2025 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[Flashsabre]

2 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Hope if we draft a C it’s a playmaker 

Pure playmaker is something definitely lacking for the Sabres.

[Crusader1969]

7 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Pure playmaker is something definitely lacking for the Sabres.

Yes.  If only they could have drafted a guy like McDavid, Matthew's, Hughes or Eichel.   Where would the Sabres be now? 

[LGR4GM]

21 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

Pure playmaker is something definitely lacking for the Sabres.

Hagens is a playmaker. Misa less so. Martone is actually a playmaker as well.

[LGR4GM]

This team needs more guys who do 2 things: Demand the puck, support the puck. 

[Thorner]

Bob’s rankings are out, particularly of note with the Sabes in the running for 1 overall.

#1 is, of course, a left shot D-man

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Bob’s rankings are out, particularly of note with the Sabes in the running for 1 overall.

#1 is, of course, a left shot D-man

You can draft Schaefer, but then you look to move Power. In fact, I might argue, drafting Schaefer could speed up the rebuild as you would then have Power as a trade chip and could get something very good for him like a very good center. That said, and as much as Schaefer is good and young (Sept bday), I think if I were Buffalo, I take Hagens 1st overall. That's subject to change as this goes on. 

Edited 4 hours ago by LGR4GM

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

You can draft Schaefer, but then you look to move Power. In fact, I might argue, drafting Schaefer could speed up the rebuild as you would then have Power as a trade chip and could get something very good for him like a very good center. That said, and as much as Schaefer is good and young (Sept bday), I think if I were Buffalo, I take Hagens 1st overall. That's subject to change as this goes on. 

Maybe in theory, but this is absolute fantasy land. This gets suggested every year and it never happens  

We want to willingly increase the degree of difficulty of a build we can’t get going, as is, by saddling Kevyn Adams with the need to make a great trade involving Power? 

incredibly hard pass. We talk on the daily that Adams has his back against the wall in trades. Like a lamb to the slaughter if we send him out into negotiations with teams knowing we need to trade a specific D man 

Edited 4 hours ago by Thorner

[Thorner]

What has more value in a trade, the pick as is or Power?

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Maybe in theory, but this is absolute fantasy land. This gets suggested every year and it never happens  

We want to willingly increase the degree of difficulty of a build we can’t get going, as is, by saddling Kevyn Adams with the need to make a great trade involving Power? 

incredibly hard pass. We talk on the daily that Adams has his back against the wall in trades. Like a lamb to the slaughter if we send him out into negotiations with teams knowing we need to trade a specific D man 

Kevyn Adams wouldn't be my GM in this scenario. In fact at this point, there is no scenario short of acquiring McDavid that I want Adams back. However if you draft 1st overall, you can still take Schaefer and trade Power. 

4 minutes ago, Thorner said:

What has more value in a trade, the pick as is or Power?

Hmmm, probably the pick. 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Kevyn Adams wouldn't be my GM in this scenario. In fact at this point, there is no scenario short of acquiring McDavid that I want Adams back. However if you draft 1st overall, you can still take Schaefer and trade Power. 

Hmmm, probably the pick. 

Ymmv then but I’m definitely moving the pick. If your analysis is correct and the pick would fetch more - 

option 1, trade the pick: better return assets for now, better defender for right now (Power)

option 2, trade power: weaker return assets for now, weaker defender for right now (Schaefer)

im not sacrificing a better outlook for next year, two fold, in exchange for the chance Schaefer ends up better than OP down the line 

Not close to be honest given how crucial it is for this team to win, for once 

[LGR4GM]

If the Sabres are picking 1st overall and they have that pick or Power up for grabs, I think teams who want to win now, favor Power but teams that have any sort of rebuilding runway, will favor the pick. Edmonton might favor Power over an 18yr old kid for example. It is really hard to say and it would depend on how teams view Schaefer. If I were Buffalo though, I want to swap out either Byram or Power for someone with more on ice presence. 

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Ymmv then but I’m definitely moving the pick. If your analysis is correct and the pick would fetch more - 

option 1, trade the pick: better return assets for now, better defender for right now (Power)

option 2, trade power: weaker return assets for now, weaker defender for right now (Schaefer)

im not sacrificing a better outlook for next year, two fold, in exchange for the chance Schaefer ends up better than OP down the line 

Not close to be honest given how crucial it is for this team to win, for once 

I firmly believe that Schaefer will end up better than Power as early as 2027. 

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

If the Sabres are picking 1st overall and they have that pick or Power up for grabs, I think teams who want to win now, favor Power but teams that have any sort of rebuilding runway, will favor the pick. Edmonton might favor Power over an 18yr old kid for example. It is really hard to say and it would depend on how teams view Schaefer. If I were Buffalo though, I want to swap out either Byram or Power for someone with more on ice presence. 

I firmly believe that Schaefer will end up better than Power as early as 2027. 

That’s 2 years away! 

And you said Quinn would be our best F this year, so 

That’s not a shot. We just can’t mess with this logic anymore 

it doesn’t matter what we firmly believe will happen several years down the line: what matters is, in good conscience, assembling the team next year we think BEST has the opportunity to win 

Edited 4 hours ago by Thorner

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Thorner said:

That’s 2 years away! 

And you said Quinn would be our best F this year, so 

That’s not a shot. We just can’t mess with this logic anymore 

it doesn’t matter what we firmly believe will happen several years down the line: what matters is, in good conscience, assembling the team next year we think BEST has the opportunity to win 

 I wanted to draft Marco Rossi. He's currently Minnesota's #1 center. 

What matters is finding the right players. I have never been convinced Power is one of those guys and was quite vocal about that in his draft year. If this team had bothered to fix their drafting in 2014, or 15, or 16 or 17... we wouldn't be having this conversation. Can the Sabres win a playoff round next year, probably not, but in 2 years I could see it, so who do I want here in 2 years. My goal would be to upgrade the roster enough next to make the playoffs and then in year 2 to actually be a threat in the playoffs. I would love to do it faster but the Sabres have neither the balls or the ability. 

[LGR4GM]

Look at it this way, I can keep Power and improve the team he will play on. Or I can move Power and bring Schaefer into a better team. I would pick Schaefer because he is one of those guys who demands the puck, we need more of those guys. Not puck hogs, but guys who will take the puck and want to take the puck. Power is a very passive player, so is Tage to a large extent. Cozens tries to be a guy who demands the puck but he stinks at it. Jack Quinn in large part has been trash this year because he has deferred his puck touches to others. 

In the end if Buffalo stays at 4, I am taking whichever of Misa or Martone is left. I prefer Misa because he is a center. 

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 I wanted to draft Marco Rossi. He's currently Minnesota's #1 center. 

What matters is finding the right players. I have never been convinced Power is one of those guys and was quite vocal about that in his draft year. If this team had bothered to fix their drafting in 2014, or 15, or 16 or 17... we wouldn't be having this conversation. Can the Sabres win a playoff round next year, probably not, but in 2 years I could see it, so who do I want here in 2 years. My goal would be to upgrade the roster enough next to make the playoffs and then in year 2 to actually be a threat in the playoffs. I would love to do it faster but the Sabres have neither the balls or the ability. 

Ya I mean if you have the confidence to think Schafer is going to eclipse Power at the fledgling age of 20 to the tune of being sure about it to extent that it’s worth having a significantly weaker player in the meantime for a few years, and probably a weaker return, so be it. Personally i can’t even fathom carrying about laying that 2-years-from-now brick before coming anywhere close to laying the bricks for a playoff berth in the now, but it’s to each their own 

the ability to push the timeline back for it being our true window, AGAIN, with sending Power out in favour of an 18 year old, would be undeniably appealing to a regime looking to keep costs down and expectations low 

[Thorner]

If there’s truly a substantial gap in perception that SCREAMS trade. (Should we land the pick) 

consider there are infinite parallel universes (there are): yet, in not one does a team select a left shot D man at first overall 3 times in a row

Legit can’t happen lol 

Edited 3 hours ago by Thorner

[LGR4GM]

10 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Ya I mean if you have the confidence to think Schafer is going to eclipse Power at the fledgling age of 20 to the tune of being sure about it to extent that it’s worth having a significantly weaker player in the meantime for a few years, and probably a weaker return, so be it. Personally i can’t even fathom carrying about laying that 2-years-from-now brick before coming anywhere close to laying the bricks for a playoff berth in the now, but it’s to each their own 

the ability to push the timeline back for it being our true window, AGAIN, with sending Power out in favour of an 18 year old, would be undeniably appealing to a regime looking to keep costs down and expectations low 

Id love to lay playoff bricks now, I think trading Power gets you closer to playoffs next year than keeping Power. Of course I am record as saying keep Power and move Byram. In this scenario though, I can trade Power and get X and Schaefer or I can keep Power and get X without Schaefer. I want X and Schaefer more than Power and X. 

4 minutes ago, Thorner said:

If there’s truly a substantial gap in perception that SCREAMS trade. (Should we land the pick) 

consider there are infinite parallel universes (there are): yet, in not one does a team select a left shot D man at first overall 3 times in a row

Legit can’t happen lol 

When in the cap era has the 1st overall pick been traded? 

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Id love to lay playoff bricks now, I think trading Power gets you closer to playoffs next year than keeping Power. Of course I am record as saying keep Power and move Byram. In this scenario though, I can trade Power and get X and Schaefer or I can keep Power and get X without Schaefer. I want X and Schaefer more than Power and X. 

Right it’s just originally you opined the pick would probably be worth more in a trade. So clinging to that I suggested I’d rather trade the pick (get the better return) and also roster the better 2025 player in power. If dealing power returns more win-now assets than dealing the pick, it might change my calculation 

Essentially I’d award 2 points to any aspect of the trade (s) combination that results in better on-ice aptitude for now, and award 1 point to any aspect of the trade combo that results in better projected aptitude in the “future” term 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Right it’s just originally you opined the pick would probably be worth more in a trade. So clinging to that I suggested I’d rather trade the pick (get the better return) and also roster the better 2025 player in power. If dealing power returns more win-now assets than dealing the pick, it might change my calculation 

I think it is far easier for NHL gms to value trading for Power than it is for them to trade for a pick, which is why it doesnt happen in the cap era. It also isn't about more assets IMPO, it is about the overall cumulative effect. 

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think it is far easier for NHL gms to value trading for Power than it is for them to trade for a pick, which is why it doesnt happen in the cap era. It also isn't about more assets IMPO, it is about the overall cumulative effect. 

Well yes obviously by “more” I’m referring to quality and not shear quantity. “Win now assets relative to how we project the team to be affected in the macro in 2025”

i think it’s actually the pick, the mystery box being OVER valued by GMs that results in few swaps of those assets, rather than an overvaluing of the cars already driven off the lot 

Edited 3 hours ago by Thorner

[Thorner]

GMs don’t want to be the guy to get “embarassed” by dealing the pick that becomes the star 

it’s all about job security to these guys 

if a GM struts up to the podium and takes the consensus pick, no one is going to blame the guy if the pick doesn’t amount to what is expected: they went with what the world said 

They are risk-averse. Got out on a limb and it backfires, you’ll get lambasted. We can be sure in cases of similar analysis the safe course is default, rather than what’s actually considered to be best for team in greatest likelihood 

[Crusader1969]

Out of curiosity.  Anyone know if Schaefer prefers playing on the Right? 
 

odds are Buffalo won't get the first pick. 
is Schaefer the only one people are trading? 

I would keep any of the top 4 at this point 

Martone seems to be exactly what this team needs up front 

if you think either Misa or Hagens can be 1C, you keep them as you aren't getting one any other way but drafting 

the Dman is interesting    At 17, he's probably 3 or 4 years away  so I don't trade Power at this point   

doesn't mean I don't want to see the club improve next season. 

 
 

I 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

Well yes obviously by “more” I’m referring to quality and not shear quantity. “Win now assets relative to how we project the team to be affected in the macro in 2025”

i think it’s actually the pick, the mystery box being OVER valued by GMs that results in few swaps of those assets, rather than an overvaluing of the cars already driven off the lot 

But then how do we set the value? Power is worth: a top 6 player, a 1st round pick, a good prospect. 1st overall is worth... what? A top 3 forward, a 1st round pick, your best prospect? Idk how to value it and neither do GMs because nobody trades them in the cap era. 

So the equation we are talking about is:

Power, 2025 2nd = Martin Necas, 2026 1st, Scott Morrow. cap dump player for math to work (which also gets us that first)

and we have Schaefer

or

Matthew Schaefer = Necas, 2025 1st, Morrow, Trikozov/Nadeau/Blake (someone like that) 

[Weave]

Adams is so in on moving the timeline to a Schaefer timeline.

[Thorner]

Thompson is a 1C, by leaps and bounds. If Thompson as 1C isn’t getting your team to finish *16/32* the issue is assuredly assuredly with the rest 

You can just feel it, eh? The creeping narrative. 

no. Lol. We do not need to “find a way to draft a 1C”. Nic DeLorean was traded ages ago, we don’t need to time travel back to 2015 

build a competent team. Stop scape goating the few good players. This regime is pathetic if Tage at 1C isn’t good enough for them to build out the rest. We have 2 first overalls on D and a 3rd lol 

Edited 3 hours ago by Thorner