Amerks 24/25 - Young Talented Roster

[Flashsabre]

1 hour ago, Night Train said:

To those who watch Amerks, is Rosen a future Sabre ?  Next year ? 

He’s a future NHLer for sure but where that is will be the question. Hopefully a solid trade chip in a key player coming back to fill a hole. Him and Kulich have great chemistry but there are only so many spots in a lineup.

[Porous Five Hole]

ROC with wins last night and tonight keeps them in first by points and second by points percentage. They’ve won four straight and 11 of the last 13. 

[JoeSchmoe]

On the subject of young talent, what is the boots on the ground analysis of the two prospects below?

Noah Östlund:

1G / 0A in 10GP. Turning 21 in March. 

Konsta Helenius:

6G / 11A in 28GP. He turns 19 in May.

[kas23]

20 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

On the subject of young talent, what is the boots on the ground analysis of the two prospects below?

Noah Östlund:

1G / 0A in 10GP. Turning 21 in March. 

Konsta Helenius:

6G / 11A in 28GP. He turns 19 in May.

Can’t hit on all of them I guess. 

[LGR4GM]

49 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

On the subject of young talent, what is the boots on the ground analysis of the two prospects below?

Noah Östlund:

1G / 0A in 10GP. Turning 21 in March. 

Konsta Helenius:

6G / 11A in 28GP. He turns 19 in May.

One was injured until recently and needs to eat about 10 garbage plates a day cuz he's not strong enough. Also, this pick should have been Mintyukov but idk, maybe in another 2-3 years if you're patient you get a useful middle 6 center. Patience is the key for Östlund. 

The other is an 18yr old playing in probably the 3rd best league in the world. A league where most rookies are 2 years older than him. So he's doing pretty good. Helenius has middle 6, 50pt winger written all over him imo. That would be a great pickup at 14 in that draft.

[JoeSchmoe]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

One was injured until recently and needs to eat about 10 garbage plates a day cuz he's not strong enough. Also, this pick should have been Mintyukov but idk, maybe in another 2-3 years if you're patient you get a useful middle 6 center. Patience is the key for Östlund. 

The other is an 18yr old playing in probably the 3rd best league in the world. A league where most rookies are 2 years older than him. So he's doing pretty good. Helenius has middle 6, 50pt winger written all over him imo. That would be a great pickup at 14 in that draft.

Have you watched Helenius? I'm wondering how he's doing off the stat sheet.

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Have you watched Helenius? I'm wondering how he's doing off the stat sheet.

Needs to improve his pace, in the 3 games I have seen, he's looked okay and I think his dzone work is really solid.

[sabremike]

I for one look forward to these kids coming to Buffalo and having their careers destroyed by the worst organization in hockey history playing with the last group of kids who were poisoned and destroyed and failing miserably.

[Archie Lee]

14 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

One was injured until recently and needs to eat about 10 garbage plates a day cuz he's not strong enough. Also, this pick should have been Mintyukov but idk, maybe in another 2-3 years if you're patient you get a useful middle 6 center. Patience is the key for Östlund. 

The other is an 18yr old playing in probably the 3rd best league in the world. A league where most rookies are 2 years older than him. So he's doing pretty good. Helenius has middle 6, 50pt winger written all over him imo. That would be a great pickup at 14 in that draft.

Sorry if I have misread, but Mintyukov was picked right after Savoie. There’s a solid argument we could have taken him at 9. He was long gone by 16 though. 

In general, I agree that Östlund is not looking like a great pick. There were several players taken after who I would swap him for. You are right that he is going to need a lot of time in Rochester and maybe something will emerge. I’m not sure how much his injury has impacted his play when he has been in the line-up.

Edited Wednesday at 02:18 PM by Archie Lee

[Jorcus]

17 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Have you watched Helenius? I'm wondering how he's doing off the stat sheet.

When I have seen him which was earlier in the season I would say he did not look out of place on the team but did not stand out either. You have to keep in mind at the start of the season, (and maybe still is) the youngest player in the AHL. Anton Wahlberg is the 4th youngest. Yuri Kulich would still be 45th youngest on the AHL age list at the start of the season. I did see that Juri is second place in the AHL all time for scoring as an 18 year old. 

Currently on the age list in third place is Felix Unger Sorum. He is in Carolinas system. I don't know if he is any good but having the name Felix Unger counts for something. I think they should trade him to Philly who already has TV named players in Drysdale and Hathaway.  

[SabreFinn]

57 minutes ago, Jorcus said:

When I have seen him which was earlier in the season I would say he did not look out of place on the team but did not stand out either. You have to keep in mind at the start of the season, (and maybe still is) the youngest player in the AHL. Anton Wahlberg is the 4th youngest. Yuri Kulich would still be 45th youngest on the AHL age list at the start of the season. I did see that Juri is second place in the AHL all time for scoring as an 18 year old. 

Currently on the age list in third place is Felix Unger Sorum. He is in Carolinas system. I don't know if he is any good but having the name Felix Unger counts for something. I think they should trade him to Philly who already has TV named players in Drysdale and Hathaway.  

The "do not look out of place but did not stand out either" is Helenius in a nutshell. It is pretty much how he has played every time I have seen him on junior or mens national team or Liiga. 

[Stoner]

They're all young and talented. Duh.

[sabremike]

9 hours ago, SabreFinn said:

The "do not look out of place but did not stand out either" is Helenius in a nutshell. It is pretty much how he has played every time I have seen him on junior or mens national team or Liiga. 

That sounds like a pretty damning scouting report but how would a guy who doesn't stand out at any level end up a lottery pick? That doesn't make any sense.

[Two or less]

 

I think you guys being too harsh on Helenius. He's a elite playmaker at his age, playing in a legit mens league at 18. Who doesn't turn 19 until May. He's feisty, could see some of that in WJC when he went against his own age group, even vs Canada he mixed it up with Matthew Schaefer. He makes the game look easy, he seems to make plays effortless.

In his last 5 games with the Amerks before going to WJC he had 6 assists.

[SabreFinn]

4 hours ago, sabremike said:

That sounds like a pretty damning scouting report but how would a guy who doesn't stand out at any level end up a lottery pick? That doesn't make any sense.

I haven't seen him stand out in making nice moves with the puck, nor does he make mistakes one should expect for someone his age. The way he stands out is he is positioning himself so well both on offensive and defense that he never seem to be in trouble, and get noticed in a way you notice other in his age.

[Flashsabre]

7 hours ago, Two or less said:

 

I think you guys being too harsh on Helenius. He's a elite playmaker at his age, playing in a legit mens league at 18. Who doesn't turn 19 until May. He's feisty, could see some of that in WJC when he went against his own age group, even vs Canada he mixed it up with Matthew Schaefer. He makes the game look easy, he seems to make plays effortless.

In his last 5 games with the Amerks before going to WJC he had 6 assists.

Don't you realize that 18 year olds in the AHL is the end of the development cycle for players.😜

Helenius will be a solid 2C. He’s not flashy but he is an effective player with) IQ, compete, playmaking and shooting skill.

When you are 17 playing in the Finnish pro league and playing in the AHL at 18 and holding your own then you are doing well.

[Two or less]

10 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Don't you realize that 18 year olds in the AHL is the end of the development cycle for players.😜

Helenius will be a solid 2C. He’s not flashy but he is an effective player with) IQ, compete, playmaking and shooting skill.

When you are 17 playing in the Finnish pro league and playing in the AHL at 18 and holding your own then you are doing well.

 

Exactly. And for comparison sake, Helenius after 28 games has 6 goals + 11 assists for 17 points.

Kulich after his first 28 games in Rochester had 7 goals + 10 assists for 17 points.

[Familykwi]

On 8/7/2024 at 1:31 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

This look like a very young and talented forward group for the Amerks, coupled with 3 good D prospects and solid goaltending regardless of whether Reimer or Levi is the Sabres backup.

Forwards -

Draftees (10) - Helenius (14th overall 2024), Östlund (16th 2022), Kulich (28th 2022), Rosen (20th 2021), Wahlberg (39th 2023), Kisakov (53rd 2021), Neuchev (74th 2022), Tullio (126th Edm 2020), plus other draftees Nadeau and Kozak will be fighting for roster spots. 

Veterans (7) - Rousek, Murray, Jobst, Dunne, Cheveldayoff, Slaggert, Warren (last 3 on AHL deals)

Defense - 

Draftees (3) - Johnson (31st 2019), Komarov (134th 2022), Novikov (188th 2021)

Veterans (6) - Clague, Poolman, Rathbone, Tischke, Prow, Laaouan (last 3 on AHL deals)

Goalies - 

Levi/Reimer, Sandstrom, Houser (AHL deal) - Sabres camp will determine if Reimer or Levi is the starter in Rochester. I suspect Reimer loses that battle.

Would love to acquire a couple of veteran forwards on the big club and let Benson, Cousins and Quinn gain/regain confidence in Rochester.  Yes, that would possibly, but not definitely downgrade the big club for the remainder of this year, but we have to stop playing kids on the Sabres before they are ready.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

20 hours ago, Familykwi said:

Would love to acquire a couple of veteran forwards on the big club and let Benson, Cousins and Quinn gain/regain confidence in Rochester.  Yes, that would possibly, but not definitely downgrade the big club for the remainder of this year, but we have to stop playing kids on the Sabres before they are ready.  

Benson is too young to play in the AHL since he didn’t play 4 years in the CHL.  Cozens and Quinn aren’t eligible to return to the AHL without clearing waivers.  

Benson and Quinn have been fine of late.  Cozens needs a reset.  

Edited yesterday at 02:46 AM by GASabresIUFAN

[Two or less]

41 minutes ago, Familykwi said:

Would love to acquire a couple of veteran forwards on the big club and let Benson, Cousins and Quinn gain/regain confidence in Rochester.  Yes, that would possibly, but not definitely downgrade the big club for the remainder of this year, but we have to stop playing kids on the Sabres before they are ready.  

If things don't get better soon, i would send Kulich down. Let him play down the stretch, meaningful hockey and make a run at the Cup with Rochester.

[LGR4GM]

6 hours ago, Familykwi said:

Would love to acquire a couple of veteran forwards on the big club and let Benson, Cousins and Quinn gain/regain confidence in Rochester.  Yes, that would possibly, but not definitely downgrade the big club for the remainder of this year, but we have to stop playing kids on the Sabres before they are ready.  

I disliked your post because none of the players you mentioned are AHL eligible without clearing waivers or in Benson's case, at all. 

[K-9]

12 hours ago, Familykwi said:

Would love to acquire a couple of veteran forwards on the big club and let Benson, Cousins and Quinn gain/regain confidence in Rochester.  Yes, that would possibly, but not definitely downgrade the big club for the remainder of this year, but we have to stop playing kids on the Sabres before they are ready.  

If there is one guy on this club not lacking in confidence, it’s Benson. Every player on the team should play with his confidence but delicate little waifs they are, they can’t. 

[Weave]

30 minutes ago, K-9 said:

If there is one guy on this club not lacking in confidence, it’s Benson. Every player on the team should play with his confidence but delicate little waifs they are, they can’t. 

None of them started as delicate little waifs.  Remember when we all thought Dylan Cozens was going to be special because of his determination?  This is what being unsupported looks like, and if they don’t get the support they need Benson is going to look shell shocked after games too.

[K-9]

Amerks keep rolling with a 5-2 win on the road against the Thunderbirds. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

Novikov is +20.  The next closest D is Metsa at +10.  I know people hate +/-, but when some, especially a D, is dominating that number on a good team that means to me he is doing something right.  (Like actually playing D for instance?)

I'd like to see him get a callup to see how his skating looks in the NHL.