2020 Draft Rankings Not Soon Enough...

[LGR4GM]

17 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Hypothetical 

Sabres draft 5th. 

Top 2 go as expected, followed by Stutzle and Rossi (top 3 centres off the board)   Drysdale is sitting there .....

what do you do?   Seeing how Makar and Hughes have positively impacted their teams this season   Do you take him?   Pair him with Dahlin and in 2 years potentially have the one of the best top pairs in league

or do you take a winger?  Raymond, Perfetti or Holtz    

Or do you maybe draft a guy like Lundell (higher than ranked but fills need)  

assuming no one will trade the pick with you 

 

Drysdale is not currently my 5th ranked player. I can't answer this though until May when I compile and set actual rankings. 

[Huckleberry]

I would always go offense, our pipeline on D looks good enough I think.

[LGR4GM]

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-forbes-february/

I disagree with where Marco Rossi is and where Drysdale is but it is an interesting list.

 

[5th line wingnutt]

39 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-forbes-february/

I disagree with where Marco Rossi is and where Drysdale is but it is an interesting list.

 

I have Rossi at 9 and Drysdale at 6.  What about you?

[LGR4GM]

My list is not done. My preliminary list has Rossi at 4 and Drysdale at 8. 

[Curt]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-forbes-february/

I disagree with where Marco Rossi is and where Drysdale is but it is an interesting list.

Flip them and that would be close for me.

[rakish]

@WildCard got me to run my model midseason, I ran the top 60 off of EliteProspects. Historically (I've done this 5 or 6 years now), my top 10 isn't that good, it's really the later rounds that I do better, that said:

1 Marco Rossi 3299 
2 Alexis Lafrenière 2594 
3 Seth Jarvis 2580 
4 Quinton Byfield 2578 
5 Cole Perfetti 2453 
6 Lucas Raymond 1882 
7 Alexander Holtz 1624 
8 Rodion Amirov 1542 
9 Connor Zary 1466 
10 Anton Lundell 1455 

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

On 2/19/2020 at 10:52 AM, LGR4GM said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-forbes-february/

I disagree with where Marco Rossi is and where Drysdale is but it is an interesting list.

 

I say JBot will draft ROR at #26....LOL

[LGR4GM]

Lucas Raymond is currently my 3rd favorite player in this draft. Rossi would be 3rd but his age makes me raise an eyebrow. Raymond only has 9points in 30 SHL games but that is with only playing around 10min a night. That is actually impressive. I wish I had time to find all the players ice time and divide it by points. That would be a useful stat for evaluating the prospects. He is averaging roughly 1.76pts per 60 if I did math right. Would be curious if @rakish has looked at production by TOI. 

Raymond was born on March 28th but Rossi was born on Sept 23. Rossi is 6th months older, playing his 18 year season in a junior league. Raymond is playing against men in Sweden. That is my logic behind the two. They have some similarities in their tenacity and puck hounding that I like. I think Raymond has the better skating but might hold off on that until I see more of Rossi. 

Here are some highlights for Raymond that show off both his vision and shot. Also the music is fun. 

 

[Crusader1969]

On 2/19/2020 at 10:52 AM, LGR4GM said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-forbes-february/

I disagree with where Marco Rossi is and where Drysdale is but it is an interesting list.

 

Where the Sabres sit now, Id have to think Holloway and Zary would be the two guys to keep an eye on.

[LGR4GM]

40 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Where the Sabres sit now, Id have to think Holloway and Zary would be the two guys to keep an eye on.

Maybe. Depends on where they end up. We'll have a better feel for the Sabres spot and the rankings by the end of April.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Everyone knows Jbot is taking Wisconsin’s Holloway. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Everyone knows Jbot is taking Wisconsin’s Holloway. 

Why?

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, Curt said:

Why?

Because we drafted Zegras last year.

[Crusader1969]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Everyone knows Jbot is taking Wisconsin’s Holloway. 

good idea or bad? I kinda like what I've read about him.

[GASabresIUFAN]

It was a joke.  He is an NCAA player.  Who else would he take?  

[Brawndo]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It was a joke.  He is an NCAA player.  Who else would he take?  

Jake Sanderson LHD from the USNTDP going to University of North Dakota. 
 

Corey Pronman mentioned in a podcast that he has heard of two teams that have him 10th of their board. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Jake Sanderson LHD from the USNTDP going to University of North Dakota. 
 

Corey Pronman mentioned in a podcast that he has heard of two teams that have him 10th of their board. 

I like him a lot, but I hope Buffalo takes a forward.  

He looks like he can be a real modern day shutdown D.  Plus skating, strong, physical, good decision making/hockey IQ, excels at the details of defending, while also having good puck handling and passing skills that make him a capable puck mover.

A guy who could be a top pair (#1?) D who anchors the PK as well.

[Brawndo]

53 minutes ago, Curt said:

I like him a lot, but I hope Buffalo takes a forward.  

He looks like he can be a real modern day shutdown D.  Plus skating, strong, physical, good decision making/hockey IQ, excels at the details of defending, while also having good puck handling and passing skills that make him a capable puck mover.

A guy who could be a top pair (#1?) D who anchors the PK as well.

They need to draft a forward and should not even consider taking a defenseman with their first two picks 

[Curt]

@Scottysabres and I were discussing Byfield’s skating.  I think it’s fine, especially for his size, Scotty doesn’t like it as much.

In addition to previous video I’ve watched a while ago, I just watched this shift by shift video from a game in February:  

 

Its actually a rather poor game from Byfield, but I really just wanted to watch the skating.  I honestly thought the skating looked ok.  His top speed and maneuverability seem at least average.  He often lacks much burst, but I think that could definitely improve with just putting on leg strength over the next couple years.  He is a big boy and extra young for a draft eligible.  I didn’t think his skating caused him to fall behind the play.

I did see him being late to get back on D a few times, but was the result of floating in the neutral zone an extra couple seconds hoping to get sprung the other way instead of hustling back.  I honestly was a bit disappointed in the defensive hustle from him.  He is just a young 17 though, and operating as the top offensive player on the top line of a good CHL team, so I can cut him a little slack for trying to manufacture offense instead of focusing on defense.

So I didn’t see real skating concerns, just a lack of emphasis on defense.  What does everyone else think about Byfield’s skating?

Edited March 4, 2020 by Curt

[Scottysabres]

14 minutes ago, Curt said:

@Scottysabres and I were discussing Byfield’s skating.  I think it’s fine, especially for his size, Scotty doesn’t like it as much.

In addition to previous video I’ve watched a while ago, I just watched this shift by shift video from a game in February:  

 

Its actually a rather poor game from Byfield, but I really just wanted to watch the skating.  I honestly thought the skating looked ok.  His top speed and maneuverability seem at least average.  He often lacks much burst, but I think that could definitely improve with just putting on leg strength over the next couple years.  He is a big boy and extra young for a draft eligible.  I didn’t think his skating caused him to fall behind the play.

I did see him being late to get back on D a few times, but was the result of floating in the neutral zone an extra couple seconds hoping to get sprung the other way instead of hustling back.  I honestly was a bit disappointed in the defensive hustle from him.  He is just a young 17 though, and operating as the top offensive player on the top line of a good CHL team, so I can cut him a little slack for trying to manufacture offense instead of focusing on defense.

So I didn’t see real skating concerns, just a lack of emphasis on defense.  What does everyone else think about Byfield’s skating?

I pointed out only what I watched on video's mind you, but there's nearly 4 hours of it all over the net, you can look them up. Not that it will matter much since our odds of getting to the pick to get him, but If I'm picking 1 or 2, I want a complete 200 ft game. Just my take is all.

[Curt]

25 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

I pointed out only what I watched on video's mind you, but there's nearly 4 hours of it all over the net, you can look them up. Not that it will matter much since our odds of getting to the pick to get him, but If I'm picking 1 or 2, I want a complete 200 ft game. Just my take is all.

I still think the skating is just fine, but...........Yes, like I said, I was also disappointed in the defensive play in this game at least.  However, very few 17 year olds play a complete 200 ft game, and even fewer of those guys have the offensive talent to be difference makers.  The defensive side is something that the majority of draft prospects need to round out.  Even NHL stars, Eichel is great, but if you watch him even today, his main focus isn’t defense and it shows.  There are no perfect players.  I would like to see more effort there though.

This is one reason that I like Rossi so much.  He is really committed to defense as well as offense.  Byfield has been the consensus #2, but I think that Rossi is not far off.  I wouldn’t have him ranked any lower than #4.  I think it’s Lafrenierre at the top, then Byfield, Rossi, and Stutzle very close together at 2-3-4.

[Scottysabres]

10 minutes ago, Curt said:

I still think the skating is just fine, but...........Yes, like I said, I was also disappointed in the defensive play in this game at least.  However, very few 17 year olds play a complete 200 ft game, and even fewer of those guys have the offensive talent to be difference makers.  The defensive side is something that the majority of draft prospects need to round out.  Even NHL stars, Eichel is great, but if you watch him even today, his main focus isn’t defense and it shows.  There are no perfect players.  I would like to see more effort there though.

This is one reason that I like Rossi so much.  He is really committed to defense as well as offense.  Byfield has been the consensus #2, but I think that Rossi is not far off.  I wouldn’t have him ranked any lower than #4.  I think it’s Lafrenierre at the top, then Byfield, Rossi, and Stutzle very close together at 2-3-4.

I like Rossi to.

[LGR4GM]

Keep in mind Rossi is 10 months older than Byfield. 

[Curt]

14 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Keep in mind Rossi is 10 months older than Byfield. 

Yes, almost every other 1st round prospect is 6+ months older than Byfield.  He is one of the youngest player in the whole draft.