Curt

Even better than that, he was born in Moscow and played in Moscow. He is the Moscow Mule.

What do you mean by “handled from beneath?

I don’t think it’s fishy. It’s not as if no one sees the actual lottery process. There are even media people in the room while it’s happening I believe. It’s just that they don’t feel it makes for very compelling television.

It’s called the Gold Plan, named after the guy who invented the idea, whose last name is Gold.

UPL, Levi, and Leinonen. UPL just turned 24 in March. He is definitely still a young developing goalie. Levi and Leinonen are definitely too.

Should draft a goalie almost every year. Sabres have 3 young goalies in the development system. That’s not nothing, but yeah, they could probably add one in the mid-late rounds as a far away development project.

I kind of doubt it. Mitchkov plays for ”Putin’s team”. SKA St. Petersburg, the former Red Army team, is still fairly closely associated with the government. I can’t really see them letting him leave early. Ovi may be considered fairly Putin friendly, but I doubt he holds sway over him.

I would absolutely draft him at 13th overall. He would join the Sabres team as a mostly developed 21-22 year old for the 2025-26 season on a dirt cheap contract for a couple seasons, and an RFA until he is 27. Assuming he develops into something close to expected, and the Sabres team continues to progress well, injecting a star winger on an ELC contract at a time when the Sabres salary cap is getting very tight could be immeasurably helpful.

What are the odds that Oliver Bonk would be there for Buffalo to draft with the Flyers pick in the early 2nd?

Has to be Dahlin, Power, Thompson, Cozens, Tuch right now.

That’s just NFL contracts.

I know that you were kind of joking, but these measurements are not up to date. This is what he has been listed at for 2+ years, and I recall around draft time a couple social media pics floating around where he looked very buff and muscled up. I wouldn’t worry about it. KHL is not publishing updated official weight measurements for players.

Power is on his ELC (rookie contract) for just one more season. After next season, he will be an RFA and need a new contract. So it’s either this offseason or next offseason that he will sign a new contract. Either way he makes the same amount next season. Contract extensions don’t kick in until the original contract finishes up, even if they are signed early.

He may already be close to that size. He was listed as 176 at the time he was drafted 2 years ago. I doubt KHL teams are sending out any updated height/weight measurements to anyone.

I’m pretty sure that he now weighs more than 176. He does play a powerful style of game and is strong, even if he is just average sized.

Yeah, maybe, but Kulich isn’t a small (or finesse) winger, even if he ends up playing that position.

Yeah, that’s wise advice. Goalies are fickle and goalie prospects are even more so.

Are we certain that Samuelsson is definitively better than Gudbranson? From looking at his stats, Gavrikov looks better than both of them.

Me too!

Honestly curious. Any links to specific polls you are referencing? Can PM as to not disrupt thread.

It’s not political. It’s marketing. Trying to show inclusiveness. Trying to make a group that has not traditionally been embraced in the macho pro sports arena that they are welcome. Welcome to participate in the sport, welcome to become fans, welcome to buy tickets and merchandise.

I agree. Seems like that’s the issue in some of these cases.

Real answer: Other than that, he is a little small, but 5’10” 185 isn’t extreme, and he might have grown. He isn’t blazing fast, but he is a very good skater. He isn’t as elite of a playmaker as some other “generational” prospects, but he is very good. Joke answer: Other than scoring well over a goal per game, he sucks!

It will be fine, even if someone declines to wear the jersey like Reimer did. Honestly, teams should probably think of a different way to make LGBTQ individuals feel more welcomed into hockey. Something that doesn’t involve players wearing LGBTQ themed clothing. That seems to be the main sticking point for the few players who have taken issue.

I can’t think of any other CHL player who scored goals at such a rate as Bedard. In 132 career WHL games, he has 133 goals. This season he has 70 goals in 55 games. That is nuts. I do see your point about him not really having standout electric physical attributes like some others. I think his standout skills are his deadly arsenal of shots, his puck control, and his brain that’s let’s him play steps ahead of everyone else.