Yes, I'm aware that it is all in hindsight, and that it is extremely hard to find a gem in the later rounds. My point was that it can be done, though, and since the 2011 draft which was the first real scouting department has no budget limits year, we've picked some serious duds.

From 2014 until now is yet to be seen, so those years shouldn't be taken into account on whether we hit or missed. But from 2011-14, outside of McCabe who was nestled in a group of real solid second round picks, we haven't selected anything of any sort of quality and there were obviously guys out there.

Other teams maintain consistence success for a decade or more due to finding guys in the later rounds, we need to start doing the same. We have the budget to do it so excuses at some point need to start wearing thin.
- sskkoo1

Admidetly without researching and thinking outloud...if those guys were obvious picks I would contend that nearly 30 other scouting departments missed as well, for if they knew those guys would turn into what they are now, then likely 25 team s would have taken Kucherov, Gost, Grud and others in the 1st round.
I get the point is to hit on 2nd and 3rd rounders, and hopefully we now have the guy who can uncover those gems on a somewhat regular basis. If that is true, then the future looks very bright.

A better idea is to have them both up here playing.

Deslauriers does not need to be playing.
- kingcong39

What people dont see ,is the so called minor deals murray made that we have been killed .
Mcnab for deslauriers,seriously. That is a horrible trade. Then this offseason we give deslauriers and extension. There is no fighting in the nhl,we have to many scrubs in our bottom 6. The contract to cody mccormick,he was a baddddd player and we are still paying him. The kulikov trade for pysyk is awful .kulikov looks bad. The mistakes he makes,mark never did. He is a plus 2 in florida and makes a quarter of kulikov salary. Cody franson is a mess. He is slow,dumb and out of position . I can go on and on,the gorges deal,the moulson deal,the winnipeg deal. He has been bad

Yea all of them actually (Bailey, Bap, Carrier, Fasching when healthy)
- sbroads24

Add Nylander, assuming expected development, but I am fine with all of them being on the team next year and the team getting one more top 5-8 pick throughout the rounds to fully fill out the talent base for the team long term.

Yea all of them actually (Bailey, Bap, Carrier, Fasching when healthy)
- sbroads24

I would rather lose with those 4 playing,then watching gionta,grant,deslauriers,moulson,larsson,

What people dont see ,is the so called minor deals murray made that we have been killed .
Mcnab for deslauriers,seriously. That is a horrible trade. Then this offseason we give deslauriers and extension. There is no fighting in the nhl,we have to many scrubs in our bottom 6. The contract to cody mccormick,he was a baddddd player and we are still paying him. The kulikov trade for pysyk is awful .kulikov looks bad. The mistakes he makes,mark never did. He is a plus 2 in florida and makes a quarter of kulikov salary. Cody franson is a mess. He is slow,dumb and out of position . I can go on and on,the gorges deal,the moulson deal,the winnipeg deal. He has been bad
- Buffalo39

Did you forget Fasching was the key part of the McNabb deal or does he already suck too? Trying to keep track...

I would rather lose with those 4 playing,then watching gionta,grant,deslauriers,moulson,larsson,
- Buffalo39

I have no problem watching the line of Larsson, Gionta, and Foligno.

Nobody should.

As for the rest...

Did you forget Fasching was the key part of the McNabb deal or does he already suck too? Trying to keep track...
- kingcong39

With all due respect cong,he hasn't showing anything yet. He could become good,but our track record has not been good. So un til we see how he pans out,mcnabb wuld look great in our top pair. We played mcnabb for two games and he flourished and we traded him. Sorry ,i dont care how fasching pans out,i would take do over everytime. Look at the mess we have created by murray. Bogosian,kulikov,gorges,franson all 4 he brought in and everyone needs to go

With all due respect cong,he hasn't showing anything yet. He could become good,but our track record has not been good. So un til we see how he pans out,mcnabb wuld look great in our top pair. We played mcnabb for two games and he flourished and we traded him. Sorry ,i dont care how fasching pans out,i would take do over everytime. Look at the mess we have created by murray. Bogosian,kulikov,gorges,franson all 4 he brought in and everyone needs to go
- Buffalo39

So he's going to suck. Forgot that option.

I would rather lose with those 4 playing,then watching gionta,grant,deslauriers,moulson,larsson,
- Buffalo39

I would rather have them further develop in Rochester and have them earn their way into a playoff spot. Let's let the sage veterans mentor the youth already on the Sabres to dig deep and earn their own playoff spot this year.
Next year we can discard several lost souls and infuse another 3 - 4 youngins into the lineup.

I have no problem watching the line of Larsson, Gionta, and Foligno.

Nobody should.

As for the rest...
- kingcong39

Conger,that line if it is your 4th line,maybe. I would definetly substitute a younger player in for gionta. If that is your 3rd line,your team isnt making the playoffs

I would rather have them further develop in Rochester and have them earn their way into a playoff spot. Let's let the sage veterans mentor the youth already on the Sabres to dig deep and earn their own playoff spot this year.
Next year we can discard several lost souls and infuse another 3 - 4 youngins into the lineup.
- IonSabres

Ion,do you really think the way this roster is,we have a chance at the playoffs. Us fans have to stop drinking the kool aid. It is like bills board. I read the same people for 17 years saying if we win out ,we will make the playoffs. At some poin these people have to commit themselves,having the same repetitive arguments over and over ,when they never come to fruition. It isnt happening and until it does,they are all wrong

Conger,that line if it is your 4th line,maybe. I would definetly substitute a younger player in for gionta. If that is your 3rd line,your team isnt making the playoffs
- Buffalo39

The way that line has played, there is zero problem with that line making an impact on a playoff team as that teams 3rd line.

The way that line has played, there is zero problem with that line making an impact on a playoff team as that teams 3rd line.
- kingcong39

It isnt any ones fault on here. It has been so long since we have been in the playoffs. Imagine that a miracle happened and we made the playoffs. Do we all remember what the playoffs are all about. Skating,hitting tenacity etc. how many of our players are built for playoff hockey. We have a mishmash of garbage

So he's going to suck. Forgot that option.
- kingcong39

Between the bills and sabres until a few of these trades go decisively in our favor,yes he isnt going to be good. If he does become good,i would still rather have mcnabb in my top 2,then having those 2

I would rather lose with those 4 playing,then watching gionta,grant,deslauriers,moulson,larsson,
- Buffalo39

throw girgens in that basket of deplorables


side note, if gionta wants to play next season, he will be offered a contract, H6

Did you forget Fasching was the key part of the McNabb deal or does he already suck too? Trying to keep track...
- kingcong39

fashing needs to play in ahl for the rest of the year when he comes back

We still don't know if Lehner has what it takes to be a #1 for this or any team. Murray paid the price that he feels was fair to acquire for who he feels has the potential to be that guy, We will find out at seasons end if he still feels that way when it comes time to negotiate a new contract. My feeling is the more time you give Nilsson, the more we will see his true worth and that is a competent backup.
- macman9

this is a macdaddy good post

throw girgens in that basket of deplorables


side note, if gionta wants to play next season, he will be offered a contract, H6
- homiedclown

I know and another side note, he will play 17 minutes a game and we will still suck. With moulson contract etc. ,we have to many junk

throw girgens in that basket of deplorables


side note, if gionta wants to play next season, he will be offered a contract, H6
- homiedclown

You're talking about me!!!!

throw girgens in that basket of deplorables


side note, if gionta wants to play next season, he will be offered a contract, H6
- homiedclown

If Gionta is captain next year something is wrong.

this is a macdaddy good post
- Michael Pachla

The unfortunate part is,the more lehner plays,we find out he isnt the man

side note on fasching, his linemate in college is a 5th year senior and went undrafted

kid turned 23 a few weeks ago, but is still putting up a point per year and put up great numbers with fasching

a bit small, but with our lack of center depth in the minors, may be worth an attempt to sign the kid when he finishes this season

http://www.hockeydb.com/i...s/pdisplay.php?pid=138838

For fun, based on who is signed for next year, a couple of guesses, and the 5 popular names, here's what next years forward group could look like.

Kane- O'Reilly - Okposo
Nylander - Eichel - Reinhart
Foligno - Larsson - Fasching
Baptiste - Girgensons - Carrier

Bailey, Ennis, Moulson

I'm not entirely sure they get rid of Kane, but I agree that he's a 2nd or 3rd liner and not a first.

Do you replace Foligno with someone like Bailey playing on his off wing, that way you free up more money to get that top level LW, while offloading Kane?

Moulson and Ennis need to go, as everyone agrees and knows.

You're talking about me!!!!


- mes418

got my steve winwood tickets yesterday

Between the bills and sabres until a few of these trades go decisively in our favor,yes he isnt going to be good. If he does become good,i would still rather have mcnabb in my top 2,then having those 2
- Buffalo39

A lot of Darcy trades went in our favor, and we were never good enough then either.

It's OK for a trade to work for both teams.