I guess, but his attitude scares the crap out of me. He said if he didn't make an NHL roster, he'd be going to the KHL. He was refusing to go to the AHL. I think that's a big red flag.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I can understand his attitude. I'd rather play in the KHL than the AHL. More money, more fans, better hockey etc...It puts pressure on the coach and front office if he really declines to be sent down. Most people seem to think he is ready to play in the NHL and he has the potential to become an elite player. High risk/high reward.

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It forces the front office to rush him is what it does. The KHL is a legitimate threat to losing NHL talent.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

SOOOOO, who still thinks that the Sabres "rebuild" will be short. Many of the players drafted are going to college and only one MAY BE ready for the NHL next season. Hmmmm, that is four years before they're even ready for Rochester.

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So it's like any NHL draft?

After the 1st round, that's what happens. This isn't the NBA or NFL. If anything, Ristolainen could be ready, but that's what you have to expect when it comes to the draft.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I was thinking the same thing. It's probably gonna be a few painful years without a chance to make the playoffs.
I'm pretty sure Vanek will be gone. He said, he wants to stay if the rebuild only takes 1 year. Looks more like 3 years until they might be a decent team again and then you'll likely have a lot of young guys who are used to losing.

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Round 1 picks were OK by me, but Sabres dropped the ball in round 2. They could have had Fucale at pick 35 and Nic Petan at 38. Those are two proven major-junior players with great results and Memorial Cup experience (one, Petan, is even the same position as the two picks they made at 35 and 38). But instead they chose to roll the dice on US development program players. They could have made this draft an absolute steal in the second and third rounds. But instead they chose to draft Americans and a kid from Buffalo out of some strange agenda. I am extremely disappointed. Fucale and Petan will be NHL players without a doubt. I'd be surprised to see more than one of their 2nd and 3rd round picks crack the lineup. Fucking idiotic.

Yes, and with what expert opinion of draft prospects are you getting this from? Every team passed on Fucale, considered the "best goalie in the class". The Sabres have done well enough in past 2nd rounds where I'm not worried about the players they "passed up."

Besides, the USNTDP has turned out some awesome players, notably Kaner, Kessel, and JVR. Zemgus Girgensons was also a USNTDPer

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Fucale: 45-5-1 record on halifax at age 16.

Petan: 120 points to lead the WHL

You don't need to be an expert to know that those numbers prove those guys have more than "potential". Give me an argument for the picks they made that isn't based on potential and you might convince me they didn't pass up better players.

So these players played well in juniors and were still passed on until the 2nd round? That says something to me. I'm not trying to make an argument about the players we drafted, but to say we "missed" in the second round is baseless, I think.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Fucale also had a measly .909 Save percentage, as well as having MacKinnon and Drouin on his team.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I was just about to mention his team had the absolute best players in juniors this year. His record doesn't impress me as much with that factor.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

OK guys, wins aren't important to a goalie. Or winning four playoff rounds and the Memorial Cup. And Petan onl scored 1.5 points per game in the most defensive and most like the NHL league in junior hockey. That isn't as impressive as getting 20 goals in a US high school, you're right.

Talk to me when Petan (2 years) and Fucale (3-5 years) are NHL regulars and these Sabre picks are maybe in Rochester.

I was just about to mention his team had the absolute best players in juniors this year. His record doesn't impress me as much with that factor.[/quote]
Just like the Pens having Malkin and Crosby made it easy for Fleury to play well right?

Just because a player has a lot of points in junior doesn't mean it will transfer to the NHL. Just because a goalie has a lot of wins in junior doesn't mean it will transfer to the NHL. How is this hard?

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Just like the Pens having Malkin and Crosby made it easy for Fleury to play well right?[/quote]

Well, they won a Cup with Fleury, so yes.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Well, but that's pretty much how you judge young players, by their results. How is that hard? Do you just say "this guy will soon be 6 foot 6, 250 pounds"? No, you look at what they did in juniors.

Go to the WHL website and tell me, how many players who lead the WHL in scoring since they've been keeping stats on the site are still in the NHL or ever made the NHL.

Answer: barely any. Scoring in juniors isn't everything.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Well, they won a Cup with Fleury, so yes.[/quote]
Sure as hell didn't this year, even with additions of Iginla and Morrow and more. Why? In no small part because their goaltending wasn't good enough, even when they were absolutely stacked with great skaters.

So what you're telling me is that it didn't work in that instance, in which I gave you an instance where it did work.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550