Best Available For Rounds 2 & 3

[GASabresIUFAN]

Top forwards available: 1st rd grades: Cristall, Brindley and Heidt.  Forward with high 2nd rd grades: Gauthier, Molgaard, then Haltunnen, Perron and Sawcyn.  Gap to Ziemmer and Hameenaho.  Other forwards of note: Lardis, Nelson, Wahlberg and Whitelaw.

Top D available:  Near 1st rd grade: Dragicevic (RD).  Next group: Brzustewicz, Morin, Cagnoni, Akey, Minnetian, Price and Strbak. (all players have a similar grade)

Top g available: High 2nd rd grades: Hrabel and Augustine 

I'm hoping for 2 of the "next group" D at 39 and 45 or one of the D and a goalie.

Edited June 29, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

Beau Akey and Gracyn Sawchyn want a word with you about these grades. 

[French Collection]

I don’t want them to pick another small skilled forward in the second. Cristall, Brinkley, Perron may be BPA but they not what the Sabres need.

RHD Dragicevic is a riverboat gambler but has some size and upside.

RHD Akey is a good all round player.

RHD Strbak is defense first and solid.

C Danny Nelson is intriguing to me. He was rising on a few lists. Played USNTDP and had a good finish to the year at the U18s. 6’3” 202. He was converted from D to C, which is unusual but suggests a lot of versatility and defensive acumen.

W Kalan Lind is another guy with decent size who could develop into something solid.

C Gracyn Sawchyn is not big but very skilled.

W Ethan Gauthier is another not big but good all round winger.

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

11 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Beau Akey and Gracyn Sawchyn want a word with you about these grades. 

I missed Sawchyn when I typed in the op.  He’s right after Perron.  

Akey, on the other hand, is right where he belongs. He’s 47th on the consensus list.  His average ranking is 54. McKenzie’s survey has him 61.  10 of the 17 rankings I used have him 57 to 95.  This doesn’t mean some team doesn’t love him, like Toronto loved Cowen, but it’s a great indication that there is disagreement on his game.  

I personally think Akey will go in the top half of the second and at 39 or 45 he’d be a reasonable pick.

That said he is an excellent skater who is smart at preventing zone entry.  However the critics say he struggles with in zone physical play. He does have O.  Seems like a smaller version of Willander without the strength yet.

[Scottysabres]

25 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Beau Akey and Gracyn Sawchyn want a word with you about these grades. 

 

[Eleven]

59 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Gracyn Sawchyn

I see these articles from time to time about how some Swedish couple wants to name their kid "5-&@-Zek" or something and isn't allowed to, and then I wonder about stuff like this.

[Curt]

I think Riley Heidt might be the BPA too.  Not big (surprise, surprise) at 5’10.5” 180, but he is a really good 2 way playmaker at C.  Projects as a smart, fast middle 6 C who combines skill and competitiveness, and can play in all situations.

Oh, and he put up 97 pts in 68 WHL games this season.

[LGR4GM]

There's going to be several options at 39 and 45. 

[CallawaySabres]

In 3 years, the All-Star game starting line-up is going to be comprised of McDavid, Bedard and then a bunch of Sabres.

[Taro T]

7 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

In 3 years, the All-Star game starting line-up is going to be comprised of McDavid, Bedard and then a bunch of Sabres.

Not if they don't fix the %$%@##@$ selection process for the ASG.  Now the end of season AS 1st & 2nd teams, heck yeah!