#44 overall - Eric Cornel

[LGR4GM]

we traded #39 for #44 and #74

 

Eric Cornel - C/RW 6'2" 184lbs

 

Cornel is a great skater. He has very good top end speed, and above average acceleration. As he has gained weight and gotten stronger he has improved his balance and is stronger on the puck and better in board battles, however he could stand to add even more core strength in the coming years. His edgework and agility are also very good, and this gives him a leg up in sneaking by defenders off the rush.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/05/08/2014-nhl-draft-profile-35-eric-cornel/

 

Cornel's Prospect Card

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=94115&sort=finalRank&year=2014

Edited June 28, 2014 by LGR4GM

[Brawndo]

Speed and size. Love it!!

 

Dave Davis ‏@DaveDavisHockey 45s

McKeen's Hockey had Eric Cornel rated 29th.

[26CornerBlitz]

Black Book

 

There are a lot of things to like about Cornel as a prospect but there are consistent glaring concerns as well. On the positive, Cornel is an excellent skater for a 6’2” forward. He rushes the puck up ice with great speed and can take it end to end at times. He will also use this skating ability on the backcheck too. He showed flashes of puck skills and puck handling ability but lost control of the puck at times as well. He is more of a playmaker than a scorer and has good vision in the offensive zone to make creative, smart passes. He doesn’t have a lot of power in his shot but gets it off with pretty good accuracy. Despite lacking any physical element in his game, Cornel is capable of protecting the puck well and will drive the net.

 

One of the biggest concerns about Cornel is his lack of willingness to go to the dirty areas and battle for pucks. While he has good skill to be an offensive contributor at the junior level, we don’t see him being able to produce enough to play a role in the NHL. Combined with a lack of physicality or strong forechecking ability he isn’t really suited for a bottom six role. He has talent but our draft ranking for him incorporates his very soft play.

 

ISS

 

Scouting Report: Crafty offensive player with slick passing skills and offensive instincts. A natural play-maker with excellent vision and able to find his teammates through seams in the ice, even under pressure. Always in good position on both sides of the puck. Has very good on-ice offensive abilities and has shown to be a smart player who is always looking for openings on the ice. Underrated scoring ability. He needs to get stronger to compete at the pro level, would be the perfect project player, if you could get his effort level to match his high hockey IQ he could be a tremendous top 6 pro player.

 

McKeen's

 

Laboured through the first half of the season but then a move to the left side following the acquisition of Hunter Garlent presented new life to the former 3rd overall selection of the 2013 OHL draft .. highly intuitive offensive minded player who is cunning with the puck and lethal in open ice .. shifty and athletic skating stride but not overly explosive .. very light on his edges displaying elusiveness and is able to twist and turn off players in tight quarters with the puck .. passing skills set him apart showcasing outstanding vision in his intelligent and insightful possession game .. considered to have ‘soft’ skill at the start of the season, Cornell did a valiant job of identifying his weaknesses and addressing them throughout the year - particularly, in his lack of defensive play and unwillingness to compete along the boards .. added a layer of assertiveness to his game and showed a renewed commitment to team defence at times doing all the heavy lifting on his line with Garlent and Ritchie .. possesses a good frame and the foundation to easily put on an additional 25-35 pounds…very projectable skills and a player whose stock was trending upwards following a successful regular season finish and strong playoff performance.

 

FC

 

STRENGTHS: Cornel is a two-way center with very impressive mobility. He is a very fast skater with an upright skating style who reaches top speed in a matter of a couple short strides. He generates a lot of power in his first few steps, and is fairly strong on his skates and pivots very well. His speed increases when he is carrying the puck and he uses his speed and good stickhandling to enter the zone with ease. He has great control of the puck as he skates through traffic. Cornel is very strong on the puck and protects it well; he knows when to cut one way or another and be able to get around opponents to get to the net or pass the puck off. He generates a lot of scoring chances and, without the puck, consistently gets to a position to score. Cornel is a very smart center who showed his ability to have an impact in all three zones. He shows good awareness and anticipation. Cornel does a lot of little things that make big differences during the course of a game. He pressures hard on the forecheck and forces defenders to give up the puck. He possesses a high compete level and has a quick snap shot. Cornel doesn’t give up on plays around net and has a very powerful wrist shot. When he carries the puck, he kicks his speed into another gear. Cornel is a playmaking center. He shows great passing skills. He makes the players around him better with his ability to dish the puck. Cornel anticipates where teammates will be and gets them the puck. He showed he is responsible in his own zone. He sees the game well, and is rarely caught out of position. Cornel continually supported his d-men down low, givingthem simple ways out of jams.

 

WEAKNESSES: While it might seem like there is not a lot to improve in his game, Cornel is seen as a prospect with limited offensive upside. He looks like someone who could fill a Stephen Weiss role, the one that was with Florida not Detroit, adding secondary scoring and playing a strong all-round game, but not quite first-line center output. Lacks physical bite. He offers support to his teammates along the wall, but does not engage in physical play often. Cornel doesn’t always engage in play and can go through funks where he is invisible, cruising up and down the ice, but not doing very much to impact the contest. Cornel also has work to do in the faceoff circle.

 

THN

 

SOME SCOUTS WERE SURPRISED the Canadian under 18 team didn't choose Cornel since he had such a productive season in Peterborough, though projections for him are all over the map. One scout said he would go to Peterborough games specifically to watch higher profile teammate Nick Ritchie and come away with a better impression of Cornel. Another scout said playing with Ritchie masked a number of Cornel's deficiencies, one of which is consistency. "He's like that pretty girlfriend you can't stand because she drives you nuts," said one scout. "You break up with her and then you ask, 'Why did I do that?' Then you get back together and you say, 'Oh, this is why.'" Scouts agree, though, when Cornel is on his game, he can be difficult to stop, and they saw enough of those games to be intrigued by the possibilities. "But I'm not sure if that compete and accountability come naturally to him," said another scout.

Edited June 28, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffaloSabres

VIDEO: @ecornel10 meets with media after being selected in 2nd round by #Sabres - http://goo.gl/Lc4MYw

#Sabres2014Draft

[Trettioåtta]

Guy says he tries to emulate Toews. I like this pick

[Robviously]

Black Book

 

 

 

ISS

 

 

 

McKeen's

 

 

 

FC

 

 

 

THN

It's not often that I like a guy when we pick him but I actually like him less the more I read. When they're worried about compete, accountability, and willingness to battle, that's fairly alarming.

 

Still, it's a swing for the fences and maybe that's stuff he can figure out as he matures.

[LGR4GM]

I am not a big fan of this pick.

[MILFHUNTER#518]

From the sound of the scouting reports, he sounds like a 3-4th rounder... this sounds like a reach, or perhaps GMTM knows something that we don't?

[oldSabsfan]

Hudson Fasching was a 4th round pick an hes a stud now, let gmtim do hes job

[nfreeman]

In TM's presser, he said that if Cornell improves the same amount this offseason as he did last offseason, he'll be a terrific prospect.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if the Sabres got Zetterberg/Datsyuk lucky on one of these lower-pick forwards?

[Eleven]

In TM's presser, he said that if Cornell improves the same amount this offseason as he did last offseason, he'll be a terrific prospect.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if the Sabres got Zetterberg/Datsyuk lucky on one of these lower-pick forwards?

 

It would be wonderful. But this is not the guy.

[Hoss]

 

 

It would be wonderful. But this is not the guy.

 

I think he was making a side not and didn't mean Cornel since he wasn't a late-round guy.

 

However, we may already have a guy like that with Possler. A lot of good things being said about him.

[Derrico]

I'm not ready to write this guy off. Tim's strength is in talent evaluation. I'll trust him until he gives us a reason not too.

 

From the sound of the scouting reports, he sounds like a 3-4th rounder... this sounds like a reach, or perhaps GMTM knows something that we don't?

 

Button had him ranked 40th and I think iss had him like 25 for na skaters.

[ubkev]

I'm not ready to write this guy off. Tim's strength is in talent evaluation. I'll trust him until he gives us a reason not too.

 

 

 

Button had him ranked 40th and I think iss had him like 25 for na skaters.

 

I'm with you here. I don't like how his reviews sound but that doesn't mean he can't prove them wrong. We'll see in 3 years.

[sabre snipe]

I liked this pick. Guy is a great skater and has a ton of skill. He was the 3rd pick in his CHL draft for a reason. I think he's got a chance

 

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I only watched the first 30 minutes, but if you threw me in blind and said, "You can take one guy here for your team from here on out the next 10 years"......I would take Cornel.

 

 

The knocks on this kid were his lack of consistant effort and physical play. The guy looked like a beast of a 2 way player to me tonight. Speed, size, hacking guys, defensemen giving him space, worked magic with Bailey and Dupuy.......he obviously has been working at things.

[dudacek]

Liked him tonight too.

What I noticed in his brief stint in Rochester to end the season was an NHL skill set, but he hadn't figured everything out yet on what to do and when.

Murray gambled on skill in the second and third last year. The raw material is there if they can develop him.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Liked him tonight too.

What I noticed in his brief stint in Rochester to end the season was an NHL skill set, but he hadn't figured everything out yet on what to do and when.

Murray gambled on skill in the second and third last year. The raw material is there if they can develop him.

 

It says he's 6'2" 185lbs.....he looked 6'3" 210-215 out there.

 

it's only a prospects game, but if I was scouting he would stand out. Bailey was nice too. Looks like Rienhart did well. It was too wide open and no penalties to really concentrate on defense. They were backpeddling most of the time and things were too losey goosey.

 

Eichel looked like he was trying to keep things too simple and was a bit of a coach's pet. He would hang onto the puck and was deliberate. He also gave up a few 3 on 2 rushes with the forecheck numbers to peel off and be the first off on a line change. I will attribute it to 1 game overthinking, but he didn't seem like a cocky player....that's for sure....closer to timid tonight.

[Taro T]

It says he's 6'2" 185lbs.....he looked 6'3" 210-215 out there.

 

it's only a prospects game, but if I was scouting he would stand out. Bailey was nice too. Looks like Rienhart did well. It was too wide open and no penalties to really concentrate on defense. They were backpeddling most of the time and things were too losey goosey.

 

Eichel looked like he was trying to keep things too simple and was a bit of a coach's pet. He would hang onto the puck and was deliberate. He also gave up a few 3 on 2 rushes with the forecheck numbers to peel off and be the first off on a line change. I will attribute it to 1 game overthinking, but he didn't seem like a cocky player....that's for sure....closer to timid tonight.

Didn't see any of the scrimmage. But, what you describe regarding Eichel was similar to his 1st WC game. By the end of the tournament, he was arguably the US' s best player.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Didn't see any of the scrimmage. But, what you describe regarding Eichel was similar to his 1st WC game. By the end of the tournament, he was arguably the US' s best player.

 

Sure, you can't define a career in a 60 minute game of tiddlywinks. I was just saying, if you had me show up out of the blue and say it was a Columbus prospects game and I knew nothing about the players but the numbers on their back and their age, I would leave thinking Cornel had the best skill set to be a true top 6 forward on a real team.

 

I think Murray needs to address the defense, and fast. They have a load of commodity type big forwards coming. I'm not sure anyone makes it big time, but you should get at least 2 or 3 3rd/4th liners out of it. The defense is in trouble in my opinion. Your top 5 right now are Bogosian, who has an injury history, Ristolainen, who has really only put together a 20 game stretch of quality NHL level hockey and probably would have not dressed on Chicago last year, Gorges who may or may not have started to hit his wall, Pysyk who sat out months with a mystery ailment, and on his best night is Darryl Shannon, and Mike Weber, who is Mike Weber.

 

Unless Murray goes and gets Franson AND Odujya, he's going to need to make a trade for a top 4 guy who can move the puck. Given the depth at forward, you would have to think Foligno and Larsson are obvious candidates to go. They can be replaced with the pack of young guys in a year, and in all honesty, a line of Legwand, McGinn, and Gionta is probably much better than what those 2 guys can give you. You have Deslauries as a perfect 4th liner with ability. I'd like to see them go get David Moss and Max Lapiere and you have a 4th line that can each chip in 10 goals, be a nightmare to play against, and could eat up PK minutes.

 

It's a little nerve wracking watching the unbridled optimism from the fanbase. I like the GM, coach, and player pool, but odds are this team is still drafting top 5 next year. You paid $8 million for a #2 center, and if Eichel doesn't fire out of the gate, it's going to get a little dicey.

[tom webster]

Sure, you can't define a career in a 60 minute game of tiddlywinks. I was just saying, if you had me show up out of the blue and say it was a Columbus prospects game and I knew nothing about the players but the numbers on their back and their age, I would leave thinking Cornel had the best skill set to be a true top 6 forward on a real team.

 

I think Murray needs to address the defense, and fast. They have a load of commodity type big forwards coming. I'm not sure anyone makes it big time, but you should get at least 2 or 3 3rd/4th liners out of it. The defense is in trouble in my opinion. Your top 5 right now are Bogosian, who has an injury history, Ristolainen, who has really only put together a 20 game stretch of quality NHL level hockey and probably would have not dressed on Chicago last year, Gorges who may or may not have started to hit his wall, Pysyk who sat out months with a mystery ailment, and on his best night is Darryl Shannon, and Mike Weber, who is Mike Weber.

 

Unless Murray goes and gets Franson AND Odujya, he's going to need to make a trade for a top 4 guy who can move the puck. Given the depth at forward, you would have to think Foligno and Larsson are obvious candidates to go. They can be replaced with the pack of young guys in a year, and in all honesty, a line of Legwand, McGinn, and Gionta is probably much better than what those 2 guys can give you. You have Deslauries as a perfect 4th liner with ability. I'd like to see them go get David Moss and Max Lapiere and you have a 4th line that can each chip in 10 goals, be a nightmare to play against, and could eat up PK minutes.

 

It's a little nerve wracking watching the unbridled optimism from the fanbase. I like the GM, coach, and player pool, but odds are this team is still drafting top 5 next year. You paid $8 million for a #2 center, and if Eichel doesn't fire out of the gate, it's going to get a little dicey.

Pysyk is a lot better then Darryl Shannon

[TrueBlueGED]

Sure, you can't define a career in a 60 minute game of tiddlywinks. I was just saying, if you had me show up out of the blue and say it was a Columbus prospects game and I knew nothing about the players but the numbers on their back and their age, I would leave thinking Cornel had the best skill set to be a true top 6 forward on a real team.

 

I think Murray needs to address the defense, and fast. They have a load of commodity type big forwards coming. I'm not sure anyone makes it big time, but you should get at least 2 or 3 3rd/4th liners out of it. The defense is in trouble in my opinion. Your top 5 right now are Bogosian, who has an injury history, Ristolainen, who has really only put together a 20 game stretch of quality NHL level hockey and probably would have not dressed on Chicago last year, Gorges who may or may not have started to hit his wall, Pysyk who sat out months with a mystery ailment, and on his best night is Darryl Shannon, and Mike Weber, who is Mike Weber.

 

Unless Murray goes and gets Franson AND Odujya, he's going to need to make a trade for a top 4 guy who can move the puck. Given the depth at forward, you would have to think Foligno and Larsson are obvious candidates to go. They can be replaced with the pack of young guys in a year, and in all honesty, a line of Legwand, McGinn, and Gionta is probably much better than what those 2 guys can give you. You have Deslauries as a perfect 4th liner with ability. I'd like to see them go get David Moss and Max Lapiere and you have a 4th line that can each chip in 10 goals, be a nightmare to play against, and could eat up PK minutes.

 

It's a little nerve wracking watching the unbridled optimism from the fanbase. I like the GM, coach, and player pool, but odds are this team is still drafting top 5 next year. You paid $8 million for a #2 center, and if Eichel doesn't fire out of the gate, it's going to get a little dicey.

 

Oh how I missed your irrational dislike of Ristolainen. He absolutely would have played on their 3rd pairing, and I'd even bet Quenneville wouldn't have to clench his butthole whenever he was on the ice like he had to for their actual third pairing. 

 

That said, I'm generally with you on this defense corps: it's not good, at least not this year (love Pysyk and have hopes for McCabe, but they're rookies...bumps in the road shall be had). Bogosian is really a second pair guy, and while Risto has #1 potential (and I love me some Risto right now) he's still only going to be 21, so there are more ups and downs to come. Gorges I think was trending towards finished before the injury and now he's a 3rd pair guy IMO (please don't scold me again XB). "Weber is Weber" is probably the perfect way of phrasing that one :lol:

 

All that said, if I'm going to watch a flawed team miss the playoffs, I'd rather watch good forwards and bad defense than the other way around. So here's to some entertainment.

Yes I'm aware of how important Dmen are for generating a proper zone exit and rush, and thus offense, but allow me to ignore that for now.

Edited July 11, 2015 by TrueBluePhD

[Taro T]

Sure, you can't define a career in a 60 minute game of tiddlywinks. I was just saying, if you had me show up out of the blue and say it was a Columbus prospects game and I knew nothing about the players but the numbers on their back and their age, I would leave thinking Cornel had the best skill set to be a true top 6 forward on a real team.

 

I think Murray needs to address the defense, and fast. They have a load of commodity type big forwards coming. I'm not sure anyone makes it big time, but you should get at least 2 or 3 3rd/4th liners out of it. The defense is in trouble in my opinion. Your top 5 right now are Bogosian, who has an injury history, Ristolainen, who has really only put together a 20 game stretch of quality NHL level hockey and probably would have not dressed on Chicago last year, Gorges who may or may not have started to hit his wall, Pysyk who sat out months with a mystery ailment, and on his best night is Darryl Shannon, and Mike Weber, who is Mike Weber.

 

Unless Murray goes and gets Franson AND Odujya, he's going to need to make a trade for a top 4 guy who can move the puck. Given the depth at forward, you would have to think Foligno and Larsson are obvious candidates to go. They can be replaced with the pack of young guys in a year, and in all honesty, a line of Legwand, McGinn, and Gionta is probably much better than what those 2 guys can give you. You have Deslauries as a perfect 4th liner with ability. I'd like to see them go get David Moss and Max Lapiere and you have a 4th line that can each chip in 10 goals, be a nightmare to play against, and could eat up PK minutes.

 

It's a little nerve wracking watching the unbridled optimism from the fanbase. I like the GM, coach, and player pool, but odds are this team is still drafting top 5 next year. You paid $8 million for a #2 center, and if Eichel doesn't fire out of the gate, it's going to get a little dicey.

Didn't mean for that to come across as an indictment of your observations. As I'd prefaced, hadn't seen any of the scrimmage. The comment was more geared towards an "Eichel will be fine" sort of thing.

 

Actually, I appreciate the comments about Cornel. Will definitely try to follow his progress.

 

This team, as constituted, I'd expect to be drafting 8-12. (Probably closer to 8). Can't see them bottom 5: they're absolutely better than the Yotes, Loafs, Joisey, & Canes. They are likely better than Boston (yes), and at least 2 others; Filly and there'll be at least somebody (if not somebodies) that is (are) 'surprisingly bad'. Bring in Oduya, and they're on the cusp. 1 more legit 4 (even a 5) and they're probably in. Franson would fit that bill.

 

Risto should grow this, his 3rd, year. You'll get 65+ out of Bogosian. (Sucks that you won't get 80 from him, but is what it is). And though I agree that Bogo is ideally 2nd pairing, he's a better top 2 than Smehlik ever was post training accident. (How many ####ing years was he the Sabres #2?)

 

Pysyk will be given the opportunity to play a rookie D's simple game and will be good. (He'll be what Shannon was supposed to be, not what he was. ;)) I expect Gorges to bounce back, but wouldn't put money on it. Weber as a 6 will be ok, though I'd prefer him as 7. The other 7's they brought in can fill in though injuries.

 

Would still like to see a true top line RW, but they could have enough pieces to get that done well enough via committee.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I was just commenting on the lack of meaning from the scrimmage itself.....you can't say a guy doesn't have it after 60 minutes, but, I can see where a guy has all the tools to have it, and Cornel was the only one that had me gaga at the potential.

 

I really think people need to calm down with the projections. I'd put $$ down all day Boston finishes ahead of them. Buffalo is projected to draft #3 right now.... 

 

http://www.oddschecker.com/ice-hockey/nhl/stanley-cup/winner

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Pysyk is a lot better then Darryl Shannon

 

I have no idea how you can say that. He IS Darryl Shannon. Except now he has a medical issue lingering over him.