possibly...he was a rookie in 17-18 and the sabres finished last in the league by five points...would he have made that much of a difference?...maybe, but there were names like svechnikov, tkachuk, and hughes that followed dahlin
- Michael Pachla

This true. Just talking for talkings sake. Every year there’s guys that can be taken to turn the tide of a franchise. Cozens hopefully is that guy for us

I have heard Perfetti, Rossi, Drysdale....and all that assuming the top 3 go as expected, which is about a 50/50 proposition. And then there is GM Stevie Y, who did the unexpected last year. We really won't know until it happens. Everything we have heard so far may be a smoke screen. I read somewhere that, if the Wing's didn't take Seider last year, the Sabres would have. Have any of you Sabres fans heard the same thing ?
- Iago

The bold above is total baloney.

So all you draft gurus, I know everyone has their preferred draft picks for this year, but is there a WORST-CASE scenario that any of you could see playing out for Buffalo?

Or are we guaranteed a great player?

So all you draft gurus, I know everyone has their preferred draft picks for this year, but is there a WORST-CASE scenario that any of you could see playing out for Buffalo?

Or are we guaranteed a great player?
- Powerslave

I think as long as one defenseman or Askarov go in front of us AND we actually take one of the forwards, we’ll be happy. I’m no expert though.

Laf, Byfield, Stutzle, Raymond, Rossi, Perfetti, Holtz.

Edit: Lundell as the WC, but rather the top 7 ( knowing the first four will not fall)

I think as long as one defenseman or Askarov go in front of us AND we actually take one of the forwards, we’ll be happy. I’m no expert though.

Laf, Byfield, Stutzle, Raymond, Rossi, Perfetti, Holtz.

Edit: Lundell as the WC, but rather the top 7 ( knowing the first four will not fall)
- SDSabre

I feel like people are severely understating Lundell with how good he already is and how good he will be.

I feel like people are severely understating Lundell with how good he already is and how good he will be.
- kingcong39

Perhaps. If he’s our choice I wouldn’t be upset, watching some of his highlights and reading about him. The other 3 (Rossi, Holtz, and Perfetti) also are really good and if they all hit their ceilings, I just think those 3 are a tad higher. Developing whoever we take will be key to our success, as always

I have heard Perfetti, Rossi, Drysdale....and all that assuming the top 3 go as expected, which is about a 50/50 proposition. And then there is GM Stevie Y, who did the unexpected last year. We really won't know until it happens. Everything we have heard so far may be a smoke screen. I read somewhere that, if the Wing's didn't take Seider last year, the Sabres would have. Have any of you Sabres fans heard the same thing ?
- Iago

Never heard that at all. What i did hear was that if Detroit didn't take him, Holland in Edmonton (2 picks later) would have. This does make sense since Yzerman still had all of Hollands scouting staff so Holland knew everything they thought about that draft. Holland even ended up bringing a lot of them to Edmonton after Yzerman got rid of a lot of them later on.

I do remember rumors that Buffalo wanted Riley Sheahan that the Wings picked 2 picks before Buffalo in 2010. They really didn't miss anything there.

8. Buffalo Sabres--D, Mikhail Sergachev. Buffalo was ready to select Jacob Chychrun until sources revealed he hurt his shoulder giving Terry Pegula a high-five at a family cookout in Florida. You could feel the weight of the moment as Chychrun's double cheeseburger went flying into Kim Pegula's Strawberry Daquiri. The incident threw everyone off guard causing Murray's brain to cramp and he ends up doing the unthinkable by drafting the Russian defenseman who inexplicably dropped to them. There's no truth to the rumor that former head scout Kevin Devine had Murray in a headlock until the blue faced GM capitulated by shouting out Sergachev's name instead of "uncle" at the same gathering.
- Michael Pachla

solid

I would like a logical explanation as to why it’s ok for Skinner to not score one PPG in his last 80 games even when he was on PP1, however when the name Monahan pops up you are as giddy as a school girl to move 8th OA for a player who derives most of his value on the PP that you seem to devalue on these threads on a daily basis.

Like Jesus Christopher the guy was a -16 on a Flames team that made the playoffs and has had no even strength production at all in the last 10 playoff games he’s played in the past few years. The analytics show he’s brutal defensively too so it’s not like it’s Gaudreau or Lindholm causing that mess.

Then when GMKA makes a trade to move Mojo out for Staal we essentially find a stop gap 2C whom analytically shows a player who can also produce at even strength and isn’t an albatross defensively (however he did receive a lot of o-zone starts) yet it was met with skepticism on your end and you were obviously upset that we didn’t make the big “fancy” move for the sake of making one. Even the people who don’t care about analytics can see that Staal can be a 2C and bring other intangibles like veteran experience and size to our top 6 that we were lacking last year.

So it would ok for Monahan to be a passenger at even strength and kill us defensively as long as he makes our PP a top 10 possibly top 5 Unit in the NHL and it’s ok for Skinner/Reinhart/Okposo to give us replacement value on special teams for what is soon to be 30% of our Salary Cap if not more.

Pick a lane, or admit that special teams plays a major role in small sample sizes like the NHL playoffs or even as small as a single playoff series.
- Pegullaville

Dude these are flat out exaggerations.

I don’t want to move 8th. I’ve said that 100 times. I’d rather pick.

I also think you’re being incredibly disingenuous about Monahan

EV goal totals over the past 4 years

18,22,22,14

He basically averages 20 EV goals per season.

Pretending he’s just a PP producer is wrong

So all you draft gurus, I know everyone has their preferred draft picks for this year, but is there a WORST-CASE scenario that any of you could see playing out for Buffalo?

Or are we guaranteed a great player?
- Powerslave

Anton Lundell, Alex Holtz, Seth Jarvis

And all three I’d happily add to the organization.

Um... Montreal was the 12 seed, not New York

Anton Lundell, Alex Holtz, Seth Jarvis

And all three I’d happily add to the organization.
- Pegullaville

Holtz, Lundell, Jarvis in that order for me. Although Lundell gets a boost for being a center

8. Buffalo Sabres--D, Mikhail Sergachev. Buffalo was ready to select Jacob Chychrun until sources revealed he hurt his shoulder giving Terry Pegula a high-five at a family cookout in Florida. You could feel the weight of the moment as Chychrun's double cheeseburger went flying into Kim Pegula's Strawberry Daquiri. The incident threw everyone off guard causing Murray's brain to cramp and he ends up doing the unthinkable by drafting the Russian defenseman who inexplicably dropped to them. There's no truth to the rumor that former head scout Kevin Devine had Murray in a headlock until the blue faced GM capitulated by shouting out Sergachev's name instead of "uncle" at the same gathering.
- Michael Pachla

We got Joker we can move on

So all you draft gurus, I know everyone has their preferred draft picks for this year, but is there a WORST-CASE scenario that any of you could see playing out for Buffalo?

Or are we guaranteed a great player?
- Powerslave

There's zero chance they Screw it up

There's zero chance they Screw it up
- GERBE!!!75PTS

it's the sabres with a rookie gm and turmoil in the scouting department


nothing is a given with this franchise

it's the sabres with a rookie gm and turmoil in the scouting department


nothing is a given with this franchise
- homiedclown

That just got staal for free I've gained more hope then ever

Dude these are flat out exaggerations.

I don’t want to move 8th. I’ve said that 100 times. I’d rather pick.

I also think you’re being incredibly disingenuous about Monahan

EV goal totals over the past 4 years

18,22,22,14

He basically averages 20 EV goals per season.

Pretending he’s just a PP producer is wrong
- sbroads24

You said multiple times you’d move 8 for Monahan if need be.

Scoring 14 even strength goals this past season is quite productive however if you are giving up 30 goals at even strength what’s the net impact of that ? His defensive impacts greatly reduce the value he brings offensively.

It would be nearly impossible for the Sabres to win on any kind of deal that brings Monahan in unless he’s sold for pennies on the dollar and Calgary wouldn’t do that.

We need to use our assets as best as possible to bring in two additional top 9 forwards, a goaltender, and another LHD.

We need improvement in our special teams, period.

simply drafting sergachev instead of bustlander would have been huge for this franchise
- Michael Pachla

So true.
But At least we didn’t trade him for Drouin.

You said multiple times you’d move 8 for Monahan if need be.

Scoring 14 even strength goals this past season is quite productive however if you are giving up 30 goals at even strength what’s the net impact of that ? His defensive impacts greatly reduce the value he brings offensively.

It would be nearly impossible for the Sabres to win on any kind of deal that brings Monahan in unless he’s sold for pennies on the dollar and Calgary wouldn’t do that.

We need to use our assets as best as possible to bring in two additional top 9 forwards, a goaltender, and another LHD.

We need improvement in our special teams, period.
- Pegullaville

Monahan has a bad year this year.

His three previous seasons.

51% of the expected goal share
54% of the scoring chances share
51% of the overall shot share
And great on PP

Pretending he’s bad after a down year is just ridiculous

So all you draft gurus, I know everyone has their preferred draft picks for this year, but is there a WORST-CASE scenario that any of you could see playing out for Buffalo?

Or are we guaranteed a great player?
- Powerslave

I dont know poop about the draft, but my worst case scenario is any scenario where they draft a defenseman

Monahan has a bad year this year.

His three previous seasons.

51% of the expected goal share
54% of the scoring chances share
51% of the overall shot share
And great on PP

Pretending he’s bad after a down year is just ridiculous
- sbroads24

Not once did I say he is bad.

For the price to acquire him though the value is not there.

The only reason we are having this discussion right now is because you have defended Skinner’s lack of special teams contributions, yet advocate for a player like Monahan whom has a majority value his value stem from special teams.

I just think it’s ironic.

Not once did I say he is bad.

For the price to acquire him though the value is not there.

The only reason we are having this discussion right now is because you have defended Skinner’s lack of special teams contributions, yet advocate for a player like Monahan whom has a majority value his value stem from special teams.

I just think it’s ironic.
- Pegullaville

This is not the case. He produces plenty at EV strength

18th among centers in 5 on 5 goals from 17/18-19/20
34th among centers in primary assists
27th among centers in overall points

He’s incredibly productive offensively, everywhere

Not once did I say he is bad.

For the price to acquire him though the value is not there.

The only reason we are having this discussion right now is because you have defended Skinner’s lack of special teams contributions, yet advocate for a player like Monahan whom has a majority value his value stem from special teams.

I just think it’s ironic.
- Pegullaville

I'd do pick 8 for Monahan and pick 19

I dont know poop about the draft, but my worst case scenario is any scenario where they draft a defenseman
- jcragcrumple

Whars wrong with drafting Drysdale he will be a Bonafide superstar

I'd do pick 8 for Monahan and pick 19
- homiedclown

I wouldn't .. 😒