Michael Pachla: Dahlin helps Buffalo's thin, but slowly improving prospect pool on defense The Sabres top three d-prospects heading into the draft

yay

yay
- Sabre_Tooth

you go, sabretooth...

sure wish they'd let you rappel from the rafters like you did back in the 90's/2000's

Nice article Michael. You forgot two really good, albeit, not great D prospects: Hickey and Fitzgerald (that BU kid, I may have his name wrong??). The interesting thing about Hickey is BOTTS seems very confident in signing him on July 1 (he would be a UFA on 8/1). Nice feeling that someone wants to sign with Buffalo; apparently he told ARI he wouldn't be signing with them.

Michael Pachla: Dahlin? Who Cares. Ryan O'Reilly.
- Michael Pachla

Nice article Michael. You forgot two really good, albeit, not great D prospects: Hickey and Fitzgerald (that BU kid, I may have his name wrong??). The interesting thing about Hickey is BOTTS seems very confident in signing him on July 1 (he would be a UFA on 8/1). Nice feeling that someone wants to sign with Buffalo; apparently he told ARI he wouldn't be signing with them.
- turbo044

They were both mentioned by name by Sexton, I believe. Also, I know the speculation is that he wouldn't sign with Arizona, but is there a write up somewhere that goes into this?

From last blog:

Also the Risto contract negotiations weren't going well at all

There is nothing published that states they talked before the season (his last year under his ELC)

https://buffalonews.com/2...res-ristolainen-back-ice/

In fact that article has negotiations as cold at the end of September right before the season starts where he wasn't under contract

Stop making a mountain out of an ant hill

Nice write up. Murray's moves conjur a Pink Floyd reference: hey, Timmy, leave those kids alone

JB is sorting the mess

They were both mentioned by name by Sexton, I believe. Also, I know the speculation is that he wouldn't sign with Arizona, but is there a write up somewhere that goes into this?
- TheSabresTaco

BOTTS interview on WGR said he didn't anticipate having any problem signing Hickey July 1. If there was any uncertainty, no way he would have said this. They have an agreement in principal I'm sure. The Captain Jack/Dahlin/Mitts factor, I'm guessing?? These young guys want to be part of the future of this team.

BOTTS interview on WGR said he didn't anticipate having any problem signing Hickey July 1. If there was any uncertainty, no way he would have said this. They have an agreement in principal I'm sure. The Captain Jack/Dahlin/Mitts factor, I'm guessing?? These young guys want to be part of the future of this team.
- turbo044

He's coming to development camp, and he's gonna sign July 1 (the earliest he can).

This is a non story

From last blog:

Also the Risto contract negotiations weren't going well at all

There is nothing published that states they talked before the season (his last year under his ELC)

https://buffalonews.com/2...res-ristolainen-back-ice/

In fact that article has negotiations as cold at the end of September right before the season starts where he wasn't under contract

Stop making a mountain out of an ant hill
- Stripes77

Well. this is almost July of what would be the next year and they are cold so this might not be a mountain but Risto's contract at this time was being negotiated and we get none of those articles about Reinhart, cold, hot or indifferent.

BOTTS interview on WGR said he didn't anticipate having any problem signing Hickey July 1. If there was any uncertainty, no way he would have said this. They have an agreement in principal I'm sure. The Captain Jack/Dahlin/Mitts factor, I'm guessing?? These young guys want to be part of the future of this team.
- turbo044

Could be location, could be Boston factor (Jack, Erod, DOR, Greeley), could be opportunity, combination or anything else. We pretend to know why a player chooses a location or why a player wouldn't want to come here all the time. Fact is, only the player knows or can tell us why he chose a location. Botts has an honesty pattern to him that doesn't give too much away. He had the same attitude about Nelson, stating multiple times that him and his agent had a great relationship, and "nothing's official" etc.. sure enough he was signed weeks later. When he was on the Instigators, they teased him about picking Dahlin, along the lines of straight out asking him, and he stayed silent, then they ripped on him for his terrible poker face. On top of saying "we want people to show up". Not that we need verification to know he's drafting Dahlin, but when he's pretty certain about a scenario, he's as frank as he's allowed to be.

I'm very confident this kid gets signed, and I'm sure Botts doesn't send HF to Arizona if he doesn't think he has a chance. He seems to respect assets more than TM. Personally I think we all do.

Excellent write-up. What happened to our defense is why I cringe every time I see trade ideas to move Risto, Guhle and/or McCabe. How many of us would not take Zadorov back? I swear some on this board would have run Bill Hajt out of town cuz "he offers no offensive upside".

Nice article Michael. You forgot two really good, albeit, not great D prospects: Hickey and Fitzgerald (that BU kid, I may have his name wrong??). The interesting thing about Hickey is BOTTS seems very confident in signing him on July 1 (he would be a UFA on 8/1). Nice feeling that someone wants to sign with Buffalo; apparently he told ARI he wouldn't be signing with them.
- turbo044

had I gone five deep, i'd have put those two in, in that order

Nice write up. Murray's moves conjur a Pink Floyd reference: hey, Timmy, leave those kids alone

JB is sorting the mess
- jcragcrumple

his moves may have sucked, but he did some pretty good drafting which may include olofsson at #181 in 2014

OK, I have to admit, getting a little excited to see what the draft is going to bring (in the way of trades)

Excellent write-up. What happened to our defense is why I cringe every time I see trade ideas to move Risto, Guhle and/or McCabe. How many of us would not take Zadorov back? I swear some on this board would have run Bill Hajt out of town cuz "he offers no offensive upside".
- sammysam13

Last day Dahlin wears this.

his moves may have sucked, but he did some pretty good drafting which may include olofsson at #181 in 2014
- Michael Pachla

Excellent write-up. What happened to our defense is why I cringe every time I see trade ideas to move Risto, Guhle and/or McCabe. How many of us would not take Zadorov back? I swear some on this board would have run Bill Hajt out of town cuz "he offers no offensive upside".
- sammysam13

Pysyk didn't offer any offensive upside, we built him a statue right next to the French Connection

I am very excited and honored to have the… https://t.co/grhRAvztiR

— Zemgus Girgensons (@zemgus94) June 21, 2018

Gus is now part-owner of the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints where he played for two seasons

Michael Pachla: Dahlin helps Buffalo's thin, but slowly improving prospect pool on defense
The Sabres top three d-prospects heading into the draft
- Michael Pachla

Is this based on only who have signed an ELC or who could see BUF/ROC time next year?

I've read pretty high reviews of guys we drafted like Laaksonen, Budik, and Stephans.

I think we still have the rights to big boy Austin Osmanski from East Aurora too.

- TheSabresTaco

it sure looks that way right now, but if skunk reaches his draft-level and olofsson makes a mark as a seventh-rounder, that's not as bad as some would like to think

Last day Dahlin wears this.
- TheSabresTaco

#26...

Man I hope he will be able to come out of Moulson's shadow and wear that number.

(Anyone remember reading on if he'd keep it any way?)

Is this based on only who have signed an ELC or who could see BUF/ROC time next year?

I've read pretty high reviews of guys we drafted like Laaksonen, Budik, and Stephans.

I think we still have the rights to big boy Austin Osmanski from East Aurora too.
- JVince11

It's somewhat loose