I'm talking about reach in terms of draft ranking, how he projects compared to EkBlad. I've heard about Reinhart for years too, but have also heard/read about Ekblad. Too many fans need immediate gratification and want the center even though he may not be the best player available and I believe in taking the best player available, especially if he grades out substantially higher.
- GilPerreault11

See the thing is he doesn't grade out to be substantially higher or you'd have heard about it all ready... Some people think he's the best some think Reinhart's the best some think Bennett's the best but none are for sure pulling away not because there not that good but because they are all playing well enough to not let one or the other pull away.... Ekblad is a stupid move.. Look at the Oilers drafting the guys at the top of their boards year in and out... they have a massive hole on D now and a bunch of skilled small forwards... Don't want the same thing for us.. A bunch of big D men who could be good but cant really do anything because we have no one to score any goals...

..... Briere in his prime was a top end center in the league... you don't get 95 points by just playing on a good team that's BS... If Reinhart is as good as Briere from 03-08 It would still be a great move. Briere and Drury were the main reasons we were good those two years... Need more proof? How'd we do the year after they both left...
- bluengold12

No it's not, that's why he didn't come close to that before or after that season

His career high other than that season was 72. His numbers along with St. Drury's were inflated

Danny Briere was a 2nd line, small center who had a couple really good seasons in a run and gun, transition system that Lindy utilized. Max had 80 points one year too. Does that make him a 1st line winger?
- GilPerreault11

Yes. Most players ascend and decline throughout their careers. At the point in question, they're both top line players.

Valid point, I pick McDavid over the rest of 2015 by a mile. THAT'S a case of BPA. 2014, BPA doesn't exist 1-4.
- TheSabresTaco

Wish we could see more footage on Eichel . I would like to know more about him.

No it's not, that's why he didn't come close to that before or after that season

His career high other than that season was 72. His numbers along with St. Drury's were inflated
- sbroads24

This is a real thing.

Danny Briere was a 2nd line, small center who had a couple really good seasons in a run and gun, transition system that Lindy utilized. Max had 80 points one year too. Does that make him a 1st line winger?
- GilPerreault11

Briere was very good in Phili to his first year there.. Reason his play declined Injuries and age not because he wasn't a top dog in the NHL... Max was a very good 2nd line winger Briere in his prime which is when you see how truly good a player is played like a undisputed number 1 center in the league

Danny Briere was a 2nd line, small center who had a couple really good seasons in a run and gun, transition system that Lindy utilized. Max had 80 points one year too. Does that make him a 1st line winger?
- GilPerreault11

Max had 1 73 point year never an 80 point year and 2 years with 61 points

Briere had a 95 pt year a year with 72 points and 3 seasons with 60+ points

Bad comparison

Wish we could see more footage on Eichel . I would like to know more about him.
- Maximum Signal

I'm sure he's great. But I think I'll draft the guy people have been talking about for three years as consensus 2015 #1

Danny Breire for his career averaged 62 points per 82 games played

He's a low end number 1 center for the meat of his prime. However is 95 point season was in fact a product of being on a great team IMO

I would welcome it, but I would hope and expect our #1 pick to be better
- sbroads24

Tavares averages 74 points per 82 games. Just put that in comparison

No it's not, that's why he didn't come close to that before or after that season

His career high other than that season was 72. His numbers along with St. Drury's were inflated
- sbroads24

Not sure what planet you live in but 72 points is still pretty dam good.... he was the reason why we were a good team... the players around him benefited from him not the other way around... Again we looked like crap after he left because he was our best player and a true 1st liner... I watched every single game had season tickets for the 05-08 saw the team with Briere and saw them without.. Let me tell you Briere was a 1st line hell of a player in his prime.

Danny Briere was a 2nd line, small center who had a couple really good seasons in a run and gun, transition system that Lindy utilized. Max had 80 points one year too. Does that make him a 1st line winger?
- GilPerreault11

What year was that?

See the thing is he doesn't grade out to be substantially higher or you'd have heard about it all ready... Some people think he's the best some think Reinhart's the best some think Bennett's the best but none are for sure pulling away not because there not that good but because they are all playing well enough to not let one or the other pull away.... Ekblad is a stupid move.. Look at the Oilers drafting the guys at the top of their boards year in and out... they have a massive hole on D now and a bunch of skilled small forwards... Don't want the same thing for us.. A bunch of big D men who could be good but cant really do anything because we have no one to score any goals...
- bluengold12

I'm not going by Central Scouting or TSN. The Sabres have their own grades, like every other team does. Saying there is no way we should draft Ekblad because he plays defense isn't my way of thinking.

I'm not going by Central Scouting or TSN. The Sabres have their own grades, like every other team does. Saying there is no way we should draft Ekblad because he plays defense isn't my way of thinking.
- GilPerreault11

Yes it is.... Its a proven fact! I did this on a previous blog.. there have been 5 D taken 1st overall since 1990 none of them lived up to their potential.. All the best D have come 2nd or later its just not a smart play just like taking a goalie 1st is stupid... I don't think the Sabres will have Ekblad ranked as high as Shea Weber or Doughty and both of those guys didn't even go 1st...

I'm not going by Central Scouting or TSN. The Sabres have their own grades, like every other team does. Saying there is no way we should draft Ekblad because he plays defense isn't my way of thinking.
- GilPerreault11

And that's like, your opinion man.

We need offense.

Let's sit on opposite sides of the fence and throw the football.

What year was that?
- RynoBull

Sorry, I was off by 10 pts his career high was in 2005–06 with personal bests of 51 assists and 73 points.

Those are top line winger numbers but he was far from that.

I'm not going by Central Scouting or TSN. The Sabres have their own grades, like every other team does. Saying there is no way we should draft Ekblad because he plays defense isn't my way of thinking.
- GilPerreault11

I always thought If some team regardless of sport did a book or something about the draft day goons and showed what their draft ranking were and how they were scouted and what was written would be really cool.

WOuld be like a book I love about baseball scouting called Dollar Sign on the Muscle its a pretty sweet book about scouting backin the day .

And that's like, your opinion man.

We need offense.

Let's sit on opposite sides of the fence and throw the football.
- TheSabresTaco

I know we need offense but you don't let a potential franchise player go to take a player that will be solid. The Sabres have a lot of assets they can utilize to gain offense, Myers being one if they do draft Ekblad.

Not sure what planet you live in but 72 points is still pretty dam good.... he was the reason why we were a good team... the players around him benefited from him not the other way around... Again we looked like crap after he left because he was our best player and a true 1st liner... I watched every single game had season tickets for the 05-08 saw the team with Briere and saw them without.. Let me tell you Briere was a 1st line hell of a player in his prime.
- bluengold12

72 points ranked 30th in the league.

Derek Roy was in the top 20

Sorry, I was off by 10 pts his career high was in 2005–06 with personal bests of 51 assists and 73 points.

Those are top line winger numbers but he was far from that.
- GilPerreault11

Brieres stats in 06-07 was 10th in the league the 6th best center stat wise in the league

Max was 42nd in the league the year he had 70 pts Briere was more of a number one center than Max a number 1 wingers by a wide margin

72 points ranked 30th in the league.

Derek Roy was in the top 20
- sbroads24

that's your argument.... Briere still had the points plus the overall play. to strip him of not being a true 1st line player is insulting to what he brought to this team in what probably will be the best two years of Sabres hockey for a long time... I cant stand the guy now but I still respect him as a 1st line player from his past.

I know we need offense but you don't let a potential franchise player go to take a player that will be solid. The Sabres have a lot of assets they can utilize to gain offense, Myers being one if they do draft Ekblad.
- GilPerreault11

Who says Reinhart isn't a franchise player?? I think he could be... Any guy you draft in the top 3 is not going to be drafted there because you think he's just going to be a solid player... Reinhart will all but surely go in the top 3 so one would have to think its a unanimous thought that most think he will be a potential franchise player

that's your argument.... Briere still had the points plus the overall play. to strip him of not being a true 1st line player is insulting to what he brought to this team in what probably will be the best two years of Sabres hockey for a long time... I cant stand the guy now but I still respect him as a 1st line player from his past.
- bluengold12

For a 3 year stretch Briere averages over a point per game if thats not a first line talent I have no idea what is

Brieres stats in 06-07 was 10th in the league the 6th best center stat wise in the league

Max was 42nd in the league the year he had 70 pts Briere was more of a number one center than Max a number 1 wingers by a wide margin
- Stripes77

Lets get this straight, Briere was a lot better than Max, but my point is if the #1 overall pick in this year's draft is a center and he's not a couple notches above Briere and Ekblad is projected to be a franchise D-man, take him.

Tavares averages 74 points per 82 games. Just put that in comparison
- Stripes77

Tavares is 22 years old. Not 35