2022 NHL Draft Rankings

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

I’ll take a Risto that is properly developed - just like the Mule was

 

The issue with Risto has little to do with not being properly developed. His inherent weakness was always going to be his inability to think the game and anticipate the play. Although Samuelsson wasn't rushed like Risto, he always possessed the required instincts that Risto would never have, even as a veteran player. Reinhart was a player who always possessed the intelligence that gave him an ability to anticipate the play and make the right reads. 

Risto's strengths were associated with his physicality; and Risto's weaknesses were associated with his hockey intelligence. That's what he is and what he will always be. The best approach in utilizing a player like him is to simplify his role and benefit from what he can do, and not get frustrated from what he couldn't do. 

It should be noted that I liked Risto a lot but I understood who he was as a player.  

[Weave]

29 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The issue with Risto has little to do with not being properly developed. His inherent weakness was always going to be his inability to think the game and anticipate the play. Although Samuelsson wasn't rushed like Risto, he always possessed the required instincts that Risto would never have, even as a veteran player. Reinhart was a player who always possessed the intelligence that gave him an ability to anticipate the play and make the right reads. 

Risto's strengths were associated with his physicality; and Risto's weaknesses were associated with his hockey intelligence. That's what he is and what he will always be. The best approach in utilizing a player like him is to simplify his role and benefit from what he can do, and not get frustrated from what he couldn't do. 

It should be noted that I liked Risto a lot but I understood who he was as a player.  

See, I think a Risto needs a proper development curve more than a Mule. Risto’s weaknesses beg for a proper development.  He would have benefited more from it than a Mule, because he doesn’t have the inherent instincts  that Mule seems to have.

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

See, I think a Risto needs a proper development curve more than a Mule. Risto’s weaknesses beg for a proper development.  He would have benefited more from it than a Mule, because he doesn’t have the inherent instincts  that Mule seems to have.

I agree with you that Risto would have benefited with a better development program. My point remains that he with better preparation, there still would have been a low ceiling in his ability to anticipate and react to plays. In my view the best role for him would have been as a #2 player on a second pairing. He needed a structured and simplified role. In basketball there are guards who can't adequately play the point guard position because they don't have sufficient court vision, and never will. And in football there are qbs who although have all the physical tools will never become good qbs because they lack the ability to make quick and sound reads on the defense. My point with him is that he has a particular limitation that can be improved somewhat but will never be at a level that makes him really good as a defenseman. 

 

[sabresparaavida]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

My problem with Lambert is that his hands are not connected to his head. He can get to point B from A but has no F'ing clue what to do once he is there and his shot is not threatening. So you have a guy with great skating and good hands who then does nothing with the puck. He's like the anti-Reinhart.

Bichsel is being over drafted. He is a 5/6 defender at best that should go in the 2nd round but won't because he is big and hits things. He's a poor mans Ristolainen.

So Robert Hagg re: Bischel? 

[Crusader1969]

5 hours ago, JohnC said:

The issue with Risto has little to do with not being properly developed. His inherent weakness was always going to be his inability to think the game and anticipate the play. Although Samuelsson wasn't rushed like Risto, he always possessed the required instincts that Risto would never have, even as a veteran player. Reinhart was a player who always possessed the intelligence that gave him an ability to anticipate the play and make the right reads. 

Risto's strengths were associated with his physicality; and Risto's weaknesses were associated with his hockey intelligence. That's what he is and what he will always be. The best approach in utilizing a player like him is to simplify his role and benefit from what he can do, and not get frustrated from what he couldn't do. 

It should be noted that I liked Risto a lot but I understood who he was as a player.  

I think the Sabres tried to make him something he is not - a shutdown dman.   Not to mention the fact he was way overused at a young age.   We will never know what could have been.  Just that they seem to be much better at development now than before

[JohnC]

8 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

I think the Sabres tried to make him something he is not - a shutdown dman.   Not to mention the fact he was way overused at a young age.   We will never know what could have been.  Just that they seem to be much better at development now than before

KA has often stated that he would rather error in over-developing a player in the minors than error in rushing a prospect before he is ready for the NHL. He believed that even if a rushed player could play at the NHL level, he would be a better player in the NHL if he had more development time. The young GM has brought a stability and coherence to the organization that it lacked before he took over. Last year, Quinn was sent back down to Rochester for a rehab stint. He and JJ could have been brought up at the end of the season. They weren't. That extended stay will in the long-run will have served them better than if they were rushed. 

[Curt]

5 minutes ago, JohnC said:

KA has often stated that he would rather error in over-developing a player in the minors than error in rushing a prospect before he is ready for the NHL. He believed that even if a rushed player could play at the NHL level, he would be a better player in the NHL if he had more development time. The young GM has brought a stability and coherence to the organization that it lacked before he took over. Last year, Quinn was sent back down to Rochester for a rehab stint. He and JJ could have been brought up at the end of the season. They weren't. That extended stay will in the long-run will have served them better than if they were rushed. 

It will also serve the Sabres well in that it slides their ELCs by another season. 😉

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, Curt said:

It will also serve the Sabres well in that it slides their ELCs by another season. 😉

Absolutely, great point! The player is in a better position to succeed and so is the organization. And in the long run if a player is better equipped to play in this higher league, he will get the money he deserves. It shouldn't be surprising that winning organizations are smartly run. 

[GrassValleyGreg]

On 6/4/2022 at 11:59 AM, GrassValleyGreg said:

Count me in @dudacek / others camp with Gauthier. But I also expect him to be gone by 9 -- shooters with that size and skill don't come around often -- so a player I've really started to hone in on is Marco Kasper. While he'd be a dream at 16, I could see a scenario where he continues his rise to 9. Here's why I wouldn't be mad about it:

 

 

Elite Prospects did a deep dive on Marco a couple days ago with in depth video made available to the public. 

His skating:

 

His physicality:

How he scores:

He makes his living at the front of the net, showing great creativity and hands in tight spaces and the ability to elevate the puck quickly and finish. Many see a low ceiling for Marco but I see a 30+ goal, glue guy as most likely outcome. Goal map:

 

 

His passing:

I called him a pass first center in my first write up but on deeper dive, I'm not so sure that is the case. Still, he has solid vision and I really like how he opens his hips and uses his edges to see the full ice. 

Edited June 26, 2022 by GrassValleyGreg

[GrassValleyGreg]

On 6/25/2022 at 2:05 PM, LGR4GM said:

If ppl dislike Rosen, they will hate Firkus. He is like smaller Kisakov.

Count me in the pro Firkus camp (although I didn't -- and still don't -- mind the Rosen pick). I'm working on some short write-ups on my top targets for the 16, 28 picks. So far, among the forwards, Jagger's there, along with Gleb Trikozov and Filip Mesar. Obviously I'm not a guy who disqualifies an 18 year old on size alone. 

 

[Cheektorado]

With Portillo having a chance to go to free agency next year leaving the future to UPL and Devon Levi is it out of the question that the Sabres use as much as a 3rd round pick on a goaltender?   They got so many picks this year it seems to me not taking advantage to resupply the goalie pipeline could be a mistake.

[Curt]

2 hours ago, Cheektorado said:

With Portillo having a chance to go to free agency next year leaving the future to UPL and Devon Levi is it out of the question that the Sabres use as much as a 3rd round pick on a goaltender?   They got so many picks this year it seems to me not taking advantage to resupply the goalie pipeline could be a mistake.

I think they should.  Maybe not a 3rd because the goalie class seems rather weak, but somewhere in the draft.  I think that a team should draft a goalie nearly every season.

[Brawndo]

4 hours ago, GrassValleyGreg said:

Count me in the pro Firkus camp (although I didn't -- and still don't -- mind the Rosen pick). I'm working on some short write-ups on my top targets for the 16, 28 picks. So far, among the forwards, Jagger's there, along with Gleb Trikozov and Filip Mesar. Obviously I'm not a guy who disqualifies an 18 year old on size alone. 

 

Already having two smallish forwards in the Prospect Pool in Rosen and Kisakov I would be hesitant about adding a third. 
And I’m a big fan of Rosen, Kisakov and Firkus. 

[Crusader1969]

6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Already having two smallish forwards in the Prospect Pool in Rosen and Kisakov I would be hesitant about adding a third. 
And I’m a big fan of Rosen, Kisakov and Firkus. 

I look at it as a buying another lottery ticket , plus at  28 you are rolling the dice anyways  

hopefully 1 turns out to be great, another serviceable and the 3rd probably doesn’t make it 

I will add that if one of two top Russians fall and are available at 28, I’m taking either over Firkus 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Crusader1969

[Brawndo]

26 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

I look at it as a buying another lottery ticket , plus at  28 you are rolling the dice anyways  

hopefully 1 turns out to be great, another serviceable and the 3rd probably doesn’t make it 

I will add that if one of two top Russians fall and are available at 28, I’m taking either over Firkus 

If it’s Firkus, Owen Beck or Del Bel Belluz, I would consider Beck for the 2 way Center Capability 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

If it’s Firkus, Owen Beck or Del Bel Belluz, I would consider Beck for the 2 way Center Capability 

Beck’s a guy I like a lot at 28 if there’s no high-ceiling guys available. Seems like a true centre pretty safe to be a useful NHLer.

He’s also someone who might be there at 41.

[GrassValleyGreg]

3 hours ago, Brawndo said:

If it’s Firkus, Owen Beck or Del Bel Belluz, I would consider Beck for the 2 way Center Capability 

 

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

Beck’s a guy I like a lot at 28 if there’s no high-ceiling guys available. Seems like a true centre pretty safe to be a useful NHLer.

He’s also someone who might be there at 41.

 

I'm a fan of Beck as well. I'd be happy with him at 28, especially if we target high skill guys with our first two. If we land Kasper and/or Ohgren though, I'd want to swing for the fences on a high ceiling guy like Firkus later on. My sense is teams know whether his body can add another 25 pounds or not. If they think he can, he'll likely be gone by our pick. He projects very similarly to an Alex DeBrincat; an absolute elite arsenal of shots.

[Cheektorado]

13 hours ago, Curt said:

I think they should.  Maybe not a 3rd because the goalie class seems rather weak, but somewhere in the draft.  I think that a team should draft a goalie nearly every season.

While I in no way know about the kids going to the draft like others here do, it seems that the top GKs this year have at least 3rd round grades.  If that's true it seems to me that with all the picks GMKA has using his 3rd this year should get the pick of the litter.  I'm hoping that happens if they really like one of the top guys.

https://thehockeywriters.com/2022-nhl-draft-top-10-goalies/

[French Collection]

1 hour ago, Cheektorado said:

While I in no way know about the kids going to the draft like others here do, it seems that the top GKs this year have at least 3rd round grades.  If that's true it seems to me that with all the picks GMKA has using his 3rd this year should get the pick of the litter.  I'm hoping that happens if they really like one of the top guys.

https://thehockeywriters.com/2022-nhl-draft-top-10-goalies/

With the amount of picks, the lack of signed goalie prospects and with the uncertainty in net, they need to draft a goalie. This should happen every draft so that they get an NHL caliber one every few years.

[dudacek]

Bobby Mack's list is is out:

01 - Juraj Slafkovsky
02 - Shane Wright
03 - Logan Cooley
04 - Simon Nemec
05 - Cutter Gauthier
06 - David Jiricek
07 - Joakim Kemell
08 - Jonathan Lekkerimaki
09 - Matthew Savoie
10 - Marco Kasper

Savoie or Kasper in that order is fine by me

Edited June 28, 2022 by dudacek

[dudacek]

And for the 2nd pick:

11 Korchinski
12 Mintyukov
13 Geekie
14 Yurov
15 Nazar
16 Lambert
17 Snuggerud
18 Kulich
19 Miroshnichenko
20 Howard

Hope Nazar or Yurov slip. No for Lambert. Have not really considered Kulich

[Flashsabre]

Wonder what Montreal does at #1. Takes the pressure off if they were leaning away from Wright.

[Brawndo]

The full list 

 

[dudacek]

Looks like Chesley, Bichsel and even McGroarty could slip into our range for 28.

And Mesar, Rinzel, Luneau, Beck and Firkus are all there.

[Brawndo]

McGroaty at 27 is interesting