The Draft Position Thread

[Man of Principles]

I don't see a need for Matthews. I think the nucleus of our team is set (Jack, Sam, ROR, Risto, Kane, Johan). If we get a top 5 pick, great. If we get a top 10 pick, alright. What we need now are the right complementary pieces.

For the record I'd like Laine or Juolevi.

 

[flashsabre]

If this team with the lineup they are icing right now ended up losing most of the remainder of the games and ends up in the bottom 4 then there are bigger problems then what a draft pick could fix.

The Sabres will get a very good player out of this draft and should be ready to compete next year. I trust Murray to pick a guy who will really compliment this young core that looks so promising moving forward.

 

[Not Sure]

I don't see a need for Matthews. I think the nucleus of our team is set (Jack, Sam, ROR, Risto, Kane, Johan). If we get a top 5 pick, great. If we get a top 10 pick, alright. What we need now are the right complementary pieces.

For the record I'd like Laine or Juolevi.

One of those things is not like the others. That's the problem we have now, we are stacked up the middle and have no one to pair with Risto going forward, at this point. Maybe Guhle comes in and ends up turning into a top pair guy, but Risto looks burned out, and Gorges as his partner just makes his job even harder some nights. We need a defensive defenseman who can skate and allow Risto to pinch up, that's when he's at his best. You can almost see his thoughts most nights, he sees a loose puck wants to go down and get it to keep the play alive butoday knows if he gets beat no one will be back to bail him out. It just doesn't seem like that's the game he wants to play, and if we have someone to cover I could see him take another big jump points wise.

 

[yahhockey]

I would happily luck out into the #1 pick and take Matthews or whomever TM thinks is the top prospect in the draft. If they wind up drafting in the 6-10 range it's not the end of the world. Including the upcoming 2016 draft the Sabres have drafted in the top 10 four soon to be five times. Those picks are Eichel at 2, Reinhart at 2, Risto at 8 and Vanek and Vanek at 5. Historically this team does not have high draft picks and after picking second for consecutive seasons I think our perception may be skewed. Anything in the top 10 has a good chance to develop into a productive player. Sure we may not be drafting a superstar but something in the 6-10 range could still become a productive member of the future Sabres. Wherever we wind up drafting lets be thankful for the (presumably) top 10 pick because if things go well it may be the last one we have for awhile.

 

[Djp]

Updated........through 3/26 games

10. Ottawa 76 34 33 9 77 wpg min phl PIT FLA bos
8. Montreal 76 34 36 6 74 DET tb fla FLA car TB
9. Arizona 75 34 34 7 75 CGY(m)dal WAS stl chi nsv sj
7. Buffalo 75 31 34 10 72 det(m) pit(t) TOR(r) nyr. nj CBS nyi
6. Winnipeg 75 31 38 6 68 phl(m) OTT CHI MIN ana sj la
5. Calgary 75 31 38 6 68 Az(m)ana la edm LA VAN min
4. Columbus 75 30 37 8 68 was(m) nyi carNYR tor buf CHI
3. Vancouver 75 27 35 13 67 SJ sj ana LA edm cgy EDM
2. Edmonton 78 30 41 7 67 ANA(m) CGY VAN van
1. Toronto 74 27 36 11 65 tb(m ) fla buf DET FLA CBS phl nj

 

[Castrophy]

I'm not worried about the draft position at all this year. As Murray said the 4 to 11 range is a lot closer then in previous years. I have no problem picking anywhere in the top 10 maybe even top 12 depending on who is picked before. That being said I've had a feeling we will get some lottery luck all season.

 

[Ace]

Finish 8, pick 9 has been my feeling for a while. I'm good with it as I like 11 players in this draft a lot.

 

[Husko]

So every single game but one went the wrong way for the tank tonight?

 

[Beerz]

I forgot ..is just #1 up for lottery or is 1-3 up for lottery this year?

 

[Jame]

I forgot ..is just #1 up for lottery or is 1-3 up for lottery this year?

1 thru 3

 

[Beerz]

1 thru 3

Good. We're due for some hockey god good fortune.

 

[Vito_81]

Good. We're due for some hockey god good fortune.

It would definitely be a bit poetic Two tank years and two lottery losses. We're due for a lottery win in the non-tank year!

 

[Deevo]

I forgot ..is just #1 up for lottery or is 1-3 up for lottery this year?

http://nhllotterysimulator.com/ does a good job of emulating the format

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

My one and only time using the simulator just now gave me WPG EDM and Buffalo. I'll gladly take #3

 

[Djp]

My one and only time using the simulator just now gave me WPG EDM and Buffalo. I'll gladly take #3

Simulator still favors Edmonton....

 

[Dirty Dog]

Simulator still favors Edmonton....

And why wouldn't it lol

 

[DazedandConfused]

Simulator still favors Edmonton....

Atleast we know it's accurate then.

 

[SundherDome]

http://nhllotterysimulator.com/ does a good job of emulating the format

Ran it twice

1 ARZ NJD BUF
2 BUF ARZ CAR

Im good with either. I would love to see Arizona or New Jersey get an impact player.

 

[TehDoak]

Looking at the remaining Schedule:

@ Detroit- Loss. At least it should be, Detroit needs the points
@ Pittsburgh: 2nd game in a row on the road, 3rd in 4 nights vs a team playing well. Loss
Leafs: SHOULD be a win, Toronto, at home.
@NYR. Unless the rangers decide to take the day off, should be another loss
@NJD, Probably a 50/50 here. I'll say OTL
CBJ: last home game, columbus with nothing to play for. Should be a W
@NYI. Probably depends on if NYI has a spot locked up not. I'll say a desperate NYI team. Loss

So, that's 2-4-1 down the stretch, or 77 points. Should put us between 5-7 for a draft pick.

 

[Ace]

Detroit has needed the points all month and it hasn't stopped them from failing. We've gotten more points than them the last two months.

Their coach reamed them out so they'll be clutching those sticks extra tight and we will be loose as hell. I mean...we've played them 3 one goal games and our team is playing better now than it was any of those times...and they're playing worse.

I think, unless Johnson completely ***** the bed...and he will one of these games, we beat them.

Lose to Pitt
Beat Toronto
Lose to Rags
Beat the Devils
Beat CBus
Lose to Isles

80 points.

List depends on who's playing goal. They could throw Kasdorf out against CBus or NJ and I'll change my vote.

 

[WhyteAveJesus]

Juolevi or Chychrun would be very complimentary on the backend. Obviously Chychrun's been slipping a lot since his #2 projection last year, but it's easy to blame that on the shoulder injury, whether it's going to be career compromising is hit or miss but all the amateur scouts seem to think he'll hop back on his track to improvement.

 

[Chainshot]

That Wings game, I can't wait to hear another Dylan Larkin slurp fest.

 

[Der Jaeger]

That Wings game, I can't wait to hear another Dylan Larkin slurp fest.

Just checked after you wrote that.... wasn't tracking that it was on NBCSN. Now I've got 24 hours to prepare mentally.

 

[ForsakenSabre]

Just checked after you wrote that.... wasn't tracking that it was on NBCSN. Now I've got 24 hours to prepare mentally.

Larkin has been preparing by dining on only pineapple the past week or so.

 

[flashsabre]

Juolevi or Chychrun would be very complimentary on the backend. Obviously Chychrun's been slipping a lot since his #2 projection last year, but it's easy to blame that on the shoulder injury, whether it's going to be career compromising is hit or miss but all the amateur scouts seem to think he'll hop back on his track to improvement.

Don't forget Sergachev, might be the best of the group.