Undrafted 20-year-old Arttu Ruotsalainen has been one of the best centres in the entire Liiga. So far, he has six goals and a total of 12 points in the first 11 games. He plays in every situation of Ilves and has recorded a 53.4 Corsi for percentage. He might very well get signed by an NHL organisation next summer.



Oskari Laaksonen (Buffalo Sabres’ third-round selection in 2017) has had an excellent start to his season with the team, as he already put up six points in the first 11 games. Laaksonen has good skating and intriguing offensive skill set. He has already shown that he can quarterback a power play and produce as a defenceman. Sabres must be very pleased with Laaksonen’s development so far."


https://dobberprospects.c...liiga-report-the-rundown/
- homiedclown

It is a good move. If he picks #55 it will only take some minor adjustments to a Risto jersey when he is traded.

sharks win 2-1
they get a pp goal
colorado does not

#specialteamsdon'tmattermuch

sharks win 2-1
they get a pp goal
colorado does not

#specialteamsdon'tmattermuch
- homiedclown

Super stars actually showing up helps as well. Maybe Stammer, Kucherov and Tavares are taking notes on Couture, Pasternak, Marchand, Mackinnon, Rantenen, and Seguin.

E.Karlsson with 18 points in his last 13 home games in the playoffs.

Super stars actually showing up helps as well. Maybe Stammer, Kucherov and Tavares are taking notes on Couture, Pasternak, Marchand, Mackinnon, Rantenen, and Seguin.

E.Karlsson with 18 points in his last 13 home games in the playoffs.
- Pegullaville

Strange, the stars that "showed up" weren't a part of tanking.

Maybe Seguin?

Strange, the stars that "showed up" weren't a part of tanking.

Maybe Seguin?
- Boss34

So Landeskog, Mackinnon, and Rantenen were not apart of a team that finished dead last and got them Cale Makar two seasons ago ?

The Stars’ bottom 8 finish in 2017 led them to winning the lotto for Heiskanen.

The Canes had 9 straight years of no playoffs and turned two top 5 selections (Hanifin and Lindholm) into Hamilton and Ferland. Hayden Fleury was a 7th overall pick and they didn’t tank for Svechnikov but if they don’t miss the playoffs last year they don’t win that lotto either.

Columbus has Pierre Luc Dubois (3rd OA), Zach Werenski (8th overall), Seth Jones (4th overall acquired by trading former 7th overall pick Ryan Johansson) and Ryan Murray (2nd overall pick).

The Bruins and Sharks are the exceptions. Unless we hope to sign a hall a fame d-man in FA (Chara) and draft two elite forwards in the 3rd round and wait 4 years for them to develop. Even the Bruins used former top selections to add to their team in the form of Kessel and Seguin.

So Landeskog, Mackinnon, and Rantenen were not apart of a team that finished dead last and got them Cale Makar two seasons ago ?

The Stars’ bottom 8 finish in 2017 led them to winning the lotto for Heiskanen.

The Canes had 9 straight years of no playoffs and turned two top 5 selections (Hanifin and Lindholm) into Hamilton and Ferland. Hayden Fleury was a 7th overall pick and they didn’t tank for Svechnikov but if they don’t miss the playoffs last year they don’t win that lotto either.

Columbus has Pierre Luc Dubois (3rd OA), Zach Werenski (8th overall), Seth Jones (4th overall acquired by trading former 7th overall pick Ryan Johansson) and Ryan Murray (2nd overall pick).

The Bruins and Sharks are the exceptions. Unless we hope to sign a hall a fame d-man in FA (Chara) and draft two elite forwards in the 3rd round and wait 4 years for them to develop. Even the Bruins used former top selections to add to their team in the form of Kessel and Seguin.
- Pegullaville

Wow, hope we finish bottom 5 or 10 for another 6 years.

Then select the right players and trade away the right top 10 picks for better players.

Or we move forward and try and win with the selections we have already made

No reason to just sneak in and get swept by Tampa in the first round.

8 points in 11 games is bad ? And he was just fine here, by the way, and should still be here. Horrible trade.
- kritter65

Haters gonna hate

Are we a better team with ROR though or Hayes/Nelson, Thompson, 1st rounder ?
- Pegullaville

Maybe
Let’s see who we get as the 2C and how much they cost before we start making that judgement
And even then, i guess we gotta wait to see what Tage & the picks turn into
Generally...
I’m a fan of getting the best player in a trade & not all the pieces that may or may not become something- bc they usually don’t ever become as good as the player u lost


But all i was really trying to say was that u gotta stop using “we gained Cap Space” as part of the argument

Wow, hope we finish bottom 5 or 10 for another 6 years.

Then select the right players and trade away the right top 10 picks for better players.

Or we move forward and try and win with the selections we have already made

No reason to just sneak in and get swept by Tampa in the first round.
- Boss34

Well, it has been said before, but since this was brought up again...

Do you honestly believe that Sabres roster could have been pushed to gain about 20 more points to be in the chase for a WC, 'cause I sure didn't then, nor do I now. The proof is there in the real results of 76 points they earned.

If the argument is that Botts should have bolstered the roster through trades
- we don't know if he tried and couldn't get it done over and above the Montour trade.
- how many players do you think were needed to get that done
▪2C
▪2RW
▪3RW
▪#2Dman
At least 3 of those I would argue.
-Is it reasonable to assume a GM could transact that many trades at the TDL, most of which are usually pending FA's
-wouldn't making all those trades have served to further gut the organization's pipeline

I can appreciate taking anti-tank shots...but the argument to take a run to 8th is a flawed strategy.

Maybe
Let’s see who we get as the 2C and how much they cost before we start making that judgement
And even then, i guess we gotta wait to see what Tage & the picks turn into
Generally...
I’m a fan of getting the best player in a trade & not all the pieces that may or may not become something- bc they usually don’t ever become as good as the player u lost


But all i was really trying to say was that u gotta stop using “we gained Cap Space” as part of the argument
- jdfitz77

But they did get Cap Flexibility, and it revealed itself when Berglund quit.
That flexibility manifested itself in the Montour trade. I didn't look it up, but they needed that Berglund space for Montours contract.

Well, it has been said before, but since this was brought up again...

Do you honestly believe that Sabres roster could have been pushed to gain about 20 more points to be in the chase for a WC, 'cause I sure didn't then, nor do I now. The proof is there in the real results of 76 points they earned.

If the argument is that Botts should have bolstered the roster through trades
- we don't know if he tried and couldn't get it done over and above the Montour trade.
- how many players do you think were needed to get that done
▪2C
▪2RW
▪3RW
▪#2Dman
At least 3 of those I would argue.
-Is it reasonable to assume a GM could transact that many trades at the TDL, most of which are usually pending FA's
-wouldn't making all those trades have served to further gut the organization's pipeline

I can appreciate taking anti-tank shots...but the argument to take a run to 8th is a flawed strategy.
- IonSabres

Ion, you have made quite a few great points.

If we did make a few trades when we looked like competitive team, we may have hung in the playoff race for alot longer. As in the past few years, once we were out, the effort was over as well. The longer we were in the playoff senario, the more points this team would have accumulated.

Unless we really hit on 7oa this season , more so then 12th-15th overall, then it was another wasted year of Jack's contract.

Playoff success does breed confidence. All of these teams left in the playoffs scare me next year. Maybe being 5 points out all summer has players thinking (3 more wins) as they lift weights ect.

Being 20 points out causes doubt and more likely free agent bias to a losing team

Ion, you have made quite a few great points.

If we did make a few trades when we looked like competitive team, we may have hung in the playoff race for alot longer. As in the past few years, once we were out, the effort was over as well. The longer we were in the playoff senario, the more points this team would have accumulated.

Unless we really hit on 7oa this season , more so then 12th-15th overall, then it was another wasted year of Jack's contract.

Playoff success does breed confidence. All of these teams left in the playoffs scare me next year. Maybe being 5 points out all summer has players thinking (3 more wins) as they lift weights ect.

Being 20 points out causes doubt and more likely free agent bias to a losing team
- Boss34

I think Botterill has the savvy to get the players we needed to make a push, even if he couldn’t get all the players we needed to fill every position of need and to perfect a roster.

After all, he was savvy enough to acquire cap flexibility by predicting that the trade of ROR would result in Berglund quitting.

I think Botterill has the savvy to get the players we needed to make a push, even if he couldn’t get all the players we needed to fill every position of need and to perfect a roster.

After all, he was savvy enough to acquire cap flexibility by predicting that the trade of ROR would result in Berglund quitting.
- Der Kaiser

But then again, no one really cares

Ion, you have made quite a few great points.

If we did make a few trades when we looked like competitive team, we may have hung in the playoff race for alot longer. As in the past few years, once we were out, the effort was over as well. The longer we were in the playoff senario, the more points this team would have accumulated.

Unless we really hit on 7oa this season , more so then 12th-15th overall, then it was another wasted year of Jack's contract.

Playoff success does breed confidence. All of these teams left in the playoffs scare me next year. Maybe being 5 points out all summer has players thinking (3 more wins) as they lift weights ect.

Being 20 points out causes doubt and more likely free agent bias to a losing team
- Boss34

I do agree with the notion of success breeds success, and a losing organization is less attractive to FA's. As far as trades earlier in the year, there just seems to be a lack of interest with most GM's. They tend to sit on their hands hoping players can right themselves before making a move. It is just a very tight market at that time of year.

As for Botts, I was shocked that no trades were made to sell off more assets for picks, to purge the roster at the TDL. I was disappointed. Maybe that further underscores how crappy the roster was.
That is on Botts for sure.

I hope the Worlds are beneficial for him to find a coach and open discussions for trades in the offseason. He has a ton of work to do.
He could offload one right quick...Hire Gronborg

But then again, no one really cares
- IonSabres

A+