2019 Summer/Fall Prospect Poll: #6

[Chainshot]

Lordy this pool is bad

Lack of flash is certainly a problem. Considering that three of their top dozen prospects are likely to be defensive defenseman and two of their best forward prospects are likely to be checking line guys at best… it is not sexy. And yet I still have them middle of the pack when I rate them against the league.

 

[missingmika]

Lordy this pool is bad

Put this prospect pool in front of 99 Hasek and we win the cup!

 

[MrMaster]

Put this prospect pool in front of 99 Hasek and we win the cup!

You don't need Hasek if some of the defensive prospects end up keepers. In a couple years, this teams defense could end up consisting of only top 4 guys, with a couple top-pairing guys.
Potentially they might top Nashvilles prime defensive core. That is the best-case scenario of course.

 

[Chainshot]

You don't need Hasek if some of the defensive prospects end up keepers. In a couple years, this teams defense could end up consisting of only top 4 guys, with a couple top-pairing guys.
Potentially they might top Nashvilles prime defensive core. That is the best-case scenario of course.

They continue to need to improve their forwards though. Even a good set of defensemen need players who can pressure on the backcheck, who can move to openings quickly for outlets, and who can spend time in the other end of the rink. They can't have Dahlin play on every pair and handle all breakouts.

 

[Fezzy126]

They continue to need to improve their forwards though. Even a good set of defensemen need players who can pressure on the backcheck, who can move to openings quickly for outlets, and who can spend time in the other end of the rink. They can't have Dahlin play on every pair and handle all breakouts.

I have this fear that fans will use Dahlin as the baseline level of competency for other defensemen... His creativity and vision on breakouts as an 18 year old was already at stupid levels.

 

[MrMaster]

They continue to need to improve their forwards though. Even a good set of defensemen need players who can pressure on the backcheck, who can move to openings quickly for outlets, and who can spend time in the other end of the rink. They can't have Dahlin play on every pair and handle all breakouts.

Sure, they'll likely trade some of them for offense, but i rather have them keep their strengths, instead of trading them all. Remember the time when we started to think they assemble a strong blueline, starting with the 2013 draft, only to trade the idea away and rushing everything through GMTMs hands?
One of Botterills strengths is patience, which seems to make him a bit risk-averse, which i don't like, but i have good hope he will give the Sabres a strong back end finally.

 

[missingmika]

They continue to need to improve their forwards though. Even a good set of defensemen need players who can pressure on the backcheck, who can move to openings quickly for outlets, and who can spend time in the other end of the rink. They can't have Dahlin play on every pair and handle all breakouts.

That's why they have Laaksonen

 

[Chainshot]

That's why they have Laaksonen

The point remains, good forwards are still needed.