2017 Draft Discussion - Sabres Pick 8th

[WpgBuffan]

I know we want to draft a D but I also like the sound of Owen Tippett. If he becomes Kessel thats money in the bank.

Tippett has a better shot at turning into Evander Kane then Phil Kessel. I hope Tippett is taken before our pick so we don't have to worry about him.

 

[Sabretooth]

Or do you make a shift in your protected list and make it all a bigger deal?

Dont know how the logistics of that would work since the expansion draft is before the entry draft. There won't be a protected list by the time we know whether makar is there at 6.

 

[EichHart]

the problem is we need a #2 or #3 LHD now, perhaps a #3 or #4 if Kulikov returns and regains form. Any prospect drafted isn't playing in the NHL for probably 2 or more years and we have some good looking d-men coming up from Murray's drafts.

If Guhle and Antipen work out and Kulikov regains form then we have Risto/Guhle/Antipen/McCabe and Kulikov on the backend which is nice but we don't really have any high impact forwards coming up besides Nylander which would make me go for someone like Owen Tippett. We are pretty bare on the high impact forwards (wingers) cupboards.

Exactly and we should be able to swing a trade for a top 4 dman somehow this offseason. Or pick up a stop gap dman like Markov/Daley/Campbell/etc...

 

[Sabre the Win]

Tippett has a better shot at turning into Evander Kane then Phil Kessel. I hope Tippett is taken before our pick so we don't have to worry about him.

Whats wrong with that if we get him as the Kane this year without the off ice issues and he is cost controlled? It just makes Kane more expendable.

Anyways from the limited viewings I've seen of Tippett since I didn't get to many Ice Dog games this year, Tippett seemed to have better hands than Kane. His release and shot remind me of a Kessel

 

[Moskau]

Whats wrong with that if we get him as the Kane this year without the off ice issues and he is cost controlled? It just makes Kane more expendable.

Drafting a guy who won't see the NHL for at least 2 years has no effect on a guy who is a UFA in 1 year and more than likely has already played his last game as a Sabres player.

 

[fiend540]

Exactly and we should be able to swing a trade for a top 4 dman somehow this offseason. Or pick up a stop gap dman like Markov/Daley/Campbell/etc...

People keep saying stuff like this for the past 2 seasons now and it just doesn't happen without trading an important piece. It's just not a very realistic option.

 

[EichHart]

People keep saying stuff like this for the past 2 seasons now and it just doesn't happen without trading an important piece. It's just not a very realistic option.

We have many pieces available to get another top 4 dman. A competent coach will also aid those we already have. The Isles were able to get 2 of them in one offseason without giving up much at all. Maybe if we had a good GM we would have made a trade last offseason.

 

[Aladyyn]

We have many pieces available to get another top 4 dman. A competent coach will also aid those we already have. The Isles were able to get 2 of them in one offseason without giving up much at all. Maybe if we had a good GM we would have made a trade last offseason.

Islanders traded for cap casualties. How many defenseman cap casualties were there last offseason?

 

[fiend540]

We have many pieces available to get another top 4 dman. A competent coach will also aid those we already have. The Isles were able to get 2 of them in one offseason without giving up much at all. Maybe if we had a good GM we would have made a trade last offseason.

List them please, what pieces can we easily give up to get a true #2 or #3 defender?

 

[EichHart]

List them please, what pieces can we easily give up to get a true #2 or #3 defender?

I said a top 4. Pick #8, Kane, Nylander, Reinhart, a combination of 2nd rounder+prospects.

 

[EichHart]

Islanders traded for cap casualties. How many defenseman cap casualties were there last offseason?

Bruins had cap room to keep Boychuk, Leddy I agree. I shouldn't even respond to you though. Your posts on some of the main boards make the entire Sabres fan base look terrible.

 

[fiend540]

I said a top 4. Pick #8, Kane, Nylander, Reinhart, a combination of 2nd rounder+prospects.

Right and that was my point, unless you're going to give up a big piece you're not fixing the problem at D and most of the people clamoring about how it would be a waste to draft d at 8 just keep throwing out "we can trade away to fill our holes on defense" when that has been shown to not be an easy thing to do. The only example you gave was from over 2 years ago, so to just assume that a good GM could get it done seems like pretty far stretch, otherwise you would see teams trading good top 4 Dmen all the time.

 

[1972]

I said a top 4. Pick #8, Kane, Nylander, Reinhart, a combination of 2nd rounder+prospects.

Nylander or Reinhart for a second pairing D? Glad you have zero say lol

 

[flashsabre]

It is tough to focus on the draft right now with so many moving parts. Once the GM is named and the expansion draft passes I think we will have a much better idea of the draft. If a Fenton comes in and brings Housley you know the focus will be on D. But if another GM comes in and swings a deal for a D before the draft, then the focus of #8 may change.

Everyone assumes Makar will be gone by 8 but with a draft class like this you never know. I can easily see him sitting there at 8. I like Valimaki so I don't see gloom and doom. If 8 can be a piece to help land a Fowler this is the year to do it.

 

[Grinder44]

I guess I'm not as convinced that Heiskanen and Makar are both absolutely taken before #8, or that Liljegren is absolutely still on the board at that point, as others seem to be. 17 and 18 year-old d-man prospects seem to have a tendency to slide up and down the board most years (i.e., Fowler sliding to 12, S. Jones sliding to 4, Chychrun to 16! when each was ranked higher going into the draft). So I'll take the wait-and-see approach before declaring it's time to trade the pick. And if all three of them are off the board by #8, that means there are going to be a couple of really high-ceiling F's sitting there to choose from. The Sabres should be able to address improving their D corps, above and beyond adding (hopefully) Guhle and Antipin without necessarily moving this draft's first-rounder. As others have pointed out, Kane, Reinhart, Nylander, abundance of speedy young F prospects, etc., should all be in play depending on what deals are out there to be made. This team is still a couple seasons away from really being able to compete for the Cup IMO, and it would be beneficial to have a top 8 pick from this draft potentially hitting the roster then.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Tippett has a better shot at turning into Evander Kane then Phil Kessel. I hope Tippett is taken before our pick so we don't have to worry about him.

I was about to say the same thing.

All the knocks on Tippett are basically the same as Evanders. Doesn't utilize his teammates. One-dimensional player. Shoots from anywhere. Questionable decision making and hockey sense.

 

[darcyRegier]

What's the scouting report on Casey Middlestadt? How are his hands, skating, IQ, shot, etc? NHL comparable? I've seen a couple mock drafts with Makar/Heskainen gone and the Swords getting Middlestadt

 

[WpgBuffan]

I was about to say the same thing.

All the knocks on Tippett are basically the same as Evanders. Doesn't utilize his teammates. One-dimensional player. Shoots from anywhere. Questionable decision making and hockey sense.

We need smarter players on forward and defence.

 

[Chainshot]

Can we please actually keep this thread about the draft and possible draft picks, not who wants to trade what for whom? Please?

 

[Der Jaeger]

Not interested in Tippett. All the measurables, skating, and shot to be a great player. Average to below average hockey IQ.

 

[jBuds]

I'm underwhelmed.

 

[Cirris]

I'm underwhelmed.

This whole draft has a 1996 feel about it. The year we took Erik Rasmussen 7th overall.

The ceiling on anyone outside of the top 5 is well below average. It's going to be really hit and miss to find some hidden gems in the top 3 rounds.

Keep in mind the scouting and tape on prospects is a million times better than it was in the 90s.

The Sabres will be lucky to get a decent prospect out of their 7th pick and a serviceable player out of their 4 other 2nd/3rd round selections.

 

[Cirris]

I guess I'm not as convinced that Heiskanen and Makar are both absolutely taken before #8, or that Liljegren is absolutely still on the board at that point, as others seem to be. 17 and 18 year-old d-man prospects seem to have a tendency to slide up and down the board most years (i.e., Fowler sliding to 12, S. Jones sliding to 4, Chychrun to 16! when each was ranked higher going into the draft). So I'll take the wait-and-see approach before declaring it's time to trade the pick. And if all three of them are off the board by #8, that means there are going to be a couple of really high-ceiling F's sitting there to choose from. The Sabres should be able to address improving their D corps, above and beyond adding (hopefully) Guhle and Antipin without necessarily moving this draft's first-rounder. As others have pointed out, Kane, Reinhart, Nylander, abundance of speedy young F prospects, etc., should all be in play depending on what deals are out there to be made. This team is still a couple seasons away from really being able to compete for the Cup IMO, and it would be beneficial to have a top 8 pick from this draft potentially hitting the roster then.

I think D sliding also has a lot to do with the quality of the forwards in the draft class.

Seth Jones sliding to 4 was possible given teams drafting top 3 really needed offensive prospects and the ceiling on guys like McKinnon and Barkov were huge.

I don't know why Chychrun fell that far. I honestly thought Sabres might have took him over Nylander. Murray and his staff must have really loved Nylander's skillset to win them over.

I do think if Juolevi was there at 8 Sabres would have took him instead.

Chychrun didn't have a great draft year season in the OHL, it might have really hurt his stock in the eyes of scouts also.

Cam Fowler's draft year was really deep in the top ten.

 

[Jim Bob]

Not interested in Tippett. All the measurables, skating, and shot to be a great player. Average to below average hockey IQ.

Sounds like Jake Virtanen.

 

[Reddawg]

This whole draft has a 1996 feel about it. The year we took Erik Rasmussen 7th overall.

Almost the entire first round of that draft was hot garbage, and we eventually ended up with the three best forwards in the 1st round anyway (Briere, Dumont and Zubrus).