Draft Day 2013

[PotentPowerPlay22]

I think the Sabres had a great draft. Time will tell.

 

I believe getting rid of the old dead wood and replacing it with top draft picks is the way to go.

 

Well done to Regier and Devine and staff.

[Bullwinkle III]

their draft options were a guy who quit on his VOX test, Horvat (someone you just said we don't need another of) or a defenseman with elite level potential. How did they drop the ball again?

 

You're going to have to help me out here. What is a VOX test?

 

I had changed my mind about Horvat. In the past couple of days I saw him in a new light and realized that he would be an excellent addition to any team and stated so here. He could rise to the Monahan/Lindholm tier.

 

By ignoring two game-changing players, either one of whom we had a need for, they indeed dropped the ball. Those kind of guys aren't going to be found in picks 5-10 of next year's draft.

 

I read this and laugh my ass off, and it's a pretty big ass. Unless there was an announcement I missed I am going to assume that the NHL is going to continue to hold a draft next year and the years to follow.

 

Next year's draft won't be as deep and good forwards will be much harder to obtain. You won't get them in free agency either.

[Bullwinkle III]

I hope the angst I'm reading on this thread is about the trades and/or the lack thereof.

Because the draft went well.

 

We leave the draft with two of the four best defencemen — 6'4, 220-pound twin towers, who can skate move the puck and like to hit.

These are the types of players most of the board wanted us to draft and they both were generally considered worthy of top 10 picks.

Compher will be the relentless type of second or third liner Sabre fans will love.

Bailey and Hurley are boom or bust types; Bailey has a power forward body and attitude, just hasn't had the results yet; Hurley could be another second-line two-way player who dominated his league, but hasn't played against high-level competition yet.

They are the types of players you can and should take a chance on with second-round picks.

Our prospect list took a serious jump today, and that is what the draft is for.

 

I don't like losing Sekera, I desperately wanted Lindholm. And I was hoping for the blockbuster trades.

But I am not going to lose sight of the fact we took some very good hockey players.

 

You couldn't help but take some very good hockey players, it was like shooting fish in a barrel. Unfortunately I think we took the wrong ones.

[papazoid]

ESPN ranks Sabres draft the best:

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Sabres: A+

 

 

 

Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov gives Buffalo two elite-sized, gritty D-men with picks No. 8 and No. 16 and, over time, will have a major impact on the back end. The blue line was a big need for the Buffalo system, and they addressed it as well as they could with their first two selections. In the second round, the Sabres add skilled, blue-collar forward J.T. Compher, and two big hard working forwards in Connor Hurley from Edina High School and Justin Bailey from Kitchener of the OHL -- both give added size. This was a really strong draft for the Sabres.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9439956/2013-nhl-draft-grades-buffalo-sabres-get-top-marks?refresh=true&refresh=true

[Ross Rhea]

 

My opinion is that he'll compete for a spot in camp, based solely on his play in the regular season. In comparison, Pysyk for example, did not look half as comfortable as Chad. Chad was loose, no nerves, & made smart, safe, NHL plays. But that's my opinion-- I'm not going out of my way to "correct" people who feel otherwise as if it's written in stone that Ruhwedel will never play another NHL game. I'm just curious what about him turns you off so much that you're willing to label him as a scrub 7 games into his professional career, because even if it is only 7 games, all I saw were good things.

 

Well I personally feel if Chad had shown anything the Sabres might not have gone 2 defensemen with their first 2 picks knowing that they have a hard time scoring. Again he was nothing more than an injury stop gap.

[North Buffalo]

Another year, another year without drafting a top end center. Not sure the Sabres could have gotten one give their position, but there goes another year without one. oh well.... Not saying what they drafted was bad, I like the top two defensemen, Still another year without a top centerman... sigh.... They just had to go on that late season run :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

[26CornerBlitz]

The Hockey News, NHL Draft winners and losers: http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/52611-NHL-Draft-winners-and-losers.html

 

Buffalo

The Sabres used two picks in 2012 to shore up the middle of the franchise, taking Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons in the first round. This time, they went with a pair of big defenders in Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov. Ristolainen is closer to the NHL and has played against men back home in Finland for the past couple years, while Zadorov is a mammoth with a mean streak. The Sabres are becoming quite adept at filling their needs lately.

[Huckleberry]

Another year, another year without drafting a top end center. Not sure the Sabres could have gotten one give their position, but there goes another year without one. oh well.... Not saying what they drafted was bad, I like the top two defensemen, Still another year without a top centerman... sigh.... They just had to go on that late season run :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

 

Might be guessing here, but they might think they have that franchise center in Grigorenko, a player that was projected as top 3 talent in last years draft.

[nucci]

Nuuut anymuuuiiir.

[LGR4GM]

Another year, another year without drafting a top end center. Not sure the Sabres could have gotten one give their position, but there goes another year without one. oh well.... Not saying what they drafted was bad, I like the top two defensemen, Still another year without a top centerman... sigh.... They just had to go on that late season run :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

I will be writing a long post on this later but Darcy thinks Grigs is that guy. I have do doubt in my mind about that now.

[shrader]

Another year, another year without drafting a top end center. Not sure the Sabres could have gotten one give their position, but there goes another year without one. oh well.... Not saying what they drafted was bad, I like the top two defensemen, Still another year without a top centerman... sigh.... They just had to go on that late season run :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

 

They took two centers in the first round last year. What exactly are you looking for them to do at this point?

:wallbash: is right.

[TrueBlueGED]

I hope the angst I'm reading on this thread is about the trades and/or the lack thereof.

Because the draft went well.

 

We leave the draft with two of the four best defencemen — 6'4, 220-pound twin towers, who can skate move the puck and like to hit.

These are the types of players most of the board wanted us to draft and they both were generally considered worthy of top 10 picks.

Compher will be the relentless type of second or third liner Sabre fans will love.

Bailey and Hurley are boom or bust types; Bailey has a power forward body and attitude, just hasn't had the results yet; Hurley could be another second-line two-way player who dominated his league, but hasn't played against high-level competition yet.

They are the types of players you can and should take a chance on with second-round picks.

Our prospect list took a serious jump today, and that is what the draft is for.

 

I don't like losing Sekera, I desperately wanted Lindholm. And I was hoping for the blockbuster trades.

But I am not going to lose sight of the fact we took some very good hockey players.

 

Looking at the draft on its own, it was very successful. I don't see how anyone could argue the draft itself sucked. The problem, for me at least, is it's the same thing we've been doing forever now. Same approach, just hoping for better luck this time.

[DaGimp]

I will argue with you: How could anybody in their right mind trust the ability of Darcy Regier to get it right?

[TrueBlueGED]

I will argue with you: How could anybody in their right mind trust the ability of Darcy Regier to get it right?

 

The scouts have more to do with the draft than Regier. I still have no faith in Regier to leverage the drafted assets into a contending team, but that shouldn't impact the evaluation of the draft.

[Johnny DangerFace]

Another year, another year without drafting a top end center. Not sure the Sabres could have gotten one give their position, but there goes another year without one. oh well.... Not saying what they drafted was bad, I like the top two defensemen, Still another year without a top centerman... sigh.... They just had to go on that late season run :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

 

Except for the fact that our top pick last year with superstar potenital who is only 19. We have an already good young 2nd line center with hodgson, girgensons is doing good in the AHL. And then we also have Larsson coming up soon. And then our raw prospects at the center position include Compher, Hurley, Kea, Nelson, and Baptiste.

 

 

:wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

Edited July 1, 2013 by Numark

[stenbaro]

Except for the fact that our top pick last year with superstar potenital who is only 19. We have an already good young 2nd line center with hodgson, girgensons is doing good in the AHL. And then we also have Larsson coming up soon. And then our raw prospects at the center position include Compher, Hurley, Kea, Nelson, and Baptiste.

 

 

:wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

Larsson is a LW....http://sabres.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8475728

[LGR4GM]

Larsson is a LW....http://sabres.nhl.co....htm?id=8475728

http://theahl.com/stats/player.php?id=4671

Larsson is a center and Girgensons got bumped to LW once he came here. They apparently had really good chemistry. I am more inclined to believe the Americans page.

[Robviously]

Except for the fact that our top pick last year with superstar potenital who is only 19. We have an already good young 2nd line center with hodgson, girgensons is doing good in the AHL. And then we also have Larsson coming up soon. And then our raw prospects at the center position include Compher, Hurley, Kea, Nelson, and Baptiste.

 

 

:wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

Concept of Grigorenko.

[Johnny DangerFace]

Concept of Grigorenko.

 

In the same sense of any other 19 year old top prospect from the 1st round. No different than any other person who was drafted yesterday. They are all "concepts." This isn't 23 year luke adam or the myth of Kassian. This is an elite 19 year old prospect

[thesportsbuff]

I'm not worried about them not taking a center, but they could really use some winger prospects with top 6 potential. Nichuskin could've been a nice addition to play on Grigorenko's wing, but meh. Darcy prioritized defense and who am I to disagree with scouts who travel the world to watch these guys play?

 

Does anyone know anything about next year's draft class? The fact that everyone is talking about Connor McDavid two years from now makes me question how many "franchise players" will be drafted next year, but there's a good chance we'll have a high pick so it would be nice if there are 5-10 A-level forward prospects!

[Trettioåtta]

I'm not worried about them not taking a center, but they could really use some winger prospects with top 6 potential. Nichuskin could've been a nice addition to play on Grigorenko's wing, but meh. Darcy prioritized defense and who am I to disagree with scouts who travel the world to watch these guys play?

 

Does anyone know anything about next year's draft class? The fact that everyone is talking about Connor McDavid two years from now makes me question how many "franchise players" will be drafted next year, but there's a good chance we'll have a high pick so it would be nice if there are 5-10 A-level forward prospects!

 

I think it is like last year's draft - i.e. overshadowed by this years. Having said that, this year was meant to be deep, 2015 is meant to have McDavid, but i've never heard of anyone else.

 

2003 - Deep

2005 - Crosby but little else

2013 - Deep

2015 - Future Crosby but little else?

Edited July 1, 2013 by ThirtyEight

[Derrico]

ESPN ranks Sabres draft the best:

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Sabres: A+

 

 

 

Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov gives Buffalo two elite-sized, gritty D-men with picks No. 8 and No. 16 and, over time, will have a major impact on the back end. The blue line was a big need for the Buffalo system, and they addressed it as well as they could with their first two selections. In the second round, the Sabres add skilled, blue-collar forward J.T. Compher, and two big hard working forwards in Connor Hurley from Edina High School and Justin Bailey from Kitchener of the OHL -- both give added size. This was a really strong draft for the Sabres.

 

http://insider.espn....ue&refresh=true

 

Who cares what the experts say, I wish they drafted a forward even if he wasn't BPA (sarcasm). These two guys are both huge and love to hit! That's what we have been screaming for over the past five years. Remember when Myers was drafted and we all loved his size and hoped that he had a mean streak to him? I was very disappointed when I found out he wasn't overly physical. We these guys are mean SOB's. Seriously, come playoff time in 3 or 4 years these are the guys who wear down the opposition and win series.

[LGR4GM]

I'm not worried about them not taking a center, but they could really use some winger prospects with top 6 potential. Nichuskin could've been a nice addition to play on Grigorenko's wing, but meh. Darcy prioritized defense and who am I to disagree with scouts who travel the world to watch these guys play?

 

Does anyone know anything about next year's draft class? The fact that everyone is talking about Connor McDavid two years from now makes me question how many "franchise players" will be drafted next year, but there's a good chance we'll have a high pick so it would be nice if there are 5-10 A-level forward prospects!

http://www.draftsite...ock-draft/2014/

 

Sam Reinhardt is the #1 at the moment but the other guys have some promise. Really hard to tell this far out. Anton Karlsson is billed as a big aggressive RW who loves to make people "remember him"

Edited July 1, 2013 by LGR4GM

[LaFontaineToMogilny]

I'm not worried about them not taking a center, but they could really use some winger prospects with top 6 potential. Nichuskin could've been a nice addition to play on Grigorenko's wing, but meh. Darcy prioritized defense and who am I to disagree with scouts who travel the world to watch these guys play?

 

Does anyone know anything about next year's draft class? The fact that everyone is talking about Connor McDavid two years from now makes me question how many "franchise players" will be drafted next year, but there's a good chance we'll have a high pick so it would be nice if there are 5-10 A-level forward prospects!

 

It says something about the expectations of the fan base when we start discussing next years draft the day after this years draft. Sometimes I wish I didn't care so much about Sabres hockey, then I could enjoy the comedy of what is going on right now a lot more.

[JJFIVEOH]

Wow, some people are really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

Who cares what the experts say, I wish they drafted a forward even if he wasn't BPA (sarcasm). These two guys are both huge and love to hit! That's what we have been screaming for over the past five years. Remember when Myers was drafted and we all loved his size and hoped that he had a mean streak to him? I was very disappointed when I found out he wasn't overly physical. We these guys are mean SOB's. Seriously, come playoff time in 3 or 4 years these are the guys who wear down the opposition and win series.

 

 

I would tend to trust the experts with their unbiased, educated opinion over those with biased, blind hatred towards the entire front office staff of the Sabres.