The Sabres Prospect Pool 2024 Edition

[Crusader1969]

On 8/30/2024 at 7:42 PM, Porous Five Hole said:

I remember Kevyn being excited about the Russians from 2021. Still only 21 today, but almost all duds in terms of NHL potential.  Poltapov has ten goals in 112 KHL games (although positive plus minus in both years so maybe a potential 4th line guy?), Kisakov is a non factor so far in Rochester, and Sardarian can’t score in college despite being 21 and just finishing his sophomore campaign.  
 

6th round pick Novikov might be the best of the class.  Was pretty steady on there blue line for a rookie in ROC last year.   

One thing I can't stand is people looking at stats and making a judgement on Poltapov.   The man is a beast and brings everything to the game that the Sabres need 

Please don't take my word for it, but how about Kris Baker who watches almost every game he's played? If you follow or listen to Kris, you will know how he feels about Poltapov 
 

 

[Thorner]

4 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Pronman does predict, as I understand the rankings, that Benson will be a 2nd line winger in the NHL. That’s not exactly dumping on Benson. He doesn’t see Benson as the next Brad Marchand, a top 25 NHL talent in his prime, as you do. I’m not sure that Pronman’s view on Benson is the outlier here. 

Well said 

[Porous Five Hole]

19 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

One thing I can't stand is people looking at stats and making a judgement on Poltapov.   The man is a beast and brings everything to the game that the Sabres need 

Please don't take my word for it, but how about Kris Baker who watches almost every game he's played? If you follow or listen to Kris, you will know how he feels about Poltapov 
 

 

Glad to hear it.  I don’t have Russian tv so all I have are stats. His draft profile said quick feet and slick hands. And given that he was taken #33 overall, I anticipated more scoring so far.  

[Crusader1969]

59 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Glad to hear it.  I don’t have Russian tv so all I have are stats. His draft profile said quick feet and slick hands. And given that he was taken #33 overall, I anticipated more scoring so far.  

He is 21 on one of the best teams in the KHL. If you look at their opening day lineup today, there is no other forward who is under 24.  Don't confuse the KHL with AHL, KHL is not a developmental league. Teams are there to win now, so he's played limited minutes down the lineup so far in his career

Not that this matters long term either but he just had a SH goal in his fist game of 24/25.   Had a productive preseason as well 

 

 

[Ctaeth]

Baker had this to say about poltapov in his first game:  

"To be blunt, Poltapov was very noticeable in his season debut. The high work rate led to him regularly attacking the net, resulting in him scoring a short-handed goal and recording a game-high nine shots in 15:05 of work (19 shifts).

After a strong opening frame, Poltapov came out for the second period and ramped up his tenacious style.

In the 26th minute, Poltapov took a puck hard to the net and was shoved into Spartak netminder Dmitri Nikolayev. Takhir Mingachyov deposited the puck over the goal line post-collision, but the marker was waved off due to Poltapov’s interference."

Obligatory link to his post about the game:  https://sabresprospects.com/2024/09/05/poltapov-excels-in-khl-opener/

 

[nfreeman]

12 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

Pronman does predict, as I understand the rankings, that Benson will be a 2nd line winger in the NHL. That’s not exactly dumping on Benson. He doesn’t see Benson as the next Brad Marchand, a top 25 NHL talent in his prime, as you do. I’m not sure that Pronman’s view on Benson is the outlier here. 

This is a good post, but just one quibble:  Marchand in his prime was much better than top 25 -- I'd say top 5 player in the NHL.

[Taro T]

18 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

This is a good post, but just one quibble:  Marchand in his prime was much better than top 25 -- I'd say top 5 player in the NHL.

Disagree that he was top 5.  Now, if you want to argue Bergeron was top 5, you might be able to make a case.

But probably not.  He was top 10.

[LGR4GM]

This will be fun for me. Zach Benson is going to be far better than Pronman and others think. Many are blinded by his draft position when he was a top 5 player in that class. 

[LGR4GM]

10 hours ago, nfreeman said:

This is a good post, but just one quibble:  Marchand in his prime was much better than top 25 -- I'd say top 5 player in the NHL.

Would you say this post "won't be that bad" 🤔  asking for a friend. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

This will be fun for me. Zach Benson is going to be far better than Pronman and others think. Many are blinded by his draft position when he was a top 5 player in that class. 

Didn’t Grigorenko have a similar fall on draft day?

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Would you say this post "won't be that bad" 🤔  asking for a friend. 

I don't know what this means, but if you'd like to exhume Roy-for-Malkin, Josh Allen was a bad choice or some of your other greatest hits, we can certainly do so.

[LGR4GM]

13 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I don't know what this means, but if you'd like to exhume Roy-for-Malkin, Josh Allen was a bad choice or some of your other greatest hits, we can certainly do so.

I was never a Roy for Malkin person as far as I can remember (but that was a long time ago so maybe). Lol, you are going to have a long freaking list if you want to target me and others over not liking the Allen pick. You sure that is the hill you want to be on?

and I think you know exactly what it refers to. 

[LGR4GM]

From his own mouth. 

"What are the main reasons for the changes on prospects since your draft list? — Jim B.

The only change I made that I’m aware of was moving Ivan Demidov up two to three spots. I assumed all season he was 5 feet 11, which was his unofficial measurement from Central Scouting. Then I stood next to him at the Gold Star camp, and he was notably taller than that, so I made a mild adjustment." - Pronman

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5745873/2024/09/06/nhl-2024-prospects-rankings?source=user-shared-article

 

[DarthEbriate]

43 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

From his own mouth. 

"What are the main reasons for the changes on prospects since your draft list? — Jim B.

The only change I made that I’m aware of was moving Ivan Demidov up two to three spots. I assumed all season he was 5 feet 11, which was his unofficial measurement from Central Scouting. Then I stood next to him at the Gold Star camp, and he was notably taller than that, so I made a mild adjustment." - Pronman

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5745873/2024/09/06/nhl-2024-prospects-rankings?source=user-shared-article

Judge Pronman by his size do you?

[Ctaeth]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

From his own mouth. 

"What are the main reasons for the changes on prospects since your draft list? — Jim B.

The only change I made that I’m aware of was moving Ivan Demidov up two to three spots. I assumed all season he was 5 feet 11, which was his unofficial measurement from Central Scouting. Then I stood next to him at the Gold Star camp, and he was notably taller than that, so I made a mild adjustment." - Pronman

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5745873/2024/09/06/nhl-2024-prospects-rankings?source=user-shared-article

 

How to make a ranking for nhl prospects:  import name and height into excel sheet.  Sort by size.   Boom done, collect paycheck from the athletic

[steveoath]

Good feature on poltapov 

 

[Crusader1969]

On 9/7/2024 at 4:37 PM, steveoath said:

Good feature on poltapov 

 

2 primary assists today.  Watch, he will start zooming up prospects lists now from those that just look at stats. 🤣.aka Sabres Twitter.  

When it comes to Sabres prospects, Baker is really the only one I listen to because I trust he is watching the games 

If anyone is interested, the KHL has an app and you can pay $2 to watch the games live.  

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

2 primary assists today.  Watch, he will start zooming up prospects lists now from those that just look at stats. 🤣.aka Sabres Twitter.  

When it comes to Sabres prospects, Baker is really the only one I listen to because I trust he is watching the games 

If anyone is interested, the KHL has an app and you can pay $2 to watch the games live.  

Poltapov has been bad the last 2 years. He's actually playing a pro style this year. 

[Crusader1969]

20 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Poltapov has been bad the last 2 years. He's actually playing a pro style this year. 

Based off of viewings or box score ? 
i respectively disagree that he was bad.  He plays a style for that would be difficult for any teenager to be successful vs men.  
Plus, he had very limited minutes so far 

if he had played with the London Knights and not SKA for the last 2 seasons, he would be ranked much much higher.   

I think he is a top 5 prospect and will be a key member of the Sabres in 2 or 3 years.    

[Thorner]

The Poltapov timeline

[Weave]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

The Poltapov timeline

[LGR4GM]

50 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Based off of viewings or box score ? 
i respectively disagree that he was bad.  He plays a style for that would be difficult for any teenager to be successful vs men.  
Plus, he had very limited minutes so far 

if he had played with the London Knights and not SKA for the last 2 seasons, he would be ranked much much higher.   

I think he is a top 5 prospect and will be a key member of the Sabres in 2 or 3 years.    

Reports describing his game as not pro and clips showing that. Lots of attempts to 1v1 his way through ppl, not using teammates well, poor shot selection. 

Also you're splitting hairs, playing a style that's bad v men is playing bad. Doesn't mean he can't figure it out and accounts this year indicate improvements. 

[K-9]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:31 AM, LGR4GM said:

I was never a Roy for Malkin person as far as I can remember (but that was a long time ago so maybe). Lol, you are going to have a long freaking list if you want to target me and others over not liking the Allen pick. You sure that is the hill you want to be on?

and I think you know exactly what it refers to. 

This is obnoxious. 😄

[bob_sauve28]

Our 7th round pick from 2022

 

 

[Thorner]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Our 7th round pick from 2022

 

 

Baker has never met a prospect he didn’t like. I said that to him on Twitter once and he blocked me haha 

Random tangent, just thought it was kinda funny