St. Louis and San Jose Watch (1st round picks)

[Samsonite23]

Blues win again. Are 500 and just THREE points out of a playoff spot. Outside of the top-5, the west is just pathetic.

Something something ROR something something lost love for the game something something cancer.

But seriously, awesome news.

 

[Woodhouse]

As long as STL gets goaltending, they'll slowly climb in the Western, but how soon do they catch BUF? For instance, if BUF loses next two games AND STL manages eight points here ahead of the break, they'd be even at 52 points... that's not going to happen, right, right? (BUF: CGY,VAN; vs STL: NYI,BOS,OTT,LAK,ANA.)

 

[beerme1]

If that pick ends up in the 7-10 range, I wonder if Botts offers the Blues their 2021 2nd back for them not pushing that pick off to 2020?

Um, NO.

 

[GellMann]

If STL wins their game in hand, they're one point back of the playoffs, and closer to theirs than we are to ours.

 

[Zip15]

Go figure, the Blues get rid of Chad Johnson and suddenly their goaltending gets better. Sounds familiar.

Binnington has stabilized their net situation, at least for now.

As long as STL gets goaltending, they'll slowly climb in the Western, but how soon do they catch BUF? For instance, if BUF loses next two games AND STL manages eight points here ahead of the break, they'd be even at 52 points... that's not going to happen, right, right? (BUF: CGY,VAN; vs STL: NYI,BOS,OTT,LAK,ANA.)

A good poll question: Would you bet your house that Buffalo will finish with more points than St. Louis this season?

 

[Member 308457]

E. Kane with 3 apples last night, all to Hertl Ave. Now he has 16G 21A...when's the last time you saw Kane with more assists than goals? Looks to me he's rounding out as more of a complete player out there. Kudos to him.

 

[Yatzhee]

E. Kane with 3 apples last night, all to Hertl Ave. Now he has 16G 21A...when's the last time you saw Kane with more assists than goals? Looks to me he's rounding out as more of a complete player out there. Kudos to him.

It helps to have seasoned talented vets to play with. The Sharks already had proven finishers on their roster, Kane stepped 8n to the right roster.

 

[Zip15]

E. Kane with 3 apples last night, all to Hertl Ave. Now he has 16G 21A...when's the last time you saw Kane with more assists than goals? Looks to me he's rounding out as more of a complete player out there. Kudos to him.

I only caught the last 12 minutes of the 1st period, but he was also a force on the forecheck. He kept a number of possessions in the offensive zone with his work.

 

[Icicle]

E. Kane with 3 apples last night, all to Hertl Ave. Now he has 16G 21A...when's the last time you saw Kane with more assists than goals? Looks to me he's rounding out as more of a complete player out there. Kudos to him.

Half as many goals as Skinner. Who cares

 

[markpenske]

so, If the Blues miss the playoff the pick goes to St Louis? and, will next year's pick also be protected? do we want the Blues to make the playoff this year? or would it be better to get next year's pick?

 

[Reddawg]

so, do we want the Blues to make the playoff this year? or would it be better to get next year's pick?

Looking over the crop of forwards that will be available in the 11-20 range this year, I'd prefer it if the pick was deferred to next year, personally.

 

[Sabretooth]

so, If the Blues miss the playoff the pick goes to St Louis?

Only if the pick is top 10. They could still miss the playoffs and end up in that 11-15 pick range.

and, will next year's pick also be protected?

Nope, if we get next year's pick we'd get it wherever it ends up.

do we want the Blues to make the playoff this year?

I think many are rooting for them to just miss and end up with the 11th-15th overall pick but closer to 11th obviously.

or would it be better to get next year's pick?

I believe the blues will turn it around and be a playoff team next year so I want this years pick.

 

[Zip15]

Big stretch for the Blues coming up. If they can take even a point in Boston - who played last night in Philly - they could be set up for a push at a wild card. Their three games after Boston: vs OTT, @LA, @ANA.

Half as many goals as Skinner. Who cares

Seems like a needlessly harsh comment given that the poster was merely pointing out that Kane is rounding out his game in SJ, and made a statement that was devoid of any "OMG, I wish he was still in Buffalo" sentiment. Your hostility towards posts that express anything remotely positive regarding an ex-Sabre is tiresome.

 

[truthbluth]

Current draft slots for Sabres:
(10th - Stl)
19th - Buf
28th - Sjs

The Blues are surging, and getting that pick this year has gone from zero chance, to a real possibility, to a likely outcome. You knew that roster wasn't going to suck forever.

Fun factd, and in no way does this draft compare to 2003, but in 2003, the Anaheim Ducks drafted Ryan Getzlaf at 19 and Corey Perry at 28, and then in their D+3 season they carried the Ducks on a deep playoff run, and one year later, they hoisted the cup.

 

[1972]

St. Louis ending up with a top 12 pick would be ideal, but unfortunately in that weak conference they could very well find themselves in a playoff spot. We all kinda knew San Jose would be among the best teams in the league, so no surprise there.

We could end up with something like 14th, 16th and 25th overall. That could bode well for the depth of this team moving forward.

Unless it’s an elite draft year at the top like 2013, I don’t think it really matters all that much picking 14th vs 8th.

 

[Jim Bob]

St. Louis ending up with a top 12 pick would be ideal, but unfortunately in that weak conference they could very well find themselves in a playoff spot. We all kinda knew San Jose would be among the best teams in the league, so no surprise there.

We could end up with something like 14th, 16th and 25th overall. That could bode well for the depth of this team moving forward.

Unless it’s an elite draft year at the top like 2013, I don’t think it really matters all that much picking 14th vs 8th.

I hope Cole Caufield slides to the Sabres and they snap him up.

 

[DON VITO]

Seider

 

[Selanne00008]

St. Louis ending up with a top 12 pick would be ideal, but unfortunately in that weak conference they could very well find themselves in a playoff spot. We all kinda knew San Jose would be among the best teams in the league, so no surprise there.

We could end up with something like 14th, 16th and 25th overall. That could bode well for the depth of this team moving forward.

Unless it’s an elite draft year at the top like 2013, I don’t think it really matters all that much picking 14th vs 8th.

If that were to happen, any reason to take 25 and 16 and move up to the 8-11 range? Or just keep em all and take BPA

 

[1972]

If that were to happen, any reason to take 25 and 16 and move up to the 8-11 range? Or just keep em all and take BPA

Keep 100%, not even a debate for me. 8 doesn’t really guarantee you anything, if anything I think between the two picks you probably have as good or better chance of hitting on a player. I’ll take two shots to get a player vs one shot around 10th OA.




2014 would have been William Nylander for Sonny Milano and David Pastrnak.

2015 would have been Werenski for Barzal and Roslovic

2016 would have been Nylander for Chychrun and Tufte

2017 would have been Mittelstadt for Valimaki and Poehling

 

[missingmika]

Current draft slots for Sabres:
(10th - Stl)
19th - Buf
28th - Sjs

The Blues are surging, and getting that pick this year has gone from zero chance, to a real possibility, to a likely outcome. You knew that roster wasn't going to suck forever.

Fun factd, and in no way does this draft compare to 2003, but in 2003, the Anaheim Ducks drafted Ryan Getzlaf at 19 and Corey Perry at 28, and then in their D+3 season they carried the Ducks on a deep playoff run, and one year later, they hoisted the cup.

So we trade the 19th for Getzlaf and 28th for Perry and in 4 years we win the cup!

 

[Jim Bob]

If that were to happen, any reason to take 25 and 16 and move up to the 8-11 range? Or just keep em all and take BPA

Trade ups like that rarely happen in the NHL.

Top 10 picks almost never move for a package of lower picks.

That is a thing that happens in the NFL Draft all the time and never seems to happen in the NHL Draft.

So, the options with the picks the Sabres will have will be:

- Pick where you are
- Move up a few slots at the cost of a later pick
- Move the pick in a deal for a player

I would want the Sabres to stand pat and picks good players. I think this draft is shaping up to have some good depth to it.

 

[debaser66]

E. Kane with 3 apples last night, all to Hertl Ave. Now he has 16G 21A...when's the last time you saw Kane with more assists than goals? Looks to me he's rounding out as more of a complete player out there. Kudos to him.

Probably a coach who knows how to use him correctly

 

[Yatzhee]

Probably a coach who knows how to use him correctly

More like having the talent around him to get in position to receive his gifts.
But yea, the system played variations, no matter how small, make a difference.
San Jose plays a heavier game with players constantly moving their feet to get position. Something Buffalo does not do.
One thing I truly dislike about Housley, the forwards on the PP as well as 5 on 5 stop and try to find the perfect pass, they don't move enough, not nearly enough, Jack is a prime example, camping along the left wall almost all the time.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Interesting quote from a Jim Rutherford interview on the Athletic.

Jim Rutherford gives details, explanation of blockbuster...

The trade deadline is Feb. 25 and, given Rutherford’s history, he might not be done making deals. However, he insists he isn’t likely to deal his first-round pick, which has become a winter tradition in Pittsburgh.

“I really like this draft coming up,” Rutherford said. “Really, really like it. Now, it will be tempting to trade that pick before Feb. 25, because someone is going to make an offer. Someone will offer something that I hadn’t thought of, and it will be interesting. Anything is possible, to be honest. I’m always looking to make us better. But I tell myself before I go to bed every night that I shouldn’t trade our first-round pick this season.”

Sounds like he really likes the draft this year, and the Pens will likely be picking around where San Jose will (and after St. Louis, if we do get that pick).

 

[truthbluth]

St. Louis now out of the top 10.
If the draft were tomorrow (lottery aside)
Sabres draft:
11 (Stl)
14 (buf)
25 (sjs)