Prospect Info: Ryan Johnson, D, 2019 #31 overall: Signed, Rochester (AHL), Recalled 12/5/24

[joshjull]

I don't see any reason he has to say anything. He can't become a free agent until August anyway. Everyone here itching to know what's going to happen is our problem, not his.

Fair enough and true.

 

[pigpen65]

I remember reading on this board last year (maybe Jim Bob) that it's extremely rare for 1st round picks to return to college for their senior year. In every practical sense Johnson not signing with the Sabres and going to UFA was decided before the season.

 

[Djp]

I don't see any reason he has to say anything. He can't become a free agent until August anyway. Everyone here itching to know what's going to happen is our problem, not his.

He can also return and play next year in NCAA and use the transfer portal.

I remember reading on this board last year (maybe Jim Bob) that it's extremely rare for 1st round picks to return to college for their senior year. In every practical sense Johnson not signing with the Sabres and going to UFA was decided before the season.

it’s rare in current nhl rules on draft/ free agency for 1st rounders to go 4 yrs of college. Goalies might go longer because of back up role.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

66th.

And yeah, at this point, even I don't believe anymore. Which sucks, because I wanted him in Buf.

Guess others were right. Don't trust guys when they say 'my plan is to sign'

Forgot about expansion. Isn't it the last pick of 2nd round? 65TH? Is there another unsigned 1st bumping it? Doesn't really matter. It's basically an early 3rd which has some value but not a ton. I just can't imagine why Ryan Johnson suddenly signs with Buffalo. Makes no sense. I'm not fretting about it. He's 4 or 5 depth guy. Not a great haul for a 31st but what can one do

Its a weird situation. If he wants to go to free agency, thats his right. But why not just say that? What’s the hold up?

He avoids a few months of trash talk on boards like this. Sabres could try and trade for more than end of round 2nd but I don't see why anybody pays it now. Makes no sense.

 

[Gabrielor]

Forgot about expansion. Isn't it the last pick of 2nd round? 65TH? Is there another unsigned 1st bumping it? Doesn't really matter. It's basically an early 3rd which has some value but not a ton. I just can't imagine why Ryan Johnson suddenly signs with Buffalo. Makes no sense. I'm not fretting about it. He's 4 or 5 depth guy. Not a great haul for a 31st but what can one do



He avoids a few months of trash talk on boards like this. Sabres could try and trade for more than end of round 2nd but I don't see why anybody pays it now. Makes no sense.

PHI already has a 2nd coming (65) with Jay OBrien? I think.

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

Forgot about expansion. Isn't it the last pick of 2nd round? 65TH?

Per Article 8.3(b) of the CBA:

In the event a Club loses its draft rights to an Unsigned Draft Choice drafted in the first round of the Entry Draft (except as a result of failing to tender a required Bona Fide Offer (as defined below)), who (i) is again eligible for the Entry Draft, (ii) becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent, or (iii) dies, a Compensatory Draft Selection shall automatically be granted to that Club, which Compensatory Draft Selection shall be the same numerical choice in the second round in the Entry Draft immediately following the date the Club loses such rights. By way of example, if a Club cannot sign the third pick in the first round, it will receive the third pick in the second round as compensation.

So it would be the 31st pick of the second round (63rd overall) next year. There would thus be 33 picks in the round.

 

[SundherDome]

Per Article 8.3(b) of the CBA:



So it would be the 31st pick of the second round (63rd overall) next year. There would thus be 33 picks in the round.

Wait that reads as 65th. 32 teams x 2 rounds and add 1 because we would lose his rights this year year.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Wait that reads as 65th. 32 teams x 2 rounds and add 1 because we would lose his rights this year year.

We don't get the last pick of the round, we get the pick that's the same number. Because Johnson was drafted 31st (Seattle not yet a team), we get the 31st pick of the 2nd round, which is 63. The last two teams in the second round will pick behind us.

 

[SundherDome]

We don't get the last pick of the round, we get the pick that's the same number. Because Johnson was drafted 31st (Seattle not yet a team), we get the 31st pick of the 2nd round, which is 63. The last two teams in the second round will pick behind us.

I see, re reading that I was wrong.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

We don't get the last pick of the round, we get the pick that's the same number. Because Johnson was drafted 31st (Seattle not yet a team), we get the 31st pick of the 2nd round, which is 63. The last two teams in the second round will pick behind us.

Thanks. Still a nothing pick but is what it is. Don't draft college players who are more likely to stay in school. Especially goalies.

 

[Bonin21]

Thanks. Still a nothing pick but is what it is. Don't draft college players who are more likely to stay in school. Especially goalies.

Have fun with that strategy

 

[Husko]

Have fun with that strategy

I don't think it would have a demonstrable negative effect. Most players don't go to ncaa and the spot where it's less of a crapshoot, top half of the first round, there's much less risk of walk anyway because these players are coming tot he NHL soon. I wouldn't fault a team like the Sabres for saying "wow, we lost a first and high third round pick from the same draft class" and that causing them to devalue the league for their picks outside the top 20. The draft is such a crapshoot outside the first round that preferring leagues where there isn't a genuine risk of your "hits" walking makes some level of sense, especially for such a risk-averse industry.

 

[Chainshot]

I don't think it would have a demonstrable negative effect. Most players don't go to ncaa and the spot where it's less of a crapshoot, top half of the first round, there's much less risk of walk anyway because these players are coming tot he NHL soon. I wouldn't fault a team like the Sabres for saying "wow, we lost a first and high third round pick from the same draft class" and that causing them to devalue the league for their picks outside the top 20. The draft is such a crapshoot outside the first round that preferring leagues where there isn't a genuine risk of your "hits" walking makes some level of sense, especially for such a risk-averse industry.

It also wouldn't surprise me that they lean more into their development folks and make sure players from all draft sources are able to attend the summer dev camps. Missing out on that for consecutive years due to COVID, there was not as much bonding and relationship building with both staff and other personnel.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

I don't think it would have a demonstrable negative effect. Most players don't go to ncaa and the spot where it's less of a crapshoot, top half of the first round, there's much less risk of walk anyway because these players are coming tot he NHL soon. I wouldn't fault a team like the Sabres for saying "wow, we lost a first and high third round pick from the same draft class" and that causing them to devalue the league for their picks outside the top 20. The draft is such a crapshoot outside the first round that preferring leagues where there isn't a genuine risk of your "hits" walking makes some level of sense, especially for such a risk-averse industry.

At the same time, they traded for a guy who was one year removed from being a 7th rounder, and he developed into potentially the team's starting goalie for the next 10 years. We've got another top 4 D-man who we just locked up for 7 years who was drafted with the 32nd pick--basically right where Johnson went. 2 key core pieces that if we went anti-NCAA we'd be in a far worse position today for it.

 

[Husko]

It also wouldn't surprise me that they lean more into their development folks and make sure players from all draft sources are able to attend the summer dev camps. Missing out on that for consecutive years due to COVID, there was not as much bonding and relationship building with both staff and other personnel.

Totally. Also I think one thing that's maybe easy to overlook given all the good vibes around the team right now is that the Sabres probably have one of the worst reputations in the league in some retrospects:
-Long ugly playoff drought
-Rumblings of internal cap / ownership cost cutting
-Public feud with star player related to his medical decisions
-Undesirable location for those that want a big market
-Not a historic franchise

Not getting into what's fair and what's not, it's reasonable to say that the Sabres might have more working against them than your average franchise in appealing young players to come here, and thus be more susceptible to having draft picks walk on them. How they should handle that is another question.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Have fun with that strategy

You can take a guy like Power because he's not going to play it out. I also believe the Sabres should mine Western NY and Southern and Southwestern Ontario as much as possible. Not pick someone just based on that, but it should be a factor. Kids from there WANT to play in Buffalo. I happened to talk to Owen Power's mom before a game and his family was really happy about the proximity of the Sabres. Not everyone in Ontario can play for the Leafs. There is a geographic advantage the Sabres can play. The franchise can't be a joke, or it won't matter, but in some cases, it could help.

 

[Ace]

They could also just finish building a competitive team and then people will be more apt to want to be a part of It.

 

[Sabre the Win]

This guy has made it real easy to cheer against him if he walks away. I did it with Peterson and Vesey, I have no problem dishing out more.

 

[Sound_n_Fury]

it's reasonable to say that the Sabres might have more working against them than your average franchise in appealing young players to come here

The proximity to Southern Ontario (and the huge pool of players--and their families--from there) helps offset some of those negatives, IMO.

GMKA's comment about targeting players "wanting to be here" probably reflect that. But you're right, BUF's a tough sell for guys with no geographic connection to Canada or, as in Tuch's case, close proximity to home.

 

[start winnin]

His loss if he leaves, we are on the up and up. He's most likely a depth defenseman on this team so I understand if he aspires to be more and just doesn't see the opportunity here to grow his game to that level.

 

[Ace]

His loss if he leaves, we are on the up and up. He's most likely a depth defenseman on this team so I understand if he aspires to be more and just doesn't see the opportunity here to grow his game to that level.

You think he sees teams will less NHL quality D and less in the pipeline than 3 and 0 respectively?

 

[start winnin]

You think he sees teams will less NHL quality D and less in the pipeline than 3 and 0 respectively?

No just that he won't supplant Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power and would be relegated to being a #4 defenseman.

I can also understand why young players who have an option to pursue free agency coming out of college choose certain destinations. I'm from Buffalo and it's great to live in but if I had the choice, I would choose to live in cities with more to offer. For players with no attachments to the city or the region as previously alluded to in other posts, there's no reason to pursue signing in Buffalo when you could sign anywhere you want.

 

[Mattilaus]

No just that he won't supplant Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power and would be relegated to being a #4 defenseman.

I can also understand why young players who have an option to pursue free agency coming out of college choose certain destinations. I'm from Buffalo and it's great to live in but if I had the choice, I would choose to live in cities with more to offer. For players with no attachments to the city or the region as previously alluded to in other posts, there's no reason to pursue signing in Buffalo when you could sign anywhere you want.

At best. Everyone and their mother is saying the Sabres need to bring in a 4th D. If they do then Johnson is locked into #5 or worse.

His best case scenario here is #4, if everything goes perfectly for him. I agree with your point of him not necessarily seeing an opportunity to shine here.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

This guy has made it real easy to cheer against him if he walks away. I did it with Peterson and Vesey, I have no problem dishing out more.

I did with Petersen, but not with Vesey. Trading for Vesey was just a dumb decision. He was very vocal about wanting to become a UFA and choose his destination, yet Murray still chose to trade for him thinking he could convince him otherwise. That was more Murrays arrogance than Vesey, and I believe Buffalo had a bunch of 3rd round picks that year.

Johnson is much more akin to Petersen in this case than Vesey. At least Jimmy was honest and open about it.

 

[Jim Bob]

At best. Everyone and their mother is saying the Sabres need to bring in a 4th D. If they do then Johnson is locked into #5 or worse.

His best case scenario here is #4, if everything goes perfectly for him. I agree with your point of him not necessarily seeing an opportunity to shine here.

There are worse outcomes than being the partner for Dahlin or Power...