2012 Draft Revisit-passing on Tomas Hertl-2x

[BringBuffaloStanley]

With the current great play of Zegmus Girgensons (14th-2012) and increased optimism with Mikhael Grigorenko (12th-2012), curious how you all currently feel about passing on Tomas Hertl (17th-2012) twice. Watching Hertl explode in his rookie year was really tough to accept. He is so much fun to watch as well. It felt like the Sabres missed out big time. But as we all know too well, every prospect develops and excels at a different rate.

I will go on a limb that Hertl can not match Girgensons defensive skills, overall grit, and leadership. It would appear Hertl has a lead on scoring ability and high end skill. Although this gap has visibly narrowed lately.

I have not watched Hertl yet this season, but have noticed his stats thus far are unimpressive and lower than Girgensons. How do you guys feel about this draft now?

Girgensons v. Hertl?

Grigorenko v. Hertl?

Optimism both Girgs and Grigorenko can take away any darn we missed on him sentiments?

Click to read more...

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Why was it tough to accept? I don't get it.

Why do posters reminisce about what picks the sabres could of had? Every team and every fan could play that game.

 

[BringBuffaloStanley]

If I like the player and he clearly performed better then both girgs and grigs at the time isn't that self explanatory?

Your comment doesn't strike me as one of friendliness or of one being conducive to a fun/happy/conversational encouraging environment.

Cheers.

 

[Tapu Coco]

I take girgs over hertl every day and twice on Sundays.

As for grigorenko, he has a higher ceiling than hertl (was projected as a top 5 pick), but hertl is more likely to reach his than grigorenko is. Hertl is a 1st-2nd line tweener on a good team, and in an ideal world grigorenko is a 1C, which is what we needed at the time. Whether that pans out, obviously, is yet to be determined.

Regardless, it shouldn't take away from the fact that we had a very good 2012 draft

 

[gallagt01]

I loved this team's '12 draft and am not going to stop loving it because Hertl was quicker to excel in the NHL.

 

[Moncton man]

Why do posters reminisce about what picks the sabres could of had? Every team and every fan could play that game.

Like taking Ric Seiling over Mike Bossy for instance?

 

[NotABadPeriod]

I loved this team's '12 draft and am not going to stop loving it because Hertl was quicker to excel in the NHL.

This.

Based on the board at the time, Grigorenko and Girgensons would have been my choice (hell, I would've considered Girgensons with the first pick though the value on the Grigorenko selection was too much to pass). Hertl has progressed well, but we got the two guys that at the time I wanted, so I can't complain.

 

[1972]

We could have had Radek Faksa and Tom Wilson, I am quite pleased how it worked out with getting Zemgus. I would obviously take Hertl over Grigorenko if we knew now what we did then, but things have a way of working themselves out.

 

[stokes84]

I can't remember the exact story, but I know the Sabres were turned off by some of the antics. I'm not sure if other teams had similar issues with him. I had asked why he was ranked so low after the WJCs because I thought he was a standout there, and was basically told the kid was a major headache to deal with. It was pretty clear he had top 10 talent though.

 

[BringBuffaloStanley]

I can't remember the exact story, but I know the Sabres were turned off by some of the antics. I'm not sure if other teams had similar issues with him. I had asked why he was ranked so low after the WJCs because I thought he was a standout there, and was basically told the kid was a major headache to deal with. It was pretty clear he had top 10 talent though.

I wonder what these antics were....Taking Jaromir Jagr style showing off my beautiful girlfriend modeling pictures? lol

 

[stokes84]

I wonder what these antics were....Taking Jaromir Jagr style showing off my beautiful girlfriend modeling pictures? lol

No, I think it was more along the lines of not accepting invitations to scouting events and things like that. I believe it was at the direction of his agent.

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

We went into the 2012 draft not having drafted a center in years, it was our biggest, glaring weakness and we took best player available both picks. We all were amazed at the amount of "D" picked in the top ten and couldn't believe we got Grigs where we were.

Agree, loved who we picked in 2012, loved who we picked in 2013 and loved who we picked in 2014....I have absolutely no complaints on our first round (and second) these last couple years. We have done great, all five first rounders seem like potential NHLers, and contributors. I can only hope, and dream that we get lucky enough to grab top two this year, and with these five have a Sabres core like no other in our 45 year history.

Great draft picks these last three years, not going to nit pick. We had "zero" center prospects in the system and came out with 2 of the top 3 that year. (Montreal took Galynchuk)

 

[Zman5778]

No way I'm second-guessing the 2012 draft.

Going into our first pick, my top 2 targets were Grigorenko and Girgensons, in that order. Once we grabbed Grigorenko with #12, I was praying that Darcy would trade back up ASAP to grab Girgensons.

Wish granted.

Hertl was never really on my radar unless he slipped to 21.


No 2nd guessing here. At all.

 

[Jacob582]

Some alternate re-drafts:

12: Girgensons
14: Teravainen or Hertl or Vasilevsky

*****

12: Girgensons
21: Maatta
42: Frederik Andersen or TBD?

*****

I'm a Grigorenko fan. Rooting for him to make it.

 

[brian_griffin]

We went into the 2012 draft not having drafted a center in years, it was our biggest, glaring weakness and we took best player available both picks. We all were amazed at the amount of "D" picked in the top ten and couldn't believe we got Grigs where we were.

Agree, loved who we picked in 2012, loved who we picked in 2013 and loved who we picked in 2014....I have absolutely no complaints on our first round (and second) these last couple years. We have done great, all five first rounders seem like potential NHLers, and contributors. I can only hope, and dream that we get lucky enough to grab top two this year, and with these five have a Sabres core like no other in our 45 year history.

Great draft picks these last three years, not going to nit pick. We had "zero" center prospects in the system and came out with 2 of the top 3 that year. (Montreal took Galynchuk)

Agree. I'd be fine if Buffalo always drafted centers for forwards until the day I die. Until it is proven that an NHL team can have too many centers, why not?

Imagine the irony - Buffalo without wings!!

 

[jvirk]

Mark my words Grigorenko will reach a higher level of play than Hertl

I wouldn't of taken Hertl over either of Girgensons OR Grigorenko

 

[Zman5778]

Optimism both Girgs and Grigorenko can take away any darn we missed on him sentiments?

I direct you here:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1214207

and here:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1214209


Those are the threads that were created immediately following the selection of both Grigorenko and Girgensons.

Searching both threads for the word "Hertl" returns 0 hits. That should tell you that no one had Hertl on their radar at the time, and no one then was bemoaning the fact that we didn't select him.

 

[DazedandConfused]

I remember being at work and me and some lads were following the draft on our phones, I was stoked when Grigorenko kept falling and we took him. Then I obviously went back to work thinking we didn't pick for another 30 minutes and come back to find out we traded up for some Girgorson fella, had no idea who this kid was, but it's been love at first sight.

Wouldn't trade those picks for any player picked after them and only a handful over Grigs that were picked in top-10, but Girgorsons is a guy who will be crucial to some Cup runs in the future.

 

[joshjull]

Hertl is a very exciting young player. But the OP needs to remember who he is playing with. Had we drafted him its pretty hard to imagine him being the same player we see in San Jose. A team stacked at center , loaded with vet talent and one of the best teams in the league.

And as others have mentioned, center was the bigger need.

 

[Djp]

Hertl would be putting up the numbers on buffalo. This is silly.

I'm fine with who buffalo picked.

Sure they get McEichel there will be that debate of why buffalo didn't use one of these picks on a winger.

 

[jBuds]

I can't believe teams passed up on Girgensons. That's wild. However many X, if more than just once.

 

[Wisent42]

I remember the 2012 with nothing but joy. I had Girgensons on my board with our first round pick. Grigorenko wasn't really on my radar because I couldn't imagine a scenario where he fell that far. So when he fell into our lap I was both excited and disappointed because Grigorenko was a gift, but I didn't want to pass on Girgensons. Then Darcy traded up and got us Girgensons too. I've never loved Darcy as much as right then.

So no. No regrets. Sure, there are always players who reach further and/or faster than expected at draft day. Good for them and the teams that drafted them, but there's little point in picking at it. However, down the line there may be reason for other teams to evaluate why they passed on Grigorenko, because he was projected to be a top 5. Hertl, to my memory, was never mentioned that high.

Pavel Datsyuk was passed on for two drafts and then another 170 times before he was finally picked at 171 in -98. Now there's something to facepalm over.

 

[Bps21*]

Hertl would be putting up the numbers on buffalo. This is silly.

I'm fine with who buffalo picked.

Sure they get McEichel there will be that debate of why buffalo didn't use one of these picks on a winger.

It's not silly to suggest that someone won't put up the same numbers going from any other team to the worst possession team in recorded history. In fact it is literally insane to believe otherwise.

 

[phosphene*]

SJ is a great place for any young player to wind up, especially a skilled winger. I think Girgensons' play has more than justified his draft position, and Grigo could end up closing the gap eventually. Overall, I've been very happy with our last 3 drafts.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Regret about passing on a player no one had rated that highly because we selected a) Zemgod b) and a player that at one point was expected to go in the top 3. This isn't drafting Daigle over Pronger. I'm sure Hertl will be at worst a decent NHLer, he's not some HoFer we passed over.

If I like the player and he clearly performed better then both girgs and grigs at the time isn't that self explanatory?

Your comment doesn't strike me as one of friendliness or of one being conducive to a fun/happy/conversational encouraging environment.

Cheers.

are you gonna take your ball and go home? Also Girgensons is better than Hertl.