Well, I guess its time to talk Draft intrigue

by sfg79 on Jan 20, 2012 1:15 PM EST

Yep, its been heck of a season. At this point I have moved my Sabre emotions from the "hey we can still win" column over to the "Lets talk top 5 pick" Column.

Lets face it, our team is steamrolling its way to the draft lottery, and if it keeps going this way...all the way to a real shot at #1 overall..and that's where I got to thinking.

For this year's draft, a few things are given:

1. The top 2 prospects in the draft are all but set in stone. According to most reports Nail Yakupov and Mikail Grigorenko are far and away the top to kids in this year's class

2. Darcy Regier doesn't like Russians. Since being burned by his 1st round pick in 2000 (Kryukov), Darcy has only selected 4 Russians in the draft...NONE higher than the 4th round. In fact, he hasn't draft ANY Russians since 2005.

So, knowing those 2 things and assuming that Regier still runs this team @ the draft this summer...are we looking at the Sabres passing on top level talent? My thought is 100% YES.

This is a fanpost written by a member of the community, it doesn't necessarily express the views or opinions of Die by the Blade

Tweet Comment 35 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

So, knowing those 2 things and assuming that Regier still runs this team @ the draft this summer

That might be a big assumption

flayed ones stealth mode

"Fleshling! Do not shoot! For I am one of you fleshy things. It is I. Your Uncle Stan. Can't you tell by the long strips of fleshy substances covered in bodily fluids? Trust me! I have fleeeeeeeeesh."

by mob16151 on Jan 20, 2012 1:55 PM EST reply actions

Also, not sure we'd have a shot at either one of them.

I think we could end up as a top 5 pick, but not top 2.

Honestly I dont know much of the prospects this year. So Id be interested in seeing whose the 2-7 ranked players eligable this year.

I hate that I love Buffalo.

by bflo on Jan 20, 2012 2:06 PM EST reply actions

Lottery Baby...

All you need is a bad season and a dream!

DC Chocolate City!

by djc1877 on Jan 20, 2012 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

is that like a dollar and a dream?

LOL!

by boonies191 on Jan 21, 2012 12:17 PM EST up reply actions

I know Darcy doesn’t like Russians, but if he were to casually pass up on the talent in this year’s draft that happens to be Russian, he should be fired. But Geolover will support him.

by Philaster on Jan 20, 2012 2:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

'MERICA!

I hate that I love Buffalo.

by bflo on Jan 20, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions

Well, I don’t think we’ll manage to catch up to the bottom 2 or 3 in this draft, unfortunately. And if we did, I think that Darcy would absolutely take a North American based russian with our first pick.

That said, if we’re going to be 5th overall, or something we could hope that we could get Alex Galchenyuk, take another defenseman, or package something to trade up for one of the top 2 picks.

by Andrew Brautigam on Jan 20, 2012 2:44 PM EST reply actions

North American based russian

I think that is a big difference. A Russian who came to play Jrs in Canada seems to me like one who wants to play in the NHL, as opposed to a Russian who exclusively came up through the ranks in his homeland.

I fight with psychological warfare, I made her a Sabres fan…

by VFN FTW on Jan 20, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

I agree with you generally

Felix Schutz was on the farm for awhile and had an OHL pedigree too but the Sabres dumped him too. But his talent level is nowhere near these guys.

by Philaster on Jan 20, 2012 3:33 PM EST up reply actions

Schutz is German…

by lassathrax on Jan 21, 2012 3:24 AM EST up reply actions

I was being more general in my comparison with European hockey players who play in the OHL. Not just Russians.

by Philaster on Jan 21, 2012 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

The emergence of the KHL has a lot to do with fewer Russians being drafted. Not saying that Darcy doesn’t have a bias there, but if he does it probably has less to do with guys like Kryukov and more to do with guys like Radulov.

by Frank Reich Revolution on Jan 20, 2012 3:12 PM EST reply actions

Not just Kriukov. Kalinin didn’t really pan out as a first rounder. Zagrapan and Novotny were Czech, not Russian, but neither of them panned out either. Although he has also drafted Enroth and Armia. I remember Armia was a no brainer though.

by Philaster on Jan 20, 2012 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

Personally, I wouldn't call someone who played 9 years in the NHL a bust.

Disappointing, maybe. But not a bust.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Jan 20, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

I didn't call him a bust

Just said that he didn’t really pan out as having first round talent.

by Philaster on Jan 20, 2012 4:49 PM EST up reply actions

Fair enough.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Jan 21, 2012 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

All about the $

I can’t speak for Darcy, but from what I read back when the KHL became a force needed to be considered… Darcy was drafting under Golisano’s checkbook. Now with Pegula, Darcy should feel confident that he can compete with the financial resources of the KHL teams for these young talents. Can’t say for certain, but just saying…

DC Chocolate City!

by djc1877 on Jan 20, 2012 7:57 PM EST up reply actions

1) There are a lot of highly regarded defensemen in this draft.

2) We are one of the few teams down at the bottom who don’t need defensive help (the system is pretty stacked at D).

While I don’t think whoever picks #1 will pass on Yakupov (not that I think he’s even a great fit for us), It’s not a guarantee that Grigorenko goes 2nd overall even though he’s the #2-ranked (North American) player. Carolina, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Tampa all need help on the back end. If we pick 5th, there’s a shot Grigorenko is still available. Even if we pick 7th, Forsberg or Faksa should still be around.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Jan 20, 2012 3:32 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Any way we could get another first? Could Darcy thieve one from somebody for roy or staff?

by Andrew Brautigam on Jan 20, 2012 4:54 PM EST reply actions

Package our #1 pick

From what I have read, the draft does not set up that well for us. The top talent besides the top 2 are mostly defenseman. Very limited talent at the center position which is what we need. Personally if I am the GM, I would package our #1 pick with other players NHL and/or AHL and go after the center we need. A package of Stafford, Gragnani, Ennis and a number 1 pick may get the job done. Hate to lose Ennis but have to give to get. Maybe somebody like Cory Tropp could be substituted for Ennis. We need that center and the draft is not going to get it done for us this year. Trade the pick and get what we need!

by OhioSabresfan on Jan 20, 2012 7:03 PM EST reply actions

Centers in the draft: Mikhail Grigorenk, Radek Faksa, Alex Galchenyuk

Wingers: Nail Kakupov, Filip Forsberg

There are high-talent forwards who are not small and Forsberg plays a power-forward game. Any of those guys would be a welcome addition to the team. Besides, the top few teams all need defensive help, so just because Nail and Mikhail are the #1 and #2 rated players, doesn’t mean they’ll go #1 and #2.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Jan 20, 2012 8:13 PM EST up reply actions

Don't disagree

I don’t disagree that any of them would be a welcome addition to the Sabres. The question becomes right now I believe we are in the 7th or 8th position in draft. Let’s say we slide to 5th. Columbus is going to draft either Nail or Mikhail. They need a lot and can’t pass up the best players available. Is it possible that the one who doesnt get picked first slide to us at 5 possible but not likely.Even though defense might be a priority hard to pass up a top line scorer no matter what. That why I can’t see all the other teams passing on the other one. If we want the other one we would have to move up or someone else will. I think our mostly likely pick if we stay at 5 assuming that is where we are would be Radek Faksa. Not a bad pick at all. Question is, is Radek our pick to be our number 1 center in the next year or two at most or is there a better option via trade. Guess we won’t know until we see where we draft and what happens ahead of us.

by OhioSabresfan on Jan 20, 2012 9:01 PM EST up reply actions

If we pick 5th (which I think is a good bet)

I think Faksa and Galchenyuk will still be available and there’s a decent chance Forsberg will be too. I don’t think any of those three will be NHL-ready next year.
If we get/decide to go with one of the two centers, our depth chart (pending trade) looks like 1. Pomers (he’s basically become our first-line center), 2. Roy, 3. Adam, 4. Goose (FA), 5. Armia, 6. Faksa/Galchenyuk. That’s not so bad considering the upside of the young guys.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Jan 20, 2012 9:25 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn’t give up Ennis and after sitting out most of this year so far i would expect him to carry less weight in the trade market than he is worth being a small player and could be considered injury prone

by dubya0750 on Jan 20, 2012 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

So Suck for Galchenyuk?

by Philaster on Jan 21, 2012 1:36 PM EST reply actions

Suck for Galchenyuk!

Kinda catchy don’t you think. Would be a great chant at the next Sabres home game. Maybe some signs also. Let’s go BLUES. Maybe Fail for Nail will work also. What other ones can you start Sabres fans.

by OhioSabresfan on Jan 21, 2012 4:33 PM EST up reply actions

Fail for ’Hail
Had it for Radek
Hit the Iceberg for Forsberg

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"
"Do it or Die Trying."

by FloridaBuffalo on Jan 21, 2012 7:03 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

It looks like 3rd pick overall is in sight.

by Philaster on Jan 21, 2012 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

Fail for Mikhail

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Jan 21, 2012 10:56 PM EST up reply actions

I like it better than fail for hail

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Jan 21, 2012 10:57 PM EST up reply actions

Other ones I’ve seen:
Take a Dip for Filip
Suck like a Ho for Grigorenko

Both are kind of meh to me, but they were from HFBoards, so that kind of explains it.

by Philaster on Jan 23, 2012 2:06 PM EST up reply actions

I think that the Sabres thought that Suck for Luck was meant for them

I also think that as long as the player they draft ends up being a stud, it really doesn’t matter what position he plays. Think about it, if he’s a stud Dman you can have him and Big Easy as a shutdown pair for many years to come. If he’s a stud forward, he’ll either Center the top line or help by making the 2nd line a little more dangerous. And if he’s a stud Goalie, we can trade either Miller or Enroth for what we need @ forward. So as long as he’s a stud I don’t care what we draft and that’s what matters.

by Guido1983 on Jan 23, 2012 3:41 AM EST reply actions

Personally, I’d take that stud centerman 10 million times over. Top draft picks are about immediate (or near-immediate) contribution to the team, as most top picks are just about NHL-ready these days. What does this team need in the immediate future? Center depth. Without much cap space to play with, drafting is an attractive option to address that need.

by lassathrax on Jan 23, 2012 11:01 AM EST up reply actions