Who do we draft at 7th overall?

[Derrico]

Go BPA.  Always go BPA.  Wasn't long ago Centre was our biggest strength and D was biggest weakness.  I think there's an argument to be made that both are the exact opposite a short 2-3 years later.

[LGR4GM]

4 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Go BPA.  Always go BPA.  Wasn't long ago Centre was our biggest strength and D was biggest weakness.  I think there's an argument to be made that both are the exact opposite a short 2-3 years later.

We have a lot of defenders in the pipeline and almost no top end forward talent. BPA works fine but again, it all comes down to how that gets defined. 

[Derrico]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We have a lot of defenders in the pipeline and almost no top end forward talent. BPA works fine but again, it all comes down to how that gets defined. 

I would define it as who has the best chance at becoming the best player.  Period.  Regardless of position.  It really wasn't that long ago we were screaming for more D.  The 7th overall pick will likely take at min. 3 years before any meaningful contribution.  Maybe we've traded away two D prospects to upgrade our forwards by then.  I have no idea what will happen in the next 3 years.  That's why I'm ALWAYS going BPA.

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, Derrico said:

I would define it as who has the best chance at becoming the best player.  Period.  Regardless of position.  It really wasn't that long ago we were screaming for more D.  The 7th overall pick will likely take at min. 3 years before any meaningful contribution.  Maybe we've traded away two D prospects to upgrade our forwards by then.  I have no idea what will happen in the next 3 years.  That's why I'm ALWAYS going BPA.

Okay, then it will be a forward in this draft. Byram won't be there at 7. 

2 years

Edited April 10, 2019 by LGR4GM

[Derrico]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Okay, then it will be a forward in this draft. Byram won't be there at 7. 

2 years

Then forward is fine by me.  I'm still going with 3 years.  Look at our last two 8th overall picks.  Neither has had a meaningful contribution yet.  Nylander has had 3 years and has not.

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Derrico said:

Then forward is fine by me.  I'm still going with 3 years.  Look at our last two 8th overall picks.  Neither has had a meaningful contribution yet.  Nylander has had 3 years and has not.

And mitts just finished year 2 and should be much better next year. Also... Mitts is probably slightly below some of the potential guys we could get. 

Mikahil Sergachev was picked 9th, he's been a contributor for 2 years, it isn't picking 8th that was the problem it was picking Nylander and then allowing him to dictate he was going to the AHL, giving him a terrible AHL mentor in Cal, then he got injured, then comes this year. It was nothing short of a disaster from the get go. 

Edited April 10, 2019 by LGR4GM

[Derrico]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

And mitts just finished year 2 and should be much better next year. Also... Mitts is probably slightly below some of the potential guys we could get. 

I do like the sound of that.  I haven't followed as closely this year but sounds like it must be a pretty good draft.

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, Derrico said:

I do like the sound of that.  I haven't followed as closely this year but sounds like it must be a pretty good draft.

Well... yes and no. I think there are some high end guys but that Dahlin level is not there. Also there is a drop after 8 that looks almost like a cliff. It is reminiscent to me of 2013. 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Well... yes and no. I think there are some high end guys but that Dahlin level is not there. Also there is a drop after 8 that looks almost like a cliff. It is reminiscent to me of 2013. 

Not sure your ranking, but Krebs and Boldy significantly worse than..Dach, Turcotte, Zegras?

Not seeing that in my readings. Could you expand?

[LGR4GM]

14 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Not sure your ranking, but Krebs and Boldy significantly worse than..Dach, Turcotte, Zegras?

Not seeing that in my readings. Could you expand?

Krebs and Boldy I think may be a step below. Maybe cliff was poor wording.

[Curt]

4 hours ago, Derrico said:

Then forward is fine by me.  I'm still going with 3 years.  Look at our last two 8th overall picks.  Neither has had a meaningful contribution yet.  Nylander has had 3 years and has not.

I think 3 years is a good conservative estimate for a prospect of that caliber to be a top 6 level contributor.  D+1 year in college/juniors, D+2 year breaking into the NHL with maybe some AHL time, D+3 year (age 21) ready to go.

[calti]

14 hours ago, gilbert11 said:

 

Going way back in the time machine, Maynard G Krebs from Dobie Gillis, played by Bob Denver, more known for his role as Gilligan 

maynards second cousin...from Mt Pilot

[calti]

15 hours ago, gilbert11 said:

 

Going way back in the time machine, Maynard G Krebs from Dobie Gillis, played by Bob Denver, more known for his role as Gilligan 

and Denver Pyle..patriarch of THE DARLINGS--that bluegrass group on AGshow

and Bob Denver was the daughter's fiancee on the show.

[OhMyDahlin]

#1 priority - Trevor Zegras
#2 priority - Matthew Boldy

#3 priority - Alex Turcotte

#4 priority - Alex Newhook

As for the second 1st round pick...give me Cole Caufield, a pure, natural goal-scorer in the mold of Kane and Gaudreau. (If he's gone, give me Kaliyev, we need goal-scorers.)

[LGR4GM]

I don't agree with you but at least you've got reasons. Debates are good. 

[Ho-Chi-Sock]

I'm guessing that apart from Hughes and Kaako, no one is expected to start the season in the majors?

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Ho-Chi-Sock said:

I'm guessing that apart from Hughes and Kaako, no one is expected to start the season in the majors?

Expected? No.  I'd say Byram could. 

[Brawndo]

51 minutes ago, Ho-Chi-Sock said:

I'm guessing that apart from Hughes and Kaako, no one is expected to start the season in the majors?

Dach, Cozens and Byram will probably get their 9 game tryout at least 

[Ogelthorpe]

For the draft guys around here. Can you tell me about Cole Caufield? Would he be a reach at 7? Thanks

[Scottysabres]

I don't think Turcotte makes it to 7, and even if he did, he is most certainly not what the Sabres need, another small bodied player. I don't even think he's on the radar to be honest.

Dach most likely won't be there either.

I see Cozens, Zegras, Caufield or Boldy as the realistic choices for the Sabres.

 

[dudacek]

20 minutes ago, Ogelthorpe said:

For the draft guys around here. Can you tell me about Cole Caufield? Would he be a reach at 7? Thanks

In this draft yes, but not an outrageous one if you really believe in him.

i expect him to go 10-15, though most experts say a little lower.

Upside would be Skinner. Tremendously good goal scorer, but very small and, unlike Skinner, not an elite skater.

Edited April 11, 2019 by dudacek

[French Collection]

23 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I don't think Turcotte makes it to 7, and even if he did, he is most certainly not what the Sabres need, another small bodied player. I don't even think he's on the radar to be honest.

Dach most likely won't be there either.

I see Cozens, Zegras, Caufield or Boldy as the realistic choices for the Sabres.

 

Turcotte is listed as one inch shorter but 26 pounds heavier than Zegras.  Caufield is the puny one, 5'7".

[Scottysabres]

Just now, French Collection said:

Turcotte is listed as one inch shorter but 26 pounds heavier than Zegras.  Caufield is the puny one, 5'7".

As I stated, I don't believe he is there at 7. And I agree, both Zegras and Caufield are smaller. But I believe Turcotte is going 4, 5 or 6.

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, Scottysabres said:

I don't think Turcotte makes it to 7, and even if he did, he is most certainly not what the Sabres need, another small bodied player. I don't even think he's on the radar to be honest.

Dach most likely won't be there either.

I see Cozens, Zegras, Caufield or Boldy as the realistic choices for the Sabres.

 

This is completely incorrect IMPO. What the Sabres don't need is a another player with work ethic issues who sometimes shows up and other times doesn't.  Tage Thompson is 6'5", must mean he is a better player than Evan Rodrigues. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

There is a distinct top 10 in this draft.  The more I read, the firmer that group is.

These 3 will no be available to us in any scenario.  Hughes, Kappo and Byram.  Pod will only be available if the Russian Factor kicks in and he makes it clear that he isn't coming over any time soon which is unlikely.

That means we are going to choose from Cozens, Dach, Turcotte, Boldy, Zegras and Krebs.  Zegras, Boldy and Turcotte are all USNTDP players.  Would anyone be surprise if JBot takes on of them vs Cozens, Dach and Krebs who are all WHL players?

Cozens is the guy who best fits our needs IMHO, but anyone of the 6 upgrade the talent in our system.