DBTB –
Greetings my friends and fellow draft nerds! It’s been awhile. I’ll admit, like the down year the Buffalo Sabres had, my draft prep for this season also hit a down year. Just a lot going on and I did not have as much time as usual. But unlike the Blue and Gold, we’re back on the horse and ready to finish out Draft season strong! So let’s get into it!
Like it’s older, more profitable brethren, most of the junior circuit is in the throes of their respective playoffs. Some, like the NCAA, have even managed to wrap up their season. Congratulations to Western Michigan, BTW. Nice work Matteo Consantini! But while a number of players have finished their club seasons, the good news is that the World Junior Under-18 tournament starts in just a couple days. And of all places, it’s in Texas, good ol’ USA! This will be the last of the major events for many of these players to really showcase their games, so look for some movement up or down the Board. It’s also a great time for a number of kids to get some shine on their name for next year’s class.
But back to this season. It’s been a strange one, I’ll give you that. I expected this season to have a number of high-end power centers populate the Top 32. And they would slot in with well-known players like James Hagens and Mike Misa, smaller offensive powerhouses who together would make it a formidable Draft Class. But something strange happened on the way to the Forum…
Injuries. A lot of injuries, some really significant. Two players that were thought to be surefire Top 10 players, if not Top 5, missed a big chunk of time. Anton Frondell, the broad-shouldered center with the laser beam of a shot, was banged up early and started slow, threatening to fall out of the Top 20 by the time American Thanksgiving hit. He would later get right after New Year’s and finish incredibly strong. And Roger McQueen, the massive 6’5 centerman with the Charmin-soft hands, a guy who I had as my preseason #1 overall, fell victim to a serious back injury that caused him to miss 2/3 of the season and now, in the playoffs, to miss more time as the injury has acted up again. That’s a killer. A lot of questions about him and his long-term health. But that’s not all!
The presumptive #1 overall, blueliner Matt Schaefer, had a checkered season as well. He only managed 20 or so games before he went down with a broken collarbone and hasn’t returned since. And why should he hurry back? He’s still being touted as the #1 overall! How he remains the #1 overall, I don’t know, but he’s a very talented player who has only played a quarter of the season. The two Carters, Bear and Amico, were both players slotted for the 1st round…and in Bear’s case, a possible spot in the Top 10. Bear suffered an Achilles injury late in the regular season. And Amico, a 6’5 mobile defender who could have threatened for a Top 20 spot, had an even shorter season as he suffered a knee injury after about a dozen games and missed the rest of the season. And big Lynden Lakovic, the massive wing oozing with skill, missed more than a month and 20+ games with a lower-body injury. He was on the verge of locking up a Top 10 spot.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. There are injuries every year, McGee! But these seemed particularly plentiful and extensive for some of the top players in the class. What could have been!
Other players made huge changes in their level of competition. Players like Radim Mrtka, the likely #2 defender on the Board, switched mid-season from the senior Men’s League in Czechia to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, and excelled. It’s vaulted him into the Top 10, and possibly higher. Others like Russian center Ivan Ryabkin, Czech goalie Michel Pradel, American centerman Will Horcoff, Czech back-ender Max Psenicka, German forward David Lewandowski and massive Chinese-Canadian defender Simon Wang have all jumped leagues to play against more visible, and in some cases tougher, competition. And it impacted their positioning on the Board.
So, it’s been a crazy year. But a few things have remained constant. First, it’s not a great draft class. There are some really talented kids in, say, the Top 5. Hagens, Misa, Martone, Schaefer, even Frondell are players that are almost certainly Top 6 forwards, or Top 4 defenders, on nearly every team in the League. Some may even wind up higher on the depth charts…first-line or first-pair players, multiple All-Stars. But no one that’s going to change the complexion of the NHL right out of the box. No Connor Bedards, for sure. And even he’s had a tough time of it! Second, many of the guys are the top of the list at the beginning are likely going to be there at the end. To me, only Schaefer and Bear really came from outside the Top 10 for me…and Schaefer was right on the cusp at season’s start. Guys like Ryabkin and McQueen fell off, Will Moore never really got going, and Malcolm Spence didn’t expand his game like I was waiting for. But the fixtures – Misa, Hagens, Martone, and eventually Frondell – those guys came to play. And their draft position will likely highlight that.
So sit back and relax and enjoy some good old fashioned Draft prognostication. For those wondering, I used Tankathon for the Lotto, half the teams are locked in, and then filled in as the rest per where they fell in the playoff seeding.
Thanks everyone for reading and look forward to getting down to the nitty-gritty. Woo…ha, Sabres on the warpath, Woo…ha…
ROUND ONE:
1#1 NY ISLANDERS: Mike Misa, 6’0 C, OHL
1#2 NASHVILLE: Matthew Schaefer, 6’1 LHD, OHL
1#3 SAN JOSE: Radim Mrtek, 6’6 RHD, WHL
1#4 CHICAGO: Porter Martone, 6’3 RW, OHL
1#5 PHILADELPHIA: Anton Frondell, 6’1 C, SWE
1#6 BOSTON: Caleb Desnoyers, 6’1 C, QMJHL
1#7 SEATTLE: James Hagens, 5’10 C/W, NCAA
1#8 BUFFALO: Jack Nesbitt, 6’4 C, OHL
1#9 ANAHEIM: Viktor Eklund, 5’11 LW, SWE
1#10 PITTSBURGH: Jake O’Brien, 6’2 C, OHL
1#11 NY RANGERS: Brady Martin, 6’0 C, OHL
1#12 DETROIT: Ben Kindel, 5’11 C/W, WHL
1#13 COLUMBUS: Cullen Potter, 5’10 LW, NCAA
1#14 UTAH: Kashawn Aitchison, 6’2 LHD, OHL
1#15 VANCOUVER: Lynden Lakovic, 6’4 W, WHL
1#16 MONTREAL (CALGARY): Malcolm Spence, 6’1 LW, OHL
1#17 MONTREAL: Jackson Smith, 6’3 LHD, WHL
1#18CALGARY (NEW JERSEY): Justin Carbonneau, 6’1 LW, QMJHL
1#19 ST LOUIS: Carter Bear, 6’1 LW, WHL
1#20 COLUMBUS (MINNESOTA): Roger McQueen, 6’5 C, WHL
1#21 OTTAWA: Logan Hensler, 6’2 RHD, NCAA
1#22 CALGARY (FLORIDA): Will Moore, 6’2 C, US NTDP
1#23 CAROLINA: Ilya Ryabkin, 6’0 C, RUS
1#24 PHILADELPHIA (EDMONTON): Cole Reschny, 5’10 C/W, WHL
1#25 PHILADELPHIA (COLORADO): Blake Fiddler, 6’4 RHD, WHL
1#26 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Josh Ravensbergen, 6’4 G, WHL
1#27 LOS ANGELES: Bill Zonnon, 6’3 C/RW, QMJHL
1#28 DALLAS: Ryker Lee, 5’11 C, US HS
1#29 CHICAGO (TORONTO): Carter Amico, 6’5 RHD, US NTDP
1#30 NASHVILLE (VEGAS): Jack Murtaugh, 6’0 C, US NTDP
1#31 WINNIPEG: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, 6’3 RW, SWE
1#32 WASHINGTON: Erik Nilson, 6’0 C, SWE
ROUND TWO:
2#1 SAN JOSE: Alex Zharovsky, 6’1 RW, RUS
2#2 CHICAGO: Henry Bruzustewicz, 6’2 RHD, OHL
2#3 NASHVILLE: Braeden Cootes, 6’0 C, WHL
2#4 PHILADELPHIA: Kurban Limatov, 6’4 LHD, RUS
2#5 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Cam Reid, 6’0 LHD, OHL
2#6 SEATTLE: Peyton Kettles, 6’5 RHD, WHL
2#7 BUFFALO: Vaclav Nestrasil, 6’4 RW, USHL
2#8 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): Shane Vanshagi, 6’3 C, NCAA
2#9 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Cole McKinney, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#10 NY ISLANDERS: Milton Gastrin, 6’2 C, SWE
2#11 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Nathan Behm, 6’2 RW, WHL
2#12 DETROIT: Cameron Schmidt, 5’8 W, WHL
2#13 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): Sasha Boumedienne, 6’2 LHD, NCAA
2#14 UTAH: Adam Benak, 5’8 C, USHL
2#15 VANCOUVER: Simon Wang, 6’6 LHD, OJHL
2#16 CALGARY: Malte Vaas, 6’2 LHD, SWE
2#17 MONTREAL: Ed Genbourg, 6’2 W, SWE
2#18 NEW JERSEY: Vojtech Cinar, 6’1 LW, CZE
2#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Ben Kevan, 5’11 C, USHL
2#20 MINNESOTA: Charlie Trethawey, 6’1 RHD, US NTDP
2#21 OTTAWA: Ayrtom Vilchinsky, 6’6 LHD, RUS
2#22 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Gus Hillstrom, 6’2 C, SWE
2#23 CAROLINA: Max Westergard, 5’11 LW, SWE
2#24 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Jacob Rombach, 6’6 LHD, USHL
2#25 CALGARY (COLORADO): Karl Annborn, 6’1 RHD, SWE
2#26 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Ethan Czata, 6’1 C, OHL
2#27 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Zach Morin, 6’2 LW, QMJHL
2#28 DALLAS: Will Horcoff, 6’4 W, NCAA
2#29 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Pyotr Andreyanov, 6’0 G, RUS
2#30 VEGAS: Tomas Pobezal, 5’11 C, SVK
2#31 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Will Sharpe, 6’1 LHD, WHL
2#32 WASHINGTON: Luka Radivojevic, 5’10 RHD, SWE
ROUND THREE:
3#1 VEGAS (SAN JOSE): Arvid Drott, 6’1 RW, SWE
3#2 CHICAGO: Conrad Fondrik, 6’0 C, US NTDP
3#3 NASHVILLE: Mason West, 6’6 RW, US HS
3#4 PHILADELPHIA: Alexander Medvedev, 6’1 G, OHL
3#5 BOSTON: Edison Engle, 6’2 LHD, USHL
3#6 SEATTLE: Theo Hallsqvith, 6’2 RHD, SWE
3#7 BUFFALO: Semyon Frolov, 6’3 G, RUS
3#8 ANAHEIM: Lasse Boelius, 6’0 LHD, FIN
3#9 PITTSBURGH: David Bedkowsky, 6’5 RHD, OHL
3#10 NY ISLANDERS: Matthew Gard, 6’5 LW, WHL
3#11 UTAH (NY RANGERS): Jack Ivankovic, 6’0 G, OHL
3#12 DETROIT: Zeb Lindgren, 6’2 LHD, SWE
3#13 COLUMBUS: David Lewandowski, 6’1 C, WHL
3#14 UTAH: Max Psenicka, 6’4 RHD, CZE
3#15 MONTREAL (VANCOUVER): Mateo Nobert, 6’0 C, QMJHL
3#16 CALGARY: Cooper Simpson, 6’1 W, US HS
3#17 MONTREAL: Reese Hamilton, 6’0 LHD, WHL
3#18 NEW JERSEY: Max Agafonov, 6’2 RHD, RUS
3#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Melvin Novotny, 6’1 LW, SWE
3#20 PITTSBURGH (MINNESOTA): Maceo Phillips, 6’5 LHD, US NTDP
3#21 PITTSBURGH (OTTAWA): Hayden Paupanekis, 6’4 C/W, WHL
3#22 OTTAWA (FLORIDA): Will Belle, 6’4 W, US NTDP
3#23 WASHINGTON (CAROLINA): Shamar Moses, 6’2 RW, OHL
3#24 SAN JOSE (EDMONTON): Theo Stockselius, 6’2 W, SWE
3#25 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Oliver Sjostrom, 5’10 LHD, SWE
3#26 CAROLINA (TAMPA BAY): Carlos Handel, 6’1 RHD, QMJHL
3#27 LOS ANGELES: Mikkel Eriksen, 6’0 C, NWY
3#28 DALLAS: Danill Skvortsov, 6’4 LHD, OHL
3#29 ANAHEIM (TORONTO): Owen Conrad, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
3#30 NEW JERSEY (VEGAS): Filip Ekberg, 5’10 LW, OHL
3#31 WINNIPEG: Michel Svrcek, 5’10 C, SWE
3#32 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Jan Chovan, 6’2 C, FIN
ROUND FOUR:
4#1 SAN JOSE: Lucas Beckman, 6’2 G, QMJHL
4#2 CHICAGO: Jimmy Lombardi, 6’0 C, OHL
4#3 NASHVILLE: Vit Zahesjsky, 5’10 C/W, WHL
4#4 PHILADELPHIA: Luca Romano, 5’11 C, OHL
4#5 DETROIT (BOSTON): Samuel Meloche, 6’3 G, QMJHL
4#6 SEATTLE: Tommy Lafreniere, 6’1 C, WHL
4#7 BUFFALO: Linus Funck, 6’3 RHD, SWE
4#8 ANAHEIM: Gabriel d’Aigle, 6’4 G, QMJHL
4#9 PITTSBURGH: Viktor Klingsell, 5’10 W, SWE
4#10 NY ISLANDERS: Alex Huang, 6’0 RHD, QMJHL
4#11 NY RANGERS: Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, 6’0 LHD, NCAA
4#12 DETROIT: Atte Joki, 6’1 C, FIN
4#13 COLUMBUS: Ondrej Stebatack, 6’2 G, WHL
4#14 UTAH: Mason Moe, 6’1 C, USHL
4#15 COLORADO (VANCOUVER): Sean Barnhill, 6’5 RHD, USHL
4#16 CALGARY: Matous Kucharcik, 6’4 C, CZE
4#17 MONTREAL: Aron Dahlqvist, 6’3 LHD, SWE
4#18 NEW JERSEY: Roberto Henriquez, 6’2 G, NAHL
4#19 COLUMBUS (ST LOUIS): Phillipe Veilluex, 5’9 W, QMJHL
4#20 BUFFALO (MINNESOTA): Ryan Miller, 6’0 C, WHL
4#21 VANCOUVER (OTTAWA): Kale Dach, 5’10 C/W, BCHL
4#22 FLORIDA: Teddy Mutryn, 6’1 C, USHL
4#23 CAROLINA: Alvar Ervasti, 6’3 LHD, FIN
4#24 TAMPA BAY (EDMONTON): Anthony Allaine-Samake, 6’0 LHD, USHL
4#25 COLORADO: Nathan Quinn, 5’10 C, QMJHL
4#26 TAMPA BAY: Roman Baushov, 6’6 RHD, RUS
4#27LOS ANGELES: Owen Martin, 6’0 RW, WHL
4#28 SEATTLE (DALLAS): Brandon Gorzynski, 6’2 LW, WHL
4#29 TORONTO: Carson Cameron, 6’1 RHD, OHL
4#30 VEGAS: Tomas Mikel, 6’4 RHD, USHL
4#31 DALLAS (WINNIPEG): Jeremy Loranger, 5’10 C, BCHL
4#32 WASHINGTON: Patryk Zubek, 6’3 LHD, SVK
ROUND FIVE:
5#1 FLORIDA (SAN JOSE): Michal Pradel, 6’4 G, SVK
5#2 PITSBURGH (CHICAGO): Elijah Neuenschwander, 6’4 G, SWISS
5#3 NASHVILLE: Will Reynolds, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
5#4 PHILADELPHIA: Danill Prokhorov, 6’6 RW, RUS
5#5 BOSTON: Carter Klippenstein, 6’3 C, WHL
5#6 SEATTLE: Luke Vlooswyk, 6’4 RHD, WHL
5#7 BUFFALO: Artyom Gonchar, 6’0 LHD, RUS
5#8 ANAHEIM: Harry Nansi, 6’3 C/W, OHL
5#9 PITTSBURGH: Viggo Nordlund, 5’10 W, SWE
5#10 NY ISLANDERS: Louis Antoine-Denault, 6’8 G, QMJHL
5#11 NY RANGERS: Liam Pettersson, 6’2 LHD, SWE
5#12 DETROIT: Quinn Beauchesne, 6’0 LHD, OHL
5#13 MINNESOTA (COLUMBUS): Evan Passmore, 6’4 RHD, OHL
5#14 UTAH: Tyler Hopkins, 6’1 C, OHL
5#15 VANCOUVER: Emile Guite, 6’2 RW, QMJHL
5#16 CALGARY: Jon Brown, 6’2 RHD, US HS
5#17MONTREAL: Tomas Poletin, 6’0 LW, FIN
5#18 DALLAS (NEW JERSEY): Aiden Foster, 6’2 W, WHL
5#19 ST LOUIS: Ashton Schultz, 6’0 C, USHL
5#20 NY RANGERS (MINNESOTA): Alex Misiak, 6’1 RW, USHL
5#21 OTTAWA: Oskar Davidsson, 6’1 LW, SWE
5#22 FLORIDA: Jake Crawford, 6’3 C, OHL
5#23 PHILADEPHIA (CAROLINA): Jesper Kotajarvi, 5’11 LHD, FIN
5#24 ANAHEIM (EDMONTON): Jordan Gavin, 5’11 C/LW, WHL
5#25 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Mads Klyvo, 6’2 LW, SWE
5#26 TAMPA BAY: Jasper Inkinen, 6’0 W, FIN
5#27LOS ANGELES: Love Haremstem, 6’1 G, SWE
5#28 DALLAS: David Roszival, 5’11 W, CZE
5#29 MINNESOTA (TORONTO): Aiden Lane, 6’1 RW, CCHL
5#30 VEGAS: Matej Pekar, 5’11 W, WHL
5#31 WINNIPEG: Jere Somervuori, 6’0 LW, FIN
5#32 WASHINGTON: Mans Goos, 6’5 G, SWE
ROUND SIX:
6#1 NEW JERSEY (SAN JOSE): Kieren Dervin, 6’2 C, CCHL
6#2 CHICAGO: Bruno Osmanis, 5’11 RW, SVK
6#3 NASHVILLE: Will Schneid, 6’0 RW, US HS
6#4 PHILADELPHIA: Travis Hayes, 5’11 RW, OHL
6#5 BOSTON: Brady Peddle, 6’3 LHD, USHL
6#6 NY RANGERS (SEATTLE): Rio Kaiser, 6’7 LHD, OHL
6#7 BUFFALO: Shawn Carrier, 5’10 C/LW, QMJHL
6#8 ANAHEIM: Liam Kilfoil, 5’11 C, QMJHL
6#9 PITTSBURGH: Noah Tegelaar, 6’4 G, OJHL
6#10 NY ISLANDERS: Noah Laberge, 6’1 LHD, QMJHL
6#11 NY RANGERS: LJ Mooney, 5’7 RW, US NTDP
6#12 DETROIT: Brent Solomon, 5’11 RW, US HS
6#13 COLUMBUS: Madox Labre, 6’2 LHD, QMJHL
6#14 UTAH: Stepan Hoch, 6’4 LW, CZE
6#15 VANCOUVER: Burke Hood, 6’4 G, WHL
6#16 CALGARY: Jordan Charron, 6’2 LW, OHL
6#17MONTREAL: Andreas Straka, 6’1 W, QMJHL
6#18 NEW JERSEY: Dmitri Iseyev, 5’10 W, RUS
6#19 ST LOUIS: Ashton Schultz, 6’0 C, USHL
6#20 MINNESOTA: Julius Saari, 6’2 LHD, FIN
6#21 OTTAWA: Tinus Klobar, 6’4 C/W, SWE
6#22 FLORIDA: Jonas Woo, 6’1 RHD, WHL
6#23 CAROLINA: Shaan Kingwell, 5’11 W, CCHL
6#24 EDMONTON: Jon Parsons, 6’3 G, USHL
6#25 NASHVILLE (COLORADO): Jonathan Kapageridis, 6’0 LHD, OJHL
6#26 TAMPA BAY: Nikita Poltavchuk, 5’11 LHD, RUS
6#27LOS ANGELES: Jacob Cloutier, 5’10 RW, OHL
6#28 DALLAS: Patrik Kerkola, 6’3 G, FIN
6#29 TORONTO: Tanner Lam, 5’9 RW, OHL
6#30 VEGAS: Rihards Griva, 5’11 W, GER
6#31 WINNIPEG: Hugo Orrsten, 6’2 C/W, SWE
6#32 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Felix Farhammar, 6’1 LHD, SWE
SABRES HAUL:
Rd1 #8: Jack Nesbitt, 6’4 C, OHL:
This will be considered a bit of a reach here, because at this point, Nesbitt is thought of as potentially a mid-round selection, but I think there’s more in there. Maybe a lot more. He’s a tower of a kid (6’4 185#) who will almost certainly get bigger. And stronger. Yet despite his relative slightness at that height, he plays a power game and plays it well. And he’s trending upwards.
First off, Nesbitt is a big kid and he plays like it. He’s a bear to handle in the corners or around the net. Not only understands leverage but can simply outmuscle kids his size or bigger even if he loses leverage. A huge screen, he plants himself on the top of the crease and is deadly on tips, deflections, rebounds and loose pucks in or around the net front. Has a real nose for the puck. Hand-Eye is top notch. Gets his stick on pucks well outside his range. Brings that same size and positioning into the corners and down low, where he is a possession monster who uses his frame and reach to maintain possession and make it difficult on defenders when cycling.
What makes him stand out as opposed to other big centers are his wheels. Nesbitt skates extremely well for a kid his size. He’s smooth, his turns are tight and pivots clean. He’s not explosively fast, but he’s got an extra gear to get to loose pucks in space or get a step on a defender and put them on his hip on breakaways or drives to the net. Eats up a lot of ice with his long stride. And he uses those wheels effectively. He’s not flashy with his speed but gets back on the backcheck to break up plays, retrieves loose pucks and pressures hard on the forecheck, and get to the middle of the ice when needed.
As a whole, defensively he is advanced for his age. Covers the middle of the ice well, in space and on-puck, and is quick to recognize and engage in puck battles and support. Can be a little slow recognizing layers in transition but that will come. Takes pride in his defense and his attention to details is obvious. Will lay a big hit and get right back into position. His physicality can be inconsistent, but he can really lay the lumber on guys and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves if need be (was suspended earlier this year for fighting 3x in the same game).
Offensively, he’s more of a playmaker than a shooter. Has good spatial awareness and can make some highlight reel passes, especially in small areas like around the net. Dangerous in transition as well. Has a good head fake and is tough to stop as defenders know he’ll drive to the post if given a lane, so they have to back off a step…which gives him space to locate and connect with teammates. Shot is hard and heavy but tends to be all over the rink. Will often miss high. Needs to work on his accuracy. Is also excellent in the dot, where he uses his Hand-Eye, size and reach to win a lot of draws.
Nesbitt has really improved in a 10-month window…last season he managed 18P in 58 games and was a -32. This year, 64P in 65 games, and a +12. Not to mention 9P in 10 playoff games, second in the OHL for draft-eligibles. And all this as a 2C on one of the best teams in the OHL. Says he models his game after Jamie Benn. If he can develop more shift-to-shift consistency, and fill out a bit, this is a kid who could be a Ryan Kesler-type…or a Jordan Staal-like 3C. That’s something the Sabres don’t have in their prospect pool right now.
Rd2 #7: Vaclav Nestrasil, 6’5 RW, USHL:
Another monster forward, Nestrasil is a kid who’s been in and around my 1st round since preseason. Still quite raw, particularly on the North American ice, this kid is loaded with potential to be another Peterka-type 2nd round choice. An impressive athlete, Nestrasil is a budding power-wing who can really skate and has all the tools to develop into a stud. His power jumps out to you on first watch. He uses his length and fluidity to out-leverage other players, and he initiates contact all over the ice. Loves to make a hit, mixes it up around the net, and engages in puck battles on the walls. Will go through a defender to get to the post or to a loose puck and scores a lot of ugly goals around the crease. If he bulked up – he’s only 190# at 6’5, so he could probably stand to add 15-20# – he would be even more of a terror. Can carry a defender on his back or toss them aside as he heads for the net. Seems to relish physical play.
His size and length is coupled with his skating. Extremely smooth, fluid, and light feet. Not explosive, but at his size, he can really boogie. Add his reach and his motor and you have a fearsome forechecking presence. A true dog on a bone when it comes to pursuing the puck, this kid doesn’t let an opponent get away without a slash or a bump of some kind. Offensively, he’s a creative player who hasn’t yet learned what he can and can’t get away with. This will lead to some ugly turnovers, but it also shows a confidence and skill with the puck that most players his size do not possess. Will make some spectacular passes cross-crease or back-post that lead to easy tip-in goals. Very smart, and uses that to manipulate defenders, open up space and identity passing lanes to set his teammates up for quality chances.
He’s more of a playmaker than a shooter, although he has a hard slapper, he doesn’t always take advantage of it and even when he does, he’s not especially on target. Most of his goals are scored inside 5 feet of the net. Hands are surprisingly soft, and he can stickhandle around an opponent or keep them off-balance long enough to make a play. Defensively, he’s a very willing and conscientious forward. Strong on the PK. Eager on the backcheck, and a menace on the forecheck, Nestrasil can at times get lost when defending in space, particularly on the weak side of the ice where he can caught puck watching or chasing the play. But his length and a very active (maybe too much so?) stick can neutralize a lot of plays before they start.
His numbers aren’t going to wow you, but keep in mind this Czech kid hasn’t been in North America long. In fact, the first couple of months in Muskegon, he was barely playing 10 minutes a night. Since December, he’s been close to a point-per-game guy. This has carried over to the USHL playoffs, where he’s been a PPG player thus far. A lot of potential here…I think at his top-end, you’re looking at a player similar to a Val Nichushkin: a big forward who can defend, play heavy and chip in some significant offense. He’s a risk, but BFLO’s deep enough that they can afford to take it.
Rd3 #7: Semyon Frolov, 6’3 G, RUS:
Time to get on the Russian goalie train. They’ve had some luck with Russians in recent years (Poltapov, Sardaryan, Novikov) and a miss or two (Kisakov, Glotov). But they haven’t dipped into the goalie market. It’s something I espoused the last couple of seasons, and hopefully this time, the Sabres will listen to my ramblings.
This is a kid with a lot going for him. He’s got excellent size (6’3 205#) and great resilience. He’s played for 3 different teams in the Russian MHL this season (roughly equivalent to Russian Juniors) and played well at every stop. He started off playing sparingly for Ladia Togliatti, but when he did play, he was exceptional (9 games: 1.83 GAA and .937 SV%). Wanting more playing time, he negotiated out of Ladia and went to Spartak, where he played more (13 games: 2.05 GAA and .915 SV%) but still was relegated to back-up duty. Lastly he landed at Krylja Sovetov, a bad team but he still managed to perform well (5 games: 2.75 GAA and .910 SV%) despite the drop-off in talent. So as is typical for Russian prospects, constancy was not part of the deal. They tend to bounce around at this age.
Still, Frolov has all the qualities you want in a young tendy. He’s very quick, and his moves are sudden and precise. Explodes from post to post, but doesn’t overextend beyond his net. Very controlled in his movements and positioning. Superb tracker of the puck, follows it through screens and traffic and has a superior feel for where the puck is and where his opponents are. Really impressive when making the first save. It’s his rebound control – particularly that third or fourth shot – that gives him trouble. He can tend to panic when he has to face more rubber than he anticipated. That ability to control rebounds and direct them into safe areas is something in his game that needs more work.
Puck handling is so-so, and he doesn’t do it often, preferring to let his defense handle the forecheck and puck retrieval. Glove hand is quick, in fact, his limbs move well and have great flexibility. Anticipates and is typically in the right position before the shot comes, although not always as efficiently as he could be. Most goalies are toss-ups, but Frolov has the pedigree and the skill set to be a great addition to the Sabres pipeline.
Rd4 #7: Linus Funck, 6’3 RHD, SWE:
“We want the Funk! Gotta have that Fun(c)k!” If this kid makes the show, we could have endless hours of fun with that name. But there’s more to him than his name, and if there’s one thing we know Adams likes, it’s drafting Swedes. This kid is a traditional defense-first defenseman. Big wingspan, stands up at the blueline, doesn’t have much in the way of puck skills but can make a smart, simple first pass out of the zone. Risk averse, Funck will flip the puck out of trouble rather than make a dangerous pass through the middle of his own end.
First thing’s first – his skating. At his size, he’s a very strong four-way skater who can change direction easily and pivot while in motion. Generates a lot of power with his linear skating, and when pressed into carrying the puck, he can move very well through the Neutral Zone if given open ice. Whether its coaching, or confidence, Funck could be more effective lugging the puck up ice if he chose to, but he rarely does.
With his size and footwork, he can keep really tight gaps and isn’t shy about putting a shoulder or a forearm into an oncoming skater. Likes to stand up at the blueline and get a piece of a forechecker entering the zone, and eagerly separates a puck carrier from the puck. Uses that reach to direct opponents to the perimeter rather than give up the middle of the ice, rarely bites on dangles or fakes. Very fundamentally sound. Excellent defensive instincts and the ability to transform his instincts into action.
Very smart, and his zone ‘mapping’ is strong – he can scan the ice, make a play, and recognize where everyone is without having to pause the play. When he turns over a puck, it is up and out of the zone on-time and on target before the other team can adjust. Offensively, he’s not much of a threat. A lot of his assists are secondary, triggering transition out of his own end. Again, he doesn’t have that attacking mindset offensively, which is likely why he could be available at this spot in the Draft.
Funck started slow this year, and fell off a lot of radars, but in the past couple of months he’s really gotten his game together and is getting a ton of minutes as a result. He finished with 28P in 48 games, and chipped in 2P in 3 playoff games before Lulea got knocked out. Reminds me a bit of Henrik Tallinder in terms of play style with a little more physicality.
Rd4 #20: Ryan Miller, 6’0 C/LW, WHL:
No, not THAT Ryan Miller! But a familiar name nonetheless. Miller is a guy who wasn’t on my radar early in the season, but while watching other players I started to wonder who this kid was that kept making plays. Even down the line-up on a very good Portland club, Miller stood out. One word that comes to mind: reliable. Miller is a very quick, well-rounded player who can do everything and do most of it pretty well.
A high-motor, high intensity player who despite his size is unafraid to mix it up and go flying into the corners after pucks. He also happens to be quite intelligent, and his hockey smarts are high-end. A playmaker first and foremost, the scrappy Miller is quick on pucks on the forecheck, retrieves them (often against much bigger defenders) and immediately creates enough space to get pucks into high-danger areas like the slot or the crease. Has some Zach Benson in him in that regard.
He’s a really strong skater. Can fly down the ice with the puck on his stick while processing the play and will create a prime chance in transition while rarely making a poor choice with the puck. Constantly moving his feet, eager to initiate contact and has a real knack for lifting sticks and stripping opponents of the puck, often from behind. Takes a lot of abuse for his style of play but rarely is bothered by it, just keeps on playing right through it. The puck rarely stays on his blade for long. He makes quick decisions and does not allow the defense to recover when his side has the advantage. Will take pucks to the crease, and when he doesn’t have the puck, will get to the net front and plague the goaltender by constantly harassing him or acting as a screen.
Positioning is solid on both ends, and he seems to always wind up in the right place when he needs to be there. Doesn’t overdo anything – he doesn’t often get caught cheating out of the zone or lose the puck when trying to dangle someone or make them look bad. Just a sound, smart, reliable player on both ends. Could he stand to get stronger? Absolutely. It would give him a little bit more explosion in his skating and could help make his shot more of a threat from distance.
Miller is one of the first kids I know of who’s going to play in the CHL and then transfer to the NCAA (per their agreement earlier this season). He’ll enroll at U of Denver to start the 2026 season. Playing some 2nd, some 3rd line, he’s managed 31P in 50 games. Has stepped up in the playoffs, at nearly a PPG (9P in 10 games). A guy who they’ll need to be patient with, but after a year or two at Denver, he could be the kind of smart player that could really be useful in the bottom 6. Could someone like Ross Colton when all is said and done.
Rd5 #7: Artyom Gonchar, 6’0 LHD, RUS:
For those of you who’ve gotten this far, congratulations! And yes, for the scholars of Russian defenders, this kid IS Sergei Gonchar’s nephew. And like his uncle, he’s a slick offensive wizard who can manufacture offense. Unlike his uncle, he’s not 6’4 and he doesn’t have a cannon of a clapper to blow past goaltenders from the blue line in. But what he does have are excellent wheels, a keen sense of how to create offense from the back-end, and high-end awareness in all 3 zones.
Gonchar’s biggest attribute is his really high panic threshold. When the puck comes to him, he knows instantly where to go with it to escape the zone, start transition, or on the PP. There’s no hesitation, he doesn’t rim the puck as soon as a forechecker enters the line of sight. Strong stickhandling and light feet help him patiently beat a forecheck and then get the puck up ice to a forward on the tape. No scanning the ice after he receives the puck. He already knows how much time he has and where he’s going with the puck. Doesn’t chase the puck. Defending transition, he’s really smart. Lets the goalie take the shooter, identifies his man before they enter the zone and stays in the middle of the ice to protect the house. Knows his limitations. Doesn’t take undue gambles, but will jump into the play when the opportunity presents itself.
Really good at both bluelines. Reads are exceptional. Will locate cross-ice passes and intercept them, deflect them, or otherwise kill plays before they start. Instant counter-attack when he has the puck. And offensively, when he’s at the blue-line, he has the Dahlin-esque ability to dance just inside the blue-line and make defenders look silly in the process. Passing is crisp and accurate. Really nice hands for a defender. The only issue there is that he sometimes struggles with deciding when to pinch, and when not to, which can lead to some hairy moments.
Will take a hit to make a play and lay a big check on opponents entering his end, but doesn’t win a lot of board battles (although he doesn’t shy away from engaging). He’s only 6’0 and 145#! So he’ll need to put on weight, a LOT of weight, which he’s acknowledged. Shot isn’t dangerous, but he’s primarily a playmaker from the back-end. Will need to add a shot to make him harder to defend at the next level. Hockey smarts are excellent and his pace is always high. Reminds me a little of Samuel Girard in Colorado. The #2 scorer among draft-eligible defenders in the MHL, with 25P in 50 games. A longer-term project, but if he can add strength and weight, he could be a real diamond in the rough for the Sabres.
Rd6 #7: Shawn Carrier, 5’10 C/LW, QMJHL:
A feisty, high-pace scrapper in the mold of Tyson Kozak or Brodie Ziemer. He’s still a bit on the small side (5’10 180#) but he can play all three forward positions and fears absolutely nothing and no one. The first thing that jumps out about Carrier is his intensity. Carrier goes all out every shift, whether it’s 30 seconds or 2 minutes, he is everywhere and his feet never stop moving. Loves contact, and will lay the body in open ice, against the boards, and make any play that requires taking a hit to make it. Dives in front of shots, will drop the gloves with much bigger opponents, and wants to win every puck battle like it’s his last.
Carrier’s biggest attribute is his speed. He wheels through the zone, playing a very linear game when coming down the wing. Is shifty enough to find open space with or without the puck and navigate around defenders to get a shot off or find a lane to the net. But he won’t turn away from running through or over someone if that’s the best route to take. Short area quickness is high-end. Slippery in puck battles, he can avoid big hits (although sometimes you wonder if he invites them) and come out of a scrum with the puck on his stick and his head up. That same speed and never-quit attitude makes him a ferocious backchecker, and he’s one of the best forwards in the Q at tracking back after a turnover.
Defensively, his instincts are great for his age. Knows when to exert extreme pressure on a puckhandler or drop back into space. Battles for position. Pounces when a player mishandles a puck or loses sight of the ice for a moment. This makes Carrier a superb penalty killer. As you can imagine, he’s a one-man forecheck as well. Gets up on a defenseman and attacks the puck, forcing turnovers and eliminating his man from the play. While his shot is not a deadly weapon yet, he’s precise and an accurate shooter who can pick spots if given time. He managed 44P in 59 games for a mediocre Mooseheads team, good for second on the squad. Also finished 3rd on the club with 5P in 11 games during Halifax’s surprising playoff run.
Carrier is the kind of guy that Sabres fans have wanted in the system since Matej Pekar flamed out as a prospect. A player who backs down from no one and plays every shift with his hair on fire. To get him here might turn out to be a steal.