GDT Buffalo Prospects Challenge New Jersey 9-8-17 7:00

[Randall Flagg]

I'm reasonably confident that if you staple Alex to Jack's hip, like Willie was to Matthews', and give him PP1 time, he'd get to ~55 this year. I don't expect either of those things to happen, at least until December. 

You're not giving William enough credit. He's a driver. Toronto has 3 legitimate possession driving stars that put up over 60 points in their rookie seasons. Leo Komarov is the only Toronto Maple Leaf player to play more than 100 ES minutes with William and have his possession stats get worse. The rest have big improvements. All while Brown and Kadri were the only forwards to play against tougher competition, because Willy's two-way play grew leaps and bounds (and is clearly better than that of Matthews and Marner at the moment). 

 

William would be a top 3 or even top 2 Buffalo Sabre player next season. He's scary good.

[Sabel79]

I live in Oklahoma. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one here who knows what hockey is. I am jealous that you were sitting by actual NHL front office people!

That's actually a lie - there's a Leafs fan in my office. Ugh.

 

I live in Virginia. Everyone is a mother Penguins fan. Consider yourself lucky dealing with only one douchebag. The Caps? Nope.

[mjd1001]

I watched about half, maybe a little more of the game online.  Of all the players there, I was hoping for a bit more form Baptiste last night, but it only was one game.  Of all the Sabres forwards/prospects, I really think he has the best chance of being a very good NHL player (not just a 3rd or 4th liner).  If everyone met their potential, I think his upside is better than Nylander or Bailey.  But, at least for last night, Baptiste was kinda quiet.

[3putt]

In the first period I noticed a bit of DD hangover or residue. A lot of looking around to see if they were in the right place. A lack of pure centers might have contributed to that, but as the game went on they started to play more instinctively.

[LGR4GM]

In the first period I noticed a bit of DD hangover or residue. A lot of looking around to see if they were in the right place. A lack of pure centers might have contributed to that, but as the game went on they started to play more instinctively.

Defense gave up the blueline a lot.

[TrueBlueGED]

Nylander.png

You're not giving William enough credit. He's a driver. Toronto has 3 legitimate possession driving stars that put up over 60 points in their rookie seasons. Leo Komarov is the only Toronto Maple Leaf player to play more than 100 ES minutes with William and have his possession stats get worse. The rest have big improvements. All while Brown and Kadri were the only forwards to play against tougher competition, because Willy's two-way play grew leaps and bounds (and is clearly better than that of Matthews and Marner at the moment). 

 

William would be a top 3 or even top 2 Buffalo Sabre player next season. He's scary good.

 

Nonsense! I love Willie! Think he's going to be a star as soon as this season. I just think he's gotten about as optimal of a development path and placement in the NHL as one could possibly hope for, whereas Alex has had the opposite, and that disparity is driving some of the pessimism around Alex.