Honestly, I think that's ridiculous as the prospect rankings always show players who haven't played in the NHL yet. Mitts, I guess, you can argue because he played a handful of games, but to not include Svech or Dahlin is pretty much making it harder for teams drafting top3 to be at the top of these rankings. You're essentially subtracting the first round selections of those teams, yet leaving the ones taken that will take longer to develop and play.

Much respect as always fitz, just think you're off on this one. Either way, I think that we're at the top for a reason...we do have a strong young core. Who are you most excited for outside of Mitts and Dahlin?
- RhinoFan

Are u still gonna call those guys prospects when we are 40 games into the season & they’re both playing major roles for us?
That doesn’t mean “prospect” to me
Just saying

Outside of those guys...
I wanna see Bailey & Baptiste play
I know most on here have given up on them,
but i still think they have the ability to be good players for us

I haven’t really seen Olofsson or Asplund play, so I’m looking forward to that
Let them & Nylander play on a line in Rochester and see how that goes

Pilut is very intriguing as well


I know MANY on here are ready for the Sabres to be good & challenge for the playoffs

And they MIGHT if everything goes right

But i see this as more of a transition year

This is very likely the last year for guys like Larsson, Girgensons, Pominville & Bogosian
Maybe for a few other guys too
I don’t think Okposo is terrible, but with his age/contract i would like to see him moved next offseason
So with that in mind...
I’d like to see him play with Eichel over Sam, and see him on PP1 over Mitts
Getting his points as high as possible so that we can trade him should be a priority imo
Idk if the Sabres will do that,
but i would like that to be the thought process

Also along those lines...
I’m sending just about all of the kids down to Rochester
I agree with Botts that winning down there is important & should be a priority
Bc of the numbers of NHLers we have right now, we can let all the kids start down in Rochester at least and call them up throughout the year


Again... idk if this is necessarily what the Sabres will do...
it’s just what i would like to see happen

The guy laid out his criteria and wrote a solid article. There's really no reason to criticize the criteria.

If you want to make up your own criteria, then you have to reconcile not including 18 year olds with 0 professional games and including a 24 year olds with 100+ professional games.
- Lunaion

Yeah, i totally get it

But like I’ve said...
i don’t consider someone who i know is gonna be on the Sabres roster to be a prospect

That’s just how i see it

I would waive or trade anyone necessary to ice the best team possible. If O'Regan, Pu and Nylander are better than Girgensons, Larsson and Bailey, then you waive those guys. You can't tell your guys you're trying to win when they know you're not playing the best players
- jcragcrumple

Kind of agree
It’s nice in theory, but Camp is so short with so many players

What if say O’Regan scores 5 goals in preseason & Reinhart scores 2...
does that mean O’Regan is better?
Or did he just have a better 2 week showing?
Guys that are NHLers are likely gonna get the benefit of the doubt

Also...
let’s just go with your example that O’Regan, Pu & Nylander all look better than Larsson, Girgensons & Bailey
Does it make sense to play those kids up here on the 4th line?
Or should they be playing top minutes in Rochester, continuing to develop?


Icing the best team today, isn’t necessarily what best for the growth & development of young players
And it’s not necessarily best for the future of the Sabres

We should be looking at what we need to do for LONG TERM SUCCESS

What I’m saying...
Pu might be better than Larsson
But it doesn’t mean he’s a better 4th liner
And putting him in that role doesn’t make sense if we want Pu to eventually be a top9 scorer for us

Kind of agree
It’s nice in theory, but Camp is so short with so many players

What if say O’Regan scores 5 goals in preseason & Reinhart scores 2...
does that mean O’Regan is better?
Or did he just have a better 2 week showing?
Guys that are NHLers are likely gonna get the benefit of the doubt

Also...
let’s just go with your example that O’Regan, Pu & Nylander all look better than Larsson, Girgensons & Bailey
Does it make sense to play those kids up here on the 4th line?
Or should they be playing top minutes in Rochester, continuing to develop?


Icing the best team today, isn’t necessarily what best for the growth & development of young players
And it’s not necessarily best for the future of the Sabres

We should be looking at what we need to do for LONG TERM SUCCESS

What I’m saying...
Pu might be better than Larsson
But it doesn’t mean he’s a better 4th liner
And putting him in that role doesn’t make sense if we want Pu to eventually be a top9 scorer for us
- jdfitz77

They don't have to be played on the 4th line. Maybe that's where girgs, larsson and Bailey would have been, but maybe Nylander goes on the second line whiches pushes Berglund to the 3rd, and Pu goes on the 3rd which pushes Pominville to the 4th. Maybe on O'Regan plays on the 4th line out of those players

Rookies, despite what coaches here always do, are not required to play on the 4th line

That’s Hockey’s Future’s definition of a prospect

I clearly laid out why mine is different

Calling someone a “prospect” when they’re on your roster doesn’t make much sense to me

Going by their definition,
Dahlin & Mittelstadt will be prospects for 3/4 of the season & then all of the sudden not
That 65 game number seems more appropriate for guys like Bailey, Baptiste, etc who have been up & down from Buffalo & Rochester
- jdfitz77

Definition of prospects for article is Calder Trophy (NHL rookie of the year) eligibility — between 18-26 years old and no more than 25 combined regular season games at start of season.


But who effing cares.

Definition of prospects for article is Calder Trophy (NHL rookie of the year) eligibility — between 18-26 years old and no more than 25 combined regular season games at start of season.


But who effing cares.
- Der Kaiser

Triggered. Here we go again I’m sure. Zero (frank)s given here.

They don't have to be played on the 4th line. Maybe that's where girgs, larsson and Bailey would have been, but maybe Nylander goes on the second line whiches pushes Berglund to the 3rd, and Pu goes on the 3rd which pushes Pominville to the 4th. Maybe on O'Regan plays on the 4th line out of those players

Rookies, despite what coaches here always do, are not required to play on the 4th line
- jcragcrumple

Botts & Housley would have to be CONVINCED that Nylander is better than Berglund and Pu is better than Pominville

I just don’t know that’s a realistic expectation

Sabres have what, 6 or 7 preseason games?
And with all the players in camp...
how many does Pu & Nylander even play in,
3? 4 at most?

Is that really enough time to be absolutely convinced that Nylander & Pu are better options than guys who have been playing in the NHL for years & years?

I totally get where you’re coming from
Just don’t see it happening

Definition of prospects for article is Calder Trophy (NHL rookie of the year) eligibility — between 18-26 years old and no more than 25 combined regular season games at start of season.


But who effing cares.
- Der Kaiser

Right, i get it
That’s just not how i see it personally

On the Sabres roster = not a prospect
IMO

So now what you’re saying is that Botts & Housley have to be CONVINCED that Nylander is better than Berglund and Pu is better than Pominville

I just don’t know that’s a realistic expectation

Sabres have what, 6 or 7 preseason games?
And with all the players in camp...
how many does Pu & Nylander even play in,
3? 4 at most?

Is that really enough time to be absolutely convinced that Nylander & Pu are better options than guys who have been playing in the NHL for years & years?

I totally get where you’re coming from
Just don’t see it happening
- jdfitz77

No, they need to be convinced that over the span of the season, it's better to have Olofsson/Nylander/Smith at top-6 LW, because it frees up Berglund for a checking center role, and we don't have to Sobotka/Wilson/Girgensons in our top-6, because as we all know, that is horrible hockey to watch.

And fwiw, Smith has a year of pro hockey under his belt, Nylander has 2, Olofsson has 2 or 3

No, they need to be convinced that over the span of the season, it's better to have Olofsson/Nylander/Smith at top-6 LW, because it frees up Berglund for a checking center role, and we don't have to Sobotka/Wilson/Girgensons in our top-6, because as we all know, that is horrible hockey to watch.
- jcragcrumple

Given our lack of depth on the left side, if Wilson is 2nd line LW to start the year I won't be upset.

*hides*

They don't have to be played on the 4th line. Maybe that's where girgs, larsson and Bailey would have been, but maybe Nylander goes on the second line whiches pushes Berglund to the 3rd, and Pu goes on the 3rd which pushes Pominville to the 4th. Maybe on O'Regan plays on the 4th line out of those players

Rookies, despite what coaches here always do, are not required to play on the 4th line
- jcragcrumple

What’s your opening night lineup look like?

Here’s what I’d like to see:
Rodrigues-Eichel-Okposo
Sheary-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
Bailey-Berglund-Baptiste
Wilson-Sobatka-Pominville
Girgensons
*Larsson traded (i know we won’t get much)
*Thompson & the other kids in Rochester,
just to start though

Right, i get it
That’s just not how i see it personally

On the Sabres roster = not a prospect
IMO
- jdfitz77

One way is cut and dry, generally accepted, and lists the best well-known young players in the world.

Your way projects 31 NHL rosters, forces a bunch of judgement calls, and skips the players the average fan is most interested in. Your arbitrary determination of who to exclude is a key factor in the rankings, yet you'd want the list to be unbiased.

One way is cut and dry, generally accepted, and lists the best well-known young players in the world.

Your way projects 31 NHL rosters, forces a bunch of judgement calls, and skips the players the average fan is most interested in. Your arbitrary determination of who to exclude is a key factor in the rankings, yet you'd want the list to be unbiased.
- Lunaion

This is clearly the best way to compile mostly meaningless rankings.

What’s your opening night lineup look like?

Here’s what I’d like to see:
Rodrigues-Eichel-Okposo
Sheary-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
Bailey-Berglund-Baptiste
Wilson-Sobatka-Pominville
Girgensons
*Larsson traded (i know we won’t get much)
*Thompson & the other kids in Rochester,
just to start though
- jdfitz77

That's definitely my second line as well.

Smith-Eichel-Okposo
Sheary-Mitts-Reinhart
Olofsson-Berglund-Erod
Wilson-Sobotka-Pominville
Bailey
Baptiste
Girgs
Larsson - waived

No, they need to be convinced that over the span of the season, it's better to have Olofsson/Nylander/Smith at top-6 LW, because it frees up Berglund for a checking center role, and we don't have to Sobotka/Wilson/Girgensons in our top-6, because as we all know, that is horrible hockey to watch.

And fwiw, Smith has a year of pro hockey under his belt, Nylander has 2, Olofsson has 2 or 3
- jcragcrumple

We are both talking to START the season,
correct?
I certainly think we could end the season with one of the kids in the top6

I just don’t think there’s enough time in preseason to see it happen for opening night
If there’s some injuries that shakes up the numbers, then maybe

*this what i think will happen...
not what i WANT

Given our lack of depth on the left side, if Wilson is 2nd line LW to start the year I won't be upset.

*hides*
- RhinoFan

Let someone with some upside play top-6 minutes

One way is cut and dry, generally accepted, and lists the best well-known young players in the world.

Your way projects 31 NHL rosters, forces a bunch of judgement calls, and skips the players the average fan is most interested in. Your arbitrary determination of who to exclude is a key factor in the rankings, yet you'd want the list to be unbiased.
- Lunaion

My definition isn’t arbitrary,
the so called “accepted” one is

It’s not a “judgement call” to KNOW that Dahlin & Mittelstadt will be on our roster

Guys like Guhle, sure
If someone is a tweeter like that,
then i have no issue listing them as a prospect

U really gonna consider Dahlin a prospect in game 60 when he’s playing 20+ minutes a night

For me, that doesn’t make sense
You can’t be a “prospect” if you’re on the team!

That's definitely my second line as well.

Smith-Eichel-Okposo
Sheary-Mitts-Reinhart
Olofsson-Berglund-Erod
Wilson-Sobotka-Pominville
Bailey
Baptiste
Girgs
Larsson - waived
- jcragcrumple

Olofsson & E Rod in “defensive” roles?
Idk about that

Are you giving up on Bailey & Baptiste?
I still wanna see them play

Also,
Smith on line 1 is very premature
I don’t understand why ppl are so high on him?
If we were giving a youngster a shot with Eichel, I’d have a few other guys ahead of him for sure

Olofsson & E Rod in “defensive” roles?
Idk about that

Are you giving up on Bailey & Baptiste?
I still wanna see them play

Also,
Smith on line 1 is very premature
I don’t understand why ppl are so high on him?
If we were giving a youngster a shot with Eichel, I’d have a few other guys ahead of him for sure
- jdfitz77

Let Smith/Nylander/Olofsson/Erod compete for the Eichel job. Try new stuff so we can maybe score some goals. If we put Wilson, girgs, Sobotka, even Berglund with Mitts, we are gonna 1.4 goals a game.

Playing it safe sucks

Let someone with some upside play top-6 minutes
- jcragcrumple

I think tage starts with eichel.

Jbotts likes him, and there's upside.

My definition isn’t arbitrary,
the so called “accepted” one is

It’s not a “judgement call” to KNOW that Dahlin & Mittelstadt will be on our roster

Guys like Guhle, sure
If someone is a tweeter like that,
then i have no issue listing them as a prospect

U really gonna consider Dahlin a prospect in game 60 when he’s playing 20+ minutes a night

For me, that doesn’t make sense
You can’t be a “prospect” if you’re on the team!
- jdfitz77

Not in game 60 ffs

As of the beginning of the season.

Were you beaten as a child or something??

Let someone with some upside play top-6 minutes
- jcragcrumple

Maybe Botts will still be able to swing a deal for another LW and this will all be moot

My possible Rochester lines make me think they could be pretty sweet
Smith-O’Regan-Thompson
Olofsson-Asplund-Nylander
Oglevie-Malone-Pu
Vet line: Porter, Criscuolo, etc

Let Smith/Nylander/Olofsson/Erod compete for the Eichel job. Try new stuff so we can maybe score some goals. If we put Wilson, girgs, Sobotka, even Berglund with Mitts, we are gonna 1.4 goals a game.

Playing it safe sucks
- jcragcrumple

That’s what I’d do too
I don’t think it’s what Botts/Housley will do though

Let someone with some upside play top-6 minutes
- jcragcrumple

Nylander should start in Rochacha and we don't have any other top6 lw prospects ready.

*hides again*

Not in game 60 ffs

As of the beginning of the season.

Were you beaten as a child or something??
- Der Kaiser

Ok, so when does a young player on the roster stop being labeled a “prospect” then?

On what arbitrary game do they cross that threshold?
Game 40? Game 20?

Mittelstadt & Dahlin are roster players,
not “prospects”