2022 NHL Entry Draft

[Old Navy Goat]

Last year I was attached to Svechkov with the pick we got from Philly. He was in my top 3 of picks after Power (I try to avoid looking at the expected #1 pick because I do not want the Sabres to get that) [and last year I was Beniers, McTavish and Svechkov, in order of who the Sabres should take assuming they didn’t draft #1]. This year, I seem to be wrong. Which I can accept. I just know that in my years of looking at picks I’ve been rarely wrong, although 95% of those are pre-HFboards [imagine this team with Marchand, Wilson, Point, Konecny, Sergachev and DeBrincat on it].

In 2020, I said to draft Nick Malik with the Sabres 7th rounder. He’s now one of the top goalies in Liiga. He’s 20. Whether that can translate to the AHL/NHL, I dunno. But you know if that was in the Sabres system, the fanbase would be high on him.

This draft, you go Slafkovsky, Nelson, Lamoureux, and McConnell-Barker, then move up for Snuggerud. Then you go Petrovsky, Dolzhenkov and Schenkel and you walk away laughing

I don't think you're getting Slafkovsky unless you're picking top 4 as I can see Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky and Nemec being the top 4.

The top 2 are pretty much cemented between Arizona and Montreal. The Flyers are free falling with no Couturier, Giroux moving along with others at the tdl. Jersey is Jeckyl and Hyde, Ottawa tries and competes but their schedule will kick them in the nuts. Plus you figure with better goaltending the Sabres will gain points and run up to 7ish

Montreal
Arizona
Philly
Seattle
Ottawa
Jersey
Buffalo

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I don't think you're getting Slafkovsky unless you're picking top 4 as I can see Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky and Nemec being the top 4.

The top 2 are pretty much cemented between Arizona and Montreal. The Flyers are free falling with no Couturier, Giroux moving along with others at the tdl. Jersey is Jeckyl and Hyde, Ottawa tries and competes but their schedule will kick them in the nuts. Plus you figure with better goaltending the Sabres will gain points and run up to 7ish

Montreal
Arizona
Philly
Seattle
Ottawa
Jersey
Buffalo

After these Olympics, no we’re not getting Slafkovsky. Not unless Ottawa wins their games in hand and the Isles get their shit totgether. I really don’t want Ottawa to get him, because I like 75% of the players and prospects they have. I don’t wanna potentially change loyalties.

This is why the Sabres need to hire me as a consultant. I’ll be the cheapest scout ever that I can’t even be fired in a pandemic.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

After these Olympics, no we’re not getting Slafkovsky. Not unless Ottawa wins their games in hand and the Isles get their shit totgether. I really don’t want Ottawa to get him, because I like 75% of the players and prospects they have. I don’t wanna potentially change loyalties.

This is why the Sabres need to hire me as a consultant. I’ll be the cheapest scout ever that I can’t even be fired in a pandemic.

Ottawa is going to piss me off and draft Gauthier, and then run a Gauthier - Norris - Tkachuk line that will run roughshod over the Sabres finess players for years to come

 

[elchud]

I still think we pick 8th.

Bystedt or Poitras with out 2nd would be happy with either. I dont think Snuggerud lasts past pick 36.

Trade both late 1sts to move up and get Chesley

8th overall Savoie or Geekie
16th overall Chesley
40th overall Bystedt or Poitras

We should get a 3rd for Miller. Lorenz and Brennan in the 3rd. Namestikov in the 4th. Flesh out the D with the rest of the picks. Nordberg if we get a 4th for Anderson or Tokarski. Geary is from Buffalo, Jr sabres kid should be there in 5th.

 

[Jim Bob]

Brad Lambert was this month’s guest on the NHL Draft Class pod.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I don't think you're getting Slafkovsky unless you're picking top 4 as I can see Wright, Cooley, Slafkovsky and Nemec being the top 4.

The top 2 are pretty much cemented between Arizona and Montreal. The Flyers are free falling with no Couturier, Giroux moving along with others at the tdl. Jersey is Jeckyl and Hyde, Ottawa tries and competes but their schedule will kick them in the nuts. Plus you figure with better goaltending the Sabres will gain points and run up to 7ish

Montreal
Arizona
Philly
Seattle
Ottawa
Jersey
Buffalo

Sounds like you think Kemell is going to continue to drop?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Sounds like you think Kemell is going to continue to drop?

To be honest yes, he's not close to the player he was on his unsustainable shooting streak. One dimensional wingers who are playing timid aren't going to jump over more desirable positions. He has time to change things up but right now he circles away from contact

 

[Der Jaeger]

I'm wondering if Savoie is actually a center or more of a blended forward like Krebs who may be better creating on the wing.

As for Gauthier, it's an interesting thought at that 8-ish pick. Slafkovsky, Nemec, Jiricek, Yurov, Kemell, Lambert... lots of possibilities in that neighborhood.

His game is similar to Krebs, though I think Savoie tends to fire the puck more. I see some Brayden Point in his game.

 

[member 334057]

His game is similar to Krebs, though I think Savoie tends to fire the puck more. I see some Brayden Point in his game.

I think what really will help Savoie in addition to his skill level is that despite being relatively short, he's stocky and is already listed at around 180 pounds, so he already has a very similar body style to Marchand and St. Louis or as you mentioned Point. The more I see of him the more I like his game and can definitely see him finding success in the NHL.

 

[Aki Berg]

One would assume he stays with TPS in the Liiga.

(Sidebar... just noticed that Aki Berg is part of the TPS training staff as their equipment manager. Heh.)

Aki is the greatest equipment manager hockey has ever seen.

 

[Chainshot]

I think what really will help Savoie in addition to his skill level is that despite being relatively short, he's stocky and is already listed at around 180 pounds, so he already has a very similar body style to Marchand and St. Louis or as you mentioned Point. The more I see of him the more I like his game and can definitely see him finding success in the NHL.

Build is often an issue when they start getting into combine results. Think back about how they said Rossi had nowhere else to go with his physique - he'd already done what he could do to build himself out and there is no more cheese down that hole for him.

I like Savoie a lot. And yet I do have those concerns about his PP vs. 5-on-5 scoring and what sort of player he is going to be. He's fun, I've enjoyed watching him... *shrug*

 

[The Blunder Years]

I think I just want us to go BPA for highest skill level. We could use more high ceiling talent

 

[Der Jaeger]

FC Mock draft

1-5) Matthew Savoie
1-29) Elias Salomonsson
1-30) Filip Bystedt
2-37) Jimmy Suggerud

I notionally had Arizona taking Cooley at 2 (they picked Lambert) to make it real.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

FC Mock draft

1-5) Matthew Savoie
1-29) Elias Salomonsson
1-30) Filip Bystedt
2-37) Jimmy Suggerud

I notionally had Arizona taking Cooley at 2 (they picked Lambert) to make it real.

I like wasting time with FC but almost everytime Cooley is available at #5 as the top doesn't really follow their rankings while the rest doesn't deviate much

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I think I just want us to go BPA for highest skill level. We could use more high ceiling talent

I think they scout deeper than that now with this staff, analytics dept, etc. ie Quinn. I do not want any more Nylander's

 

[The Blunder Years]

I think they scout deeper than that now with this staff, analytics dept, etc. ie Quinn. I do not want any more Nylander's

Fair point. Looking back at my comment I see what you mean. Fit is definitely important with what they’re trying to do. I just feel like we don’t have any super high skill guys outside of Peterka, Dahlin, and maybe Rosen/Quinn

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Fair point. Looking back at my comment I see what you mean. Fit is definitely important with what they’re trying to do. I just feel like we don’t have any super high skill guys outside of Peterka, Dahlin, and maybe Rosen/Quinn

Think you have to define skill. Quinn has an NHL+ caliber shot plus his overall game is top tier ie definitely top 6 fwd. Power has top end skill. A player like Tom Wilson has a top end skillset.

Dynamic skating / stickhandling while eye catching doesn't mean much if it can't be used properly, that's why you see players like Josh Ho Sang wash out

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Jim Bob]

Drafting guys that have gone through the Chicago Steel organization might not be a bad idea.

 

[Chainshot]

Drafting guys that have gone through the Chicago Steel organization might not be a bad idea.

The article on Power going there to work on things again during the lockout was interesting. They touched on how they do drills where they are teaching the player to be comfortable in different areas of the ice. It could be part of why Power looks so natural when he pinches, like a quick yet big forward, and how he goes to positions that succeed at forward, not just a defenseman on a pinch (two of his three goals in his U20 hattrick game were this sort of play IMO).

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

His game is similar to Krebs, though I think Savoie tends to fire the puck more. I see some Brayden Point in his game.

Savoie is #2 on my board (and has been for a while). Brayden Point is a good comp and I really want him to fall to us.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Think you have to define skill. Quinn has an NHL+ caliber shot plus his overall game is top tier ie definitely top 6 fwd. Power has top end skill. A player like Tom Wilson has a top end skillset.

Dynamic skating / stickhandling while eye catching doesn't mean much if it can't be used properly, that's why you see players like Josh Ho Sang wash out

Josh Ho Sang’s issues were all mental

 

[UnleashRasmus]

FC Mock draft

1-5) Matthew Savoie
1-29) Elias Salomonsson
1-30) Filip Bystedt
2-37) Jimmy Suggerud

I notionally had Arizona taking Cooley at 2 (they picked Lambert) to make it real.

1-5) Savoie
1-29) Salmonsson
1-30) Gaucher
2-37) Kasper

 

[ValJamesDuex]

His game is similar to Krebs, though I think Savoie tends to fire the puck more. I see some Brayden Point in his game.

Would love Savoie at 5 if he has the @Old Navy Goat stamp of approval ? But why do I get a feeling we will be drafting 6-9 ?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Would love Savoie at 5 if he has the @Old Navy Goat stamp of approval ? But why do I get a feeling we will be drafting 6-9 ?

I like Savoie more than the other wingers ie Kemell / Miro in that range. He's dynamic and would inject a lot more skill. Saying that if they go on a run with better goaltending and players getting healthy I'm staring directly at Gauthier, give me another Tuch like player to add to the top 6. I also like Nazar and would even entertain dropping back 5 or 6 slots to the 13/14 range and getting Chesley as he's the #3 best dman in the draft, but the best in his own end