They interviewed the local kids: Sean Malone and Justin Bailey.
I would love to see who we are not going to sit down with.
Why? It will just be ammunition for the big whiners and complainers to say "Regier and co. won't even interview [player name]! ZOMG!!!!! Clueless organization
Kevin Devine on the Sabres Combine coming up:
About 75 total invites
- 30-40 of the NHL Combine invitees
- The rest are other prospects they are interested in. Should help with the later rounds.
Why? It will just be ammunition for the big whiners and complainers to say "Regier and co. won't even interview [player name]! ZOMG!!!!! Clueless organization
Forgot they started that...put those Pegula bucks to work!
Well when I see the list I won't share it with anyone. ha ha
I'd consider it, as I don't think there's a large enough drop between 16 and 24 to not consider it. At worst, we can get a safe, character forward, plus another second-round pick, if we err in forecasting picks and miss out on the D (Morrissey, Santini). I also think McCoshen would be available closer to ~30.Well here's an interesting thought: would you trade down from 16 a few spots to pick up an extra pick and grab one of those 3 D-men you mentioned?
Mike Morreale @mikemorrealeNHL 15m
First group to fitness tests on Fri (8:30am): Buchnevich, Drouin, Erne, Olofsson, C Petersen, Sanford, Tambellini, K Thompson, Wheaton.
Link: https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/340202413829021696
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Mike Morreale @mikemorrealeNHL 13m
Other notables for Fri testing: Jones 9:30; Nichushkin 11:30; MacKinnon/Fucale 1:30; Barkov 2:30
Link: https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/340202934191157248
I'd consider it, as I don't think there's a large enough drop between 16 and 24 to not consider it. At worst, we can get a safe, character forward, plus another second-round pick, if we err in forecasting picks and miss out on the D (Morrissey, Santini). I also think McCoshen would be available closer to ~30.
For instance, Erne and Lazar aren't rushing me to the podium, as Carrier and de la Rose could be had later, possibly even Erne himself, if you're looking strictly at PFWs; and Lazar would wind up as a two-way, goal-scoring RW with our depth, so later you could draft Hartman or Compher in that same future role (alongside Larsson and Girgensons ideally). Pulock's skill-set is the one that would give me most pause passing on, as that offense and clapper is very difficult to replicate in this draft. I'd stay put for Wennberg and Horvat.
However, if you're asking me what's better for us: (A) Erne, for example, at 16; or (B) Morrissey/Santini + 2nd (idk, say de la Rose, Dickinson, Bailey) .. I'll take B every time.
For me, it's: Wennberg, Shinkaruk, Horvat .. Why? Wennberg plays a strong, all-around game (good skater, high IQ, goes into traffic, strong defensively, finishes checks) and has the size (strength will come) and defensive advantage over Shinkaruk (both have similar IQs); meanwhile, Horvat is a safe, two-way threat, which is solid, but leaves the other two prospects with higher ceilings IMO .. and FWIW, April consensus rankings had it: Shinkaruk, Horvat, Wennberg.So, I've got these forwards grouped together on my draft board.
I'd love to hear how some you rank them and why.
Horvat
Shinkaruk
Wennburg
Again, April consensus rankings had Erne, Domi, Lazar, Mantha and Gauthier following Shinkaruk and ahead of Horvat and Wennberg.And does anyone else belong within this group?
Domi?
Zykov?
I'm hoping for Lindholm at 8 and Wennberg at 16 .. they're the slides I'm trying to convince myself could happen.Praying that some teams drop some of the Mem Cup guys who won't test out as well because they haven't been practicing them for weeks/months like many others.
Yep, it'll always come down to the BPA and how the draft fell, but I've considered it and can't really argue with those caveats. In fact, I looked at the possibilities last week and IIRC the teams after 16 with extra seconds were SJS, MTL and ANA.I'm with you on this. If a team is willing to throw a late-2nd at us to move down 5-8 spots, I think I'd do it--with the same caveat that you mentioned, specifically that I'm not doing it if Wennberg/Horvat/Zadorov/Shinkaruk/Pulock are still on the board. So many of the players who are going in that 15-20 range in some mocks are going in the 25-30 range in others. For instance, some people really like Kerby Rychel or Ryan Hartman at 16, but Rychel/Hartman may well be there at 21-25, too.
Kevin Snow @kwsnow 12m
Defenseman Steven Santini is rising up a lot of draft boards; he spoke to 22 teams incl BUF. He'll be at Sabres combine next week
I want to trade up for this guy...
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...romising-nordic-forward-since-peter-forsberg/
So, I've got these forwards grouped together on my draft board.
I'd love to hear how some you rank them and why.
Horvat
Shinkaruk
Wennburg
And does anyone else belong within this group?
Domi?
Zykov?
Mark Masters @markhmasters 7m
Monahan will be going to combines hosted by Sabres, Leafs, Devils, Flames, Oilers in coming days
Link: https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/340524540281102336
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That makes the confirmed: Erne + Monahan + ~70 others.
The fact that these two are friends and have played together, will that come into play when Buffalo picks? Director of amateur scouting Kevin Devine said, “I think it does, I don’t know what the percentage would be, but it’s something we definitely would think about. You take a guy like Armia, there’s a couple of real good Finns in the draft. He’s coming over this year so it would be nice to have somebody of that group. You can’t deny that if somebody has chemistry with somebody and they’re up in the draft, and we’ve got a player that’s already played with a guy, I think that does come into play.”
So the next obvious question is, what kind of player is Erne? Devine said, “He’s a highly competitive kid, he’s got real good speed, he’s really thick, at times he’s very explosive. Once in a while you won’t notice him in a game, but most of the time he’s a goal scorer. He was probably the best player in the propect game in Halifax and he’s a first round player for sure.”
Link: http://www.wgr550.com/Erne-thinks-his-best-friend-will-help-the-Sabres/16485922
Mark Masters@markhmasters35m
Nurse not Bills fan despite living in nearby Hamilton: 'Not the Buffalo Bills ... I couldn't do it'; cheers for Titans bc was big McNair fan
Devine on Erne and drafting chemistry:
https://twitter.com/markhmasters
What % of the WNY population will take this as a personal affront? I'll stay conservative and go 60%.