Player Discussion Buffalo Pickers - The Search For Serviceable Defensemen, Summer of '23 Edition

[Jim Bob]

It's all projections. @Rhubarb saying he can project putting Novikov in the same slot as a theoretical Simashev is a projection - just like Arizona projecting Simashev on their top pair.

We shall see. At least Novikov will be under team control in Rochester next season, and will be acclimating to the North American ice surface, the culture, the language, the Sabres team culture, his teammates, etc. Plus he knows in what city the NHL team will be playing in two years.

I get it’s all projections and I disagree with projecting Novikov as a top 4 D on the Sabres and having any sort of conversation about him with a top 10 pick in the is draft is just weird to me.

Novikov is not comparable to Reinbacher, Simashev, or Willander at all for me. And putting any of them in a conversation about Novikov is just weird to me.

 

[Dingo44]

I get it’s all projections and I disagree with projecting Novikov as a top 4 D on the Sabres and having any sort of conversation about him with a top 10 pick in the is draft is just weird to me.

Novikov is not comparable to Reinbacher, Simashev, or Willander at all for me. And putting any of them in a conversation about Novikov is just weird to me.

OK, you win. It's weird to discuss Novikov ever projecting as a possible top 4 D prospect. He was a 2021 6th round pick and he's not as great a skater as Simashev, Reinbacher, or Willander. Both the OP and myself are completely out of bounds for even suggesting such a thing. Obvious miss on Adams' part. Hopefully he can help out Jacksonville anyway.

 

[Jim Bob]

OK, you win. It's weird to discuss Novikov ever projecting as a possible top 4 D prospect. He was a 2021 6th round pick and he's not as great a skater as Simashev, Reinbacher, or Willander. Both the OP and myself are completely out of bounds for even suggesting such a thing. Obvious miss on Adams' part. Hopefully he can help out Jacksonville anyway.

The OP made it sound like Simashev and Novikov have the same ceiling. I disagree with that take.

And I am not saying he’s a bust by saying comparing his upside to a top 10 pick in this draft is a bit much and to see how things go for him in Rochester this season.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Let's just agree that Adams et al have to be ecstatic with how Novikov's development has gone so far

 

[Dingo44]

The OP made it sound like Simashev and Novikov have the same ceiling. I disagree with that take.

And I am not saying he’s a bust by saying comparing his upside to a top 10 pick in this draft is a bit much and to see how things go for him in Rochester this season.

You're missing what he was saying. I pointed it out to his agreement and you're still missing it. He is NOT saying Novikov's upside is the same as Simashev's - but he is saying his ROLE on the Sabres may end up being similar. With Dahlin, Power, and Samuelsson, the next and most needed role on defense is the fourth member in the top 4, and both Simashev would and Novikov could fill that role. That's all.

Novikov projects as a Samuelsson. If he hits that projection, then that's a win.

 

[Jim Bob]

You're missing what he was saying. I pointed it out to his agreement and you're still missing it. He is NOT saying Novikov's upside is the same as Simashev's - but he is saying his ROLE on the Sabres may end up being similar. With Dahlin, Power, and Samuelsson, the next and most needed role on defense is the fourth member in the top 4, and both Simashev would and Novikov could fill that role. That's all.

Novikov projects as a Samuelsson. If he hits that projection, then that's a win.

I still don't see it and I really don't see the point of putting Simashev's name in there.

If you want to gas up Novikov while talking about guys taken in the 2023 Draft, then have the conversation about Novikov vs Strbak & McCarthy. And you have Johnson and Komarov in the mix there, as well.