Official 2015 NHL Draft Thread

[LastPommerFan]

I will personally build the website for you after you've recorded 3 episodes of the LigerTank NHL Podcast.

[LGR4GM]

If this draft works out as advertised, why would we want to trade away an 18 & 22 for an 8 anyhow? Murray has proven he can find guys late, and Devine has done great work now that he's properly funded. Let them have two more shots at it and see if they can't find another Getzlaf soemwhere in the teens.

Slow the boat down. Murray has thus far proven nothing for the Sabres. If you are referring to his Anaheim draft, we can't tell how much was him and that was the draft of this Millennium thus far. It will be hard to judge how well Murray has done in the late rounds (2-7th) for at least another 3 years. Lemiuex and Cornel being the big ones he needs to hit on with Karabacek and Johansson also possible good picks (at this time, others can emerge).

[Derrico]

This is true that we will have to wait a few years to find out how it went. Lemiuex looks like he has taken a large step forward in his development this season while Cornel appears to have taken a large step backwards.

[LGR4GM]

So McKeen's came out with their January rankings... http://www.mckeenshockey.com/uncategorized/mckeens-2015-nhl-draft-rankings-january-2015/

Marner sits at 4 and Crouse at 5. The rest of the rankings of interesting. I still disagree with Crouse being ranked in the top 5. He is a safe pick and people love his size but his offensive high end is maybe 20goals a year on a good team. I think you gotta shoot higher in the top 5.

[Crusader1969]

Mitch Marner article from Hockey News: Maybe my Patrick Kane 2.0 is catching on? ok, really not that genius of me since they both played for the Knights and are about the same size but still...

 

http://www.thehockey...ting-on-a-show/

Edited January 16, 2015 by Crusader1969

[SabresBillsFan]

This is true that we will have to wait a few years to find out how it went. Lemiuex looks like he has taken a large step forward in his development this season while Cornel appears to have taken a large step backwards.

 

Not impressed with Cornell or Martin. To me we can't afford to miss on 1st or 2nd rounders if they want to turn this team into a contender. Murray and all the scouts should be eat, sleep, dreaming of which players. They have nothing but time on their hands.

Edited January 17, 2015 by SabresBillsFan

[Derrico]

Ya cornel has been invisible in the few Pete's games I've caught.

[Crusader1969]

Not impressed with Cornell or Martin. To me we can't afford to miss on 1st or 2nd rounders if they want to turn this team into a contender. Murray and all the scouts should be eat, sleep, dreaming of which players. They have nothing but time on their hands.

not to call you out but what are you basing your judgement of Martin on?

 

the mysterioius case of Pavel Zacha continues as he picked up an injury after being slashed last night. He has missed a bunch of time due to suspension and injury. Just maybe this pushes him down draft boards as he has looks to have all the tools of a top level prospect but hasnt put up points (OHL and WJC) to match his talent? Maybe he drops enough for the Sabres to consider trading up to take the big winger/centre?

[Two or less]

So McKeen's came out with their January rankings... http://www.mckeensho...s-january-2015/

Marner sits at 4 and Crouse at 5. The rest of the rankings of interesting. I still disagree with Crouse being ranked in the top 5. He is a safe pick and people love his size but his offensive high end is maybe 20goals a year on a good team. I think you gotta shoot higher in the top 5.

 

Interesting to me that Oliver Kylington is dropping like a rock. He was once seen as a top-10 pick. He has a lot of similarities to Erik Karlsson. I really think Murray will try to move up and get him, with our inability to move out of our own end. Maybe packaging the 2 late firsts for a 10-14 selection to ensure him? I think it'd be a steal for the Sabres to walk out of this draft with a top-3 pick and Kylington.

[Crusader1969]

Another game another 4 point night for Marner - now pulling away from Stome for the OHL scoring lead

Now avgeraging 2.10 pts per game for season. over his last 31 games he is averaging 2.61 pts per game.

 

McDavid in his 22 games is averaging 2.59 pts per game. Connor is still clear cut #1, Eichel is #2 but the team that lands Marner is going to have a star. If Sabres end up drafting 3rd (though can't see how they dont end up in 30th) and land Marner - just imagine him and Samson on the Sabres top line in a few years.

 

Tank still very much worth it.

 

Interesting to me that Oliver Kylington is dropping like a rock. He was once seen as a top-10 pick. He has a lot of similarities to Erik Karlsson. I really think Murray will try to move up and get him, with our inability to move out of our own end. Maybe packaging the 2 late firsts for a 10-14 selection to ensure him? I think it'd be a steal for the Sabres to walk out of this draft with a top-3 pick and Kylington.

 

i watched a few of his games when he was in the SHL. He can fly like the wind and has great offensive skills. Overall he was still over matched on the defensive end in the top Swedish league and has been much better now that he has been loaned to AIK in the 2nd tier. Shame he missed the WJC though - would have been great avenue to compare him against his peers. I would think he would remain in Sweden for a couple more years before being ready to compete in NHL.

Edited January 17, 2015 by Crusader1969

[Two or less]

i watched a few of his games when he was in the SHL. He can fly like the wind and has great offensive skills. Overall he was still over matched on the defensive end in the top Swedish league and has been much better now that he has been loaned to AIK in the 2nd tier. Shame he missed the WJC though - would have been great avenue to compare him against his peers. I would think he would remain in Sweden for a couple more years before being ready to compete in NHL.

 

Yeah but Karlsson struggled too. It's a tough to rate him on how he plays how because even though the level of play is much weaker then NHL, it's still a 17 year old kid playing against men. I heard a scout say that he thinks he'll remain in Sweden next season and then go straight to the NHL in 2016/17 season.

[Hoss]

 

 

Not impressed with Cornell or Martin. To me we can't afford to miss on 1st or 2nd rounders if they want to turn this team into a contender. Murray and all the scouts should be eat, sleep, dreaming of which players. They have nothing but time on their hands.

 

Show me a team that has hit on every single first and second round pick.

[deluca67]

If things stay close to where they are now and the Islanders and Blues picks are at the bottom of the first round, dealing those picks for 2016 1st round picks and picking up additional assets to teams looking to get back into the 2015 1st round is an interesting option.

[Hoss]

If things stay close to where they are now and the Islanders and Blues picks are at the bottom of the first round, dealing those picks for 2016 1st round picks and picking up additional assets to teams looking to get back into the 2015 1st round is an interesting option.

 

I'm not sure why trading them for 2016 firsts is that appealing. We've had an unbelievable amount of early picks for a while, no need to keep pushing it all back.

[deluca67]

I'm not sure why trading them for 2016 firsts is that appealing. We've had an unbelievable amount of early picks for a while, no need to keep pushing it all back.

Two reasons. First, a rebuilding team can always use additional assets. Second, the hope is that the 2016 pick(s) would be in a better position than the the high 20's where it looks like they will end up. It's all about maximizing value of the Sabres asset portfolio.

[Hoss]

Two reasons. First, a rebuilding team can always use additional assets. Second, the hope is that the 2016 pick(s) would be in a better position than the the high 20's where it looks like they will end up. It's all about maximizing value of the Sabres asset portfolio.

 

Sure, but I think it's more reasonable to expect them to use them as more immediate assets instead of picks that will be yet another year off.

[SwampD]

Two reasons. First, a rebuilding team can always use additional assets. Second, the hope is that the 2016 pick(s) would be in a better position than the the high 20's where it looks like they will end up. It's all about maximizing value of the Sabres asset portfolio.

It's too bad that there is a roster minimum. Otherwise, we could trade our entire team away and just have a roster of future picks. We could then deal those picks for future picks and put off longer even pretending that we are trying to ice an NHL roster.

[SabresBillsFan]

If things stay close to where they are now and the Islanders and Blues picks are at the bottom of the first round, dealing those picks for 2016 1st round picks and picking up additional assets to teams looking to get back into the 2015 1st round is an interesting option.

I get what your saying but I would rather use those picks this year. Yes I am for this total rebuild and knew this would take awhile but I don't want to wait till another draft to acquire more players plus another 3-5 years to develop. You go that route we will always be in rebuild mode. I would rather see Murray package both late 1st round picks plus a second and possible player and acquire another pick in the top 10. This team needs to finish last at least guaranteeing one of the big two. But Marner seems like he is tearing it up so maybe their is a third player. I just don't know about the kids size. Murray seems like he wants players over 6'0". Those players seem like the can handle the grind of a long playoff run better.

[Huckleberry]

Murray has already stated numerous times that he doesn't want a long rebuild, he'll use our assets during summer to try and get established NHL players.

[sicknfla]

Murray has already stated numerous times that he doesn't want a long rebuild, he'll use our assets during summer to try and get established NHL players.

 

Hopefully not the same kind of established NHL players that we used to acquire the assets.

[Bob Malooga]

Slow the boat down. Murray has thus far proven nothing for the Sabres. If you are referring to his Anaheim draft, we can't tell how much was him and that was the draft of this Millennium thus far. It will be hard to judge how well Murray has done in the late rounds (2-7th) for at least another 3 years. Lemiuex and Cornel being the big ones he needs to hit on with Karabacek and Johansson also possible good picks (at this time, others can emerge).

It's been reported widely that Murray was the one to pick Getzlaf and Perry in Anaheim.

 

It should be no secret to anyone that Murray has made excellent moves, including last year's draft picks...the question, and most important part is, can Buffalo develop these players like Anaheim was able to? That is what will determine if the moves were the "right" moves.

 

(And from what the Sabres' prospects have been showing this year (and last), there is no doubt in my mind that they can do so.)

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sabres-expected-hire-tim-murray-142155402--nhl.html

 

"Murray has a solid track record as a talent evaluator, and has had input in numerous personnel decisions during his previous stops in Detroit, Florida, Anaheim and the New York Rangers. In Anaheim, he had a hand in the Ducks selecting future star forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the first round of the 2003 draft."

 

Maybe it's just me, but I think he's done a hell of a job...and I'm honestly not sure I'd want anyone else in his position right now. (And I don't mean any GM alive, but out of the guys they interviewed, the guys we speculated about, Murray is the guy who I would still want, no doubt.)

[inkman]

Show me a team that has hit on every single first and second round pick.

And the players referenced are 3rd and 4th round picks

[sicknfla]

 

It's been reported widely that Murray was the one to pick Getzlaf and Perry in Anaheim.

 

It should be no secret to anyone that Murray has made excellent moves, including last year's draft picks...the question, and most important part is, can Buffalo develop these players like Anaheim was able to? That is what will determine if the moves were the "right" moves.

 

(And from what the Sabres' prospects have been showing this year (and last), there is no doubt in my mind that they can do so.)

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sabres-expected-hire-tim-murray-142155402--nhl.html

 

"Murray has a solid track record as a talent evaluator, and has had input in numerous personnel decisions during his previous stops in Detroit, Florida, Anaheim and the New York Rangers. In Anaheim, he had a hand in the Ducks selecting future star forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the first round of the 2003 draft."

 

Maybe it's just me, but I think he's done a hell of a job...and I'm honestly not sure I'd want anyone else in his position right now. (And I don't mean any GM alive, but out of the guys they interviewed, the guys we speculated about, Murray is the guy who I would still want, no doubt.)

 

Not sure we can put a hell of a lot of stock into his first draft yet. A 5 year old could have walked onstage and said "Sam Reinhart". Hell they may have even thanked the host city. The rest of his picks have a ways to go before we can judge anything.

[deluca67]

I get what your saying but I would rather use those picks this year. Yes I am for this total rebuild and knew this would take awhile but I don't want to wait till another draft to acquire more players plus another 3-5 years to develop. You go that route we will always be in rebuild mode. I would rather see Murray package both late 1st round picks plus a second and possible player and acquire another pick in the top 10. This team needs to finish last at least guaranteeing one of the big two. But Marner seems like he is tearing it up so maybe their is a third player. I just don't know about the kids size. Murray seems like he wants players over 6'0". Those players seem like the can handle the grind of a long playoff run better.

Realistically, how many of the players the Sabres draft this year in the first and second round are going to have a real impact in the NHL. Of their first five picks, if two have a real impact it's a good draft. Packaging the picks and moving up is the best option. If they can't, I think moving the picks to get additional picks/prospects instead of drafting #25 & 29 is the way to go.

[SabresBillsFan]

 

And the players referenced are 3rd and 4th round picks

Both players were picked in the second round. This team has too much at stake to ###### up picks. I know u can't hit on all but this team should be studying and scouting players in their sleep.