2021 NHL Draft Rankings

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

^If anyone doubted we'd continue to heavily lean US developmental 

Also of note in the thread, they haven't yet replaced the OHL guy they had 

Really bare bones right now. 

The laughingstock continues. To save cash we also axed our AHL coaching staff because "they weren't playing". We could've also axed the NHL coaching staff throughout the entire COVID shutdown, too; we weren't playing either.

So at this point it's all USNTDP picks in the 1st/2nd round and the remaining scouting is just watching Youtube clips?

[Scottysabres]

11 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Someone please tell me this isn’t true... 😞

 

 

 

Well, the first round shouldn't be hard, after all, we're picking 1 or 2 over all yet again.

[Thorner]

2 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

The laughingstock continues. To save cash we also axed our AHL coaching staff because "they weren't playing". We could've also axed the NHL coaching staff throughout the entire COVID shutdown, too; we weren't playing either.

So at this point it's all USNTDP picks in the 1st/2nd round and the remaining scouting is just watching Youtube clips?

id imagine CHL is still on the table for high picks as you see a lot of data on those guys even sans scouts 

but i bet the no chl stuff continues as it has 

[WildCard]

16 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Someone please tell me this isn’t true... 😞

 

 

 

I truly, genuinely, hate this franchise right now

[LGR4GM]

I finally have a preliminary top 5. Most of you probably are curious why I don't do this sooner, because of anchoring. When the NHL releases it's first prospect ranking of the year, I basically ignore it. It usually comes out in October or there abouts and it is useless. It also results in anchoring, a phenomena in which the first ranking you delve into shapes all the other thoughts you have. It is why I kept a player like Robertson below someone like Kaliyev because, the rankings indicated he should be even though I didn't actually think that. So with that in mind I changed up my approach and that brings us to now. We have good reports and even tracking data scattered across the internet to look at allowing us to create a decent top 5... hopefully. As always this will change between now and June. 

1. William Eklund, he's the best player in this draft
2. Matthew Beniers, he's the most well rounded player in this draft
3. Brendt Clarke, he's the best defender in this draft
4.  Owen Powers, he's good but I wanted more
5. Luke Hughes, he's higher for me because he's young enough to almost be in 2022's draft and he good

 

One name that isn't top 5 but I want everyone to remember is Matt Coronato who destroyed the USHL this year with 66 points in 39 games including 36 goals. He is a "rink rat" according to multiple sources who works hard always. He is committed to Harvard next year and he's a darkhorse first round pick. If the Sabres have a later first round pick, I'd take a flyer on Coronato who just seems to work hard and get better. 

[LGR4GM]

William Eklund is scoring at a SHL pace that put him just behind Nicklas Backstrom in terms of draft year production. Depending on what you limit by Eklund is 7th since the 1999 draft in points per game and 80% of his points are primary so that's really good as well. He is exceedingly deceptive on the rush and really everywhere on the ice. Watch anything of his and he changes gears, shifts body position, fakes out, dekes, whatever he needs to do to get around, through, or by the opposition. He is also very smart with the puck, coming into space to help teammates, seeing lanes before they open, dissecting things at full speed. 

The more I watch Eklund, the more I LOVE him. He isn't getting enough credit because some question minor skating things. He is a good skater but at his size you often hear that he isn't a "great skater for his size" which basically means he isn't super fast. He's fast though and he is quick, I think his skating can improve and will. The thing that excites me about him the most is how he uses his skills on the ice to manipulate and tilt the ice in his favor.

 

 

 

[Thorner]

^ you said he's likely to end up at LW, right?

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

^ you said he's likely to end up at LW, right?

I think so but he's really good with and without the puck. The only forward better defensively in this draft is Beniers and Eklund is a puck distribution monster. It is hard to tell because he plays in the SHL so he has been used a bunch at wing. Feet the fire, yes I think he projects out to a #1 LW. 

[French Collection]

Keep all of our Swedes, draft Eklund and hire Gronberg as coach.

 

[LGR4GM]

He isn't that small either, he is 5'10" 172lbs

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think so but he's really good with and without the puck. The only forward better defensively in this draft is Beniers and Eklund is a puck distribution monster. It is hard to tell because he plays in the SHL so he has been used a bunch at wing. Feet the fire, yes I think he projects out to a #1 LW. 

Sabres do always seem to get the playmaker. Even Quinn is looking more like that lately

[Randall Flagg]

E5?

[LGR4GM]

32 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Sabres do always seem to get the playmaker. Even Quinn is looking more like that lately

I gotta be honest, there is not a "sniper" in this draft I would take as high as we are drafting. Eklund has a good shot though, better than Beniers impo. 

[Randall Flagg]

47 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

 

Juicy. Interesting breakdown and fascinating skating

[PerreaultForever]

Now that we've dropped to the bottom and will likely stay there can we hope for Owen Power?

The name alone screams beginning of a new era. 

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Now that we've dropped to the bottom and will likely stay there can we hope for Owen Power?

The name alone screams beginning of a new era. 

I hope for Eklund or Beniers. I would take Brendt Clarke as well before I look to Powers. 

[Thorner]

Imagine getting first overall twice in four years and ending up with a D man both times 

[PerreaultForever]

15 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I hope for Eklund or Beniers. I would take Brendt Clarke as well before I look to Powers. 

Why? 

We desperately need size and strength on D. 

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Imagine getting first overall twice in four years and ending up with a D man both times 

I don't see the problem. 

[Thorner]

6 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Why? 

We desperately need size and strength on D. 

I don't see the problem. 

D-men don't go first overall very often. It's generally thought that at 1 you'll get better value if you are able to get that superstar forward

If Power went 1 he would be only the 4th dman to go 1st overall in the last 24 years. 

That 2 of those could be Buffalo would be so buffalo 

Edited March 19, 2021 by Thorny

[Thorner]

23 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I hope for Eklund or Beniers. I would take Brendt Clarke as well before I look to Powers. 

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Why? 

We desperately need size and strength on D. 

I don't see the problem. 

We don't. The only small defender in the entire system is Bryson. 

Also Brandt Clarke is 6'1" 181lbs currently so he is average size. If you are drafting anyone simply because they are 6'5" you are doing it wrong. If we draft 3rd or 4th overall, sure Powers is a real option but it shouldn't be based on his size. 

[LGR4GM]

Risto, 6'4" 220lbs

Dahlin, 6'2" 207lbs

McCabe, 6'1" 205lbs

Samuelsson, 6'4" 223lbs

Borgen, 6'3" 198lbs

Laaksonen, 6'2" 175lbs 

Jokiharju, 6' 194lbs

Johnson, 6' 174lbs

Fitzgerald, 5'11" 181lbs

Bryson, 5'9" 179lbs

Edited March 19, 2021 by LGR4GM

[#freejame]

If we want a dman trade back to five and take Hughes. He’ll be the best dman from the draft in five years anyway. 

[LGR4GM]

28 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Why? 

We desperately need size and strength on D. 

I don't see the problem. 

We desperately need forwards. I listed the Defenders that have NHL shots or are NHL guys with their height and weight. 

Here are the forwards in the system. I am leaving out the established guys already on the roster here but we have a pick issue in our pool when it comes to forwards. If Beniers or Eklund are available I am taking them. They are very good and fit a need.  

Arttu Ruotsolainen, 5'8" 181lbs

JJ Peterka, 5'11" 192lbs

Jack Quinn, 6' 176lbs

Cozens, 6'3" 187lbs

Brett Murray, 6'4" 216lbs

Pekar, 6'1" 185lbs

Asplund, 5'11" 190lbs

Aaron Huglen, 6' 168lbs

Just now, #freejame said:

If we want a dman trade back to five and take Hughes. He’ll be the best dman from the draft in five years anyway. 

Hughes might go as high as 2 or 3 overall. 

[#freejame]

6 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Hughes might go as high as 2 or 3 overall. 

It wouldn’t surprise me. Last I saw he was a little bit behind the top three. I would hate to be the one to have to pull the trigger at 1, but I think if you’re going D, he’s the way to go. If they view a few d similarly then they should look to trade back as well.