Buffalo Sabres Select Mark Pysyk with 23rd Selection in NHL Draft
by David Oleksy on Jun 25, 2010 10:34 PM EDT
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PrintThe Buffalo Sabres surprised Sabres fans by selecting defenseman Mark Pysyk of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. The Sabres were expected to take a forward with the 23rd selection but after watching things develop, they felt Pysyk was the right selection.
Pysyk is hard to get a read on because he missed a lot of time this season. He suffered a concussion, early in the season and a broken foot ended his season during February. He is a big kid but still hasn't learned to use his size effectively. He is soft along the boards and relies on his reach in the defensive zone.
His offensive potential is limited at this point in his career. He scored seven goals in 48 games in his second season in the WHL. He is likely to be a defensive defenseman if he makes it to the NHL in a couple of seasons.
Pysyk has the size to be a very tough defenseman but he will have to develop a mean streak over the next couple of seasons. His game is one that will frustrate Buffalo fans as a big man that plays soft. He fills a need on the right side of the defense because the Sabres are stacked with left-handed defensemen but beyond that, it was a wasted pick with guys like Emerson Etem still on the board. I never considered Pysyk to be an option because of his lack of physical play.
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I like the pick guys. Just offering my two cents here. I figured the Sabres would move on Etem, so I was a bit surprised, but I think Pysyk is very capable. I agree he’s not as physical as he should be, but I think he can develop into a physical defender. With that said, I like his defensive savvy and think that his responsibility in his own zone is his niche. Would have liked to see him on the Isles, but I certainly believe he can surprise some people in Buffalo in a few seasons.
I cannot wait for Rakh-tober.
He will be ok
If you play the game, you can tell from the reports that he didn’t have a lot of trust in his teammates. He will be a solid d, not flashy. I like this pick a lot. They are looking at a slightly smaller version of Hank. Hopefully, he develops into a partner for Myers.
He’s a rightie. More likely they were looking for a 2nd pairing guy as we’re thin on RH d-men in the organization. With Tinordi and McIlrath gone they decided to address an organizational need. You know they loved his conditioning scores from the combine; Ruff is a freak about conditioning. There was obviously something about Etem that a number of teams didn’t like.
Apparently he’s AHL eligible in 2011-12, so he’s likely to be in Portland next season, after 3 years in the WHL.
Ta,
I wanted Etem for his story and his personality
but you really can’t fault a team for passing up on someone who fell 15-20 spots. Last time we did that in the BLO we missed on all-pro QB Brady Quinn.
The team’s scouting has been excellent the last couple of years, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
The team’s scouting has been excellent the last couple of years, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Thats how Im going about this. We have had a few awesome drafts lately… This will be a wait and see.
Old school Bills tattoo [ √ ] Old school Sabres tattoo [ √ ] ... see the avatar.
Lets Go Buffalo!!
Yeah, I’d even go past the last couple years and say that Buffalo’s North American selections have been consistently good for about a decade.
SFC: Were you excited about Clausen dropping to the Bills pick? Or did you have a feeling that the Bills wouldn’t pick him anyway?
Galliford: Both, like when that hot chick waves at someone she knows standing behind you.
I really don't have a problem with the pick
Especially considering everything I can find about Etem says he would just be more of what we have; a smallish, speedy guy who isn’t a true top-tier playmaker.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
Got to meet him
…guided him around the post-draft onslaught of interviews, autographs, photo shoots, etc. Nice kid, a bit shell shocked (understandably). Got to meet Mike Gilbert (Director of PR) and Mike Robataille too.
I’ll post pics once I figure out where to put them!
Sounds great.....
I hope its just your perspective D.O….
I hope he becomes a good player
I have an issue with a big kid that doesn’t play physical. Based on his post-pick interviews, he seems to be aware of his lack of physicality and is going to work on it. If he adds some physical play to his game, he will be a good pick. He is solid in his own zone and is a great skater.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jun 26, 2010 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions
With McNabb on the way and playing the left side, I have less desire for a nasty guy on the right side. Smooth, efficient puck-mover on one side…. big and nasty on the other sounds like a good 2nd pair to me.
Listening to Devine, they had this kid just behind Gormley and Fowler and when Bjustad, Sheahan and Bennett were gone they had to take who they felt was, by far, the best player available.
I’m more than okay with this pick.
Ta,
Very amateurish report
You sounded like a little kid whining because you didn’t get the toy you wanted for Christmas. I had to go to the other sources for an objective analysis of this draft pick.
By the way, he is not a “big kid,” not at 174 pounds . The main thing is that he’s smart and a great skater, who knows the game.
This is a blog
We are based on opinion, this was not a report as much as my opinion on the pick. The Buffalo News will give you a report on Pysyk and Die by the Blade will share an opinion. I do not like the pick and I shared my opinion. I hope the kid works out but at this point I feel it was wasted pick.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jun 26, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
This is a blog
We are based on opinion, this was not a report as much as my opinion on the pick. The Buffalo News will give you a report on Pysyk and Die by the Blade will share an opinion. I do not like the pick and I shared my opinion. I hope the kid works out but at this point I feel it was wasted pick.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jun 26, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Also
There is no denying he plays a soft game and needs to develop more physically. Here is what Future Considerations had to say about his weaknesses.
Weaknesses: Is far too passive and needs to play with more intensity and desire. Plays with no physicality at all and
is often overpowered by even smaller forwards on the boards. Questions about his upside persist as he has not yet
been able to dominate against Major Junior competition.
He definitely has some value or no team would have selected him in the first round. I just don’t think a player like him will make it in Buffalo. I hope he works out but Sabres fans hate a guy that is big and doesn’t play physical. He will get run out of town unless he decides to play a more physical game.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jun 26, 2010 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Yet they'll love him for everything else.
Especially that he plays through injuries, put a bad team on his back at times and is a steady first pass defenseman, something everyone has been clamoring for.
Brian Campbell was/is one of the least physical defensemen the Sabres have had recently and the fans ran him all the way to the all-star game.
by twoeightnine on Jun 26, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I hope so I really do
I keep thinking of Dmitri Kalinin and that scares me.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Jun 26, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Except Kalinin couldn't skate.
Hopefully, that’s not the case with Pysyk (and by most accounts it’s it doesn’t appear to be).
Save Jenrry Mejia!
Steal of the Draft
Pysyk is going to be a top line defensemen for the Sabres, and his stay at home demeanor will be a perfect compliment to the more offensive minded Myers.
It’s hard to believe Pysyk fell from #7 to #23. He has no flaws in his game. He has great speed, a wonderful crisp outlet pass, and a hard shot (when he uses it). While he is not as physical as he should be, he admits to it and will insert it into his game this year.
All that being said, I was shocked that the Sabres took him over Etem, who was ranked just behind Pysyk at #8. A big, fast, checking, scoring center was what the Sabres needed, and he certainly fit that bill.
Why the pass on Etem?
Well, the Sabres already have an Etem in Luke Adam. That, plus the fact they really wanted someone more physical (Riley Sheahan), and all their targets were off the board.
Luckily they landed Kevin Sundher who fell all the way into their laps in the third round. Sundher (6-0, 192 lbs) plays hard, has great vision and speed, and is projected to be a 2nd or maybe a 3rd line center.
All that being said, I would have preferred Etem over Pysyk, as Etem is projected to possibly become the face of the franchise of the Mighty Ducks, but, it is what it is, and we got a great kid in Pysyk
Etem is only projected to possibly become the face of the franchise
because he is a southern California native on a southern California team (who are just the Ducks now by the way).
Save Jenrry Mejia!
I think fowler is going to end up with a bigger impact there over time anyways with the departure of Nieds and the trade of Pronger the only offense the ducks have on the blueline is Lubo, and he’s a bit fragile.
and Yeah Etem is going to be big there because he’s a native, not that he’s a bad player…Fowler is just Fowler though.
by Steven Hida on Jun 28, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
That's Getzlaf, Perry, and Fowler's team now.
Etem is a good story and probably will be a solid contributer (2nd or 3rd liner) like Kaleta or Kennedy is here.
Save Jenrry Mejia!
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