Round one Pick #14. Girgensons

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Myth or not when Devine says this: “He really didn’t come onto my radar until the world junior,” Devine said. “I really saw him and said, ‘This guy can play.’ I think they got beat, 14-0, by the Russians, and we were watching film on it and he was blocking shots with four minutes left in the game. I was shaking my head.”

 

This means something. Winning is everything is an attitude thats hard to teach past a certain age. This guy has a special level of compete and I hope he grows the skills necessary to compete at the NHL level. I am not annointing him our Lucic or any crap like that but I look forward to seeing him in a Sabres jersey.

 

I have NO idea what his offensive upside is. Like I said, he may be a 7-10 goal a year scorer....but he is a man. There aren't many of those currently on the team.

 

Kassian has the physical tools but is a bit shy. This guy is old school....prison shiv manly. Maybe it's the Vodkie in Latvia.....but I know someone I can get behind when I see them.

[bunomatic]

Myth or not when Devine says this: “He really didn’t come onto my radar until the world junior,” Devine said. “I really saw him and said, ‘This guy can play.’ I think they got beat, 14-0, by the Russians, and we were watching film on it and he was blocking shots with four minutes left in the game. I was shaking my head.”

 

This means something. Winning is everything is an attitude thats hard to teach past a certain age. This guy has a special level of compete and I hope he grows the skills necessary to compete at the NHL level. I am not annointing him our Lucic or any crap like that but I look forward to seeing him in a Sabres jersey.

 

You and I both LGR. I think pegula and co. did pretty darn good at this draft but only time will tell. Win at all costs has to permeate this lineup to bring us our ultimate prize and this was a good start. Getting rid of some of the passengers has to be the next step.

[K-9]

Just please don't be one of the appologist flamers who tells me I am negative about everything. I try to get excited about something the team did and a member of....and I get pissed on for that.

 

Oh well.....live and learn

 

I'm sorry. I forgot you were the paragon of optimism around here.

 

Anyway, nobody is pissing on you. Just agreeing with weave that we should temper our enthusiasm for a young prospect who has a ton of potential but also a ton to learn. Kassian couldn't live up to all the unreasonable hype and expectations and nobody should expect this kid to be able to as well right now. There are shining examples as well as cautionary tales.

 

Besides, it's just a matter of time before you and your brethren claim Lindy has pussified him and coached all the jam out of his game.

 

Perhaps we should just trade him to the Canucks right now.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[dudacek]

The voice of GoDD rings true on this one.

I will remain in love with the concept of Gus G until it is proven as false as the skill of Timmy C.

Disillusionment is a long process, even in Buffalo.

The off-season is all about hope baby!

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

The voice of GoDD rings true on this one.

I will remain in love with the concept of Gus G until it is proven as false as the skill of Timmy C.

Disillusionment is a long process, even in Buffalo.

The off-season is all about hope baby!

 

This draft and the comments around them are the closest to the Sabres admitting they have been wrong. By doing so, I can allow for some hope.

 

I'm sorry. I forgot you were the paragon of optimism around here.

 

Anyway, nobody is pissing on you. Just agreeing with weave that we should temper our enthusiasm for a young prospect who has a ton of potential but also a ton to learn. Kassian couldn't live up to all the unreasonable hype and expectations and nobody should expect this kid to be able to as well right now. There are shining examples as well as cautionary tales.

 

Besides, it's just a matter of time before you and your brethren claim Lindy has pussified him and coached all the jam out of his game.

 

Perhaps we should just trade him to the Canucks right now.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Lindy is still a very real issue. After what I have seen from this guy...he is more along the Gilmour/Drury intensity mode.

 

Kassian was built well and people were excited about the potent offense to go with it. He doesn't have the natural oozing of disdain that this kid seems to have. Every interview I have read has people being close to him saying that they are outright SCARED of him, until he lets you get close to him and then you see his soft side. He talks like he has great understanding of human interaction and I think the kid is a natural leader.

 

The only Sabres on the current roster that have any of what this kid has are Regehr, Weber, Gerbe, McCormick and Foligno. I haven't seen enough from McNabb to know.....and of all of those, Weber has the most and I was sad to see his game regress this year.

 

I don't know what his upside is, but I'm pretty sure this kid is a 3rd line stalwart for a decade plus at worst.

[K-9]

This draft and the comments around them are the closest to the Sabres admitting they have been wrong. By doing so, I can allow for some hope.

 

 

 

Lindy is still a very real issue. After what I have seen from this guy...he is more along the Gilmour/Drury intensity mode.

 

Kassian was built well and people were excited about the potent offense to go with it. He doesn't have the natural oozing of disdain that this kid seems to have. Every interview I have read has people being close to him saying that they are outright SCARED of him, until he lets you get close to him and then you see his soft side. He talks like he has great understanding of human interaction and I think the kid is a natural leader.

 

The only Sabres on the current roster that have any of what this kid has are Regehr, Weber, Gerbe, McCormick and Foligno. I haven't seen enough from McNabb to know.....and of all of those, Weber has the most and I was sad to see his game regress this year.

 

I don't know what his upside is, but I'm pretty sure this kid is a 3rd line stalwart for a decade plus at worst.

 

Nobody would love it more than me if this kid walks into the locker room on day one and claims ownership. It'll be great when he tosses the boom box across the room because the team thought it had a good day's work when it didn't. I love that stuff.

 

But I haven't seen the kid play a game, let alone be able to say that he has what only a handful of guys on the team has. Everybody said Kassian had something NOBODY on the team had. I think it's too much to ask at the moment.

 

But hey, I'm glad you're optimistic. Seriously. It's a welcome change.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Nobody would love it more than me if this kid walks into the locker room on day one and claims ownership. It'll be great when he tosses the boom box across the room because the team thought it had a good day's work when it didn't. I love that stuff.

 

But I haven't seen the kid play a game, let alone be able to say that he has what only a handful of guys on the team has. Everybody said Kassian had something NOBODY on the team had. I think it's too much to ask at the moment.

 

But hey, I'm glad you're optimistic. Seriously. It's a welcome change.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

:wub:

[drnkirishone]

damn it drane stop making me reconsider my mancrush rules. I at least want to wait till he has a season and a half of college hockey or higher under his belt before I proclaim him John Wayne

[Weave]

That's called the Concept of Dwight Drane :P

 

I laughed.

[spndnchz]

And like the Concept of Kassian before him, the Concept of Girgensons continues to bloom.

 

I know you're only protecting yourself psychologically when he doesn't make the big squad right away. Or when someone in the A welcomes him to the pros by knocking the piss out of him.

 

Assuming someone in Division 1 doesn't knock the piss out of him first.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

He was playing against guys 3-4 years older than him. I don't think he's scared.

[Drunkard]

you mean girgenson?

 

 

if both of these guys somehow break in at the same time, it is gonna by a nightmare keeping their names straight. the fact that they are both going to wear #12 will not make matters any easier. :bag: my money's on grigo making it first, with girge to follow in 2013 or maybe even 2014.

 

 

Somebody is lying about their height based on that picture. There's no way Girgensons is 6' 2" if Grigorenko is 6' 3".

[LastPommerFan]

OK.....I will go back to reality.

 

5 playoff games won in the past 5 years.

Highest payroll in NHL last year

Olympic Hero cartwheeled into the 13th row of Boston Gardens....or whatever the F it is now

 

 

 

I'm nit-picking here, but you keep saying this, and I think it is incorrect by any measure. total $ spent by the big club we got beat by Philly because they had to pay so much LTIR (source). By total dollars spent on NHL contracts, they got beat by the rangers (Redden > Ales + Morrissonn). Maybe there is a way to measure that I am missing? Or maybe my math is wrong.

[TrueBlueGED]

I have NO idea what his offensive upside is. Like I said, he may be a 7-10 goal a year scorer....but he is a man. There aren't many of those currently on the team.

 

Kassian has the physical tools but is a bit shy. This guy is old school....prison shiv manly. Maybe it's the Vodkie in Latvia.....but I know someone I can get behind when I see them.

 

I'm officially adopting "prison shiv manly" as a way to describe people. Well done. As to his offensive upside, it's that of a #2 center, so think 50-60 points depending on the team and system. Who knows if he ever gets there, but he's absolutely way more than a low-line grinder. Which should make you even more enthusiastic, since we really need toughness injected into the top 6, right?

 

 

Somebody is lying about their height based on that picture. There's no way Girgensons is 6' 2" if Grigorenko is 6' 3".

 

http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/06/19/nhl-draft-combine-2012-official-heights-and-weights/

 

Girgensons came in at 6'1 185, Grigorenko 6'3 200. So there.

[Drunkard]

I'm officially adopting "prison shiv manly" as a way to describe people. Well done. As to his offensive upside, it's that of a #2 center, so think 50-60 points depending on the team and system. Who knows if he ever gets there, but he's absolutely way more than a low-line grinder. Which should make you even more enthusiastic, since we really need toughness injected into the top 6, right?

 

 

 

 

http://lastwordonspo...ts-and-weights/

 

Girgensons came in at 6'1 185, Grigorenko 6'3 200. So there.

 

That link is blocked for me here at my work for some reason but I'll take your word that it's some official combine type measurement. Not trying to be a wet blanket or anything but Grigorenko looks more than 2 inches taller based on the picture though. Maybe Girgensons just has bad posture or something.

[That Aud Smell]

That link is blocked for me here at my work for some reason but I'll take your word that it's some official combine type measurement. Not trying to be a wet blanket or anything but Grigorenko looks more than 2 inches taller based on the picture though. Maybe Girgensons just has bad posture or something.

 

girge is slouching/leaning back a bit.

[qwksndmonster]

Ghost, I was just referring to the fact that you were being optimistic and somebody else was playing devil's advocate. I wasn't saying that you were wrong about anything (except for Ennis :P ).

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I'm nit-picking here, but you keep saying this, and I think it is incorrect by any measure. total $ spent by the big club we got beat by Philly because they had to pay so much LTIR (source). By total dollars spent on NHL contracts, they got beat by the rangers (Redden > Ales + Morrissonn). Maybe there is a way to measure that I am missing? Or maybe my math is wrong.

 

OK.....early in the year the Sabres were well in the lead. Must be when Pronger went down, Philly was able to add above and beyond yet Pronger still counts.

 

Going into the season though, all things being equal the Sabres has the biggest cash outlay.

 

Ghost, I was just referring to the fact that you were being optimistic and somebody else was playing devil's advocate. I wasn't saying that you were wrong about anything (except for Ennis :P ).

 

I know....and no matter what, I hope people understand I never take things personal and am being playfull (99.78% of the time).

 

I laughed at d4rk's comment too.

[K-9]

He was playing against guys 3-4 years older than him. I don't think he's scared.

 

Didn't mean to imply Girgensons is afraid of playing against anyone. Just that he's gonna take some lumps as he learns the game going forward. And my hope is that we can all be patient through the process.

 

Anyone who's willing to throw himself in front of pucks to block shots when losing by 14 goals isn't afraid of anything on the ice. I agree with Drane that he's got something special in his makeup based on that example alone. It's rare indeed.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[LastPommerFan]

talking about nicknames, I think for Girgensons we should go with "the Look"

 

Which translates in Latvian to "SkaTities"...

[Sabres Fan in NS]

talking about nicknames, I think for Girgensons we should go with "the Look"

 

Which translates in Latvian to "SkaTities"...

 

I think you used Google Translate for that.

 

It just doesn't seem possible that it's the correct translation.

[26CornerBlitz]

Girgensons' Junior Coach on WGR:

 

http://audio.wgr550....-girgensons.htm

 

Good Stuff.

[inkman]

Which translates in Latvian to "SkaTities"...

Two of my favorite things....

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and decent music too.

[bunomatic]

Girgensons' Junior Coach on WGR:

 

http://audio.wgr550....-girgensons.htm

 

Good Stuff.

 

That interview sold me on ZG right there. Selfless , teamguy , Voted captain material by 13 out of 16 team mates , hard worker. The accolades seem to go on and on and he has yet to play a game in the big league which we can't forget but if his career to this point translates to the N.H.L. things are golden for the Sabres moving forward. I can't wait till this kid is up to speed in this league and has grown into his role and finds his place.

[Andrew Amerk]

 

 

Actually....Grigorenko has a case of the offset eyes.

 

Let's face it....these Soviet Bloc boys have about a 30% chance of being born with fetal alcohol syndrome......so let's not hold any facial features against them.

 

While I'm stereotyping......I think I want to propose to Girgensons' sister. Now, I have a little Lithuanian in me which forces me to keep somewhat legit given my Italian heritage......but I think with our pedigree and nationalistic sexual tension, we could have some big, beautiful babies who get D1-A scholarships and who will put me in a good nursing home.

 

I think this kid is an example of being a man...even at 18. His attitude and work ethic...he's built like a bull....and he has a good character from the 5 minute profile workup. He loves his family and has a soft side, so you aren't getting a crazy animal no matter how intense he can look. At worst he is probably your 3rd line center for a decade and the type of guy you want around come playoff time.

 

For all the talk of Ennis-Foligno-Stafford......long term that will not hold up. You want Ennis at wing if you build a team capable of winning it all. I think a Line with Girgensons and Foligno is the type of line that wins championships. Put on Gerbe and his attitude, or Tropp and call it your 3rd line. With this center depth now.....I wouldn't be afraid to roll 4 lines this year, but I doubt Lindy would a) let guys gel long enough to make it work....and b) trust kids out there for the minutes needed to be effective.

 

I go to camp baring any other moves, looking like this:

 

Vanek-Roy-Stafford

Ennis-Hodgson-Pominville

Gerbe-Grigorenko-Lieno

Foligno-Girgensons-Tropp

 

Lieno is going to LOVE playing with Grigorenko. I think this will salvage his contract.

 

Ideally they still find a way to move Roy and either Stafford or Pominville and Sekera or Leopold. There is still a chance you can build a contender this year.....but I think it will be tough without a true #1 center still this year. Maybe 2 years down the line you just drafted one.....that's why you look at depth and roll the 4 lines and let the kids grow up.

 

Can you get Doan to sign here? Can you move Roy and Tropp for Ott? Will Stafford/Adam/Sekera/Brennan get you Bobby Ryan? If so how does this look?

 

Vanek-Grigorenko-Ryan

Ennis-Hodgson-Pominville

Foligno-Ott-Doan

Gerbe-Girgensons-Lieno

 

Myers-Regehr

Ehrhoff-McNabb

Leopold-Weber

 

Miller/Enroth

 

If one of the 2 kids isn't ready for primetime......then you move Ennis back to center for now.

 

There is no need for guys like Kaleta/Ellis/McCormick anymore when you have guys like Ott/Doan/Foligno/Girgensons in the lineup who hit and have talent. You D has a good mix of offense/stay-at-home......there you go.

 

They need to follow up on this though, or else we are just back to square 1. They are still 2 talented top 9 forwards with a physical presence away from being mentioned in the top 10 teams.

 

Who is this Lieno that you speak of?

 

Can it play center?

[RazielSabre]

Well most of us said Regier does drafts well but I didn't anticipate him doing quite this well. I was a massive supporter of the 'sack Darcy' campaign a while ago but I have to say I'm impressed over the last year. He did overpay for Leino even before he had played a game and the Boyes move seemed like a good bet right up until this season but with this draft, the last draft and the moves his made I'm happy his our GM.