Is Ekblad #1 on the Sabres board?

[Jim Bob]

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=30077

“I believe that Ekblad is going to go one and then we pick who we have left – the next guy on our list,†Murray said. “If he doesn’t go one, I’d be surprised I guess, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.â€

Given that he said that if Ekblad goes 1, then they move on to the next guy on their list, that sounds to me like Ekblad is #1 on the Sabres board.

So, if say Vancouver does move up to take Reinhart, the Sabres would appear to have to not go BPA if they were to take a forward.

I'd love to be in the room if they talk over the scenario that their #1 F goes 1st and they have to decide between their #1 overall (Ekblad) or the BFA who would be 3rd on their board.

Click to read more...

 

[enthusiast]

It's what I thought as well reading that.

 

[Beerz]

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=30077



Given that he said that if Ekblad goes 1, then they move on to the next guy on their list, that sounds to me like Ekblad is #1 on the Sabres board.

So, if say Vancouver does move up to take Reinhart, the Sabres would appear to have to not go BPA if they were to take a forward.

I'd love to be in the room if they talk over the scenario that their #1 F goes 1st and they have to decide between their #1 overall (Ekblad) or the BFA who would be 3rd on their board.

My feeling is that Murray is drumming up Ekblad as the #1 overall because he wants his man (Reinhart, Bennett, Dras) to be there at #2 ... He may have Ekblad #1 but I don't think he takes him unless his #1 Forward is gone.

 

[Bps21*]

I'm 100 percent sure that he wants the world to know/believe that Ekblad is 1 on their list. Which makes be believe that Ekblad is not 1 on their list.

 

[Djp]

Draft talk 101 a team pumps up a players who is not their top choices

With the Bills I'd you hear anything from them about the WR they traded up for?

 

[stokes84]

I'm 100 percent sure that he wants the world to know/believe that Ekblad is 1 on their list. Which makes be believe that Ekblad is not 1 on their list.

Exactly how I feel.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I'm 100 percent sure that he wants the world to know/believe that Ekblad is 1 on their list. Which makes be believe that Ekblad is not 1 on their list.

This. I think he's trying to do what he can to make sure his guy is still on the board at #2.

 

[Jim Carr's Rug]

I'm 100 percent sure that he wants the world to know/believe that Ekblad is 1 on their list. Which makes be believe that Ekblad is not 1 on their list.

OR... he knows everyone else in the world knows that talking up a guy not high on his list is a common GM tactic... so he's trying something different: talking up the guy #1 on his list so everyone thinks he's not #1 on his list.

 

[jvirk]

If someone trades up to take Reinhart, I think TM gets frantic calls from the Oilers to get Ekblad. In that case, he gets the #3 and something nice with it - therefore will take Bennett

 

[RecycledEichel]

It means he doesn't want ekblad.. If he wanted him, he wouldn't hype him.. When we lost the lottery, they said they were almost certain they would still get their guy that they really want.. That wouldn't be true if they wanted ekblad.. Just trying to make sure Florida takes him

 

[Splintered Sherwood]

OR... he knows everyone else in the world knows that talking up a guy not high on his list is a common GM tactic... so he's trying something different: talking up the guy #1 on his list so everyone thinks he's not #1 on his list.

Ah, Game Theory. Determine the degree of intelligence of all participants in this non-cooperative game in order to achieve one's desired outcome, i.e., to get better by getting the player you want. The thing is though, I don't think Murray is trying to manipulate anything because....

a. He most likely believes that there are no franchise changing forwards, as do most if not all scouting services.

b. He most likely believes, as do most if not all scouting services, that there is a separation between Ekblad and all other skaters who ply their trade trying to keep goaltenders less busy.

c. Due to a and b, Ekblad's value is higher due to him being more desirable because every team needs a good potential #2/#3 defence man.

d. Ergo, Ekbald should be the default pick at 1 for most teams who are run by sane general managers, so Murray is really just stating what should be apparent to anyone wearing a GM hat, visor, or toupée.


The problem with d. is that it assumes Garth Snow is not employed by any NHL team, so the common evaluation of the talent may be completely array if looking through the lens of Garth Snow, General Manager. Also, the above assumes that all General Managers are drafting for the future and not for the present, there may be someone who thinks they are a Dal Colle or Nylander, just to name a few for example, away from some debauched 2015 Stanley Cup festivities that would make even the late Dennis Hopper blush.

 

[joshjull]

It means he doesn't want ekblad.. If he wanted him, he wouldn't hype him.. When we lost the lottery, they said they were almost certain they would still get their guy that they really want.. That wouldn't be true if they wanted ekblad.. Just trying to make sure Florida takes him

How would anything Murray said make Florida draft someone?

 

[dotcommunism]

It's quite possible that Murray thinks that teams are going to base what they're doing on their own evaluations of the prospects available and that trying to play mind games, especially with the number 2 pick, isn't really going to have much of an effect, if any, on what happens.

 

[Beerz]

It's quite possible that Murray thinks that teams are going to base what they're doing on their own evaluations of the prospects available and that trying to play mind games, especially with the number 2 pick, isn't really going to have much of an effect, if any, on what happens.

It won't have any effect...but it's what they do (I believe) for some reason.

 

[Beerz]

I guess it's just people trying to make "their view" (made up or not) The general consensus in order to apply pressure to a team not to go against the conventional thinking and make waves.

Again.. I don't think it works but it's certainly a tactic.

 

[DazedandConfused]

If Murray actually has Ekblad at the top of our board and he thinks he's going #1 and knows that teams are trying to trade up for it to take Ekblad. Don't you think he'd be trying to trade up to get Ekblad....? We have a forward at #1.

Unless you want to put the whole "draft for need when the 2 players are so close" spin on things.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

I hope Murray has Ekblad and Reinhart 1a/1b on his list with Reinhart the preferred choice. That way if Ekblad does go #1 he gets his guy and if it's the other way around he still gets his guy in Ekblad. I want one of the two please. No Bennett. Ekblad and Reinhart have been the consensus top prospects for this draft for a few seasons now. They should be the pick.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I don't want it to happen, but if Reinhart goes #1 it sure will satisfy my curiosity to see who Murray picks.

 

[ZeroPT*]

I hope Murray has Ekblad and Reinhart 1a/1b on his list with Reinhart the preferred choice. That way if Ekblad does go #1 he gets his guy and if it's the other way around he still gets his guy in Ekblad. I want one of the two please. No Bennett. Ekblad and Reinhart have been the consensus top prospects for this draft for a few seasons now. They should be the pick.

that's pretty funny.

Monahan was considered one of the best prospects heading into the 2013 draft for a few seasons, so you'd take him over Drouin, who emerged during his draft year?
Ryan Murphy was hyped for a long time before his draft, I'd still take Landeskog ahead of him and he only recently burst onto the scene.
Same could be applied with Brett Connolly, guy was regarded as a top 3 pick for years, would you take him above Fowler or Bjugstad?

If a player is selected it's because he's the best player available in that spot, not because scouts have known about him for a few years longer

 

[Splintered Sherwood]

If Murray actually has Ekblad at the top of our board and he thinks he's going #1 and knows that teams are trying to trade up for it to take Ekblad. Don't you think he'd be trying to trade up to get Ekblad....? We have a forward at #1.

Unless you want to put the whole "draft for need when the 2 players are so close" spin on things.

Just because a team has a player at number #1 doesn't mean that they will trade up to get that player. It depends on how they view that player ranked number 1, hypothetically lets says it is Ekblad, relative to his nearest peers, that is Reinhart, Bennett et al. If the gap is colossal, then yes, it would be in Buffalo's best interest to move up and get that player. If the gap is small, then losing out on your #1 player isn't that big of a deal, you just draft the player next on your list.

Besides, since this draft allegedly isn't filled with any franchise players at the top, there is no great need to move mountains to get 1st overall.

 

[dire wolf]

OR... he knows everyone else in the world knows that talking up a guy not high on his list is a common GM tactic... so he's trying something different: talking up the guy #1 on his list so everyone thinks he's not #1 on his list.

Vizzini: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet or his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

Man in Black: You've made your decision then?

Vizzini: Not remotely. Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

Man in Black: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

 

[Moskau]

Far fetched but if he believes a team like Vancouver is for sure taking Reinhart he could be warning other teams that want to trade up for Ekblad that they are going to have to up their ante (beating out Vancouver) and get the pick from Florida because Buffalo is taking Ekblad at #2. Again, far fetched. 6 days and we will find out.

 

[5 Minute Major]

If Ekblad falls to us, take him and don't hesitate.

We would then have Myers and Ehrhoff as trade bait to bring in some forwards.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

Draft talk 101 a team pumps up a players who is not their top choices

With the Bills I'd you hear anything from them about the WR they traded up for?

The Bills did pump up Watkins and their buttkissers praised him endlessly. Year before that, freaking WGR knew for days that Manuel was their pick.

But, the Bills are a bad example of a competent franchise.

 

[Paxon]

Far fetched but if he believes a team like Vancouver is for sure taking Reinhart he could be warning other teams that want to trade up for Ekblad that they are going to have to up their ante (beating out Vancouver) and get the pick from Florida because Buffalo is taking Ekblad at #2. Again, far fetched. 6 days and we will find out.

That's what I'd do in his shoes. It takes 0 effort to put that out there, so why wouldn't you?