So Edmonton wins the 1st pick over Columbus. They get another 1st overall pick, and yet I wonder how they still stink with three recent 1st rd picks all playing well.

Craig Button offered his mock draft. Like most mock drafts, it shows that the analyst apparently doesn't pay attention to the Sabres, predicting a pick of Swedish D-man Hampus Lindholm. Not only is Buffalo likely not to pick a d-man considering their current depth, they probably wouldn't chance another 1st rd bust on a Swedish D-man, a la Dennis Persson.

Anyway, Buffalo stays at 12th overall, with center prospects like Faksa, Gaunce, and Hertl within reach. I still hope for a trade up to nab Grigorenko or Galchenyuk. Problem is Toronto picks 5th and probably wants a center, and Burke will never arrange a trade with Regier. That means Regier has to move up to 4th by a trade with NYI to ensure one of those players (assuming Yakupov and Murray are drafted in the top four).

Just for shits and giggles, would this have been the 4th 1st rounder we would have gotten for the Thomas Vanek we're complaining we can't get rid of?

I like Darcy, but that may have been the worst off-season by a GM ever.

I think it may have been the worst off-season FOR Regier, not BY Regier. I liked Drury and Briere while they were here. Of course we'll never know what really happened in the negotiations, but they weren't worth what they got, and I'm glad we didn't put so many eggs in just 2 baskets. It sucked at the time to lose them, but under the circumstances, I think Darcy did the right thing. I know that probably puts me in the minority.

With the benefit of hindsight, I wish Darcy would have taken the Vanek deal. That's easy for me to say, but at the time Sabres fans were going absolutely berserk about 23 & 48 leaving. If we'd also lost Vanek that same summer, there may have been riots! This was the Golisano era, and my completely unprovable opinion is that TG made the decision for Darcy to keep Vanek, so as not to upset the apple cart any more. We all knew all along that TG wasn't in it for the long haul (but he's still very appreciated and rightly so). Yeah we would have sucked pretty bad for a few seasons, but that would have elevated our own 1st round picks, and we would have gotten all those Oilers 1st rounders in addition.

_________________
This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

12th.... I'm sooooooo excited

_________________

I'm not really thrilled about choosing 12th either when we were sitting top 5 for awhile. But I'm not really thrilled that two of the top players are Russian either. I think this draft has a lot of guys with almost all the same qualities. I know people want to bunch up picks or players to move up or trade for an established player,but this team needs to start focusing on drafting skilled offensive players that are over 6 feet tall and have the drive and commitment to improve every year.

Two top guys who can score and play big BUT FUCK THEM THEY'RE RUSSIAN!

What the fuck dude?

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

Maybe 12 is a lucky number for Buffalo. Tyler Myers was our 12th overall in the 2008 draft.

_________________
Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

I'm not impressed by guys that have talent that can't bring it on a nightly basis. See Semin and many others. Plus when watching world junior championship the Russian that was drafted by Washington was by far the best player on the ice and his status is in limbo because of the KHL and him wanting to stay in Russia.

It really is something to dream about. The decision to let Van go now seems to have been the right choice(ya I know all about hindsight), but I don't think EDM would have really done much better with him, because their D and tending would have still been doodoo. Heck, even with all their young stars, they're still doo doo. We obviously would have had all top 10 picks those years, too. Oh well, at least we got Leino(SARCASM!).

Keeping Vanek is not something Regier should be criticized for. Losing your 3 best players in one off-season would leave the next few seasons a wreck.

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

Yakupov and Grigorenko don't have the KHL problem because they're not playing their junior hockey in Russia. They're playing in North America. There's no issue, whatsoever, with them going back to Russia to play.

_________________
Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

we'll see

_________________

Came in to post the same thing, but also this...

Not only have both been playing North American hockey in the OHL, Galchenyuk is actually American. Not a naturalized citizen, he was born in Wisconsin and grew up in America. He has a Russian accent though, and I'm sure he speaks Russian fluently, because his father played professionally for Russia before settling in the states. Alex moved around a lot while his father played in the Super Elite League.

Grigorenko is a big kid and may top out around 6'4" and 220. Galchenyuk is 6'1" and 198 now, and may top out around 210 lbs. Either way they don't need to play like bangers, they need to play to their skill level and allow their size to prevent being pushed around or thrown off their game, a la Malkin. Girgorenko is more that type of player, but Galchenyuk with his pedigree, is almost certain to be a dynamic scorer/playmaker in the 70+ pt range every season. Sure we need size and players to actually play big, but we also need some top flight, no shit legit talent that other teams simply can't gameplan around.

Columbus continues to get boned

_________________
"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Yakupov will go 1st. Man that Oilers team is looking better and better after every 1st overall pick. They've taking a page out Pittsburghs book it seems lol.

I think a player like Roy can entice Garth Snow to making a trade for that 1st rounder they have. Maybe try to nab Okposo from them as well. We only have Stafford and Pominville at RW so thats why I mention Okposo.

I'd have no problem in dealing away one of our 1st rounders + Roy and Sekera to get a deal done that could eventually be Roy sekera + who ever the isles pick for Okposo and Grigorenko.

_________________
"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

No one criticized, it was just a discussion about what might have been(hence the hindsight thingy). Pointing out it would have been the smart thing doesn't have to be a criticism, because some people understand that no one is perfect. I was just saying that it would have been one hell of a rebuild(and yes, I understand people would have flipped their lid over a rebuild at that time). Possibly an even better rebuild than Pittsburgh, because we would have still been left with some good players, and we weren't dead broke, either.

As for the Oil, they may finally progress, because it looks like Dubnyk may finally be on his way. They still need D though, and have to realize there's a reason it's called a 'top 6', and that it's not a great idea for all 6 of those guys to be mirror images, no matter how good they are.

Hey, wasn't there two decent sized centers around pick 12, considering the draft goes in order?

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

I know Faksa might be there, not sure who the other guy is.

Gaunce and Sissons? Both around 6'0, one is 215 other is 190?

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

Faksa will probably be gone by 12, Gaunce is likely to be available, but his skating needs a lot of work. I think he tops out as a checking line center, but probably wouldn't play for the Sabres for two seasons.