cup: Top prospects, great storylines

------------------------------------

Here is a list of players on each team who are on the radar for the 2017 NHL Draft, listed with their NHL Central Scouting ranking:

SEATTLE
Sami Moilanen, No. 110 among North American skaters, RW
Jarret Tyszka, No. 41 among North American skaters, D
Matthew Wedman, No. 210 among North American skaters, LW

WINDSOR
Gabriel Vilardi, No. 4 among North American skaters, C/RW
Luke Boka, No. 201 among North American skaters, RW
Cole Purboo, No. 189 among North American skaters, C
Michael DiPietro, No. 4 among North American goalies, G

ERIE
Ivan Lodnia, No. 36 among North American skaters, RW
Gera Poddubnyi, No. 130 among North American skaters, LW/C

SAINT JOHN
Cedric Pare, No. 146 among North American skaters, F

 

[sabrebuild]

Yeah, he's legit. If the Sabres drafted Petterson, it would be a long term investment. Like the Sharks drafting Logan Couture in 2007, even though they had Joe Thornton and 22 year old phenom Joe Pavelski. Couture wasn't a core contributor until 2010-11, 4 years post draft, when the Sharks had 7 20 goal scorers and 105 points in the regular season. RoR is young, but he's only 2 years younger than Joe Thornton was when San Jose drafted Couture.

Petterson is a long term project, but I wouldn't hate the pick....
unless Makar or Heiskanen was still on the board.

If things fall as expected, makar and heiskanen gone, I think I want us to go with one of glass or petterson.

They both seem like they could blow up with a little development time. They both have speciality skills, along with a grinder, competitive mindset.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

If things fall as expected, makar and heiskanen gone, I think I want us to go with one of glass or petterson.

They both seem like they could blow up with a little development time. They both have speciality skills, along with a grinder, competitive mindset.

It seems a lot of other people don't expect Makar to be gone by 8 unlike what is being said on this board. I hope it comes out this way as obviously all of us would be pleased with this outcome!

 

[Jim Bob]

They have to be looking to add a D, right?

The best we could offer is 3+Lehtonen for 8.

 

[JThorne]

They have to be looking to add a D, right?

The best we could offer is 3+Lehtonen for 8.

I'm not so sure about the D. They have quite a few young D who are on the cusp of playing in the NHL.

 

[ckg927]

Well, my take...

I'll be HAPPY if Makar is on the board by the time Buffalo picks 8th. I'll settle for Heiskanen. Liljegren, however...no. We already have an offensive-minded D in Risto, and Liljegren's a mess defensively.

Someone posted some of the players to keep an eye on in the Memorial Cup-and one that I'd DEFINITELY spent a pick on in round 2(since the Sabres have 2 of them)is Erie's Ivan Lodnia. He sounds like he'd be a perfect fit in terms of versatility, which is one thing Buffalo needs badly.

 

[Chainshot]

Solid bit from Brock on his OHL ratings - http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/2017/05/my-final-top-50-ohl-players-for-2017_16.html

 

[Butt Ox]

Hague in front of Timmins I can see because of recency bias yeah. Tough call either way.