Sabres Prospects 2022-2023

[steveoath]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I'd put Savoie with Jost next year. Savoie can drive the line but Jost can keep up with him and split center duties.

Savoie Jost Mittelstadt would be interesting. 

[Flashsabre]

10 hours ago, French Collection said:

Savoie with a great game to start his playoff.

Nadeau with 1G 1A in Gatineau’s win

Komarov with an assist in Quebec’s win.

Lindgren held pointless but Red Deer wins their playoff opener.

Komarov is an overlooked prospect. Big RHD who has had a great year on one of the best teams in Junior.  I thought he was very good over the summer and at Prospects Challenge.

Novikov-Komarov could be a very interesting big physical defensive 3rd pairing in the future if they continue on their development paths.

Kulich was sick and didn’t play but Rosen scored late to tie it for the Amerks. I know he is the favorite to throw into trade proposals but he has such a package of skill and speed. If it wasn’t for Kulich we would be impressed for the year Rosen is putting up in the AHL at his age when he is probably outweighed by 40-50 pounds by some guys. I’d love to see what he becomes when he puts on more weight and gains more pro experience.

Edited April 1, 2023 by Flashsabre

[pastajoe]

 

[French Collection]

2 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Komarov is an overlooked prospect. Big RHD who has had a great year on one of the best teams in Junior.  I thought he was very good over the summer and at Prospects Challenge.

Novikov-Komarov could be a very interesting big physical defensive 3rd pairing in the future if they continue on their development paths.

Kulich was sick and didn’t play but Rosen scored late to tie it for the Amerks. I know he is the favorite to throw into trade proposals but he has such a package of skill and speed. If it wasn’t for Kulich we would be impressed for the year Rosen is putting up in the AHL at his age when he is probably outweighed by 40-50 pounds by some guys. I’d love to see what he becomes when he puts on more weight and gains more pro experience.

Komarov is under no pressure, he can develop at his own pace, guided by Patrick Roy. They will probably have  deep playoff run, great experience.

Seth Appert raved about Rosen on his last appearance on Sabres Live.

[dudacek]

15 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Komarov is an overlooked prospect. Big RHD who has had a great year on one of the best teams in Junior.  I thought he was very good over the summer and at Prospects Challenge.

Novikov-Komarov could be a very interesting big physical defensive 3rd pairing in the future if they continue on their development paths.

A lot has been made about our lack of D prospects.

The fact that we have a top 3 set for the foreseeable future has always softened that for me. It’s solid depth we need, not front-line guys.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to think we might get a Borgen out of those two, or a Jokiharju out of Johnson and Lindgren.

Don’t get me wrong, we need to draft some more defencemen, and Johnson is the only one of those 4 who should make it.

But all 4 could, and I expect them to at least give Weber a few skaters to work with in Rochester.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, pastajoe said:

 

This guy will be in the NHL next year.  I don’t see him going back to Juniors, can’t play in AHL, … Maybe Europe but probably a 3rd line guy next season. 

[Buffalonill]

16 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

This guy will be in the NHL next year.  I don’t see him going back to Juniors, can’t play in AHL, … Maybe Europe but probably a 3rd line guy next season. 

Buffalo has so much talent its ridiculous hopefully they trade the first for vet  D help .

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Buffalonill

[Norcal]

1 hour ago, Buffalonill said:

Buffalo has so much talent its ridiculous hopefully they trade the first for vet  D help .

 

Nah. Keep the pick, stock the reserves.

Kick ass and take names!

[Crusader1969]

9 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Buffalo has so much talent its ridiculous hopefully they trade the first for vet  D help .

 

Or they draft one of the top Dmen? 

[Crusader1969]

Big hit for Savoie.  
 

 

[Crusader1969]

After MH score on the PP, Savoie helps set up another to put WPG back up by 2 

 

 

[Crusader1969]

Savoie with the Empty net goal.  
 

he is slowing down. Had 4 last night 

on the broadcast they said he has 32 points on his last 13 games.    
 

I really don’t know what sending him back to the WHL is going to do for his development next season 

[pastajoe]

21 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Or they draft one of the top Dmen? 

They need someone next season, not a future prospect.

[Crusader1969]

14 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

They need someone next season, not a future prospect.

There are ways to get a Dman without having to trade away your 1sr round pick 

UFA market for instance      
 

you could Bundle Olofsson with a draft pick and a prospect 

of course , if the right Dman comes along with your first that’s ok too 

 

 

 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

Or they draft one of the top Dmen? 

You're still talking 2025 before they'll be ready if you do that. 2025 being best case scenario. 

[FrenchConnection44]

Savoie with some sweet assists today as well as the goals (another empty netter). He looks like a center to me. 

Kulich ... still 18 (for those in Rio Linda 😉 ) ... sick last night but came back with an assist today. Dude has 20 goals, 13 assists in his last 41 games - at the AHL level. He's a sniper. He was listed as a center when we drafted him but he's a winger/scorer at this juncture.  

So much promise with these young players. 

Do need to add a couple of defenders who are strong. Komarov should be invited to camp and we'll see if he improves enough over the summer. Would be great to see. But I think we have to look for a top tier free agent defender. Let the rest battle it out for the final 2 positions. 

At this point, I am skeptical of Ryan Johnson. Will he sign? And how good will he be? He is in his 3rd year at Minnesota. Hasn't performed as well as one would hope for a 21 year old 1st round pick in 2019, imo. Not bad by any means. Still not sure what he brings. But we may be able to get along fine without him. 

Drafting a defenseman is a possibility but may still take a year or two to develop depending on who we select. Reinbacher seems to be the consensus top defender (rated anywhere from 10th to 30th overall). He's been on a vet team and their main defenseman. So that's a positive. I'd be considering him heavily if there is a shot.

 

[PerreaultForever]

Does this guy have any hockey skills to go with this?

 

[Brawndo]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Does this guy have any hockey skills to go with this?

 

Marty and Duffer interviewed Mike Weber on Sabres Live Overtime and He was very effusive with His praise of Kozak. He is very good defensively, on the PK and Faceoffs, probably a 4th Liner in 2-3 years with the Sabres

[Brawndo]

11 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Savoie with some sweet assists today as well as the goals (another empty netter). He looks like a center to me. 

Kulich ... still 18 (for those in Rio Linda 😉 ) ... sick last night but came back with an assist today. Dude has 20 goals, 13 assists in his last 41 games - at the AHL level. He's a sniper. He was listed as a center when we drafted him but he's a winger/scorer at this juncture.  

So much promise with these young players. 

Do need to add a couple of defenders who are strong. Komarov should be invited to camp and we'll see if he improves enough over the summer. Would be great to see. But I think we have to look for a top tier free agent defender. Let the rest battle it out for the final 2 positions. 

At this point, I am skeptical of Ryan Johnson. Will he sign? And how good will he be? He is in his 3rd year at Minnesota. Hasn't performed as well as one would hope for a 21 year old 1st round pick in 2019, imo. Not bad by any means. Still not sure what he brings. But we may be able to get along fine without him. 

Drafting a defenseman is a possibility but may still take a year or two to develop depending on who we select. Reinbacher seems to be the consensus top defender (rated anywhere from 10th to 30th overall). He's been on a vet team and their main defenseman. So that's a positive. I'd be considering him heavily if there is a shot.

 

I wouldn’t look at Johnson’s Point Totals. He doesn’t get any PP Time. But He is very efficient at moving the puck out of the defensive zone and is more of a defensive defenseman 

Darren Dregier mentioned on Sabres Live on Thursday, the expectation is that He will sign with Buffalo once Minnesota is done. I imagine he plays a week from tomorrow against the Rangers. 

[sabrefanday1]

crazy to see all the good young players we suddenly have to rave about...and the big team sure has some nice talent too. Seems not so long ago the team was a colection of could-be's and wannabe's but certainly not many actual doers. I simply cannot see how anybody cannot look at the big picture now and really like what KA has done to stock the organization in a short time. And it will only get better...    

[Flashsabre]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Does this guy have any hockey skills to go with this?

 

Against Tage’s brother. Could be heat in the locker room.😛

Peca and Weber in Rochester absolutely love Kozak. He was money in the summer and at the Prospects challenge. The hope is he turns into a mini Gaustad. Gritty 4th line centre that does all the defensive and dirty work and becomes a warrior-leader down the line. Sitting under the Peca learning tree will do wonders for him.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Flashsabre

[JohnC]

12 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

Savoie with the Empty net goal.  
 

he is slowing down. Had 4 last night 

on the broadcast they said he has 32 points on his last 13 games.    
 

I really don’t know what sending him back to the WHL is going to do for his development next season 

I remember when Granato was talking about Quinn and Peterka and the organization's thought process about keeping them down for more developing in the AHL. The coach and staff concluded that both players outgrew the AHL and little was to be gained keeping them in the lower league. The same line of reasoning applies to Savoie. Since the AHL option is foreclosed it makes more sense to jump him up to the Sabres. I can see him on the third line with Mitts.  

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Against Tage’s brother. Could be heat in the locker room.😛

Peca and Weber in Rochester absolutely love Kozak. He was money in the summer and at the Prospects challenge. The hope is he turns into a mini Gaustad. Gritty 4th line centre that does all the defensive and dirty work and becomes a warrior-leader down the line. Sitting under the Peca learning tree will do wonders for him.

Sounds like exactly what this team needs on the 4th line. 

[dudacek]

On 4/1/2023 at 7:55 AM, French Collection said:

Komarov is under no pressure, he can develop at his own pace, guided by Patrick Roy. They will probably have  deep playoff run, great experience.

Seth Appert raved about Rosen on his last appearance on Sabres Live.

I have not watched much Amerk hockey this year, but I’d love get a scouting report on Rosen from those who have.

Sabres Live asked Mike Weber for one word to describe Rosen and that word was “compete”.

Shocked the heck out of me.

He went on to say that when the play back they tape they can’t be more happy than what they see from him in terms of effort and diligence away from the puck.

 

[JohnC]

On 4/1/2023 at 10:50 AM, Flashsabre said:

Komarov is an overlooked prospect. Big RHD who has had a great year on one of the best teams in Junior.  I thought he was very good over the summer and at Prospects Challenge.

Novikov-Komarov could be a very interesting big physical defensive 3rd pairing in the future if they continue on their development paths.

Kulich was sick and didn’t play but Rosen scored late to tie it for the Amerks. I know he is the favorite to throw into trade proposals but he has such a package of skill and speed. If it wasn’t for Kulich we would be impressed for the year Rosen is putting up in the AHL at his age when he is probably outweighed by 40-50 pounds by some guys. I’d love to see what he becomes when he puts on more weight and gains more pro experience.

Up to now, I was willing to include Rosen in any proposed trades for a goalie. Now I'm not sure. You, and some of the other prospect gurus here, have praised his play and his improvement. Now, I'm starting to lean the other way and not include. him, Savoie, Kulich and any of our other primary prospects in a trade deal. If KA decides to stick with the goalies on this team for next year, I'll be okay with it. Although I still will be queasy about our backstopping situation.