Team Board Mock Draft

[Chainshot]

I know handedness isn't a major thing...but at some point Buffalo should have more than two mediocre RHDs. On top of that, they need a quality DEFENDER and it would be nice if that player had some size. You usually don't draft based on current team needs, but the top half of the Sabres D-corps is going to look the same for a long time, so they can confidently project out what they will need on defense for a while.

ASP is none of what they need, aside from being right-handed. Assuming Reinbacher and Leonard are gone, best case is Willander. Two-way guy with a bit of size and range/reach and good skating...almost sounds like a RHD version of Slavin.

Eh, not to sell short on Sandin Pellikka but he does a very good job of transiting the puck from d-zone to o-zone. Against his peers, he also produced offensively. It's likely that ASP is reined in a bit as he develops while Willander is just quietly efficient. I wouldn't say ASP has nothing they need - a smaller (but not necessarily small) but elite puck mover has a place, even if it is redundant to the skills of a couple of other guys. Having future Dahlin keying his own pair with Samuelsson-ASP and Power-someone is an interesting way to make sure the puck is always in transition to the high-octane forwards.

 

[debaser66]

Eh, not to sell short on Sandin Pellikka but he does a very good job of transiting the puck from d-zone to o-zone. Against his peers, he also produced offensively. It's likely that ASP is reined in a bit as he develops while Willander is just quietly efficient. I wouldn't say ASP has nothing they need - a smaller (but not necessarily small) but elite puck mover has a place, even if it is redundant to the skills of a couple of other guys. Having future Dahlin keying his own pair with Samuelsson-ASP and Power-someone is an interesting way to make sure the puck is always in transition to the high-octane forwards.

isnt ASP quite similar to the Lindgren pick last year (not from talent level but style of D)

 

[spfan]

Which of Dahlin/Power do you think he's bumping from the top 4 and the PP? I'm sure some team would be delighted to draft him, but that team ain't us.

He's a RHD, he wouldn't be bumping either of them. He would pair with 1 of them.

For the PP. I would say have Dahlin as the only D on PP1, then Power, ASP on PP2.

Heck, even Power will always be a little bit restricted offensively because of Dahlin being ahead of him.

And you could draft a forward, but it's not as if they need more forwards with Thompson, Cozens, Savoie, Tuch, Quinn, Peterka, Krebs, Mittelstadt, Skinner, Olofsson, Kulich, Ostlund, Rosen So there's even less space at forward.

 

[spfan]

Curious as to why people think this is true?

IMO, with Dahlin and Power already in Buffalo the need for a high end puck moving defenseman is a not a priority. And ASP would get little power play time. I think the Sabres need more of a right-handed Samuelson to pair with Power than they do someone like ASP.

Need a right handed D-man? Yes, absolutely. (Edit: Or someone that can effectively play on the right side).

Need it to be a Top 10 pick? No.

They don't need to draft it, no, but then they have to trade that pick entirely.
If people think they don't need ASP because of Dahlin, Power, then they don't need to draft another forward either because their abundance of forwards is a lot more than their d-core.

Also I think you and some sell ASP short. He's not a one dimensional PP specialist d-man.
I would say yes Reinbacher is probably a better fit for pairing with someone like Dahlin, maybe even Power. But, he won't be available at all if Sabres stay at the pick they're at. And for me, I actually think ASP is better than Reinbacher, but yes stylicatally, Reinbacher is a better fit, but like I said, he'll be gone before their pick. So the best RHD option that could be available is ASP. And heck, he might not even be available either.

ASP is not weak defensively at all. He's smaller and good offensively, but doesn't mean he can't defend.

So if I'm Sabres GM I do 1 of these:

1. Draft ASP IF he's available at 13th(Reinbacher will already be gone)
2. Trade up to get Reinbacher, but you might have to trade really high up to get him(although I think he's not as good as where he'll get drafted)
3. Trade the pick entirely and get an NHL RHD that can already play top 4.
4. Trade down and get Willander

You could draft a forward, but if you think ASP isn't needed, then they certainly don't need more forwards. Or you draft a forward and then trade a forward or 2 to get an NHL RHD that can already play top 4.

I know handedness isn't a major thing...but at some point Buffalo should have more than two mediocre RHDs. On top of that, they need a quality DEFENDER and it would be nice if that player had some size. You usually don't draft based on current team needs, but the top half of the Sabres D-corps is going to look the same for a long time, so they can confidently project out what they will need on defense for a while.

ASP is none of what they need, aside from being right-handed. Assuming Reinbacher and Leonard are gone, best case is Willander. Two-way guy with a bit of size and range/reach and good skating...almost sounds like a RHD version of Slavin.

Trade down for Willander if that's the case. I don't think he's nearly good enough to take at 13th.

Not sure why you're so down on ASP. He's also not tiny. And why would they have to be big? Power is gigantic and Dahlin is pretty big. He'd be paired with 1 of them.

 

[Fjordy]

@spfan

If ASP is as good as you say he will be selected in the top 10-11. Although I just like other players better.

 

[Ace]

He's a RHD, he wouldn't be bumping either of them. He would pair with 1 of them.

Which one is playing defense to cover for him? Which far superior player to ASP are you neutralizing their greatest strengths for so they can hang back?

he’s not a fit with Power and Dahlin. They do what he does better than him. You can play him with Samuelsson. But now we’re committed to only having one of Power and Dahlin on the ice half the time we would have if they weren’t together.

I don’t give a shit that he’s right handed. I‘d rather Dahlin (who just had his best year by far over there most of the time) and Power play on the other side of the ice than in the back of the play.

 

[spfan]

@spfan

If ASP is as good as you say he will be selected in the top 10-11. Although I just like other players better.

Well what I think is not the same as what other GM's will think. I think ASP will go between 9-14 though.

Reinbacher could go in the 5-8 spots. And then Vancouver really needs d-men too, so they could use ASP too.

 

[spfan]

Which one is playing defense to cover for him? Which far superior player to ASP are you neutralizing their greatest strengths for so they can hang back?

he’s not a fit with Power and Dahlin. They do what he does better than him. You can play him with Samuelsson. But now we’re committed to only having one of Power and Dahlin on the ice half the time we would have if they weren’t together.

I don’t give a shit that he’s right handed. I‘d rather Dahlin (who just had his best year by far over there most of the time) and Power play on the other side of the ice than in the back of the play.

It's not like you can only have a pairing of small skilled d-men with giant physical d-men only.

Well what do you want Buffalo to do then? Trade the pick entirely? That would also work. But if you don't think ASP adds anything to the team, then they definitely don't need another forward.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

It's not like you can only have a pairing of small skilled d-men with giant physical d-men only.

Well what do you want Buffalo to do then? Trade the pick entirely? That would also work. But if you don't think ASP adds anything to the team, then they definitely don't need another forward.

Yes, that. Hence the Taro vote.

 

[Zman5778]

then they definitely don't need another forward.

We could absolutely use a forward with some size and truculence in the system.

 

[spfan]

We could absolutely use a forward with some size and truculence in the system.

With all their forwards, I don't see how they need another forward. Yeah, you could trade them down the line, but if they couldn't use ASP, then they don't need more forwards.

And a forward with truculence specifically, that's not going to be there at 13th. Leonard, Barlow will be gone.

 

[Zman5778]

With all their forwards, I don't see how they need another forward. Yeah, you could trade them down the line, but if they couldn't use ASP, then they don't need more forwards.

The issue with ASP, as noted above, is that he's much more of the same as what we already have. ASP is quite similar to Dahlin, Power, Johnson, Lindgren (albeit far better than Lindgren).

Absolutely agreed that we don't need another smallish, skilled forward.

What Buffalo should be looking to draft is size and some physicality at either forward OR defense. That's what we need. If KA and crew see ASP as the BPA, then fine so be it.

The way this board broke down -- to me it's between Barlow and Simashev. Either one brings elements that we lack in our system.

I get that you love ASP.....but he's not a fit here.....even 5-10 years down the line.

 

[spfan]

The issue with ASP, as noted above, is that he's much more of the same as what we already have. ASP is quite similar to Dahlin, Power, Johnson, Lindgren (albeit far better than Lindgren).

Absolutely agreed that we don't need another smallish, skilled forward.

What Buffalo should be looking to draft is size and some physicality at either forward OR defense. That's what we need. If KA and crew see ASP as the BPA, then fine so be it.

The way this board broke down -- to me it's between Barlow and Simashev. Either one brings elements that we lack in our system.

I get that you love ASP.....but he's not a fit here.....even 5-10 years down the line.

I've said to another poster, but I mean Power is massive, Dahlin has size too. ASP isn't really the exact same as them. Also he's not a one dimensional PP specialist.

I don't believe Barlow will be available. I think GM's will love him and he doesn't slip.

Simashev, I like. But he's a LHD. I know you're talking stylistically, but they need naturally RHD, not more LHD.

These are the options in my opinion:

Take ASP(if he's even available and I'm not 100% confident he will be even)
Trade the pick entirely for a top 4 RHD that's already an NHL established player.
Trade down 10 spots or so and take Willander.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Trade down for Willander if that's the case. I don't think he's nearly good enough to take at 13th.

Not sure why you're so down on ASP. He's also not tiny. And why would they have to be big? Power is gigantic and Dahlin is pretty big. He'd be paired with 1 of them.

Willander might not be good enough to take at #13. If Buffalo feels that way, by all means trade down or trade the pick entirely for a bigger or more physical player that fills a roster hole. Buffalo isn't in a draft slot to get a player that fits what they need. This draft just isn't shaking out that way by the looks of it. If they don't have a player they like, or no good trade options, then it's going to wind up as another BPA scenario with many of us here scratching our heads or frustrated over the result. ASP is one of those guys for me. He might be BPA but he won't exactly be filling a need, but there isn't an NHL ready RHD that's big/physical/nasty and a defensive rock either, so...

 

[Old Navy Goat]

You take the best player available even if they're a Pronman special and look at using your 2nd RD picks for some of the many RHD slated for that range