Sabres Prospect Updates 23-24

[Crusader1969]

All these prospects but there is very little opportunity for any of them on the Big Club

I figure there is 1 top 9 winger spot and potentially 2 spots for Dmen available over the next 3 years.

Sorry if im sounding like a broken record but its time for GMKA to start making some deals. 

Zadorov goes for a 3rd and a 5th..we can argue about Zadorov but he is a legit dman in the league

What would the 2024 (top 10 protected), one of Savoie, Rosen, Kulich or Östlund, plus draft picks or lower rated prospects get them? 

 

 

[French Collection]

36 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

All these prospects but there is very little opportunity for any of them on the Big Club

I figure there is 1 top 9 winger spot and potentially 2 spots for Dmen available over the next 3 years.

Sorry if im sounding like a broken record but its time for GMKA to start making some deals. 

Zadorov goes for a 3rd and a 5th..we can argue about Zadorov but he is a legit dman in the league

What would the 2024 (top 10 protected), one of Savoie, Rosen, Kulich or Östlund, plus draft picks or lower rated prospects get them? 

 

 

3 first rounders +, that’s an NHL star package. Comparable to the Eichel deal.

[Crusader1969]

16 minutes ago, French Collection said:

3 first rounders +, that’s an NHL star package. Comparable to the Eichel deal.

they could go to 3 first rounders but even 2 plus a lower end prospect should get you a good player.

 

[LGR4GM]

 

[LGR4GM]

 

 

[LGR4GM]

 

 

 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres have 7 prospects in the WJC - Savoie, Ratzlaff (CAN), Kulich (CZE), Strbak (Slovakia), Östlund, Wahlberg (SWE), and Panocha (GER).

Who are our top 25 prospects?  Rules - 23 and under and waiver exempt.

1. Benson - Effective in the NHL at 18.  What more can you ask?

2. Levi - 21 year old is the Sabres’ best goalie.  Been up and down this season as a rookie, but has had only one bad game in last 6 starts.

3. Ryan Johnson - Steady NHL play has made it impossible for DG/KA to send him back down.  Looks to have top 4 potential.

4. Kulich - 16g (22pts) in 23 A games.  Earned his first call-up and now at the WJC.

5. Rosen - Most improved prospect.  21 pts in 21 AHL games.  Looked ok during NHL call-up.  

6. Savoie - 5 pts in 6 A games and destroying the WHL with 24 pts in 11 W games.  Now at the WJC.

7. Novikov - AHL rookie with 10a in 22 games.  Also leads the Amerks with a +6.  Should earn a call-up later this season.

8. Östlund - Disappointing 7 pts in 17 SHL games, but a top SWE player at the WJC.

This is where things get harder to rank.

AHL forwards - Neuchev (5 pts - 20 games), Kisakov (5 pts - 14gm), Nadeau (1 goal in 5 gm), Kozak (4pts - 18gm), Cederqvist (4pts - 15 gm).  Honestly I thought at least one of these 5 guys would have a breakout this season.

NCAA forwards - Richard (9 pts - 17gm), Sardarian (9 pts - 13 gm), Costantini (15 pts - 16 gm)

CHL forward - Miedema (23pts - 32 gm)

Euro Forwards - Wahlberg (SHL - 7 pts -23 gm), Poltapov (KHL - 10 pts - 33 gm), Von Barnekow (SHL - 10 pts - 26 gm), Marjala (Liiga - 17 pts - 33 gm).

NCAA Defensemen - Strbak (5 pts - 15 gm), McCarthy (1 pt - 15 gm)

CHL Defensemen - Lindgren (WHL - 21 pts - 30 gm), Komarov (Q - 28 pts - 27 gm), Panocha (Q - 11 pts - 30 gm)

Goalies - Ratzlaff (WHL - 3.39 GAA - .889 save%), Leinonen (Mestis - Fin 2nd league - 4.50 GAA - .850 save%)

Outside the top 8, I’m honestly not sure any of these guys project to the NHL - Wahlberg, Strbak, Komarov and Lindgren are the ones to watch in this group.

PS: Savoie potted a nice PPG in the USA vs Canada prelim game today.

Edited December 23, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

 

 

[K-9]

On 12/23/2023 at 1:55 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

The Sabres have 7 prospects in the WJC - Savoie, Ratzlaff (CAN), Kulich (CZE), Strbak (Slovakia), Östlund, Wahlberg (SWE), and Panocha (GER).

Who are our top 25 prospects?  Rules - 23 and under and waiver exempt.

1. Benson - Effective in the NHL at 18.  What more can you ask?

2. Levi - 21 year old is the Sabres’ best goalie.  Been up and down this season as a rookie, but has had only one bad game in last 6 starts.

3. Ryan Johnson - Steady NHL play has made it impossible for DG/KA to send him back down.  Looks to have top 4 potential.

4. Kulich - 16g (22pts) in 23 A games.  Earned his first call-up and now at the WJC.

5. Rosen - Most improved prospect.  21 pts in 21 AHL games.  Looked ok during NHL call-up.  

6. Savoie - 5 pts in 6 A games and destroying the WHL with 24 pts in 11 W games.  Now at the WJC.

7. Novikov - AHL rookie with 10a in 22 games.  Also leads the Amerks with a +6.  Should earn a call-up later this season.

8. Östlund - Disappointing 7 pts in 17 SHL games, but a top SWE player at the WJC.

This is where things get harder to rank.

AHL forwards - Neuchev (5 pts - 20 games), Kisakov (5 pts - 14gm), Nadeau (1 goal in 5 gm), Kozak (4pts - 18gm), Cederqvist (4pts - 15 gm).  Honestly I thought at least one of these 5 guys would have a breakout this season.

NCAA forwards - Richard (9 pts - 17gm), Sardarian (9 pts - 13 gm), Costantini (15 pts - 16 gm)

CHL forward - Miedema (23pts - 32 gm)

Euro Forwards - Wahlberg (SHL - 7 pts -23 gm), Poltapov (KHL - 10 pts - 33 gm), Von Barnekow (SHL - 10 pts - 26 gm), Marjala (Liiga - 17 pts - 33 gm).

NCAA Defensemen - Strbak (5 pts - 15 gm), McCarthy (1 pt - 15 gm)

CHL Defensemen - Lindgren (WHL - 21 pts - 30 gm), Komarov (Q - 28 pts - 27 gm), Panocha (Q - 11 pts - 30 gm)

Goalies - Ratzlaff (WHL - 3.39 GAA - .889 save%), Leinonen (Mestis - Fin 2nd league - 4.50 GAA - .850 save%)

Outside the top 8, I’m honestly not sure any of these guys project to the NHL - Wahlberg, Strbak, Komarov and Lindgren are the ones to watch in this group.

PS: Savoie potted a nice PPG in the USA vs Canada prelim game today.

Any word on Aaron Huglen, University of Minnesota?

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Any word on Aaron Huglen, University of Minnesota?

Huglen, 22, has 6 points in 16 NCAA and is a -4.  I doubt at this point he is going to get a contract with the Sabres, but you never know.  

[mjd1001]

On 12/2/2023 at 1:49 PM, Crusader1969 said:

All these prospects but there is very little opportunity for any of them on the Big Club

I figure there is 1 top 9 winger spot and potentially 2 spots for Dmen available over the next 3 years.

Sorry if im sounding like a broken record but its time for GMKA to start making some deals. 

Zadorov goes for a 3rd and a 5th..we can argue about Zadorov but he is a legit dman in the league

What would the 2024 (top 10 protected), one of Savoie, Rosen, Kulich or Östlund, plus draft picks or lower rated prospects get them? 

 

 

I realize I'm responding to an older post but here goes:

There might be more opportunity on the big club than we think:

Some of these guys could be ready next year, but some may need a couple years to be fully ready for the NHL. We might be looking for them to 'get a spot' in 1-3 years from now

-Tuch is signed for 2 more years. He is the one guy up front i really, REALLY want them to re-sign, but at what cost? I hope he is back, I THINK he will be back, but in 2-3 years from now you never know.

-Mitts. What are you paying him and what does he want. $6m?  $7m? $8m?  Again, I think he is LIKELY to be back, but as this team approaches the cap, you may find out that what he wants doesn't fit into your long term plans in terms of dollars spent.

-Cozens. Signed long term. Young (should get better). But he is awful in his own end, he doesn't penalty Kill. He never has produced on the PP.  He NEEDS to score 25-30+ goals per season to be of value to this team and other than last year..well, lets see if he can turn his game around.

-Skinner, he's here for 3 more years, but that is just 3 years, and the last year or two of that, will he by then be seeing a diminished roll? Remember some of these young prospects may not be ready for 2-3 years.

-Quinn, Peterka, Benson, and Krebs. Promising signs from most of them, but what if one (or a couple) hit a ceiling and never develop into more than a 10-15 goal guy.  Id probably not want that in my top 6, so if that happens there could be more spots we aren't counting on now.

So to summarize, you are going to seen need an entire 4th line, within 3 years an eventual Skinner replacement, POSSIBLY (hopefully not) but possibly a replacement for Mitts and/or Tuch in the next couple years...and Greenway is basically an interchangeable part.  You hope you never ever get a trade demand or a long term/career altering injury, lets hope that doesn't happen here, but those things DO happen too.

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

With the World Jrs now complete, how did our prospects do and did it change the rankings?  

1.  Kulich was as expected.  6 goals, 12 pts, captain for the Czechia team and tourney all-star.  Helped Czechia metal for the 2nd straight year, earning a Bronze metal.

2. Östlund was better than I expected.  Excellent speed and maybe Sweden’s best driver of offense.  3 goals, 10 points and a Silver metal.  Still needs more muscle mass if he is going to make an impact in the NHL.  Ryan Leonard (USA) out muscled him for a goal late in the gold metal game.  

3.  Strbak was also better than expected.  He was Slovakia’s best D, skating over 23:30 per game and added 1g 7 pts in only 5 games.

4. Wahlberg was solid for the Swedes. 2nd youngest player on the roster.  3 pts in 7 games including a GWG.  

5. Savoie was a huge disappointment as was Team Canada.  1 pt in 4 games before getting hurt. 

6. Panocha - Skated a regular shift for Germany playing in all 5 games. 

7. Ratzlaff - The goalie did not appear in a game for Canada.

I’m not sure the rankings I posted earlier change, except I’d upgrade Strbak to our 9th best prospect and might slot Wahlberg 10th.

 

 

[bob_sauve28]

14 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

. Savoie was a huge disappointment as was Team Canada.  1 pt in 4 games before getting hurt. 

 

That's sad to hear 

[GASabresIUFAN]

18 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

That's sad to hear 

I wouldn't read too much into it.  He has been great in the WHL with 2 pts per game and was very effective in his limited time in Rochester.  Now that he has been traded to Moose Jaw, let's see how he does with his new team and in the WHL playoffs.

[K-9]

Savoie was just one of many disappointments for team Canada. 

[DarthEbriate]

Do Östlund and Wahlberg both make the jump to the Amerks next season? That'd be a pretty slick 3rd line combo coming from Sweden's WJC top line.

Kulich, Rosen, Savoie, Neuchev. No reason to rush anyone at this point, as a UFA/RFA signee should be the bottom 6 addition at the NHL level. Let all the kids steep and grow and when it's time... step into the lineup flawlessly.

[North Buffalo]

34 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Do Östlund and Wahlberg both make the jump to the Amerks next season? That'd be a pretty slick 3rd line combo coming from Sweden's WJC top line.

Kulich, Rosen, Savoie, Neuchev. No reason to rush anyone at this point, as a UFA/RFA signee should be the bottom 6 addition at the NHL level. Let all the kids steep and grow and when it's time... step into the lineup flawlessly.

That'd cool especially for them... like you said let them grow in the A...

[Flashsabre]

Wahlberg is only 18. I’d give him one more year overseas.

Östlund should

make the jump

[LGR4GM]

7 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Wahlberg is only 18. I’d give him one more year overseas.

Östlund should

make the jump

I'd leave both in the SHL another year. With Östlund though, I think they'll bring him to Rochester.

[DarthEbriate]

I bring it up because Wahlberg has already signed his ELC and the Sabres appear to be keen to get their European prospects into the Amerks lineup the last couple seasons, even if they're 20 or younger: Kulich, Rosen, Kisakov, and Neuchev all donned Amerks in their age 20 season or earlier.

[K-9]

7 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

I bring it up because Wahlberg has already signed his ELC and the Sabres appear to be keen to get their European prospects into the Amerks lineup the last couple seasons, even if they're 20 or younger: Kulich, Rosen, Kisakov, and Neuchev all donned Amerks in their age 20 season or earlier.

I’d add Novikov to that list of 20 or younger, too.

[Flashsabre]

Savoie with 2g 3a game in his debut for Moose Jaw.

[K-9]

9 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Savoie with 2g 3a game in his debut for Moose Jaw.

29 points in 12 games at the junior level. Glad he’s having phenomenal success, but I continue to question how that level of competition is getting him ready for the NHL. 

[Crusader1969]

5 hours ago, K-9 said:

29 points in 12 games at the junior level. Glad he’s having phenomenal success, but I continue to question how that level of competition is getting him ready for the NHL. 

Only Bedard has had a higher pts / game ratio than our boy Savoie in the last 30 years 

Edited January 14 by Crusader1969

[K-9]

2 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Only Bedard has had a higher pts / game ratio than our boy Savoie in the last 30 years 

Our Boy Savoie is a great name for a racehorse.