GDT: Sabres @ Caps | 9.20.14 5 PM | CSN & NHLN

[Cush]

walker....wasn't he an unpopular pick or something? good to see he plays with some energy

I think most of us like him, it was the trade up to get him that people didn't like

 

[MrGone]

Burakovsky reminds me of Jordan Eberle. Quick stick handling and decision making.

 

[MoJoSauce]

Did holtby switch to reverse vh this off season? Don't remember him playing the pipes that way last season

 

[BackToTheBasics]

walker....wasn't he an unpopular pick or something? good to see he plays with some energy

If he can become a 3rd line energy player, I'd consider it a good pick.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Are people actually drawing conclusions from the first competitive hockey these guys have played in almost 6 months?

 

[Koized]

Everytime I watch Stephenson I come away impressed.

 

[txpd]

Are people actually drawing conclusions from the first competitive hockey these guys have played in almost 6 months?

that would be jumping to conclusions.

 

[g00n]

Are people actually drawing conclusions from the first competitive hockey these guys have played in almost 6 months?

Against the pre-season squad from the league's worst team last year.

 

[SimplySensational]

**** off. This team goes from not giving 2 ***** about a logo they put on the ground, to this.

 

[BackToTheBasics]

Burakovsky reminds me of Jordan Eberle. Quick stick handling and decision making.

Comparing a European with a Canadian boy is NOT allowed. Compare him to Daniel Sedin or another Swedish player.

 

[Sam Spade]

Burakovsky reminds me of Jordan Eberle. Quick stick handling and decision making.

Not trying to be a smart aleck but Burka is twice the player Eberle is.

Having watched him all last season in Erie and two rookie camps, the player he most reminds me of is Jonathan Toews. The poise, the hard work, the 200 ft game. Time will tell of course but I think this kid is special.

 

[Sam Spade]

**** off. This team goes from not giving 2 ***** about a logo they put on the ground, to this.

Not that I don't enjoy your righteous indignation but that is roped off because they just laid it down, my friend works at Verizon Center and sent me pictures Friday.

 

[DCRedhawk21]

Not drawing any conclusions form the first pre-season game, but Bura was fun to watch in person.

 

[txpd]

I remember seeing one of Peter Bondra's first pre season games. He had like 5 breakaways. I was like. Who is that?

 

[Monty]

Just now watching the Caps-Sabres game via DVR, and Monumental Sports is clearly not ready for the regular season yet. Its 40th anniversary commercial referred to Hunters OT goal against the Flyers occurring in the 3rd overtime. Ahh, wrong. It occurred in the 1st overtime. And then at the end of the commercial they promo the home opener as being played on October 29. Ahh, wrong. It's on October 9th.

 

[Hivemind]

walker....wasn't he an unpopular pick or something? good to see he plays with some energy

I've been the most vocal critic of the pick, and I stand by my assertion. Trading up to spend a 3rd round pick on a player you could have had in the 7th round in the prior two drafts is ridiculous. They had a look at him in the 2012 development camp, as well, so they knew what he was about in the 2013 draft, yet they chose not to draft him then. Awful asset management.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I've been the most vocal critic of the pick, and I stand by my assertion. Trading up to spend a 3rd round pick on a player you could have had in the 7th round in the prior two drafts is ridiculous. They had a look at him in the 2012 development camp, as well, so they knew what he was about in the 2013 draft, yet they chose not to draft him then. Awful asset management.

I'm with you. Walker wasn't high on any of the scouting reports I saw, and I haven't seen anything to suggest he wouldn't have been available in the 5th round. Trading up to get him is just bizarre, and poor asset management.

 

[NeilYoung]

I'm with you. Walker wasn't high on any of the scouting reports I saw, and I haven't seen anything to suggest he wouldn't have been available in the 5th round. Trading up to get him is just bizarre, and poor asset management.

I'll get thirds on this, still bizarre asset management in my mind

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Was it bad asset management for St. Louis to draft Perron in the 1st?

 

[Hivemind]

Was it bad asset management for St. Louis to draft Perron in the 1st?

There's a difference between a reach like Perron, and reaching for someone you could have taken in the 7th round the year before after you had already had him at your development camp. It reeks of bad scouting and worse asset management. This is a player who had already passed through the entire draft twice, and then suddenly he was worth trading up for a 3rd round selection of him?

 

[BobRouse]

I think you give the Caps the benefit of the doubt when it comes to drafting.

They've been darn good the last 10 years.

 

[Langway]

Here's the thing for me re: Walker, what's the projection on him? Does he really look like a third-line type of player? If he really opened their eyes last year then, sure, but I don't really see it. It's a wasted pick primarily for storyline reasons if he's just some fringe player they liked just because. They need more size up front, not less, and even if he plays big for his size he still has a way to go doing it and thriving against NHLers night-in, night-out.

Vrana is looking like your typical shrew first round addition but early on the rest of that draft class is pretty underwhelming.

 

[hizzoner]

Sabres fan here. Did anyone of the young guys the Sabres played stand out to Washington fans?

 

[BobRouse]

Here's the thing for me re: Walker, what's the projection on him? Does he really look like a third-line type of player? If he really opened their eyes last year then, sure, but I don't really see it. It's a wasted pick primarily for storyline reasons if he's just some fringe player they liked just because. They need more size up front, not less, and even if he plays big for his size he still has a way to go doing it and thriving against NHLers night-in, night-out.

Vrana is looking like your typical shrew first round addition but early on the rest of that draft class is pretty underwhelming.

I don't understand why everyone is getting so worked up over a 3rd round pick...its not the end of the world and such a minor thing especially in light of how very well the drafting has been in the last decade or so.

Size matters not if you don't use it. Jeff Schultz was towering but a wuss.

Walker skates, hits and hustles.

Also...Caps need more size up front? I think they are a pretty big team! Wilson, Ovechkin, Brouwer, Chimera, Fehr, Laich, Beagle...not exactly small guys. Kuznetsov, Ward and Backstrom are all average/above average and sturdy. Guys like Latta and Volpatti are average size but play much bigger.

In fact outside of MJ (who isn't even small) we're pretty well off there.

 

[Ridley Simon]

There's a difference between a reach like Perron, and reaching for someone you could have taken in the 7th round the year before after you had already had him at your development camp. It reeks of bad scouting and worse asset management. This is a player who had already passed through the entire draft twice, and then suddenly he was worth trading up for a 3rd round selection of him?

Aren't you the guy/gal that keeps posting the analytics of how most post 2nd round picks don't ever have sustainable careers? You were pounding away about how good someone like Neuvirth was, since he was a 2nd rounder....and that any new player below 2nd -- statistically-- never made marks in the NHL (obviously some do, just very small percentage).

So on one hand, any player drafted 3rd and below has a tiny chance of success.....yet the Caps wasted assets in giving up late round picks to gets Walker. According to your theorems, later round picks aren't much of an asset...so is this just a chance to pile on BMac?

It's also odd that you keep pounding on the team for drafting a guy that they "knew" from previous years. Maybe so....but was BMac running those drafts where Walker was passed up? No. Unless you were in the draft rooms for all 3 years, I'm not sure you can draw any conclusions as to who decided whats, can you?

You are also dismissing the growth of players in their early years. Some grow at similar clips, from year to year...others take quantum leaps in any given season.

So perhaps the Caps "wasted assets", but not to the point that all the bellyaching that is happening here would suggest.

Move on.