Crusader1969 Posted November 29, 2016 Report Posted November 29, 2016 The most in depth analysis of the OHL crop of draft eligibles. http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2016/11/preliminary-mediascout-poll-for-2017.html To be hon st, not a banner year for he OHL. Tippett is my guy but I believe he will be gone before Sabres draft barring they win a lottery spot. Hague could be an interesting option if the Sabres are picking around 10. (My prediction). I see a lot of Strome and Entwistle (bulldogs season tickets) and would be surprised if they go higher than 20 overall. Strome certainly can score but I still worry about his skating. I will say much better than last year but still isn't a strength. Though the analysts quoted seem to be more comfortable with it than me. Quote
North Buffalo Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 (edited) Oh please can the Sabres draft this guy: http://www.fanragsports.com/nhl/2017-nhl-draft-may-new-first-overall-pick-town/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/draft/2016/12/02/nhl-draft-2017-active-month-rankings-biggest-surprises-europe/94795616/ Edited December 7, 2016 by North Buffalo Quote
LGR4GM Posted December 7, 2016 Report Posted December 7, 2016 (edited) I have a soft spot for defenders from Finland so ... Juuso Valimaki, 6'2" 201lbs. He currently has 32 points in 30WHL games this season. Ranked anywhere from 15-27, his stock is rising. If we miss the playoffs and don't win a lottery spot, this guy would be near the top of my list. http://editorinleaf.com/2016/11/02/toronto-maple-leafs-juuso-valimaki/ Also he is #6 and I feel like we will need a new #6 for this team. Edited December 7, 2016 by LGR4GM Quote
LGR4GM Posted December 9, 2016 Report Posted December 9, 2016 Future Considerations Top 100 http://futureconsiderations.ca/top-rankings/ Quote
Crusader1969 Posted December 20, 2016 Report Posted December 20, 2016 (edited) Draft Eligibles at the WJC (5 of them anyways) http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/five-draft-eligible-players-to-watch-at-the-2017-world-junior-hockey-tournament Välimäki was invited to the Finnish camp and as far as I know he will be playing for them. Edited December 20, 2016 by Crusader1969 Quote
North Buffalo Posted January 6, 2017 Report Posted January 6, 2017 latest news on draft: ISS rankings: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-prospects-for-2017-nhl-draft-nolan-patrick-hangs-on-to-no-1-spot-195448100.html http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/01/prweb13955342.htm Quote
North Buffalo Posted January 8, 2017 Report Posted January 8, 2017 Interesting article out of Toronto on the Defenders coming out of this draft: http://editorinleaf.com/2017/01/05/toronto-maple-leafs-defenders-draft/ Quote
North Buffalo Posted January 14, 2017 Report Posted January 14, 2017 Western Hockey Leagye rankings are out: http://whl.ca/article/sportnets-2017-nhl-draft-rankings-january Article on D prospect Nicolas Hague: https://www.nhl.com/news/2017-nhl-draft-diary-nicolas-hague/c-285590886 Quote
TrueBlueGED Posted January 14, 2017 Report Posted January 14, 2017 Nolan Patrick with 2G 2A in his first game back from injury. Maybe this is the year we get some lottery luck. Quote
Two or less Posted January 15, 2017 Report Posted January 15, 2017 Unless the Sabres pick in that top 3 or 4 picks, the player that i keep eyeing is Nic Hague. He's a big 6'6 dmen, plays in the OHL, is tough and physical in his own end but also likes to join the rush and play the PP. Scouts consider him a stay at home d-men but he is above average skater for his size and could provide more offense then your typical 6'6 dmen. Could be a Colton Parayko type at the NHL level. Quote
carpandean Posted January 15, 2017 Report Posted January 15, 2017 Certainly wouldn't be drafting for need, but in the (admittedly limited) games that I saw Nico Hischier play in at the WJC, he was a dominant player. He dictated play and drove hard to the net. Was the highest scoring draft-eligible player at the tournament. Quote
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 15, 2017 Report Posted January 15, 2017 HISCHIER!! He is the 2017 draft's ... FUCALE!! Oh, yeah!! I am beating that drum ... :flirt: Quote
Robviously Posted January 15, 2017 Report Posted January 15, 2017 Certainly wouldn't be drafting for need, but in the (admittedly limited) games that I saw Nico Hischier play in at the WJC, he was a dominant player. He dictated play and drove hard to the net. Was the highest scoring draft-eligible player at the tournament. HISCHIER!! He is the 2017 draft's ... FUCALE!! Oh, yeah!! I am beating that drum ... :flirt: The fact that this is the conversation on January 15, 2017, is reason enough to fire Bylsma and Murray. Also, FWIW, if we're in a position to draft Hischier, I hope we take it. We're about the least dynamic team in the world right now. Quote
Stoner Posted January 16, 2017 Report Posted January 16, 2017 They say a team reflects its coach. Maybe the Sabres also reflect their brain trust, which is a line of Terry Pegula at center, Tim Murray on the right and Dan Bylsma on the left. As Trump once leaned into a mic and said: Low Energy. Quote
Drunkard Posted January 17, 2017 Report Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) They say a team reflects its coach. Maybe the Sabres also reflect their brain trust, which is a line of Terry Pegula at center, Tim Murray on the right and Dan Bylsma on the left. As Trump once leaned into a mic and said: Low Energy. Is Russ Brandon in net or is he over charging for nachos, beer, and hot dogs at one of the snack bars? Gouging drivers for parking? No, I bet he's one of the ushers that busts people for moving up a few rows even though the section is mostly vacant. He's definitely THAT guy. Edited January 17, 2017 by Drunkard Quote
Crusader1969 Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 I think the draft page can happen no matter where the Sabres are projected to draft but I would agree it's a sad state if we are targeting a top 5 guy like Hischier. Hischier had another big game tonight 13 shots on net and a goal and 2 assists If you are looking at dmen the 3 who stand out to me because of their offensive capabilities are Liljegrin who is starting to drop out of the top 5 in draft rankings, VälimäkI (who has already been discussed here) and Cale Makar who plays in the AJHL. MAkar is a cdn kid going the same route as Fabbro did last season. He will play in the NCAA next year. In sept he was thought of being a 2nd rounder but has skyrocketed and now has the potential to be a top 10 pick and has been compared to Karlsson at the same age. Hockey prospect.com January ranking: https://www.hockeyprospect.com/2017-nhl-draft-rankings-hockeyprospect-com-top-75-prospects-january/ my top guys are Hischier - who looked amazing at the WJC and plays both RW and C. Owen Tippett - elite goal scorer for Mississauga Eeli Tolvanen who is another skilled sniper And the 3 dmen mentioned above. Quote
TXSabresFan Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 I'm a pretty new Sabres fan. I've lived in Texas my whole life but for the past few months I've really been getting into Sabres hockey. From everything I've read and researched, the guys I would want are Hischier, Tippett or Makar. Seems that this team really needs some help on defense. I've got a few questions though as a new hockey fan. 1. What's the average success rate on top 10 picks? Is it closer to the MLB draft where the top 10 can be a complete crap-shoot or to the NFL where a decent amount of top 10 picks wind up making some kind of relatively useful production during their career? 2. How does this draft class (specifically the top 10) compare to the past couple years? Are any of these guys Eichel, Reinhart, Matthews or Marner caliber? 3. How common is it for a guy to be drafted top 10 and play significant time in the NHL the very next season? 4. What leagues (OHL, WHL, etc.) are the most respected and best for producing great future players? Quote
Two or less Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) 1. What's the average success rate on top 10 picks? Is it closer to the MLB draft where the top 10 can be a complete crap-shoot or to the NFL where a decent amount of top 10 picks wind up making some kind of relatively useful production during their career? 2. How does this draft class (specifically the top 10) compare to the past couple years? Are any of these guys Eichel, Reinhart, Matthews or Marner caliber? 3. How common is it for a guy to be drafted top 10 and play significant time in the NHL the very next season? 4. What leagues (OHL, WHL, etc.) are the most respected and best for producing great future players? 1. Appearing in the NHL atleast once is like 100%. Between 1995 and 2005, 78% of the top 10 picks appeared in minimum of 100 games. 2. The draft is considered weak. The top 2 picks, Nico and Nolan Patrick (related to former Sabre James Patrick) could be stars. Some others have risen and what not but draft drops off again around 5-6 and then takes another big drop around 12. 3. I think like 1-3 guys each year stay up. Last years draft, which was considered a good draft, had 4 players from top-10 on opening night rosters. 4. I think OHL produces the best talent. Not sure if thats statistically accurate, but in the last few years they've killed it. But they are all good in my opinion, including NCAA. Edited January 18, 2017 by Briere48 Quote
Randall Flagg Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 I believe that Patrick-Hischier is going to look to some degree like Strome-Marner a few years down the road. If we wind up with a choice I want Nico. I have no real evidence, just a feeling about Nolan is all. My hopes for the Sabres: Lose enough to get a new, possession-oriented coach next season, get enough lottery luck to draft 2nd or 3rd so we don't have to go against the grain at pick 1, take Nico, trade Nylander and some stuff for a good puck-moving defenseman, do our expansion draft thing, and make moves after everything opens back up and Vegas has their roster. Quote
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 Where's my drum? Oh, here it is ... HISCHIER!! Quote
Randall Flagg Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 Where's my drum? Oh, here it is ... HISCHIER!! Who was a better juniors player between Hischier and Ehlers? And where are they relative to Drouin? Quote
Brawndo Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 NHL Midterm Rankings Nolan and Nico are 1&2 https://nhl.bamcontent.com/images/assets/binary/285789528/binary-file/file.pdf International Rankings https://nhl.bamcontent.com/images/assets/binary/285789398/binary-file/file.pdf Quote
Georgia Blizzard Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 Draft class overall is weak, I read somewhere that it's similar to 2012 talent -- a good draft to trade 1st round picks -- might see more of those move at trade deadline vs. years past Quote
North Buffalo Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 so then why trade one of last years no 1 when it was a deep class for a lehner... bad mistepp Quote
Sabres Fan in NS Posted January 18, 2017 Report Posted January 18, 2017 Who was a better juniors player between Hischier and Ehlers? And where are they relative to Drouin? Heischer and Ehlers are pretty much the same ... outstanding. Both dominated the Q and are / were special to watch here in Halifax, although I have not been to many games this year, so I did see Ehlers more often. Drouin was even better than the other two, but only because he plays a different game ... he skated circles (literally) around everybody and his stick handling was fantastic and that shot. He is really coming around in Tampa this season. I would trade anyone on the Sabres roster, or in the system, except Eich, for Drouin ... Risto ... yes ... Samson ... yes. Quote
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