Sabres Officially Select #9, #16, and #28

[DarthEbriate]

 

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

With the 16th pick the Sabres draft Liam Bichsel

Neither Bichsel nor Kasper would surprise me at #8 to Detroit. And it wouldn’t surprise me that they’re both gone at 16. At 16, either could be a very solid addition.

[inkman]

8 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

 

Neither Bichsel nor Kasper would surprise me at #8 to Detroit. And it wouldn’t surprise me that they’re both gone at 16. At 16, either could be a very solid addition.

Some of the stuff in Bichsel’s scouting report sounds a lot less than ideal.  Has trouble handling the puck anywhere near the wall?  Yikes.  

Edited June 16, 2022 by inkman

[Crusader1969]

8 hours ago, inkman said:

the stuff in Bichsel’s scouting report sounds a lot less than ideal.  Has trouble handling the puck anywhere near the wall?  Yikes.  

More on Bichsel from Tony Ferrari. Hockey News Draft Prospects

"

29 | LHD | Lian Bichsel, Leksands (SHL)

One of the better defensive reargaurds in the draft class, Bichsel has steadily become more confident with the puck on his stick and he brings an element of physicality that isn’t common in the 2022 draft class. The 6-foot-5 Swiss defender is an imposing force in the defensive zone who uses his reach to disrupt play and he has no mercy when closing out along the boards. Bichsel isn’t going to be much of a puck carrier in transition or be an offensive catalyst by any means, but he should provide rock solid defensive prowess with the ability to move the puck up to the forwards and let them work their magic. He is a player who understands his role at a young age and plays within himself. The ceiling may not be that of a top pair stud but he also has a very safe projection towards the NHL."

[Weave]

2 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

More on Bichsel from Tony Ferrari. Hockey News Draft Prospects

"

29 | LHD | Lian Bichsel, Leksands (SHL)

One of the better defensive reargaurds in the draft class, Bichsel has steadily become more confident with the puck on his stick and he brings an element of physicality that isn’t common in the 2022 draft class. The 6-foot-5 Swiss defender is an imposing force in the defensive zone who uses his reach to disrupt play and he has no mercy when closing out along the boards. Bichsel isn’t going to be much of a puck carrier in transition or be an offensive catalyst by any means, but he should provide rock solid defensive prowess with the ability to move the puck up to the forwards and let them work their magic. He is a player who understands his role at a young age and plays within himself. The ceiling may not be that of a top pair stud but he also has a very safe projection towards the NHL."

[Doohicksie]

On 6/15/2022 at 1:07 PM, MattPie said:

- Does Jagger have moves like Jagger?

- For a minute, I was wondering if he was related to Scut Farkus, but I see the name is spelled different.

You sure he's not a Farkel?

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-nhl-draft-preview-options-at-16th-overall/c-334638620

Sabres.com thoughts on who will be available at 16

[GASabresIUFAN]

I've updated my board as more final rankings come in.  

My picks as of right now would be:

9. Nazar (unless Nemec or Jiricek fall to us)

16. Kasper or Kulich

28. Bichsel, Odelius, Chesley or Luneau. 

[dudacek]

Most drafts I tend to look hard at the prospects through 3 filters:

• who is projected to go around where the Sabres are picking?
• what are the Sabres tendencies given what they’ve shown us and told us about their goals?
• what package of player characteristics do I like and think the Sabres need?

Using this, I usually find it relatively easy to determine the ones I want them to take.

Not this year, though, the needs are too precise and the projections all over board. There is an enormous 2nd tier and the Sabres are picking right at the beginning of it, then right in the heart of it, then soon enough after it closes to hope somebody falls. 

Edited June 20, 2022 by dudacek

[dudacek]

The Sabres under Adams definitely have a type: self-aware, self-motivated good teammates who push the pace. And they have some tendencies: speed, smarts and lots of room to grow.

I tend to value smarts and compete and devalue players who lack both, but also put a lot of emphasis on building a complete team. I’d like to see the Sabres stick with the “up-tempo” model while adding some heft to their pipeline. I don’t like drafting for position, but all things being equal we already have a lot of puck-moving D and scoring wingers in the system.

[dudacek]

This is how I see the Sabres choices:

The dream: 

Most projections have coalesced into a 5-player group that will go top 10. You’ll find Cutter Gauthier further down on some lists,  but you won’t come draft day. He ticks too many boxes. Maybe he’s not an elite talent, but he’s a complete talent. He fills a big Sabre need for a power forward and would perfectly complement the likes of Krebs and Cozens. I don’t hesitate if by some miracle he’s still there at 9.

[dudacek]

The talented wingers: 

Two players you will most frequently see rounding out the top 10 are Johnathan Lekkerimaki and Joakim Kemmel. Each are frequently mocked to Buffalo. And it fits,  because late in the top 10 is the right spot for guys who project as a Willie Nylander or a Nikolaj Ehlers. These guys are skilled.

I see red flags, however, on each. Kemmel plays hard, but may lack that “room to grow” gene the Sabres covet. Lekkerimaki definitely has that gene, but strikes me as more passive and perimeter than the type that typically stokes Adams’ fire. Couple that with the number of scoring wingers already in the organization, and I’d like to see the Sabres look elsewhere at 9. But there is too much talent to ignore at 16 if one of them somehow slips. I don’t expect them to.

[dudacek]

The defencemen: 

Most of us are ignoring defencemen with our top 2 picks because of Power and Dahlin. Maybe we shouldn’t be. Both our picks are in the range where you typically see D taken and there are at least 3 - Denton Mateychuk, Kevin Korchinski, and Pavel Mintyukov - who could go in that range. 

All 3 are LD and offensively inclined, which does not make sense for us. Putting that aside, I think Mateychuk is well-rounded if smallish, and the other 2 are very talented. I particularly like Mintyukov. I’m not going to be happy if the Sabres pick one at 16 or even 9, but I’m certainly open to the possibility he might be the best player available

[dudacek]

The centres: 

Personally, I think the Sabres will - and probably should - hone in on one of three guys with the 9th pick: Frank Nazar, Marco Kasper or Matthew Savoie. All 3 are competitive pace-pushers who are great fits within the team identity Adams is building. All 3 are centres who can play wing. 

Savoie’s skill is getting overlooked a bit here I think. Late-season injuries and size concerns have calmed his hype train, but he’s certainly in the ballpark with the most-skilled players in this draft and you can’t ignore that at 9. He’s fast, he competes hard and he produces. The question is whether you can find someone at 9 who can do more for you 5-on-5.

Kasper has rocketed up the charts. He’s yet to fill out but has already shown he can compete with men. I think more than anyone else under consideration he ticks all of Adams’ tendency boxes. He’s going to be bigger than the other two and probably better in his own zone. I have no doubt he will be a useful NHLer. The question with him is whether he has the offensive upside worth investing a top 10 pick in.

Nazar stylistically falls in between the other two for me: he’s skilled but not as skilled as Savoie; and he’s got matchup potential, but is not as big or smart as Kasper. He pushes pace as well as anyone in the draft but I wonder a bit about his self-awareness. His speed and his courage is top-notch. He’s not a sure fire 1st-liner (none of these three are), but I think he can play anywhere in the top 9 and in all-situations.

I think I’d love any of these guys at 12. At 9, I’m probably still hoping they take one of them, but I feel like I will probably be second-guessing which one for quite some time

[dudacek]

The question marks: 

There are 4 players in this draft you’ll see people refer to as “He’s a top 10 talent but…” 

I don’t see it in Brad Lambert. I see a great skater with good skill who doesn’t understand hockey. It’s a bad match when combined with a personality that seems the opposite of a culture fit here. 

With Conor Geekie, I get it. He’s big with great hands and he sees the ice really well. His skating is just OK, and I don’t see a guy who takes his craft seriously enough. 

Danila Yurov is a guy Sabrespace doesn’t talk about enough. He ticks all the size, skill, skating, and smarts boxes and seems to have a good attitude and play a complete game. The Russian factor is really the only minus for me.

I don’t think Ivan Miroshnichenko is as skilled as Yurov, but he’s a skilled power forward who plays hard. I sometimes look at Gauthier and wonder where the separation is between the two.

There’s a sense of uncertainty with both Russians, both from the political perspective, but also from the fact that it’s harder to get a feel for their character. Plus there is the cancer thing. I trust the Sabres to do their homework on either, so that if they picked Yurov at 9 and/or Miroshnichenko at 16 I’d be very happy because the on-ice package is worth it.

I can see why some team would want Geekie at 16. Hope it’s not us. Lambert does not interest me at all.

Edited June 20, 2022 by dudacek

[dudacek]

The feel-rights: 

There are a number of players in that large 2nd tier that maybe aren’t talented enough to invest a top 10 pick in, but still have a great deal of appeal for me. I’ve identified 3 of them that I’ve kinda locked into as “my guys” at 16.

It wasn’t that long ago when the draft thread focused on our need for a defensively strong right-handed defenceman. The player who best fits this profile for me is Ryan Chesley. I don’t think he’s going to be Charlie McAvoy, but he plays a similar game and fills a gaping hole in our pipeline.

I wonder if the Sabres see Liam Ohgren as an early developer and dock him accordingly. I hope not. Because the Ohgren I see is the type of all-around 2nd-line winger who wins pucks and hockey games. I see a guy who can be for the Sabres what a Palat or Killorn has been for the Lightning. His production against his peers has been outstanding.

If Ohgren is Gauthier-light, then maybe Rutger McGroarty is Gauthier minus the overdrive? Smart, skilled and a character guy, he’s another pro-style winger who should settle in in the middle-six. The only thing setting him back is a lack of speed. 

Ohgren is my clear target at 16. If he gets picked earlier, either of the others might be a bit of a reach for some, but I think the fit is too good to ignore.

Edited June 20, 2022 by dudacek

[dudacek]

The sleepers:

Finally, here are 3 more who have caught my eye. I’ll be hoping for more from our first 2 picks - these guys are probably going to be picked between 16 and 28 - but I like them and I certainly won’t be upset to see them in blue and gold, ideally at 28.

I’ve talked about Noah Ostlund earlier as a dark horse favourite. He’s slight and not someone who’s going to win a lot of battles, but he’s got good skill and great hockey sense; the game just seems to go through him. Kid is a centre who gets it, and seems to be an Adams type.

We’ve all talked about how the pipeline would benefit from an Eric Cernak pounding the living hell out of opposition forwards. That guy in this draft is Lian Bichsel. He doesn’t have a ton of puck skill, but he’s a horse without it. A mean one, that bites.

Maybe it’s because of his dad. Maybe it’s because of the name. Maybe it’s because of who he plays with on the USNDP team. But Jimmy Snuggerud is one of the least-hyped prospects out there. And he shouldn’t be. Kid isn’t going to be a star, but he is going to be a pro. He’s another one who ticks all the boxes, and that’s rare in the 2nd half of the 1st round

Edited June 20, 2022 by dudacek

[Sabres Fan in NS]

@dudacek didn't get any for Father's Day.

[Dr. Who]

7 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

@dudacek didn't get any for Father's Day.

I was going to thank him for the fine contributions to discussion, but yours is better.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

I was going to thank him for the fine contributions to discussion, but yours is better.

They are great contributions for sure and well researched and we know why.

[Brawndo]

Pronman and a NHL Source did a Mock Together.

The NHL Source has the Sabres taking Kevin Korchinski at 9

Pronman Has Lambert at 16

Pronman Del Bel Belluz at 28

Pronman Jack Hughes at 41

 

Nazar and Lekkerimaki were still on the board at 9 

[DarthEbriate]

7 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Pronman and a NHL Source did a Mock Together.

The NHL Source has the Sabres taking Kevin Korchinski at 9

Pronman Has Lambert at 16

Pronman Del Bel Belluz at 28

Pronman Jack Hughes at 41

 

Nazar and Lekkerimaki were still on the board at 9 

Huh. That might be my worst-case outcome of a Sabres draft [Edit: Now watch, they'll all have HOF NHL careers]. Was the source with Anaheim and letting their preferred pick get to them as wishful thinking at #10? 

Lambert does not scream GM Sheevyn/HC Meatballs attitude or play style, no matter the talent level. I'd think it'd be more likely for Seattle to take Korchinski (WHL Seattle) at #4 than the Sabres to take him at 9.

Edited June 20, 2022 by DarthEbriate

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Brawndo said:

Pronman and a NHL Source did a Mock Together.

The NHL Source has the Sabres taking Kevin Korchinski at 9

Pronman Has Lambert at 16

Pronman Del Bel Belluz at 28

Pronman Jack Hughes at 41

 

Nazar and Lekkerimaki were still on the board at 9 

What in the actual *****.

lol they aren't doing that. That draft is trash to be honest from Lambert way too high to Del Bel too high to Jack Hughes again too high. I hate it.

[LGR4GM]

Korchinski isn't even the best LHD in this draft, uhg.

[dudacek]

Well, now I know what a worst-case scenario draft might look like.

Thank you, Corey.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Well, now I know what a worst-case scenario draft might look like.

Thank you, Corey.

Fake !!