2018 - 2019 Sabres Prospects

[3putt]

10 hours ago, dudacek said:

So with Pekar and Lukkonen surprisingly headed to the CHL this year, what does that do to Botterill’s anti-CHL rep?

I get back to you after the trades.

[Thorner]

16 hours ago, dudacek said:

So with Pekar and Lukkonen surprisingly headed to the CHL this year, what does that do to Botterill’s anti-CHL rep?

Hard to say. It could be that while he doesn't like to draft from the CHL, he has no problem with players going to play there after being drafted. 

This could support a theory that Botterill cleary knows the CHL develops talent, so he has no problem with drafted prospects playing there, but has an aversion to drafting from the league for reasons other than talent. Perhaps due to the length of time CHL drafted players rights are held. Maybe something to do with NHL-transferable talent being harder to identify in the CHL, combined with it being consistently plundered by the most teams. 

[Hank]

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Hard to say. It could be that while he doesn't like to draft from the CHL, he has no problem with players going to play there after being drafted. 

This could support a theory that Botterill cleary knows the CHL develops talent, so he has no problem with drafted prospects playing there, but has an aversion to drafting from the league for reasons other than talent. Perhaps due to the length of time CHL drafted players rights are held. Maybe something to do with NHL-transferable talent being harder to identify in the CHL, combined with it being consistently plundered by the most teams. 

I think this is exactly right, and I'm completely on board with it. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

17 hours ago, dudacek said:

So with Pekar and Lukkonen surprisingly headed to the CHL this year, what does that do to Botterill’s anti-CHL rep?

I take it to mean that Jbot wants them closer to Buffalo so that he can monitor their development more closely because he has high hopes for both prospects and thinks both will be in Rochester sooner then later.

[nfreeman]

Chris Taylor (Rochester HC) was on with the Instigators yesterday -- worth a listen if you're so inclined.

The 2 guys in particular they spoke about the most were Nylander and Guhle.

Nylander -- Taylor said some positive things, but reading between the lines, IMHO Taylor thinks Nylander still has quite a ways to go in terms of on-ice focus and determination.  He mentioned the need to go get the puck instead of waiting for it to come back to him.

Guhle -- Taylor spoke quite highly of him.  He said Guhle improved his body quite a bit over the summer, has a great attitude and he expects big things from him.

So maybe we'll see Guhle as a regular in Buffalo at some point this season, but I'm still pretty skeptical on Nylander.

[WildCard]

We should have traded Nylander over the summer

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Chris Taylor (Rochester HC) was on with the Instigators yesterday -- worth a listen if you're so inclined.

The 2 guys in particular they spoke about the most were Nylander and Guhle.

Nylander -- Taylor said some positive things, but reading between the lines, IMHO Taylor thinks Nylander still has quite a ways to go in terms of on-ice focus and determination.  He mentioned the need to go get the puck instead of waiting for it to come back to him.

Guhle -- Taylor spoke quite highly of him.  He said Guhle improved his body quite a bit over the summer, has a great attitude and he expects big things from him.

So maybe we'll see Guhle as a regular in Buffalo at some point this season, but I'm still pretty skeptical on Nylander.

I agree with your take on this interview, but it was done before practice.

Listen to this one done after practice, a much different tone; Taylor sounds very impressed with  the Nylander he saw on the ice for the first time since April.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/chris-taylor-9618/t-277437090/c-60910803

Edited September 7, 2018 by dudacek

[Eleven]

On 9/5/2018 at 1:29 PM, pi2000 said:

I don't think it changes anything.   What matters is where he was when he was drafted.

He wasn't in the NCAA yet when he was drafted; does that matter or no?

[Randall Flagg]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I agree with your take on this interview, but it was done before practice.

Listen to this one done after practice, a much different tone; Taylor sounds very impressed with  the Nylander he saw on the ice for the first time since April.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/chris-taylor-9618/t-277437090/c-60910803

Be wary of Nylander and his practice mitts.

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

Be wary of Nylander and his practice mitts.

I'm sure Taylor is well-acquainted.

The gushing is over his improved size and the leadership he showed in drills.

[nfreeman]

30 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I agree with your take on this interview, but it was done before practice.

Listen to this one done after practice, a much different tone; Taylor sounds very impressed with  the Nylander he saw on the ice for the first time since April.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/chris-taylor-9618/t-277437090/c-60910803

 

24 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I'm sure Taylor is well-acquainted.

The gushing is over his improved size and the leadership he showed in drills.

Just listened to it.  I agree with your description.

Ooooooooooohhhh, it would be pretty sweet if Nylander, out of nowhere, forced his way into the lineup and played like a Nylander.

[Randall Flagg]

Chris Taylor had the same exact tone about Alex last year, which is when he actually put on the bulk of his muscle mass. 

 

Of course, that's coming from my eye and his instagram photos, so I'm not being scientific there 

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

Chris Taylor had the same exact tone about Alex last year, which is when he actually put on the bulk of his muscle mass. 

 

You seen Alex lately?

[Hank]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

You seen Alex lately?

I have not. Is he beastly?

[Randall Flagg]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

You seen Alex lately?

I've seen his shirtless instagram photo from like a week ago or something, and made a point to compare it to the one from last summer, and there is a much bigger difference between that one and previous years than this year and that one, in which the differences in size were minimal. 

I sound like I'm pointlessly crapping on Alex which I dont' mean to do haha 

But that interview was just coach-speak to me, functionally identical to the things he said about Nylander last year 

HIs chest is naturally a little thicker, and his abs are less prevalent now, he must be at the end of a bulking cycle 

[dudacek]

1 minute ago, Randall Flagg said:

I've seen his shirtless instagram photo from like a week ago or something, and made a point to compare it to the one from last summer, and there is a much bigger difference between that one and previous years than this year and that one, in which the differences in size were minimal. 

I sound like I'm pointlessly crapping on Alex which I dont' mean to do haha 

But that interview was just coach-speak to me, functionally identical to the things he said about Nylander last year 

Interesting. To me, there was a marked difference in tone between the two Taylor interviews yesterday. Maybe I'm just hearing what I want to hear.

And I sound like I'm high on Nylander, which I'm not. I have a sliver of hope because of his talent, but I've seen nothing that leads me to believe he has what it takes to use it effectively in the NHL. I'm just philosophically opposed to giving up on 20-year-olds.

@Hank  He's starting to look like Evander Kane.

[Randall Flagg]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Interesting. To me, there was a marked difference in tone between the two Taylor interviews yesterday. Maybe I'm just hearing what I want to hear.

And I sound like I'm high on Nylander, which I'm not. I have a sliver of hope because of his talent, but I've seen nothing that leads me to believe he has what it takes to use it effectively in the NHL. I'm just philosophically opposed to giving up on 20-year-olds.

 @Hank  He's starting to look like Evander Kane.

I'm probably hearing what I expect to, as well. I did catch the interview last night. 

If Taylor ever ends up as our head coach, BTW, I think we're gonna like him

[Randall Flagg]

On some level I'm sure all of my Nylander insistence is rooted in the fact that I have to stick to my guns as the first person to turn on him ? I have to look like I know what I'm talking about!

But really I just only use hockey to form/change my opinions so I have to keep parroting the same stuff I've said since April and won't have an opportunity to budge on guys like Kyle and Alex and Pominville and whatever until we have new hockey with which to see a change

[dudacek]

Vogl with a timely piece on Nylander

https://theathletic.com/511229/2018/09/07/if-alex-nylanders-season-mimics-his-summer-he-could-answer-a-lot-of-questions-for-sabres/

“He’s an imposing figure now, taller and more muscular than the official stat lines of 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds.

Physically, there are no questions. Nylander is healthy and monstrous. He looks like a power forward rather than the slick-handed playmaker who made former GM Tim Murray salivate.”

[pi2000]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Vogl with a timely piece on Nylander

https://theathletic.com/511229/2018/09/07/if-alex-nylanders-season-mimics-his-summer-he-could-answer-a-lot-of-questions-for-sabres/

“He’s an imposing figure now, taller and more muscular than the official stat lines of 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds.

Physically, there are no questions. Nylander is healthy and monstrous. He looks like a power forward rather than the slick-handed playmaker who made former GM Tim Murray salivate.”

The knock on him was that he needed to bulk up a bit.    However, there's a big difference between improving functional strength and just getting bigger,

That said, there's no way to quantify his development until we see him play.

[erickompositör72]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

The knock on him was that he needed to bulk up a bit.    However, there's a big difference between improving functional strength and just getting bigger,

That said, there's no way to quantify his development until we see him play.

To this point, there's also a difference between having the strength and knowing how to use it. Something I don't think Reinhart figured out until 2018 (and Nylander seems to have a leg up, strength-wise). Hopefully Alex can figure it out soon. Another year in Rochester could be useful for this, but he needs to start throwing his weight around and taking risks.

There's nothing more sad than a player with an imposing physique who plays soft.

Edited September 7, 2018 by erickompositör72

[Marions Piazza]

1 minute ago, erickompositör72 said:

To this point, there's also a difference between having the strength and knowing how to use it. Something I don't think Reinhart figured out until 2018. Hopefully Alex can figure it out soon. Another year in Rochester could be useful for this, but he needs to start throwing his weight around and taking risks.

There's nothing more sad than a player with an imposing physique who plays soft.

are you talking about Mike Wilson?

[erickompositör72]

Just now, Marions Piazza said:

are you talking about Mike Wilson?

great example! And a great example of one of those "how did he do that?" Darcy trades

[Marions Piazza]

17 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

great example! And a great example of one of those "how did he do that?" Darcy trades

I am trying to remember, was that Rhett Warrener?

[pi2000]

22 minutes ago, erickompositör72 said:

To this point, there's also a difference between having the strength and knowing how to use it. Something I don't think Reinhart figured out until 2018 (and Nylander seems to have a leg up, strength-wise). Hopefully Alex can figure it out soon. Another year in Rochester could be useful for this, but he needs to start throwing his weight around and taking risks.

There's nothing more sad than a player with an imposing physique who plays soft.

Mike Peca tho