Updated Sabres Prospect Pool 2021 and beyond

[sabresparaavida]

38 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Cedarqvist and Costantini have taken a big step forward this season.  I also interested to see if Pekar can step up his game with all the new openings in Rochester.

Not 100% sure, but I believe Pekar was put on the covid list as well. Would assume that once players start coming off those lists, the other AHLers will be sent back down and he’d be back to his usual-ish spot on the lineup.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Cedarqvist and Costantini have taken a big step forward this season.  I also interested to see if Pekar can step up his game with all the new openings in Rochester.

I would be very surprised if Pekar develops. 
Average size and speed and skill at the AHL level, and his details aren’t good enough to make it on effort alone.

[Norcal]

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

This is the best explanation of why so many Russian players in the most recent draft.   Bottom line, better access to analytics.  This quote is from Vogl’s Sabres year in review from the Athletic.

https://theathletic.com/3043443/2021/12/31/sabres-year-in-review-jack-eichels-exit-gets-ugly-a-new-regime-gains-traction-and-has-a-real-rebuild-finally-begun/

“They selected four this year. They picked forwards Prokhor Poltapov and Aleksandr Kisakov in the second round and Stiven Sardarian in the third. They added defenseman Nikita Novikov in the sixth.

“There was an emphasis in our organization the past year and a half or so to really get deeply into looking at some of the Russian and Czech Republic players,” said Jerry Forton, who transitioned from head of collegiate scouting to director of amateur scouting. “The analytic data out of the Russian leagues is very advanced and very accurate from our perspective, so all that gave us a comfort level.” 
 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[inkman]

On 12/30/2021 at 7:20 PM, Norcal said:

 

Clay Hanus cuz he ***** 

[LGR4GM]

13 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

This is the best explanation of why so many Russian players in the most recent draft.   Bottom line, better access to analytics.  This quote is from Vogl’s Sabres year in review from the Athletic.

https://theathletic.com/3043443/2021/12/31/sabres-year-in-review-jack-eichels-exit-gets-ugly-a-new-regime-gains-traction-and-has-a-real-rebuild-finally-begun/

“They selected four this year. They picked forwards Prokhor Poltapov and Aleksandr Kisakov in the second round and Stiven Sardarian in the third. They added defenseman Nikita Novikov in the sixth.

“There was an emphasis in our organization the past year and a half or so to really get deeply into looking at some of the Russian and Czech Republic players,” said Jerry Forton, who transitioned from head of collegiate scouting to director of amateur scouting. “The analytic data out of the Russian leagues is very advanced and very accurate from our perspective, so all that gave us a comfort level.” 
 

 

Ventura talked about this a few months ago. 

[LGR4GM]

 

[LGR4GM]

 

[Crusader1969]

Scott Wheeler of the Athletic is reporting 

Power
Krebs
Quinn
Levi 

are all being considered for Team Canada Olympic Team 

[Crusader1969]

8 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Scott Wheeler of the Athletic is reporting 

Power
Krebs
Quinn
Levi 

are all being considered for Team Canada Olympic Team 

Dreger is reporting that Krebs and Quinn are not eligible because of NHL contract 

[LGR4GM]

 

[dudacek]

New year is a great time to update my personal prospect list to see whose stock is rising and falling.

 

⬆️ 1) Owen Power: he’s put up NCAA numbers that haven’t been recorded by a teenager in 30 years. He’s the best player on the best team in college hockey, looked dominant in a brief showing in the WJC, and he’s got the Olympic team knocking. He seems to have improved in every facet of his game. Big defencemen take a while to develop in the NHL usually, but he looks to have what it takes to be a top pairing NHL defencemen for 15 years and he makes the game look easy. He’s not only the Sabres best prospect, he’s probably the best drafted prospect in the world.

 

⬆️ 2) Jack Quinn: his production as an AHL rookie is almost as remarkable as Power’s as an NCAA teen. He was leading the entire league in goals and points before being slowed by mono. He is a natural goal scorer who demands the puck and expects to finish. But what makes his game more impressive is he is also a puck hound and an excellent passer, who cares about defence too. He still needs to work on his strength, but has the versatility to slot anywhere in the top 9, with 1st-line winger upside.

 

⬆️ 3) Devon Levi: I know I’ll get pushback on this, but I am all in on Levi. This kid is special and has proven it all year, first as a junior and now in college. He’s yet to have a bad game and he has had many, many great, even perfect ones - 10 shutouts in 26 games. He is single-handedly making Northeastern relevant. His athleticism, tracking, technique and focus are all superb. The only thing stopping him from getting more hype is his size and the general NHL reluctance not to consider goalies under 6’2”. That may stop him from NHL success, but it sure hasn’t been an issue anywhere else. He’s a boom or bust who’s still got a few more doors to smash and is a few years away, but I’m not among the doubters, He’s got that “it” factor.

 

🔄 4) Peyton Krebs: I don’t ever see Krebs being an all-star but I do see him having a long distinguished NHL career, with much of it playing in the top 6 and being a big part of his team’s leadership group. I’m a sucker for competitive, smart, responsible players, and that is Krebs to a “T”. Add that to excellent quickness and passing skills and you have a guy you can lean on in all situations. I don’t think he will score many goals, or take the NHL by storm, but instead develop from a role player to a core player along a slow and steady path. He doesn’t play like Drury, but he projects as a player with that utility and that stature.

 

⬆️ 5) JJ Peterka: Explosive speed, boundless enthusiasm and excellent offensive vision have made Peterka into a frontline AHL player at 19. He’s not just good for a rookie, he’s just plain good and has shown rapid improvement since he was drafted. He’s fearless, with the perfect hockey player’s lower body and is a lock to play in the NHL. His ability to downshift and find the nuance to complement his high gear will determine whether he becomes a Conor Sheary or a Jake Guentzel.

 

⬆️ 6) Matthias Samuelsson: He’s been a #1 for Rochester this year, adding some offensive instincts and some transition skating to his dominant one-on-one defence, strength and solid positioning. He’s as reliable as the tide and will be at minimum a good 3rd-pairing D and top-pairing penalty killer in the NHL, with an upside of being able to match up against top lines. I’m a big fan.

 

⬆️ 7) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonnen: How one month can turn an arrow around. UPL has been remarkably consistent so far for an undermanned Sabres squad after a shaky start in Rochester. He’s got size, plays calm and has shown excellent technique in tight, despite some issues on long shots. He’ll have to sustain this for a while longer however to shake off the doubters that developed post hip surgery.

 

🔄 8) Ryan Johnson: Johnson continues to be a very effective 2-way college defenceman and a beautiful skater who should make the NHL on that skill alone. He’s very good at evading forecheckers and breaking out of his zone and has 2nd-pair upside, but needs to cement an identity and show he can defend against NHL strength. Hopefully he signs this spring and gets a look to finish the season.

 

⬇️ 9) Prokhor Poltapov: after a good start, he has faded while bouncing between leagues and getting limited ice time in the KHL. Love his combination of skill and compete and see him as being very well-suited to the smaller ice and the aggressive attacking game the Sabres are wanting to build. He signed a 3-year deal in Russia and will have plenty of time to percolate before he comes over here.

 

⬇️ 10) Isak Rosen: with so many Sabre prospects breaking out this fall, Rosen is the exception that proves the rule. He’s been stapled to the bench in the Swedish men’s league with very little production or chance to develop. We hear he’s got top 6 speed and talent, but we’ve yet to see it. He gets this spot on draft pedigree and memories of his outstanding U18s last summer. Another player who is at least 3 years away.

 

🔄 11) Erik Portillo: Portillo had a lot of hype for a player who had such limited playing time over the past few years, but he’s largely justified it. He’s been good anchoring the crease for a loaded Michigan side. He’s got prototypical size and some #1 upside, but is a long-term project who still needs a lot of reps.

 

⬆️ 12) Brett Murray: Despite entering the season well down the prospect chart, Murray has had as much NHL ice time as any Sabres prospect. His size and the fact he’s sometimes willing to use it makes him intriguing and he didn’t look out of place in the NHL. I’m still not clear if he’s either skilled enough or belligerent enough to be an NHL 3rd liner.

 

⬇️ 13) Aleksander Kisakov: an undersized talent, Kisakov’s stock has dropped a bit because his numbers have dropped off in the Russian junior league he dominated in his draft year. I’m not overly concerned at this point, because of the long-term nature of the prospect and the weird way they handle kids over there

 

⬇️ 14) Artuu Ruotsalainen: R2 played the best game Ive seen him play all year tonight as the 1C in Rochester, but the 20 games he played in Buffalo made me doubt he has the skill to play a top 6 role in the NHL or the specialization to play in the bottom 6. Like the player, but he’s looking an awful lot like your prototypical tweener.

 

⬆️ 15) Nikita Novikov: this is my out-of-nowhere pick. 18-year-olds don’t play on Russia’s WJC team, or regularly in the KHL as a rule, but this late pick is doing both. He’s a hard-nosed rock of a stay-at-home D - something lacking in the system and a long shot player to watch.

 

⬆️ 16) Casey Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald doesn’t do anything really well, but he is pretty OK at most things and he competes and carries himself like he belongs. He didn’t look horribly out of place in his brief stint in Buffalo this year. He shouldn’t make it, but his attitude makes me want to leave the door slightly open.

 

⬆️ 17) Josh Bloom: NHL size and NHL wheels, Bloom has really surprised with some excellent production and leadership for a weaker Saginaw team this year. He’s got a chance to move up and make the scouts look like geniuses for picking him, despite the fact he didn’t play a game last year.

 

⬆️ 18) Olivier Nadeau: another long shot who is outperforming his draft status after an unpredictable pandemic year. He will have to overcome skating issues, but has good size and skill in close quarters and is lighting up the Q.

 

🔄 19) Linus Weissbach: an undersized winger with NHL speed, but not enough skill to play a top six NHL role, or enough grit or defence to play in the bottom 6. Fun to watch in Rochester though.

 

⬇️ 20) Oskari Laaksonen: I see some people projecting him as an NHLer and I wonder if they watch him, or just see his numbers. He’s a decent skater and a pretty good PP QB at the AHL level. But he’ll never run an NHL PP and his d-zone and transition games aren’t good.

[French Collection]

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

New year is a great time to update my personal prospect list to see whose stock is rising and falling.

 

⬆️ 1) Owen Power: he’s put up NCAA numbers that haven’t been recorded by a teenager in 30 years. He’s the best player on the best team in college hockey, looked dominant in a brief showing in the WJC, and he’s got the Olympic team knocking. He seems to have improved in every facet of his game. Big defencemen take a while to develop in the NHL usually, but he looks to have what it takes to be a top pairing NHL defencemen for 15 years and he makes the game look easy. He’s not only the Sabres best prospect, he’s probably the best drafted prospect in the world.

 

⬆️ 2) Jack Quinn: his production as an AHL rookie is almost as remarkable as Power’s as an NCAA teen. He was leading the entire league in goals and points before being slowed by mono. He is a natural goal scorer who demands the puck and expects to finish. But what makes his game more impressive is he is also a puck hound and an excellent passer, who cares about defence too. He still needs to work on his strength, but has the versatility to slot anywhere in the top 9, with 1st-line winger upside.

 

⬆️ 3) Devon Levi: I know I’ll get pushback on this, but I am all in on Levi. This kid is special and has proven it all year, first as a junior and now in college. He’s yet to have a bad game and he has had many, many great, even perfect ones - 10 shutouts in 26 games. He is single-handedly making Northeastern relevant. His athleticism, tracking, technique and focus are all superb. The only thing stopping him from getting more hype is his size and the general NHL reluctance not to consider goalies under 6’2”. That may stop him from NHL success, but it sure hasn’t been an issue anywhere else. He’s a boom or bust who’s still got a few more doors to smash and is a few years away, but I’m not among the doubters, He’s got that “it” factor.

 

🔄 4) Peyton Krebs: I don’t ever see Krebs being an all-star but I do see him having a long distinguished NHL career, with much of it playing in the top 6 and being a big part of his team’s leadership group. I’m a sucker for competitive, smart, responsible players, and that is Krebs to a “T”. Add that to excellent quickness and passing skills and you have a guy you can lean on in all situations. I don’t think he will score many goals, or take the NHL by storm, but instead develop from a role player to a core player along a slow and steady path. He doesn’t play like Drury, but he projects as a player with that utility and that stature.

 

⬆️ 5) JJ Peterka: Explosive speed, boundless enthusiasm and excellent offensive vision have made Peterka into a frontline AHL player at 19. He’s not just good for a rookie, he’s just plain good and has shown rapid improvement since he was drafted. He’s fearless, with the perfect hockey player’s lower body and is a lock to play in the NHL. His ability to downshift and find the nuance to complement his high gear will determine whether he becomes a Conor Sheary or a Jake Guentzel.

 

⬆️ 6) Matthias Samuelsson: He’s been a #1 for Rochester this year, adding some offensive instincts and some transition skating to his dominant one-on-one defence, strength and solid positioning. He’s as reliable as the tide and will be at minimum a good 3rd-pairing D and top-pairing penalty killer in the NHL, with an upside of being able to match up against top lines. I’m a big fan.

 

⬆️ 7) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonnen: How one month can turn an arrow around. UPL has been remarkably consistent so far for an undermanned Sabres squad after a shaky start in Rochester. He’s got size, plays calm and has shown excellent technique in tight, despite some issues on long shots. He’ll have to sustain this for a while longer however to shake off the doubters that developed post hip surgery.

 

🔄😎 Ryan Johnson: Johnson continues to be a very effective 2-way college defenceman and a beautiful skater who should make the NHL on that skill alone. He’s very good at evading forecheckers and breaking out of his zone and has 2nd-pair upside, but needs to cement an identity and show he can defend against NHL strength. Hopefully he signs this spring and gets a look to finish the season.

 

⬇️ 9) Prokhor Poltapov: after a good start, he has faded while bouncing between leagues and getting limited ice time in the KHL. Love his combination of skill and compete and see him as being very well-suited to the smaller ice and the aggressive attacking game the Sabres are wanting to build. He signed a 3-year deal in Russia and will have plenty of time to percolate before he comes over here.

 

⬇️ 10) Isak Rosen: with so many Sabre prospects breaking out this fall, Rosen is the exception that proves the rule. He’s been stapled to the bench in the Swedish men’s league with very little production or chance to develop. We hear he’s got top 6 speed and talent, but we’ve yet to see it. He gets this spot on draft pedigree and memories of his outstanding U18s last summer. Another player who is at least 3 years away.

 

🔄 11) Erik Portillo: Portillo had a lot of hype for a player who had such limited playing time over the past few years, but he’s largely justified it. He’s been good anchoring the crease for a loaded Michigan side. He’s got prototypical size and some #1 upside, but is a long-term project who still needs a lot of reps.

 

⬆️ 12) Brett Murray: Despite entering the season well down the prospect chart, Murray has had as much NHL ice time as any Sabres prospect. His size and the fact he’s sometimes willing to use it makes him intriguing and he didn’t look out of place in the NHL. I’m still not clear if he’s either skilled enough or belligerent enough to be an NHL 3rd liner.

 

⬇️ 13) Aleksander Kisakov: an undersized talent, Kisakov’s stock has dropped a bit because his numbers have dropped off in the Russian junior league he dominated in his draft year. I’m not overly concerned at this point, because of the long-term nature of the prospect and the weird way they handle kids over there

 

⬇️ 14) Artuu Ruotsalainen: R2 played the best game Ive seen him play all year tonight as the 1C in Rochester, but the 20 games he played in Buffalo made me doubt he has the skill to play a top 6 role in the NHL or the specialization to play in the bottom 6. Like the player, but he’s looking an awful lot like your prototypical tweener.

 

⬆️ 15) Nikita Novikov: this is my out-of-nowhere pick. 18-year-olds don’t play on Russia’s WJC team, or regularly in the KHL as a rule, but this late pick is doing both. He’s a hard-nosed rock of a stay-at-home D - something lacking in the system and a long shot player to watch.

 

⬆️ 16) Casey Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald doesn’t do anything really well, but he is pretty OK at most things and he competes and carries himself like he belongs. He didn’t look horribly out of place in his brief stint in Buffalo this year. He shouldn’t make it, but his attitude makes me want to leave the door slightly open.

 

⬆️ 17) Josh Bloom: NHL size and NHL wheels, Bloom has really surprised with some excellent production and leadership for a weaker Saginaw team this year. He’s got a chance to move up and make the scouts look like geniuses for picking him, despite the fact he didn’t play a game last year.

 

⬆️ 18) Olivier Nadeau: another long shot who is outperforming his draft status after an unpredictable pandemic year. He will have to overcome skating issues, but has good size and skill in close quarters and is lighting up the Q.

 

🔄 19) Linus Weissbach: an undersized winger with NHL speed, but not enough skill to play a top six NHL role, or enough grit or defence to play in the bottom 6. Fun to watch in Rochester though.

 

⬇️ 20) Oskari Laaksonen: I see some people projecting him as an NHLer and I wonder if they watch him, or just see his numbers. He’s a decent skater and a pretty good PP QB at the AHL level. But he’ll never run an NHL PP and his d-zone and transition games aren’t good.

Good job!

I agree with most of this, especially on Levi.

I am really pulling for this guy. His athleticism, focus and demeanour are leading him to success at every level so far. I think he needs to turn pro next year and take on the next level. It sounds like he is driven to improve and his size can be overcome. I can’t get enough information on him and will watch him whenever I can. We need to be patient but so far he has  progressed rather quickly.

I believe the Sabres have a solid group of prospects, maybe tops in the league. I can remain patient and I hope the owners do too.

[LGR4GM]

I'd get Rosen out of Sweden and into Rochester if they aren't going to play him. 

[JohnC]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

New year is a great time to update my personal prospect list to see whose stock is rising and falling.

 

⬆️ 1) Owen Power: he’s put up NCAA numbers that haven’t been recorded by a teenager in 30 years. He’s the best player on the best team in college hockey, looked dominant in a brief showing in the WJC, and he’s got the Olympic team knocking. He seems to have improved in every facet of his game. Big defencemen take a while to develop in the NHL usually, but he looks to have what it takes to be a top pairing NHL defencemen for 15 years and he makes the game look easy. He’s not only the Sabres best prospect, he’s probably the best drafted prospect in the world.

 

⬆️ 2) Jack Quinn: his production as an AHL rookie is almost as remarkable as Power’s as an NCAA teen. He was leading the entire league in goals and points before being slowed by mono. He is a natural goal scorer who demands the puck and expects to finish. But what makes his game more impressive is he is also a puck hound and an excellent passer, who cares about defence too. He still needs to work on his strength, but has the versatility to slot anywhere in the top 9, with 1st-line winger upside.

 

⬆️ 3) Devon Levi: I know I’ll get pushback on this, but I am all in on Levi. This kid is special and has proven it all year, first as a junior and now in college. He’s yet to have a bad game and he has had many, many great, even perfect ones - 10 shutouts in 26 games. He is single-handedly making Northeastern relevant. His athleticism, tracking, technique and focus are all superb. The only thing stopping him from getting more hype is his size and the general NHL reluctance not to consider goalies under 6’2”. That may stop him from NHL success, but it sure hasn’t been an issue anywhere else. He’s a boom or bust who’s still got a few more doors to smash and is a few years away, but I’m not among the doubters, He’s got that “it” factor.

 

🔄 4) Peyton Krebs: I don’t ever see Krebs being an all-star but I do see him having a long distinguished NHL career, with much of it playing in the top 6 and being a big part of his team’s leadership group. I’m a sucker for competitive, smart, responsible players, and that is Krebs to a “T”. Add that to excellent quickness and passing skills and you have a guy you can lean on in all situations. I don’t think he will score many goals, or take the NHL by storm, but instead develop from a role player to a core player along a slow and steady path. He doesn’t play like Drury, but he projects as a player with that utility and that stature.

 

⬆️ 5) JJ Peterka: Explosive speed, boundless enthusiasm and excellent offensive vision have made Peterka into a frontline AHL player at 19. He’s not just good for a rookie, he’s just plain good and has shown rapid improvement since he was drafted. He’s fearless, with the perfect hockey player’s lower body and is a lock to play in the NHL. His ability to downshift and find the nuance to complement his high gear will determine whether he becomes a Conor Sheary or a Jake Guentzel.

 

⬆️ 6) Matthias Samuelsson: He’s been a #1 for Rochester this year, adding some offensive instincts and some transition skating to his dominant one-on-one defence, strength and solid positioning. He’s as reliable as the tide and will be at minimum a good 3rd-pairing D and top-pairing penalty killer in the NHL, with an upside of being able to match up against top lines. I’m a big fan.

 

⬆️ 7) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonnen: How one month can turn an arrow around. UPL has been remarkably consistent so far for an undermanned Sabres squad after a shaky start in Rochester. He’s got size, plays calm and has shown excellent technique in tight, despite some issues on long shots. He’ll have to sustain this for a while longer however to shake off the doubters that developed post hip surgery.

 

🔄😎 Ryan Johnson: Johnson continues to be a very effective 2-way college defenceman and a beautiful skater who should make the NHL on that skill alone. He’s very good at evading forecheckers and breaking out of his zone and has 2nd-pair upside, but needs to cement an identity and show he can defend against NHL strength. Hopefully he signs this spring and gets a look to finish the season.

 

⬇️ 9) Prokhor Poltapov: after a good start, he has faded while bouncing between leagues and getting limited ice time in the KHL. Love his combination of skill and compete and see him as being very well-suited to the smaller ice and the aggressive attacking game the Sabres are wanting to build. He signed a 3-year deal in Russia and will have plenty of time to percolate before he comes over here.

 

⬇️ 10) Isak Rosen: with so many Sabre prospects breaking out this fall, Rosen is the exception that proves the rule. He’s been stapled to the bench in the Swedish men’s league with very little production or chance to develop. We hear he’s got top 6 speed and talent, but we’ve yet to see it. He gets this spot on draft pedigree and memories of his outstanding U18s last summer. Another player who is at least 3 years away.

 

🔄 11) Erik Portillo: Portillo had a lot of hype for a player who had such limited playing time over the past few years, but he’s largely justified it. He’s been good anchoring the crease for a loaded Michigan side. He’s got prototypical size and some #1 upside, but is a long-term project who still needs a lot of reps.

 

⬆️ 12) Brett Murray: Despite entering the season well down the prospect chart, Murray has had as much NHL ice time as any Sabres prospect. His size and the fact he’s sometimes willing to use it makes him intriguing and he didn’t look out of place in the NHL. I’m still not clear if he’s either skilled enough or belligerent enough to be an NHL 3rd liner.

 

⬇️ 13) Aleksander Kisakov: an undersized talent, Kisakov’s stock has dropped a bit because his numbers have dropped off in the Russian junior league he dominated in his draft year. I’m not overly concerned at this point, because of the long-term nature of the prospect and the weird way they handle kids over there

 

⬇️ 14) Artuu Ruotsalainen: R2 played the best game Ive seen him play all year tonight as the 1C in Rochester, but the 20 games he played in Buffalo made me doubt he has the skill to play a top 6 role in the NHL or the specialization to play in the bottom 6. Like the player, but he’s looking an awful lot like your prototypical tweener.

 

⬆️ 15) Nikita Novikov: this is my out-of-nowhere pick. 18-year-olds don’t play on Russia’s WJC team, or regularly in the KHL as a rule, but this late pick is doing both. He’s a hard-nosed rock of a stay-at-home D - something lacking in the system and a long shot player to watch.

 

⬆️ 16) Casey Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald doesn’t do anything really well, but he is pretty OK at most things and he competes and carries himself like he belongs. He didn’t look horribly out of place in his brief stint in Buffalo this year. He shouldn’t make it, but his attitude makes me want to leave the door slightly open.

 

⬆️ 17) Josh Bloom: NHL size and NHL wheels, Bloom has really surprised with some excellent production and leadership for a weaker Saginaw team this year. He’s got a chance to move up and make the scouts look like geniuses for picking him, despite the fact he didn’t play a game last year.

 

⬆️ 18) Olivier Nadeau: another long shot who is outperforming his draft status after an unpredictable pandemic year. He will have to overcome skating issues, but has good size and skill in close quarters and is lighting up the Q.

 

🔄 19) Linus Weissbach: an undersized winger with NHL speed, but not enough skill to play a top six NHL role, or enough grit or defence to play in the bottom 6. Fun to watch in Rochester though.

 

⬇️ 20) Oskari Laaksonen: I see some people projecting him as an NHLer and I wonder if they watch him, or just see his numbers. He’s a decent skater and a pretty good PP QB at the AHL level. But he’ll never run an NHL PP and his d-zone and transition games aren’t good.

Great work!

After looking at your list one takeaway is that our prospect pool is getting deeper because our scouting is getting better. I'm aware that not all the prospects were selected during KA's stint but a lot of them were. That in itself is encouraging. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by JohnC

[Dreams Burn Down]

All the work done in this thread has helped to buoy my spirits during some dark days of being a Sabres fan.  Thank you all very much.  As long as ownership doesn't interfere, too much, there look to be bright days ahead.

[ddaryl]

https://www.hockeyeastonline.com/recap/final/20220107/liu/noe/m/

Devon Levi with Shutout #7 for the season

7 hours ago, dudacek said:

 

 

⬆️ 3) Devon Levi: I know I’ll get pushback on this, but I am all in on Levi. This kid is special and has proven it all year, first as a junior and now in college. He’s yet to have a bad game and he has had many, many great, even perfect ones - 10 shutouts in 26 games. He is single-handedly making Northeastern relevant. His athleticism, tracking, technique and focus are all superb. The only thing stopping him from getting more hype is his size and the general NHL reluctance not to consider goalies under 6’2”. That may stop him from NHL success, but it sure hasn’t been an issue anywhere else. He’s a boom or bust who’s still got a few more doors to smash and is a few years away, but I’m not among the doubters, He’s got that “it” factor.

 

 

3 hours ago, French Collection said:

Good job!

I agree with most of this, especially on Levi.

I am really pulling for this guy. His athleticism, focus and demeanour are leading him to success at every level so far. I think he needs to turn pro next year and take on the next level. It sounds like he is driven to improve and his size can be overcome. I can’t get enough information on him and will watch him whenever I can. We need to be patient but so far he has  progressed rather quickly.

I believe the Sabres have a solid group of prospects, maybe tops in the league. I can remain patient and I hope the owners do too.

 

[sabresparaavida]

Followed by shutout #8 for Levi

[Derrico]

1 hour ago, sabresparaavida said:

Followed by shutout #8 for Levi

Bonkers.  In 19 games he has 1.26 .956.  Unreal. 

[LGR4GM]

Buffalo has 9 players in the top 160 players. Quinn is ranked to low.

 

[LGR4GM]

I worry about that 2021 draft. Neither of Rosen or Poltapov are here. 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Buffalo has 9 players in the top 160 players. Quinn is ranked to low.

 

Power is in the top 8, who else? Is Quinn 15?

[dudacek]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Power is in the top 8, who else? Is Quinn 15?

Dahlin 7

Power 8

Cozens 15

Quinn 37

Krebs 45

Even though it is unbelievable to have 5 in the top 50, and I have no right complain, I am with LGR. There is no way I would take the likes of Kaliyev, Perfetti, and Guenther over Quinn, or Krebs for that matter.

Peterka 86

Jokiharju 121

Johnson 151

Levi 160

And Levi at 160 will be among his biggest misses

(Now taking off my fan-coloured glasses and acknowledging that his opinion and mine don't really matter much)

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Dahlin 7

Power 8

Cozens 15

Quinn 37

Krebs 45

Even though it is unbelievable to have 5 in the top 50, and I have no right complain, I am with LGR. There is no way I would take the likes of Kaliyev, Perfetti, and Guenther over Quinn, or Krebs for that matter.

Peterka 86

Jokiharju 121

Johnson 151

Levi 160

And Levi at 160 will be among his biggest misses

(Now taking off my fan-coloured glasses and acknowledging that his opinion and mine don't really matter much)

Looks like he has as much difficulty putting faith in goalie prospect stats as I do. And many seem to, actually. It's just that belief of really not thinking you know what you have there until you see it in the pros. Goalies are so weird. But I have hope for Levi, I really do. If I am betting on one G prospect it's him. 

I don't mind Krebs place on the list actually, he'd be one of the 20/30 C prospects, no?

 

[dudacek]

10 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Looks like he has as much difficulty putting faith in goalie prospect stats as I do. And many seem to, actually. It's just that belief of really not thinking you know what you have there until you see it in the pros. Goalies are so weird. But I have hope for Levi, I really do. If I am betting on one G prospect it's him. 

I don't mind Krebs place on the list actually, he'd be one of the 20/30 C prospects, no?

 

Quite a bit higher — 16th, and in the same tier "top of the lineup player" as the bolded.

Hughes

Zegras

Cozens

Lundell

Byfield

Dach

Norris

McTavish

Suzuki

Thomas

Beniers

Hischier

McMichael

Johnson

Sillinger

Seeing what Suzuki and Hischier and Thomas are doing at the NHL level already, it's pretty promising. And personally I don't think of the last 3 guys as centres, myself

Edited January 12, 2022 by dudacek