Mounting injuries for Sabres, the unintended tank or train wreck? Larsson too!

[North Buffalo]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-prospects-for-2017-nhl-draft-nolan-patrick-hangs-on-to-no-1-spot-195448100.html

 

Don't think it was a weak as the Reinhart draft... just not as elite.  But if the Sabres finish in the bottom 3 which is anybody's guess either a D depending on the trade deadline or one of the scorers would be nice.

PS Valimaki is a good puck mover LD and considered in the 10-13 range... even if the Sabres just miss the playoffs.

[JohnRobertEichel]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-prospects-for-2017-nhl-draft-nolan-patrick-hangs-on-to-no-1-spot-195448100.html

 

Don't think it was a weak as the Reinhart draft... just not as elite.  But if the Sabres finish in the bottom 3 which is anybody's guess either a D depending on the trade deadline or one of the scorers would be nice.

PS Valimaki is a good puck mover LD and considered in the 10-13 range... even if the Sabres just miss the playoffs.

 

But you don't tank for good players; you only tank for the very elite ones. And given the new NHL draft rules and the head start that Arizona and Colorado already have, we could conceivably make a deliberate tank only to have the 6th overall pick.

 

I agree with you that Valimaki would be a great selection. He happens to be exactly who I'm hoping the Sabres target, but he could also just as easily slip outside the top 14 according to other mock drafts. Or Murray could trade one of those extra seconds or thirds to move up a few spots to ensure him.

 

It's far more important to break this culture of accepted losing that permeates Buffalo pro sports. And I do truly believe that a culture of losing is an actual "thing."

[Doohicksie]

They also seem to know each other well and what the other one is going to do.. Luving Falk's toughness...

 

Yes, they definitely play well together as a unit.

[North Buffalo]

But you don't tank for good players; you only tank for the very elite ones. And given the new NHL draft rules and the head start that Arizona and Colorado already have, we could conceivably make a deliberate tank only to have the 6th overall pick.

 

I agree with you that Valimaki would be a great selection. He happens to be exactly who I'm hoping the Sabres target, but he could also just as easily slip outside the top 14 according to other mock drafts. Or Murray could trade one of those extra seconds or thirds to move up a few spots to ensure him.

 

It's far more important to break this culture of accepted losing that permeates Buffalo pro sports. And I do truly believe that a culture of losing is an actual "thing."

hence why I stated unintended tank due to all the early season key injuries. I still think the Sabres are at least a high end D, and a scorer away from being a legit playoff team. Scorer with Nylander and Pu could be in system so yea Vilimaki would serve them well. Also some of the forwards in this draft look a lot better than some other drafts. Can't hurt if Sabres draft high imo.

[woods-racer]

An some are just watching from afar... me Im building my own hill...  That being said... F-Troupe is showing their worth as Fedun is such a good skater and passer.  He is one of the few D that can quickly skate the puck out of his own zone or pass... despite the hiccups.

 

I think Falk&Fedun give us the luxury of not having to rush our defense prospects. They probably top out collectively as a bottom pairing, but they're a decent bottom pairing.  Both of them are pretty good about moving the puck up ice out of the defensive zone, and both are also pretty good locating point shots in the offensive zone.

 

They may not be All Star worthy but...

 

Andrej Meszaros

Andre Benoit

 

we are not that far removed, and it is a very big upgrade from the past.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I think Falk&Fedun give us the luxury of not having to rush our defense prospects. They probably top out collectively as a bottom pairing, but they're a decent bottom pairing.  Both of them are pretty good about moving the puck up ice out of the defensive zone, and both are also pretty good locating point shots in the offensive zone.

What prospects are they protecting? Guhle is in the CHL, and Borgen and Fitzgerald are in the NCAA. As I said before we have no D prospects in the 21-23 age range.

[Jsixspd]

Coincidence or not that the team has been doing better in the past 4 games with Gorges pretty much out of the lineup?  In fact, he's only got 15 minutes of ice time this year, and that was in the Chicago game (which we also lost - coincidence?)  

[GASabresIUFAN]

Coincidence or not that the team has been doing better in the past 4 games with Gorges pretty much out of the lineup?  In fact, he's only got 15 minutes of ice time this year, and that was in the Chicago game (which we also lost - coincidence?)

 

No and no Kulikov either

[Doohicksie]

I don't think Kuli's been right since he torqued his back on the open door.

[MattPie]

Fair point.

 

 

Some of us on this forum are old as the hills.

 

I got the F-troupe reference; I'm not old as the hills just old at heart! Another: until recently, the Sabres have looked 4-F, but I dare say they might be 1-A.

[North Buffalo]

Sabres inconsistency in my mind is a lack of decent 2 pair defenders. Bogo, Kuli, Gorges are giant misses on Murray's part. Losing recent young D has killed Sabres. Scoring in return not enough. Hoping this sort of tank helps, scared it may be two more bad seasons before Sabres have enough talent to move forward :(

Edited January 14, 2017 by North Buffalo

[North Buffalo]

So was Enis out part of the Tank?

 

Or is it really Disco Dan... PS Risto looks bored.