Embracing the Rebuild: Tank Nation, the Thread

[couture23]

People are ridiculous. The main piece in the deal was the 1st, which turned into Zadorov, who's looking like he'll turn out to be a fantastic pick. Larsson will be a steady bottom-6 glue guy for years to come. Hackett and the 2nd are question marks, but that deal will largely be determined by how Zadorov turns out, as well as Larsson's continued development.

I'll be patient with Hackett, I'd say in 2-3 years he'll either be in Buffalo because of good development, or somewhere in Europe because he didn't develop properly.

Larsson couldn't stick? Hilarious. He's a great player and your prototypical bottom 6 centre, I love him.

And yeah...Zad is a freaking beast. I like him more and more every day.

 

[FamilyGuy716]

People are ridiculous. The main piece in the deal was the 1st, which turned into Zadorov, who's looking like he'll turn out to be a fantastic pick. Larsson will be a steady bottom-6 glue guy for years to come. Hackett and the 2nd are question marks, but that deal will largely be determined by how Zadorov turns out, as well as Larsson's continued development.

100% agree

 

[ZeroPT*]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

 

[Sabre Dance]

Edmonton's Tank:

Buffalo's Tank

They've simply got a better tank than us...or maybe it's the other way around...these tanks are incomparable. Edmonton's suckness legitimately angers me though...

They just have more experience. Tanking aint easy. Rolston was the tank commander.

 

[OcAirlines]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

Not upset with this pick at all, Hurley was a high risk pick but those are exactly the kind of picks we need at the moment, players who have the potential to be top-notch offensive performers, even if the risk is very high. And looking at the players you mentioned... Dauphin hasn't exactly been great stats-wise either, Petan is undersized and nobody knows if his style of play will be suited for the NHL-level and Sörensen didn't even play a full season in the CHL yet prior to being drafted due to the limit for non-NA players. So all those players had questions marks as well, none of them was a better pick than Hurley at the time.

 

[couture23]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

I wanted Hurley months before the draft and I was pumped when we got him. He was the youngest player in the draft (I believe), and a lot of people are saying that if his birthday was the next day and with an extra year of development he definitely would have been a 1st round pick. He's from the hockey hotbed of Minnesota and was one of the top high schoolers in the state.

Notre Dame is a school that does prefer defense first, but Hinostroza and Lucia look fine there to me. Hurley is a medium-risk/medium-high reward type of player. I'm glad we took a 2nd on him, instead of a 1st this year where he likely would have ended up.

 

[FamilyGuy716]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

I think the Sabres were swinging for the fences when they made this pick and I have no problem with this. We don't always need safe picks with all the prospects we have now. The other thing about Hurley is we don't have to offer him a contract for 3-4 years from now and we're close to the 50 contract mark right now with all the draft choices we've had lately.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Edmonton's Tank:

Buffalo's Tank

They've simply got a better tank than us...or maybe it's the other way around...these tanks are incomparable. Edmonton's suckness legitimately angers me though...

I actually think this is EDM's tank:

 

[Zaddy]

I'm curious, lets say Sabres get the 1st overall pick. What do they do with it? Do they keep it and draft Reinhart? You guys already have immense center depth and I don't think Reinhart will become anything more than a #2C. Do you get Ekblad who might or might not become a #1D even though you already have a plethora of young defensemen? Or do you trade the 1st pick for a package which brings in some vital pieces for the rebuild or do you just trade down for someone like Draisaitl?

 

[FamilyGuy716]

I'm curious, lets say Sabres get the 1st overall pick. What do they do with it? Do they keep it and draft Reinhart? You guys already have immense center depth and I don't think Reinhart will become anything more than a #2C. Do you get Ekblad who might or might not become a #1D even though you already have a plethora of young defensemen? Or do you trade the 1st pick for a package which brings in some vital pieces for the rebuild or do you just trade down for someone like Draisaitl?

Easy... Reinhart. We need a 1C and he's the best chance for that in this draft. We don't need D so Ekblad would have to be way better than Reinhart for us to consider him and he's not according to the experts.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Reinhart would be my pick, unless Ekblad beomes leaps and bounds above him. We need centers, a #1 and more scoring everywhere.

 

[couture23]

Reinhart for me absolutely, no questions asked.

 

[Zman5778]

I'm curious, lets say Sabres get the 1st overall pick. What do they do with it? Do they keep it and draft Reinhart? You guys already have immense center depth and I don't think Reinhart will become anything more than a #2C. Do you get Ekblad who might or might not become a #1D even though you already have a plethora of young defensemen? Or do you trade the 1st pick for a package which brings in some vital pieces for the rebuild or do you just trade down for someone like Draisaitl?

Draft Reinhart. Girgensons looks like he's already been moved to wing. In theory, if necessary, we could move Grigorenko to wing (he's had his best games on the wing). Same with Hodgson. Ennis is best as a wing.

If we get #1, Reinhart's the pick, kind of no questions asked

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Its simple, I trade our 1st + 2014 2nd to Edmonton for the #2 overall + Eberle

 

[couture23]

Its simple, I trade our 1st + 2014 2nd to Edmonton for the #2 overall + Eberle

I wish

 

[Zman5778]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

I loved the Hurley pick. If he pans out, dude is one of those depth scorers that I bemoan that we lack (if he REALLY pans out, he might look nice next to one of the franchise centers that we're all counting on getting in the next draft or 2).

If we miss on it....not a huge deal, it's a 2nd round pick, and we have PLENTY of them to miss on. We don't need to hit on EVERY 2nd rounder, we just can't miss on them all. And given how Compher and Bailey have looked.....2/3 in this draft is just fine....and it sure looks like we hit on McCabe. Counting our 6 2nd rounders in the upcoming 2 drafts.....that makes a total of 10 2nd rounders in 4 drafts.

If 4 or 5 of them become NHLers....we're ahead of the curve (and it sure looks like McCabe and Compher are going to be 2).

 

[couture23]

This is actually hilarious.

Mock Source: http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2014/

 

[Chainshot]

Kind of a random question but it does have to do with rebuilding, so I decided to out it here instead of creating another thread all together. Anyway, is anyone angered/upset with the Hurley pick? because I am. Nothing against Hurley because he could turn out well and it's far to early to write him off and I'm not trying to do that. But looking at some of the players picked afterward, guys like Petan,Dauphin and even Sorensen are players I would've preferred. Another thing that worries me is that he's at a school that kills offense. Notre dam is not known for producing offense, does anybody have thoughts on this?

I have no issue with them selecting Hurley. Let him slow-cook until fork tender before they see what they have in him. As was mentioned, was the youngest player selected and has frame and skill set to be pretty damn good. Now all that is needed is time.

 

[Zman5778]

This is actually hilarious.

Mock Source: http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2014/

That should have this title: "How to fast-track a rebuild in 10 minutes"

 

[ZeroPT*]

I'd take Reinhart. People don't like him because he isn't explosive and I don't buy that. I actually want Reinhart, I think he rounds out into a Patrick Marleau, a 55-75 point, two way forward with a couple 80+ point seasons, Marleau is better at scoring goals though. Reinhart, similarly to Marleau can play mutliple positions and he's also smaller, but when it's all said and done I see him rounding out at 6"2 205 lbs.

 

[Namejs]

I'm curious, lets say Sabres get the 1st overall pick. What do they do with it? Do they keep it and draft Reinhart? You guys already have immense center depth and I don't think Reinhart will become anything more than a #2C. Do you get Ekblad who might or might not become a #1D even though you already have a plethora of young defensemen? Or do you trade the 1st pick for a package which brings in some vital pieces for the rebuild or do you just trade down for someone like Draisaitl?

Sabres most definitely doesn't have immense depth at center. We've got a potential top 6 center in Hodgson, but he's been a major defensive liability. Girgensons has been moved to the wing. Ennis is better on wing as well. Larsson is a bottom 6 guy. Grigorenko has looked like a draft bust so far. The rest of them (Leino, Flynn, McCormick, etc.) are not top 6 guys. Some of them should be nowhere near an NHL team.

A couple of top 6 centers is EXACTLY what this team needs right now.

 

[rtfirefly]

If 4 or 5 of them become NHLers....we're ahead of the curve.

We all wish. But sadly, history shows that there is very, very, very, little chance that "4 or 5" of Buffalo's stockpiled second-round picks will become NHLers. Hundreds and hundreds of players have been drafted over the decades in the second round. Of those hundreds of players, 25% have lasted more than two seasons. Not 85%. Not 65%. Not 45%. Everyone wants to be optimistic, but at some point an enormous existing body of historical fact might reasonably temper that optimism.

 

[Crazy Tasty]

Sabres most definitely doesn't have immense depth at center. We've got a potential top 6 center in Hodgson, but he's been a major defensive liability. Girgensons has been moved to the wing. Ennis is better on wing as well. Larsson is a bottom 6 guy. Grigorenko has looked like a draft bust so far. The rest of them (Leino, Flynn, McCormick, etc.) are not top 6 guys. Some of them should be nowhere near an NHL team.

A couple of top 6 centers is EXACTLY what this team needs right now.

I believe the depth he's referring to is:
Grigorenko
Girgensons
Compher
Hurley
Kea
Nelson
Schaller
Varone
Malone

Regardless of where they are currently playing, the above were all recently drafted at Center.

 

[Crazy Tasty]

We all wish. But sadly, history shows that there is very, very, very, little chance that "4 or 5" of Buffalo's stockpiled second-round picks will become NHLers. Hundreds and hundreds of players have been drafted over the decades in the second round. Of those hundreds of players, 25% have lasted more than two seasons. Not 85%. Not 65%. Not 45%. Everyone wants to be optimistic, but at some point an enormous existing body of historical fact might reasonably temper that optimism.

Except that Buffalo has hit on almost 50% going back to 2000 (not counting the last 2 years).
They seem to do about the same with 3rd rounds as well.

And holy crap was the 2000 draft horrible. Paul Gaustad the only player picked that has played more than 1 NHL game...

 

[Woodhouse]

1,000 posts. Please continue with rebuild/tank talk in part two.