cybresabre
prōject positivity
We're so far ahead of the game, then--we're loaded with guys we don't even want!
Speculation: Draft Talk, 2018: Picks 1, 32, 94, 117, 125, 156, 187
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Revelate
Registered User
- Apr 10, 2011
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I could be convinced to not want any of them!
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
No wonder you and others are back-and-forth with these two. I used to wonder why people couldn't just decide between Hughes and this Boqvist cat. And much like in the Star Trek episode "This Side of Paradise," I've been exposed to the spores and now I understand. It's all so clear to me now. And with that clarity comes a true dilemma on who I'd prefer. There are pros and cons with a young, underdeveloped Dman with some real skills (Boqvist), but he's not going to lose the skating and shotmaking. Then you have Hughes, who is more developed, has that skating, but makes some head-scratching decisions and doesn't have the same shot. Yikes! So much for clarity. We need more information!
truthbluth
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- Feb 2, 2011
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To me, the division between these guys has always been age. You have to compare Boqvist's game this year, with Hughes last year. And Hughes has had a pretty massive progression within this season. If they are on par now, it's fair (although the not a given) to say AB's projection is ahead of Hughes'.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
Overall I agree, and I'll bring it back around to your point in one sec, but I've been witness to many promising youths who peaked early, wherein if we'd seen the rate of progression continue, the sky was the limit, but in fact what ended up happening was regression. I'm sure many of us have similar examples. To be clear, I don't expect that with Boqvist, and I do expect continued development as I stated earlier (and he's already achieved a solid base), but it's not a total guarantee, as noted in your "although not a given" caveat. Hughes has already shown that he's capable of positive growth and development, as I've witnessed first-hand this season.
Who knows? Projecting development arcs are so difficult generally, and particularly in a case like this with two similar talents. Is Hughes a slower developer, meaning he'll keep growing into his early- to mid-20s? Did Boqvist peak early? I could go on, and those are legit questions, but that's beyond anything I can throw out at this point. So with those caveats added for my own peace of mind, your age consideration is a legit way to distinguish since you have them about equal. I don't disagree, I just haven't seen enough of Boqvist to make that call (heck, maybe Boqvist is ahead even now, further bolstering your point). In the end, they're both solidly in my wheelhouse on the D side. But I'd like to hear some opinions from folks who have one solidly above the other for on-ice/skill reasons.
truthbluth
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- Feb 2, 2011
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From that standpoint, I also favor Boqvist for stylistic reasons. I think Hughes plays too much east-west. His cuts to the middle tend to be parallel to the goal line, which is a fine way to play at lower levels. I see a lot of north-south in Boqvist's game. He attacks the net, typically only cutting to shoot. Now, it could be Hughes dangles like he does because he can, and Boqvist simply cannot. And it could be that that skill set could serve him well if used judiciously at the NHL level. But it's hard to project that style of play being successful as competition improves and space dwindles. In broad strokes, I see more bust potential in Hughes, even if his ceiling might be higher.
AustonsNostrils
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- Apr 5, 2016
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Craig Button coming on The Instigators right now. You'll be able to find it later on WGR's website I'm sure.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
Nice write-up. I'll be watching for this when I catch more of AB (I did notice east-west, or lateral, movement with AB, but via deft, slick-skating maneuvers to get his shot through), though with Hughes, I think part of your criticism relates to his decision-making on the ice. While a lot of that criticism is still warranted, the thing I've noticed with him this year is that he's improved that aspect of his game, specifically eliminating many of the gaffes or just plain bad decisions that were present, particularly in the O-zone. It tells me he's grown as a player and is capable of adjusting his game. That doesn't necessarily obviate your point, but I think Hughes does have a lot of development left and could reach that ceiling.
That's not an attempt to counter to your observation, just adding my perspective to yours. Much appreciated.
EDIT: Just to be clear, what I'm saying is that if Hughes does rely on a particular move or style at Michigan, and that won't work at higher levels, I believe he's shown he's capable of positively adjusting. More of a general point than addressing a specific point with his play.
Jim Carr's Rug
Registered User
Rasmus CacOlainen
The end of the Tank
More than a month wait to see if we land Svechnikov or Dahlin? 
Why don't they do it immediately after the draft. F NHL sometimes.
Why don't they do it immediately after the draft. F NHL sometimes.
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
Jim Carr's Rug
Registered User
More than a month wait to see if we land Svechnikov or Dahlin?
Rasmus CacOlainen
The end of the Tank
Don’t forget both Tampa and Winnipeg got franchise players at 2 overall after building playoff teams and then failing hard randomly.
If we get to draft Dahlin, I suspect things will turn around rapidly.
If we get to draft Dahlin, I suspect things will turn around rapidly.
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
Risto, mittlestadt and Guhle are likely those guys.
They just were not getting added to a core of prime aged stars outside of Ror, nor quality aging vets.
I’m not too worried about it this year since we will take Dahlin after winning the lottery.
EE and 'bluth, well done convo about those two. I find myself torn and EE put it well about what each offers and the appeal to either. Hughes does use his skating in-zone cutting to space more from what I've seen but I've been dogging Boqvist vid since the inception of this thread. 
The projection of who of the two may be better and why is also very valid. Hughes is 10 months older and that has to be taken into account. That said, I really like both of them and wouldn't have issue with either. Similarly, Dobson, Bouchard, Svech, Zadina or Tkachuk... and of course Dahlin. Heck, I like Wahlstrom with the finish and puck skills even and I have reached the level of wanting defense so much it makes my teeth crack thinking about it.
The projection of who of the two may be better and why is also very valid. Hughes is 10 months older and that has to be taken into account. That said, I really like both of them and wouldn't have issue with either. Similarly, Dobson, Bouchard, Svech, Zadina or Tkachuk... and of course Dahlin. Heck, I like Wahlstrom with the finish and puck skills even and I have reached the level of wanting defense so much it makes my teeth crack thinking about it.
CatsforReinhart
Registered User
That is what we will be saying next year when we draft Tkachuk or Svech....should have just drafted Boqvist. It can be a repeating theme.
Rasmus CacOlainen
The end of the Tank
Next year when Boqvist is still in the SHL and Svechnikov is playing well for the Sabrea? Highly unlikely.
The difference between Boqvist and Hughes for me is that I’ve seen one play more then a handful of times and the other is a complete unknown to me. I don’t follow the draft near as close as I used to, but still see more then enough of the top NA players.
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CatsforReinhart
Registered User
I see you created a nice little scenario. Playing well? And if playing bad? And if playing well and the sabres are still terrible
Boqvist still in the SHL and the sabres getting another top 5 pick next year and most likely will even if they draft Svech will still be needing a defenceman means two great prospects coming here after next year or maybe if they draft Svech we can get the 13th pick again?
Oh a side not I see you like to follow Edmonton's model. I don't. There is no easy fix drafting Svech still leaves this team full of trash next year. At least with Boqvist we have our top defenceman for the next 12-15 years.
Ethan Edwards
Registered User
I know it's something a non-playoff team's fans say every year, a situation we know all too well, but I really wish we could've some way, somehow, managed to score another high pick this year. Yeah, we say this every year, I know. The very top of the draft is strong, IMO and as noted above, but there's a pretty good cadre of solid, projectionable (<---don't look it up, that's totally a word) D-men strewn throughout the 1st and into the 2nd. I really wish I had more faith in our scouting department to start plucking potential Guhle's (or Weber's or Subban's) into the 2nd. Maybe they can/will, but the lack of faith is justified by history and understandably pervades our fan base. That would end this "must draft D" notion at the top of the draft, where, again IMO, you really can't pass up a superior talent (so if you don't judge there to be a level of superiority, by all means, go D!) for the sake of restocking the pipeline, a pipeline we all agree desperately needs restocking (I hate the word "desperate" because it so often leads to bad decisions). The issue with bringing up the "Edmonton model" is that they did a lot of things poorly beyond the yearly drafting of 1st round forwards, particularly in the realm of overall roster construction. But we still need quality D-men (more than one, even if we take one Top 5 this year). My teeth don't crack thinking about it, but I need to chew some crack with my teeth while thinking about it. Maybe it's the same thing. Either way, a savvy scouting department would afford us the luxury of stocking the D system via the draft without having to force the issue with a top pick. Draft well (Ha!), then throw in another Scandella-like (or Tallinder/Lydman-like) deal from the GM, and things look a lot better.
I think we'll be okay this year, though. Just my opinion here, and I may be the only one, but I personally think this Dahlin kid, someone you may or may not have heard of, is on his own level (no, I really do!), and more controversially I think Svechnikov is as well, just below Rasmus (I've bombed before, and he makes some people really nervous with whispers of Yakupov--though that seems ludicrous to me--but his all-around skill package beyond his lethal shot has made me a believer). Since we of course won't be allowed to draft in the top-2 based on NHL-defined "randomness" (NHL Dictionary/RANDOM: any scenario that is arbitrary in principle while fairly...ahhh, screw it--Montreal or the Rangers!), the rest are a hodgepodge of projectionable (<---stop looking at me like that, it is so a real word) talents, making it pretty easy to take a D-man where we'll be selecting. I can't say that's how the Sabres FO will look at it, but it's what I tell myself when I feel the crack demons singing their lilting dirge. So in the end, as I see it based on NHL randomness, we should be in a position to sift through the likes of Hughes, Boqvist, Bouchard, and maybe Dobson (I'm still on the fence there, based on limited viewing) and come away with a really good future D-man. In the end, of course, whether you're on the D Train, the BPA Train, or the Last Train To Clarksville, we all kinda secretly know the Sabres will win the lottery and draft a goalie.
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