2018 - 2019 Sabres Prospects

[GASabresIUFAN]

Here we are at the quarter pole of the NHL season and I thought it may be a good time to look at our prospects and how they are doing.  I won't include Dahlin, Mittelstadt and Thompson since they are in the NHL likely for good.  I'm focused on players 23 and younger and with limited or no NHL experience.

1) Nylander - 20 - Has made major strides, still needs some improvement.  5-8 13 +7 for the Amerks in 16 games.

2) Pilut - 22 - Swedish import has 20 pts in 14 games for the Amerks.  Probably deserves a look see in Buffalo.  Age is the only reason not no. 1

3) Guhle - 21 - 9 Pts in 14 games, but -3 is somewhat disappointing.  

4) Olofsson - 23 - 6g 10a in13 games for the Amerks. Scoring has slowed after a scorching start.

5) UPL - 19 - Seamless move to NA - 2.34 with a .927 in Sudbury of the OHL.

6) Borgen - 21 - 4 pts for the Amerks in 16 games, but solid physical defender

7)) Samuelson - 18 - 5 pts in 12 games for Western Mich (NCAA)

8.) Laaksonen - 19 - 3g 10a (13 pts) in 21 games in Finnish Elite League + 12 a great sign.

9) Smith - 23 - 13 pts in 16 games for the Amerks.  2nd season going as well as first.

10) Asplund - 20 - 1 pt in 16 games for the high scoring Amerks.  I expected much more. At least he's +5

11) Davidsson - 19 - only 1 goal YTD.  On  a similar scoring pace to last season in the SHL, but with less goals.  Was hoping for a step up in production this season.

12) Bailey - 23 - 8 pts in 15 games for the Amerks.  Slow start but has come on lately.  His physical style with speed still valuable to the franchise.

13) Pekar - 18 - Smart move to NA has 24 pts in 22 games for Barrie in the OHL.

14) Malone - 23 - Has contributed quickly since returning from injury with 3 pts in 4 games for the Amerks

15) Weissbach - 20 - Small forward still scoring - 8 pts in 6 game for Wisconsin in the NCAA.  

16) Bryson - 21 - Smallish D continues to improve.  11 pts in 11 games for Providence (NCAA)

Others

Fitzgerald - 21 - Only 2 pts in 9 games for Boston College

Hickey - 22 - getting limited PT in Roch. 1 pt in 8 games

Oglevie - 23 - 1g in 10 games for the Amerks

Dougherty 22 - I think Fedun was traded to help give Jack PT since now healthy.  1 pt in 3 games but +4 already

Cornel - 22 - Another wasted TM 2nd rd pick. 4 pts in 16 games for the Amerks.

Johansson - 23 - 2.76 and .903 in the ECHL.  Need I say more?

Edited November 19, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[nfreeman]

Good stuff GA.

[Robviously]

Quick reminder that if Nylander had spent the last two seasons lighting up the OHL and was off to a 13 points in 16 games start in the AHL this year, everyone here would be over the moon about him. The Sabres didn’t do him any favors by rushing him to the AHL. 

Love that UPL seems to be back on track after a rough season last year too. 

[inkman]

If Tage is in the NHL "for good", I'll be somewhat disappointed. He hasn't graduated. He got one of those honorary degrees. He's needs to be sent back for schooling like Robert Plant said in 1969. 

[Robviously]

31 minutes ago, inkman said:

If Tage is in the NHL "for good", I'll be somewhat disappointed. He hasn't graduated. He got one of those honorary degrees. He's needs to be sent back for schooling like Robert Plant said in 1969. 

There’s definitely something weird going on that we don’t know about that’s making the Sabres treat TT differently than literally every other prospect in their system. But they can’t keep that going much longer. He’s not contributing anything or showing any signs of improvement. Both ERod and Elie would be a step up and now Wilson is on the way back too. 

[dudacek]

An interesting and almost unique take: longtime Amerk watcher Kevin Oklobjia told GR a few days ago that Eric Cornel is showing the discipline, speed and smarts this year to make the NHL as a 4th-liner; he put him at the same tier as Malone.

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

2 hours ago, Robviously said:

There’s definitely something weird going on that we don’t know about that’s making the Sabres treat TT differently than literally every other prospect in their system. But they can’t keep that going much longer. He’s not contributing anything or showing any signs of improvement. Both ERod and Elie would be a step up and now Wilson is on the way back too. 

Maybe his bloodlines....is there any connections to JBot?

[inkman]

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

An interesting and almost unique take: longtime Amerk watcher Kevin Oklobjia told GR a few days ago that Eric Cornel is showing the discipline, speed and smarts this year to make the NHL as a 4th-liner; he put him at the same tier as Malone.

I caught that and can see it. It also falls in line with 2nd round picks ending up as bottom tier NHLers.  Everyone quick to label him a bust may have been a little narrow minded. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I caught that and can see it. It also falls in line with 2nd round picks ending up as bottom tier NHLers.  Everyone quick to label him a bust may have been a little narrow minded. 

I doubt Cornel ever suits up for the Sabres or any NHL team.  He is unproductive in the AHL and is now a 3rd/4th liner there.  He is an RFA after this season and I can see Jbot not giving him a new deal.

[SwampD]

I'm really confused by all the Tage hate. Is it because of his terrible SO attempt?

No way is Elie a step up.

We're winning. He's been out there late in games. Amerks are winning. And we're winning. Why do we want to change anything, in either team?

[Robviously]

50 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I'm really confused by all the Tage hate. Is it because of his terrible SO attempt?

No way is Elie a step up.

We're winning. He's been out there late in games. Amerks are winning. And we're winning. Why do we want to change anything, in either team?

He’s “out there” is about the best thing you can say about him lately. He doesn’t make anything good happen. And he’s not getting better. So he’s not helping the Sabres and we’re screwing up his development  but other than that, the Sabres are doing a great job with this.

And based on last year, Elie actually would be better for us. 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

I'm really confused by all the Tage hate. Is it because of his terrible SO attempt?

No way is Elie a step up.

We're winning. He's been out there late in games. Amerks are winning. And we're winning. Why do we want to change anything, in either team?

His gaffs in the Winnipeg game were among the worst I've seen by an NHL player. He was handing the puck to the Jets like they were wearing the same jersey. If you aren't seeing those types of plays from him on the reg, you are watching him. 

[inkman]

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I doubt Cornel ever suits up for the Sabres or any NHL team.  He is unproductive in the AHL and is now a 3rd/4th liner there.  He is an RFA after this season and I can see Jbot not giving him a new deal.

Thanks. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-prospects-update-jacob-bryson-providence-college/c-302429944

It looks like Bryson, Oskari, UPL and Pekar seem to be doing the best of our non US Pro prospects. 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://theathletic.com/680420/2018/11/29/pronman-prospects-i-was-wrong-about-the-2018-edition/

Pronman highlights some of his errors in prospect ratings - it's a good read for subscribers, but the reason I posted it is below.

Quote

 

Oskari Laaksonen, D, Buffalo

The main point of this column is to highlight errors I’ve made and how I’ve learned from them. In the case of Laaksonen, I don’t think I made a glaring error. At the time of his pick, I had never heard of the guy. He was never at an international event but there was no way with my current process I would have ever watched him play live or on tape and deemed him not a prospect. Yet Buffalo picked him in the third round in 2017, surprising some in the industry. Two years later it looks like a very shrewd pick. Laaksonen regularly leads his Liiga team in minutes, he skates very well, he’s skilled and he has good offensive instincts. He’s gone through a growth spurt lately and has come out of it looking like a real prospect.

I don’t think I made an error in judgment here, but I didn’t even know about a now 19-year-old player who was drafted at 17 and seems on track to become an NHL player in the next few years. That’s a mistake regardless of the reason. It’s also one of the gutsiest and best picks I’ve seen in the past few years with the caveat that Laaksonen still needs to prove it at the NHL level.

 

Proof again that Jbot knows what he is doing.

[North Buffalo]

6 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-prospects-update-jacob-bryson-providence-college/c-302429944

It looks like Bryson, Oskari, UPL and Pekar seem to be doing the best of our non US Pro prospects. 

 

Remind me who is Brett Murray... USHL listed as one of the prospects?

Elite prospects says he was drafted in the fourth round 2016... so an overager playing in the USHL... meh.

[Marions Piazza]

Going to be going to Cincy for a Cyclones game in December on Star Wars night. I'll keep an eye out for Sabres prospects like Glotov. Isn't there a Sabres goalie prospect down there? I looked up some stats and Glotov is doing really well, 4-13 +9 in 20GP.. D-man Stephens is 2-9 +12 in 18GP..

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

4 hours ago, Marions Piazza said:

Going to be going to Cincy for a Cyclones game in December on Star Wars night. I'll keep an eye out for Sabres prospects like Glotov. Isn't there a Sabres goalie prospect down there? I looked up some stats and Glotov is doing really well, 4-13 +9 in 20GP.. D-man Stephens is 2-9 +12 in 18GP..

I think that Johansson is goalie down there.

[dudacek]

WJC rosters starting to surface. Who are our candidates?

UPL and Laaksonen are likely for Finland.

Samuelsson has a shot for the US and Pekar maybe for the Czechs?

I think Davidsson is too old.

 

Speaking of Samuelsson, if you want a projection of what he could be, this year’s Bogosian is a very good take.

I would be very surprised if the Sabres weren’t thinking of him as Dahlin’s future partner when they picked him.

Edited December 4, 2018 by dudacek

[shrader]

On 11/30/2018 at 12:59 AM, North Buffalo said:

Remind me who is Brett Murray... USHL listed as one of the prospects?

Elite prospects says he was drafted in the fourth round 2016... so an overager playing in the USHL... meh.

He’s not really much of a prospect, but you’ll get plenty of guys who return to the USHL for a year prior to transferring schools. 

[dudacek]

More on Samuelsson from Baker’s most recent update:

Lauded as a defensive-minded rear guard who projects to fill a key NHL role and potentially balance out a back end duo alongside 2018 draftmate Rasmus Dahlin, the intriguing Samuelsson is becoming an even greater revelation as his offensive game continues to develop...

With key collegiate experience being logged as a true freshman, Samuelsson is a favorite to eat up major top-four minutes later this month when the U.S. looks to earn a fourth-straight medal at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

https://theathletic.com/692967/2018/12/04/sabres-prospects-update-mattias-samuelsson-makes-early-mark-on-ncaa-and-more-from-the-teams-youth-pipeline/

Edited December 4, 2018 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

If Samuelsson cleans up his skating and works on his lateral agility, he can be a very good defender for us. 

[Brawndo]

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

On 12/11/2018 at 8:28 AM, Brawndo said:

 

This basically means that we won't see Oskari with the Amerks or Sabres until the 2021-22 season.  I had hope he'd be here sooner.

[Thorner]

On 12/13/2018 at 1:00 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

This basically means that we won't see Oskari with the Amerks or Sabres until the 2021-22 season.  I had hope he'd be here sooner.

Kris Baker says this doesn't rule out either.