2018 NHL draft

[dudacek]

So far I like all the guys below Dahlin pretty equally so I'm not too worried about lotto results. Huge boost if we win 1, but otherwise I don't really care.

Me too.

Not huge on Boqvist or Hughes but that’s more of a combination of delayed gratification, and because they would feel like a reach at four.

[Randall Flagg]

Me too.

Not huge on Boqvist or Hughes but that’s more of a combination of delayed gratification, and because they would feel like a reach at four.

Truth on the delayed gratification, but I'd take both of them over Tkachuk I think. But I wouldn't be mad if they took him either. 

[nfreeman]

I am doing combine physicals again, and Casey just happened to drop to 8th after I did his last year.

 

:flirt:

 

Very nice.

[etiennep99]

Permit me the pleasure of name dropping:

 

Mikhail Grigorenko

Nikita Zadorov

Alexander Radulov

Valeri Nichushkin
Niki Zherdev
Alexandr Svitov
Nikita Filatov

Filatov added he was once offered a deal by Hitchcock: if the winger played strong defense, Hitchcock would let him roam around the ice on offense.

“It fell on deaf ears,” Filatov told Shevchenko. “(I’m a) forward who can score, do not touch me...."

 

Russian facts factor not in their favor. So, no Andrei Svechnikov Большое спасибо.

Edited April 8, 2018 by etiennep99

[GASabresIUFAN]

Permit me the pleasure of name dropping:

 

Mikhail Grigorenko

Nikita Zadorov

Alexander Radulov

Valeri Nichushkin

Niki Zherdev

Alexandr Svitov

Nikita Filatov

Filatov added he was once offered a deal by Hitchcock: if the winger played strong defense, Hitchcock would let him roam around the ice on offense.

“It fell on deaf ears,” Filatov told Shevchenko. “(I’m a) forward who can score, do not touch me...."

 

Russian facts factor not in their favor. So, no Andrei Svechnikov Большое спасибо.

What if Svechnikov develops into Tarasenko, Malkin, Ovie, Kucherov, Kuznetsov or Panarin? Fyi Zadorov is a D who has grown up and is playing well for Colorado. Radulov also eventually grew up and he has become a good NHLer as well. Edited April 8, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[inkman]

Permit me the pleasure of name dropping:

 

Mikhail Grigorenko

Nikita Zadorov

Alexander Radulov

Valeri Nichushkin

Niki Zherdev

Alexandr Svitov

Nikita Filatov

 

Filatov added he was once offered a deal by Hitchcock: if the winger played strong defense, Hitchcock would let him roam around the ice on offense.

 

“It fell on deaf ears,” Filatov told Shevchenko. “(I’m a) forward who can score, do not touch me...."

 

Russian facts factor not in their favor. So, no Andrei Svechnikov Большое спасибо.

GMTM is that you?

[etiennep99]

GMTM is that you?

LOL.  No.

No. I’m sick of talented projects

Russians...

[WildCard]

Am I the only one that sees Malkin when scouting Svechnikov?

 

He just seems to process the game much better than Zadina. Out of those two, I'm taking Svechnikov.

 

Wahlstrome seems more like a finisher than a creator. Could be a great complement to Mittelstadt. Am I right in what I'm seeing with this?

 

God dammit, I'm not going to make it to the lottery. 20 more days of this is going to kill me

Edited April 9, 2018 by Jokertecken

[Randall Flagg]

I've finalized my top 4. 

Dahlin.
Svechnikov.

Hughes.

Zadina. 

 

Hughes and Guhle on our back end would be ridiculous. If Zadina was quicker he'd take spot 3, but I absolutely love how electric Hughes is and he looks to have very good hockey sense as well. 

[LGR4GM]

Love all the stuff coming out. Write ups and video. I've been trying to get video and zadina really lacks that top end speed. Svechnikov does not and he's very strong on the puck. His shot is elite too. Rankings are changed to reflect this. It's fun working through it with different players.

[WildCard]

Are we done with the Russian fear by the way? Or is the lazy, will-jump-ship, Russian stereotype still around?

Edited April 9, 2018 by Jokertecken

[LGR4GM]

Are we done with the Russian fear by the way? Or is the lazy, will-jump-ship, Russian stereotype still around?

Russians who don't play their draft year in NA take a hit for me.

[Brawndo]

Am I the only one that sees Malkin when scouting Svechnikov?

 

No, drafting first or second would be a lottery win

 

He just seems to process the game much better than Zadina. Out of those two, I'm taking Svechnikov.

 

See above

 

Wahlstrome seems more like a finisher than a creator. Could be a great complement to Mittelstadt. Am I right in what I'm seeing with this?

 

I would prefer him over Tkatchuk

 

God dammit, I'm not going to make it to the lottery. 20 more days of this is going to kill me.

 

That weekend has the potential to be one of the greatest in Buffalo Sports History winning a top 2 lottery position and drafting the QB of the future

 

 

[Brawndo]

 

I was really high on Evan Bouchard, but the more I read on him he definitely is not worth a Top 5 Pick. He does everything well, but nothing on an elite level.

 

I am starting to come around on Quinn Hughes though, his offensive skills are elite for a defenseman. My worry is his defensive skills, he was step for step with Jake Evans from Notre Dame in the Semi Final Game, but was unable to tie him up enough to prevent the GWG.

[Derrico]

Nearly as good of a skater (still elite), better stick handler, much better shot and 10 months younger.....I'll take Boqvist please.

[LGR4GM]

Nearly as good of a skater (still elite), better stick handler, much better shot and 10 months younger.....I'll take Boqvist please.

I agree. I think Boqvist being younger, taller, and having a better shot and passing skills keep boqvist over Hughers. 

 

The more I see on Bouchard, he really is going to be a solid NHL player, but he just isn't going to be elite. We are talking a #3 defender. 

[North Buffalo]

I agree. I think Boqvist being younger, taller, and having a better shot and passing skills keep boqvist over Hughers. 

 

The more I see on Bouchard, he really is going to be a solid NHL player, but he just isn't going to be elite. We are talking a #3 defender.

 

I still get the feeling this is a crap shoot and depends on both talent, but just as important... fire in the belly and at that age so hard to telk.

[Taro T]

I agree. I think Boqvist being younger, taller, and having a better shot and passing skills keep boqvist over Hughers. 

 

The more I see on Bouchard, he really is going to be a solid NHL player, but he just isn't going to be elite. We are talking a #3 defender.

 

On this team a #3 is gold, sadly.

 

The Sabres have never had a true #1 and only a handful of true #2's too - Schoenfeld, Zhitnik, and Tallinder fit that bill. Due to extreme ability in his own end, would put Ramsey in there as well. Campbell grew into it, but it was a long slow process getti g him there. (Myers was there at times, as was McKee, but not sure they belong w/ that label in the commonly accepted narrower definition than 31st - 62nd best D-man in the league.) We hope that Ristolainen will deserve that label, but due to misusage wouldn't absolutely include him yet.

 

Which is why landing Dahlin would be so cool. The Sabres might for the 1st time in nearly 50 years have a #1 if he plays as projected.

[LGR4GM]

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/mckeens-2018-nhl-draft-ranking-april-9th-2018-top-31/

[WildCard]

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/mckeens-2018-nhl-draft-ranking-april-9th-2018-top-31/

Looks like most other rankings out there honestly 

[LGR4GM]

After a little more reading and some watching, a little more thought, my top 10 has had several reshuffles. 

[Robviously]

After a little more reading and some watching, a little more thought, my top 10 has had several reshuffles.

So....are you gonna share your updates and rationale or did you just want to let us know you're thinking about the draft a lot? ;)

[LGR4GM]

So....are you gonna share your updates and rationale or did you just want to let us know you're thinking about the draft a lot? ;)

no, it isn't done. 

[shrader]

There's apparently some rumblings among the college folks that Wahlstrom will not be going to Harvard.  That could take care of that whole thing about there not being too many guys who leave there early.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Not sure where to put this, but the Mooseheads were swept out of the Q playoff in the second round.

 

Halifax will be hosting the 2019 Memorial Cup and it looked as if it were a foregone conclusion for some time.  It seems that they were setting the roster to peak for a big playoff run in 2019.

 

A very big potential problem is that their biggest gun (Zadina) will be picked very high in this coming draft and it is also very possible that he could make the jump to the NHL right away.