Chuzwazza
Registered User
Here is the Sabres top 15 as they currently stand...
#1). RYAN MILLER (G): Arguably the #1 goaltending prospect in the HFNHL. Lehtonen possibly has the higher upside, but Miller has been impressive pretty much wherever he's gone. He's an absolute lock to make the team next season, and might be the starter ahead of Roloson. Some thought he should have been the man between the pipes for team USA at the olympics.
#2). GILBERT BRULE (C): A feisty and skilled center who plays tough despite his reasonably small stature. Needs to fill out a bit, but has put up decent numbers in his short stint in the pro's as an 18 year old. Compares to a slightly less gritty but more skilled version of mike peca. Looks likely to be a future #1 or #2 pivot.
#3). RYAN SUTER (D): Great young prospect who has broken in earlier than expected. Is learning to develop his offensive skills as the pro-level and hasn't looked out of his depth so far. Not Dion Phaneuf, but he's defintely got the makings of a #2 or maybe even #1 blueliner.
#4). ANDREW LADD (LW): Great young power forward who is just starting to look like he can handle himself at the pro level. Had some questions regarding skating and ability to create chances for himself offensively, but he works hard, is strong and has good size, and a real nose for the net. Now, if he could only find a way to move ahead of Nash and Frolov at the pro's
#5). RYAN WHITNEY (D): An offensive D-man and a good young one at that. Looks like the future PP QB of the team. Has very good size and while not fantastic in his own zone, certainly isn't horrid. Could be yet another top 2 or 3 level blueline coming down the pipes here in buffalo.
#6). FEDOR TYUTIN (D): Yet another D-man on the Sabres prospect list that looks likely to make to make a mjor contribution within the next 12-18 months. By the start of the 07-08 season, we could be seeing a near new blueline. Good two way D-man with some nice offensive skills, but doesn't give it up easily in his own zone either. Good offensice guy on a stopper pairing, or a stay at homer on an offensive pairing. A year or two ahead of Whitney and Suter, is a lock to make the roster next season.
#7). MARC STAAL (D): And the Sabres ever increasing stable of gifted young blueliners continues. Throw in Bouwmeester, Hannan and Orpik from the pro's, and this is one really scary group. Definitely a stopper kind. He's big, mobile and fantastic in his own zone. Looked great at the WJC's. his only downside is his offensive output. Otherwise, the ideal stay at home type.
#8). TRAVIS ZAJAC (C): The Sabres had him projected in the mid to late 1st round, so they were happy to grab him in the 2nd. Looks very good at North Dakota and is 2nd on the team in scoring. A nicely balanced player with good size and skill and a bit of toughness to go with it. Upside is probably a #2 center, but should make it to the pro's in some capacity. NJ don't usually miss with their high picks.
#9). Shawn Belle (D): Awesome athlete. One of the best in hockey. Good mobile D. Defitnely not going to be confused as a PP QB at the pro-level, even if his numbers were good in juniors last season. Hits like a truck....going down hill, with a load of cement in the back...get the picture? Probably still 2-3 years away from an HFNHL debut. particularly with the depth of talent in front of him.
#10). KIRILL KOLTSOV (D): Want to hasard a guess at Buffalo's focus since Pitt took over the team in late 2001? Didn't think it would take you by surprise to learn that it is yet again....defence.Koltsov's attitude problems have been well doccumented, but the guy is a mobile defender with a bowling ball like frame, who hits hard and has solid offensive skill. Has a real nasty streak from time to time. He just needs to understand and accept his resposibilities in his own zone better.
#11). STANISLAV CHISTOV (RW): Know he's not really a prospect, but hasn't played an HFNHL game and qualifies as one by HFNHL standads at least. Has tremendous skill and is a candidate to do extremely well in the new-look NHL. if he comes bac from Europe that is.
#12). AARON ROGERS (D): No this is not a Joke. There are more D-men in buffalo's top 15 that all other pages combined. Definitely a big physical stay at homer with very limited offensive tools. That said, nearly made the team as an 18 year out of juniors, so the ability to be a regular solid blueliner is definitely a good possibility.
#13). T.J. Hensick (C): Smaill speedy center with a lot of offensive skill. tremendous scoerer and playmaker, but is very small, and tends to stay away from traffic. still a long way off...but one to watch (ala Welwood and Svatos)
#14). BOYD GORDON (RW): More of the gritty grinding, hard working type that usually is suited to the joys of checking lines etc rather than attacking. ready to go whenever called upon. expect for him to be with the team in 12 moths time.
#15). RON HAINSEY (D): yet another D-man. This is a unique situation where the player is probably alrady a pro technically, but stays a prospect here due to neven playing a pro game in the HFNHL.
#1). RYAN MILLER (G): Arguably the #1 goaltending prospect in the HFNHL. Lehtonen possibly has the higher upside, but Miller has been impressive pretty much wherever he's gone. He's an absolute lock to make the team next season, and might be the starter ahead of Roloson. Some thought he should have been the man between the pipes for team USA at the olympics.
#2). GILBERT BRULE (C): A feisty and skilled center who plays tough despite his reasonably small stature. Needs to fill out a bit, but has put up decent numbers in his short stint in the pro's as an 18 year old. Compares to a slightly less gritty but more skilled version of mike peca. Looks likely to be a future #1 or #2 pivot.
#3). RYAN SUTER (D): Great young prospect who has broken in earlier than expected. Is learning to develop his offensive skills as the pro-level and hasn't looked out of his depth so far. Not Dion Phaneuf, but he's defintely got the makings of a #2 or maybe even #1 blueliner.
#4). ANDREW LADD (LW): Great young power forward who is just starting to look like he can handle himself at the pro level. Had some questions regarding skating and ability to create chances for himself offensively, but he works hard, is strong and has good size, and a real nose for the net. Now, if he could only find a way to move ahead of Nash and Frolov at the pro's
#5). RYAN WHITNEY (D): An offensive D-man and a good young one at that. Looks like the future PP QB of the team. Has very good size and while not fantastic in his own zone, certainly isn't horrid. Could be yet another top 2 or 3 level blueline coming down the pipes here in buffalo.
#6). FEDOR TYUTIN (D): Yet another D-man on the Sabres prospect list that looks likely to make to make a mjor contribution within the next 12-18 months. By the start of the 07-08 season, we could be seeing a near new blueline. Good two way D-man with some nice offensive skills, but doesn't give it up easily in his own zone either. Good offensice guy on a stopper pairing, or a stay at homer on an offensive pairing. A year or two ahead of Whitney and Suter, is a lock to make the roster next season.
#7). MARC STAAL (D): And the Sabres ever increasing stable of gifted young blueliners continues. Throw in Bouwmeester, Hannan and Orpik from the pro's, and this is one really scary group. Definitely a stopper kind. He's big, mobile and fantastic in his own zone. Looked great at the WJC's. his only downside is his offensive output. Otherwise, the ideal stay at home type.
#8). TRAVIS ZAJAC (C): The Sabres had him projected in the mid to late 1st round, so they were happy to grab him in the 2nd. Looks very good at North Dakota and is 2nd on the team in scoring. A nicely balanced player with good size and skill and a bit of toughness to go with it. Upside is probably a #2 center, but should make it to the pro's in some capacity. NJ don't usually miss with their high picks.
#9). Shawn Belle (D): Awesome athlete. One of the best in hockey. Good mobile D. Defitnely not going to be confused as a PP QB at the pro-level, even if his numbers were good in juniors last season. Hits like a truck....going down hill, with a load of cement in the back...get the picture? Probably still 2-3 years away from an HFNHL debut. particularly with the depth of talent in front of him.
#10). KIRILL KOLTSOV (D): Want to hasard a guess at Buffalo's focus since Pitt took over the team in late 2001? Didn't think it would take you by surprise to learn that it is yet again....defence.Koltsov's attitude problems have been well doccumented, but the guy is a mobile defender with a bowling ball like frame, who hits hard and has solid offensive skill. Has a real nasty streak from time to time. He just needs to understand and accept his resposibilities in his own zone better.
#11). STANISLAV CHISTOV (RW): Know he's not really a prospect, but hasn't played an HFNHL game and qualifies as one by HFNHL standads at least. Has tremendous skill and is a candidate to do extremely well in the new-look NHL. if he comes bac from Europe that is.
#12). AARON ROGERS (D): No this is not a Joke. There are more D-men in buffalo's top 15 that all other pages combined. Definitely a big physical stay at homer with very limited offensive tools. That said, nearly made the team as an 18 year out of juniors, so the ability to be a regular solid blueliner is definitely a good possibility.
#13). T.J. Hensick (C): Smaill speedy center with a lot of offensive skill. tremendous scoerer and playmaker, but is very small, and tends to stay away from traffic. still a long way off...but one to watch (ala Welwood and Svatos)
#14). BOYD GORDON (RW): More of the gritty grinding, hard working type that usually is suited to the joys of checking lines etc rather than attacking. ready to go whenever called upon. expect for him to be with the team in 12 moths time.
#15). RON HAINSEY (D): yet another D-man. This is a unique situation where the player is probably alrady a pro technically, but stays a prospect here due to neven playing a pro game in the HFNHL.
i smell some lehtonen vs miller competition coming up in the HFNHL
