GDT: NHL 2023 Entry Draft - Day 2/First Round complete, Rounds 2-7 June 29, 2023; 11:00 a.m. Eastern

[ValJamesDuex]

NHL Draft prospects 2023: Ranking the best players still available after Round 1 | Sporting News

Round 1 is in the books, leaving six more rounds to go on what will be a hectic Thursday. The Sporting News looks at the 50 best available players entering Day 2 of the NHL Draft.

www.sportingnews.com

2024 NHL Mock Draft | NHL Projected Lines

Full round 2024 NHL mock draft projections, with trades and compensatory picks based on weekly team projections and college and amateur player rankings.

www.lines.com

 

[Chainshot]

Not one scouting report had him above 50 besides Button. They could have traded back. Most had him 70+

If he is so great why the large discrepancy with most consensus around 70.

HP has him at 29. Arizona just took two of HP's highest rated guys at 6 (HP had Simashev 5) and 12 (But was 7), it's possible Armstrong is equally inspired to take Cowan at 38. And if the Leafs messed up, good for Buffalo. But it isn't odd to think they wouldn't get him a lot later if they think the HP influence is afoot which seems to be what was at work.

 

[Reddawg]

When Kevyn said "From Winnipeg...." I let out a shout with a huge fist pump.

Bro…same. I scared my wife. The fist pump was a tad extreme but we go with the excitement we’re permitted.

 

[Zman5778]

Why, because I do not agree with you? I think this was a terrible pick. I am just as free to say so as you are to jump up and down and cheer.

Do you have any reason to believe the Benson pick was poor OTHER than size?

 

[Bendium]

Do you have any reason to believe the Benson pick was poor OTHER than size?

None at all. I have zero issue with Benson the player. I have a big issue with the Sabres drafting him given the plethera of undersized forward prospects we already have stacking up, competing for almost no roster spots, with a GM that seems to be too in love with his draft picks and prospects to make trades to improve the NHL club. They just quadrupled down on the "were smarter than the other NHL front offices and are taking the sliding small guy" concept. I am losing faith in this front office.

 

[HOOats]

I did the draft old-school with a buddy just ESPN, Athletic guide, and no internet - really enjoyable actually. Were picks getting tipped badly on Twitter? ESPN coverage was wacky between Price, Will Smith rapping, bugs flying around Conroy's head, etc.

Can't complain about adding hyper competitive, hyper smart, detailed players that have every tool except plus size and plus speed (seems like a good skater overall and his brain plays up his skating most importantly in close quarters). Nice bonus when they likely slot in atop our absurd forward pool. Some risk in his profile (with a floor still), but our depth affords taking big swings like this.

Adams and Co's commitment to their high-end (small) forward drafting project is fascinating. I imagine they believe they're securing incredible value with all of these picks, so their internal scouting and analytics filters might just vary from the bulk of the league's. The question of how the young forwards get sorted out in the next two years grows almost comically, but it will be an entertaining saga and we'll enjoy shopping with developed prospects as long as the org keeps doing it's job.

Is Zach Benson now the Sabres' best prospect?

If it's any hint from Adams' perspective, he said something to the effect of "all of our scouts that saw him over the last two seasons scouting his and Savoie came away from most games saying 'Benson was the best player on the ice."

 

[Reddawg]

None at all. I have zero issue with Benson the player. I have a big issue with the Sabres drafting him given the plethera of undersized forward prospects we already have stacking up, competing for almost no roster spots, with a GM that seems to be too in love with his draft picks and prospects to make trades to improve the NHL club. They just quadrupled down on the "were smarter than the other NHL front offices and are taking the sliding small guy" concept. I am losing faith in this front office.

In the battle between skill and size you take skill every single time unless you can get skill AND size which wasn’t available. The front office was given a gift, accepted it, said thank you and continued to work.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Did you see the way Benson was beaming from the moment his name was said? They’re both happy, and that makes me happy. Two high-end, super-skilled forwards who know each other’s game and can continue to grow together as linemates for a decade? Yes. Please.

KA is killing it. <3

I'm picturing those 2 being besties in all the Sabres videos in a couple of years like Quinn and Peterka have been lol

 

[Reddawg]

I'm picturing those 2 being besties in all the Sabres videos in a couple of years like Quinn and Peterka have been lol

I’m picturing the fact that we get to have all four of them on the big club in two years.

 

[Zman5778]

In the battle between skill and size you take skill every single time unless you can get skill AND size which wasn’t available. The front office was given a gift, accepted it, said thank you and continued to work.

Something else that we all collectively need to keep in mind:

I don't think I'd get much pushback right now saying that our top 5 forward prospects are, in some order: Benson, Savoie, Ostlund, Kulich and Rosen.

While that looks REALLY shiny and sparkly, especially after what Kulich and Rosen did in the AHL.......it's folly to think that they ALL hit and will ALL be top 6 NHL-caliber players. And a couple from this list will eventually be traded one would think.

Am I worried that none of these guys are over 6 foot? Nope....not all of them will be Sabres. Maybe 3 of them will be, max. And given the size currently in our forward core.....we can handle that.

 

[Reddawg]

I can pretty easily see Rosen traded for Pesce at this point, and another giant fireworks display of excitement going off overhead. Not that I don’t like Rosen by any means but we need Pesce way more right now today.

 

[Zman5778]

I can pretty easily see Rosen traded for Pesce at this point, and another giant fireworks display of excitement going off overhead. Not that I don’t like Rosen by any means but we need Pesce way more right now today.

Rosen was already bordering on redundant in our system before the Benson pick was made.

I don't see how this doesn't make Rosen wholly expendable................and he'd likely be the best or 2nd best forward prospect in a LOT of systems.

 

[Reddawg]

Rosen was already bordering on redundant in our system before the Benson pick was made.

I don't see how this doesn't make Rosen wholly expendable................and he'd likely be the best or 2nd best forward prospect in a LOT of systems.

Yep, it’s definitely “deal from strength to address weakness” time now. It already was, but now it also is too.

 

[Dingo44]

Rosen was already bordering on redundant in our system before the Benson pick was made.

I don't see how this doesn't make Rosen wholly expendable................and he'd likely be the best or 2nd best forward prospect in a LOT of systems.

Agreed. I love Rosén but one of Rosén, Östlund, Kisakov, or even Kulich is getting moved. These are good problems to have, though...too many top prospects.

 

[Paxon]

I'd be rolling into the bar with Guerin to see if I could get Foligno and the rights to Rossi for a bucket of hot wings and the phone number of a couple of servers.

I'm thinking you might need to throw in an 8 ball

 

[Zman5778]

Agreed. I love Rosén but one of Rosén, Östlund, Kisakov, or even Kulich is getting moved. These are good problems to have, though...too many top prospects.

Let's put it this way: If Carolina asked for Savoie or Kulich for Pesce before tonight, I was like "HELL NO, YOU CRAZY."

Now? My response: "Let us talk to Pesce and if he's reasonable with us extension-wise.....it's a possibility"

 

[Dingo44]

As good as Matvei Michkov is - and I have no doubt he's in that extremely special category - I'm more than happy to not have to deal with the drama or heartache or intrigue that comes with making that pick. Maybe Benson is 80% of the player Michkov is or will be (though I am sure it's much much closer), but Benson WILL be a Sabre, will develop as the Sabres want him to develop, and will I'm sure be a perfect fit on the ice and in the room. I'll give up some potential talent for that. And seriously Benson is a sick player himself!

 

[Reddawg]

Let's put it this way: If Carolina asked for Savoie or Kulich for Pesce before tonight, I was like "HELL NO, YOU CRAZY."

Now? My response: "Let us talk to Pesce and if he's reasonable with us extension-wise.....it's a possibility"

It’s a good position to be in, but I still don’t want to part with Kulich, Savoie or now Benson. Ostlund and Rosen are on the table.

Savoie and Benson individually are going to be excellent NHL players. Savoie and Benson together are going to be magic sprinkled with electricity.

 

[Dingo44]

Let's put it this way: If Carolina asked for Savoie or Kulich for Pesce before tonight, I was like "HELL NO, YOU CRAZY."

Now? My response: "Let us talk to Pesce and if he's reasonable with us extension-wise.....it's a possibility"

Agreed though I'm sure this puts Savoie closer to untouchable than he was before. The Winnipeg chemistry is too good to disrupt until we see it in an NHL game.

 

[Dingo44]

None at all. I have zero issue with Benson the player. I have a big issue with the Sabres drafting him given the plethera of undersized forward prospects we already have stacking up, competing for almost no roster spots, with a GM that seems to be too in love with his draft picks and prospects to make trades to improve the NHL club. They just quadrupled down on the "were smarter than the other NHL front offices and are taking the sliding small guy" concept. I am losing faith in this front office.

I guess I have to try this again. OK - this post is something else.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

I assume they wait as long as possible to see if they get any good offers for the pick

I did notice that they got up right at the 1 minute mark on the clock so you're probably right

 

[Ace]

The fact that Adams isn’t already up there with the pick is infuriating.


Benson is such an easy choice

I think they were stunned that the league let it happen. Had to make sure he didn’t lose an arm in a shark attack or something.

 

[Ace]

As soon as Adams said winnipeg I said YESSS! lol

I was in a room with two friends who don’t follow the draft much but love the Sabres. I talked up Benson from pick 5 on. When Adams said Winnipeg I jumped out of my seat and yelled YEEEEEEEESSSSS. So they figured out before the name that we took him. Then they spent the rest of the round watching highlights and reading scouting reports and falling in love

 

[Dingo44]

Day Two:

Brindley
Nelson (can play forward OR defense and he's 6'3" - 212!)
Strbak
Karpovich
Allen

 

[Dingo44]

2023 NHL Draft winners and losers: Scott Wheeler's complete first-round analysis

Scott Wheeler analyzes how each NHL team’s scouting department fared against the selections they had on Day 1 of the NHL Draft in Nashville.

theathletic.com

WINNERS:

Buffalo Sabres​

Pick: 13. Zach Benson
My ranking: No. 6

The Sabres are certainly leaning into the types of players they like, and I must say: They’re the types of players I really like, too. I think we’ll look back at Benson at No. 13 as one of the best value picks of the draft when all is said and done on these kids’ careers. He’s one of the most competitive and diligent two-way players in the draft, and he does it within a high-end skill game as an ultra-smart playmaker. I’m a huge fan and he’s going to be a fan favourite. Between Benson, Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn, they’ve certainly spent a lot of draft capital on forwards in recent years. But with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson locked into their top four long-term anyway, I love the bet on Benson.