2023 Prospect Poll #8

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Who is the Sabres' #8 prospect?


  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .

tsujimoto74

Moderator
May 28, 2012
31,175
24,506
Sorry for the slight delay in getting this one posted @Dingo44 ;)

RESULTS SO FAR:
  1. Devon Levi, G (+4)
  2. Zach Benson, W (NR)
  3. Jiri Kulich, W (+3)
  4. Matthew Savoie, W/C (--)
  5. Noah Ostlund, C (+2)
  6. Isak Rosen, W (+3)
  7. Ryan Johnson, D (+3)

RULES: Each poll will remain open for 2 days. In the case of a tie within the top 10, I'll create a 1-day runoff poll to decide the winner. Ties outside of the top 10 will be let stand as ties. For each additional poll, I will add the most commented next to add prospect.


ELIGIBILITY: All players whose rights are held by the Buffalo Sabres and who are eligible to win the Calder Trophy for the 2023-24 season are eligible inclusion. That means a prospect is eligible if--
  • He is under age 26 (as of September 15, 2023);
  • He has played no more than 25 games in any single preceding season; and
  • He has not played 6 or more games in each of any two or more preceding seasons.

NEXT TO ADD: Comment the player you want to see added to the next poll. The following players are eligible:
  • Forwards: Ethan Miedema, Filip Cederqvist, Linus Sjodin, Brandon Biro, Linus Weissbach, Aaron Huglen, Matteo Costantini, Gustav Karlsson, Jake Richard, Joel Berndtsson, Stiven Sardaryan, Viljami Marjala, William von Barnekow, Jakub Konecny, Justin Richards, Brett Murray
  • Defensemen: Mats Lindgren, Vsemolod Komarov, Shane Keohane, Albert Lyckasen, Norwin Panocha
  • Goalies: Scott Ratzlaff, Topias Leinonen
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Dingo44
Wahlberg a third time. Long, skilled, strong, mean, fast, and the youngest player invited to Sweden's current WJC camp.

Add Komarov

I feel like this is where we hit the upside vs. likelihood argument
I think that started with Johnson vs Wahlberg. I'm curious if people are voting for the D earlier than I would because of position need in the org (which I don't consider at all for these votes) or positional scarcity (only really applies to RHD).
 
Wahlberg a third time. Long, skilled, strong, mean, fast, and the youngest player invited to Sweden's current WJC camp.

Add Komarov


I think that started with Johnson vs Wahlberg. I'm curious if people are voting for the D earlier than I would because of position need in the org (which I don't consider at all for these votes) or positional scarcity (only really applies to RHD).

I voted for who I think is closer to making it starting with Johnson. Sure it penalizes younger players like Wahlberg, but we’re starting to get into semantics.

Voted Kisakov because I didn’t see Rousek.

Add Murray, Weissbach or Biro.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rowley Birkin
Went with Nadeau here. Add Richard.

Wahlberg is a big swing for the Sabres, no doubt, and has the most intriging upside, but I think he's still a little lower in my personal rankings. By next year, we'll know for sure.
 
So after using the old rules and spending some time thinking about how I would rank where some of these guys are:

RankPlayerPosition
1​
Matthew SavoieC/RW
2​
Devon LeviG
3​
Jiri KulichC
4​
Zach BensonLW
5​
Isak RosenRW
6​
Noah OstlundC
7​
Anton WahlbergC/LW
8​
Ryan JohnsonLD
9​
Viktor NeuchevLW
10​
Nikita NovikovLD
11​
Lukas RousekLW/RW
12​
Tyson KozakC
13​
Vsevolod KomarovRD
14​
Alexander KisakovF
15​
Prokhor PoltapovRW
16​
Olivier NadeauRW
17​
Zach MetsaRD
18​
Maxim StrbakRD
19​
Ethan MiedemaLW
20​
Joel Ratkovic BerndtssonRW
21​
Aaron HuglenC
22​
Gavin McCarthyRD
23​
Jakub KonecnyC
24​
Sean KeohaneLD
25​
Filip CederqvistLW
26​
Mats LindgrenLD
27​
Jake RichardRW
28​
Scott RatzlaffG
29​
Viljama MarjalaLW
30​
Norwin PanochaLD
31​
William Von BarneknowLW
32​
Matteo CostantiniC
33​
Stiven SardarianC
34​
Topias LeinonenG
35​
Gustav KarlssonC
36​
Linus SjodinC
37​
Albert LyckashenRD
 
So after using the old rules and spending some time thinking about how I would rank where some of these guys are:

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]Rank[/TD]
[TD]Player[/TD]
[TD]Position[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
1​
[/TD]

[TD]Matthew Savoie[/TD]
[TD]C/RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
2​
[/TD]

[TD]Devon Levi[/TD]
[TD]G[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
3​
[/TD]

[TD]Jiri Kulich[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
4​
[/TD]

[TD]Zach Benson[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
5​
[/TD]

[TD]Isak Rosen[/TD]
[TD]RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
6​
[/TD]

[TD]Noah Ostlund[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
7​
[/TD]

[TD]Anton Wahlberg[/TD]
[TD]C/LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
8​
[/TD]

[TD]Ryan Johnson[/TD]
[TD]LD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
9​
[/TD]

[TD]Viktor Neuchev[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
10​
[/TD]

[TD]Nikita Novikov[/TD]
[TD]LD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
11​
[/TD]

[TD]Lukas Rousek[/TD]
[TD]LW/RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
12​
[/TD]

[TD]Tyson Kozak[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
13​
[/TD]

[TD]Vsevolod Komarov[/TD]
[TD]RD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
14​
[/TD]

[TD]Alexander Kisakov[/TD]
[TD]F[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
15​
[/TD]

[TD]Prokhor Poltapov[/TD]
[TD]RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
16​
[/TD]

[TD]Olivier Nadeau[/TD]
[TD]RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
17​
[/TD]

[TD]Zach Metsa[/TD]
[TD]RD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
18​
[/TD]

[TD]Maxim Strbak[/TD]
[TD]RD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
19​
[/TD]

[TD]Ethan Miedema[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
20​
[/TD]

[TD]Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson[/TD]
[TD]RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
21​
[/TD]

[TD]Aaron Huglen[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
22​
[/TD]

[TD]Gavin McCarthy[/TD]
[TD]RD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
23​
[/TD]

[TD]Jakub Konecny[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
24​
[/TD]

[TD]Sean Keohane[/TD]
[TD]LD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
25​
[/TD]

[TD]Filip Cederqvist[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
26​
[/TD]

[TD]Mats Lindgren[/TD]
[TD]LD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
27​
[/TD]

[TD]Jake Richard[/TD]
[TD]RW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
28​
[/TD]

[TD]Scott Ratzlaff[/TD]
[TD]G[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
29​
[/TD]

[TD]Viljama Marjala[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
30​
[/TD]

[TD]Norwin Panocha[/TD]
[TD]LD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
31​
[/TD]

[TD]William Von Barneknow[/TD]
[TD]LW[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
32​
[/TD]

[TD]Matteo Costantini[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
33​
[/TD]

[TD]Stiven Sardarian[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
34​
[/TD]

[TD]Topias Leinonen[/TD]
[TD]G[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
35​
[/TD]

[TD]Gustav Karlsson[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
36​
[/TD]

[TD]Linus Sjodin[/TD]
[TD]C[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
37​
[/TD]

[TD]Albert Lyckashen[/TD]
[TD]RD[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Nice list. Wondering what changed from voting for Benson #1 a few weeks ago to having him #4 now?
 
Adding to that other post -

RankPlayerPositionTotalTalent Celiing (50%)Talent Floor (15%)Development (20%)Projection (15%)
1​
Matthew SavoieC/RW
4.275​
4.5​
3​
4.5​
4.5​
2​
Devon LeviG
4.225​
4.5​
2​
5​
4.5​
3​
Jiri KulichC
4.175​
4.5​
3.5​
4​
4​
4​
Zach BensonLW
4.150​
4.5​
3.5​
3.5​
4.5​
5​
Isak RosenRW
3.700​
4​
3​
4​
3​
6​
Noah OstlundC
3.575​
4​
3.5​
3​
3​
7​
Anton WahlbergC/LW
3.575​
4​
3​
3​
3.5​
8​
Ryan JohnsonLD
3.550​
3.5​
3​
4.5​
3​
9​
Viktor NeuchevLW
3.450​
4​
2​
3.5​
3​
10​
Nikita NovikovLD
3.425​
3.5​
3​
3.5​
3.5​
11​
Lukas RousekLW/RW
3.375​
3​
2.5​
4.5​
4​
12​
Tyson KozakC
3.275​
3​
2.5​
4​
4​
13​
Vsevolod KomarovRD
3.200​
3.5​
2​
3.5​
3​
 
  • Wow
Reactions: TheMistyStranger
Discounting last year, ranking prospects in the last few seasons felt like a zugzwang battle with no entertainment value in participating. Kudos Kevs and staff. I like these guys.

I feel like RD today. Add Komarov
 
It is interesting for me to see Novikov clearly ahead of Poltapov. I mean so far Novikov hasn't been an impact player on the KHL level like at all, while Poltapov at least in some way was (inconsistently though, but still and, what is particularly impressive, including the playoffs). Obviously size matters, but such a big difference in the poll doesn't make sense to me.
 

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