Michael Sauer is a known quantity and is playing damn near flawless defensive hockey (granted not against top players)....hes quickly turning into a mainstay. McIlrath really hasnt proven anything, and hes not on a significantly better pace than last year. however, i will say ive hardly seen anything of his games so im not the best judge.
Simply comes down to what you value more: potential or reliability. In the case of young defensemen, I'm going with the guy who's proven more, and that would be Sauer.
McIlrath. As much as I love Sauer, McIlrath's upside is incredibly valuable to this organization.
Yup. Wrath could be a difference maker like Beuk was. Sauer will be a nice defenseman, but nothing you can't sign any offseason. I would rather have a chance at a second Beuk than to have a guaranteed Poti-quality defenseman.
Yup. Wrath could be a difference maker like Beuk was. Sauer will be a nice defenseman, but nothing you can't sign any offseason. I would rather have a chance at a second Beuk than to have a guaranteed Poti-quality defenseman.
Sauer and Poti-quality should never be mentioned in the same sentence. Sauer already displays an understanding of how to play actual defense in the NHL, that it took Poti 10 years to begin to figure out. Sauer also has an edge and mean streak, something Poti has very rarely ever exhibited.
Sauer is establishing himself as a legitimate NHL defenseman, something McIlrath is not even close to showing yet. At the moment, until he can show that he will anything more than a potential top 4 D-man, which Sauer is on his way to doing right now, I do not see McIlrath topping out at a higher end than Sauer.
For what it's worth, Potes has put in 11 years of NHL hockey and still going.
If either of these guys is able to spend that amount of time in this league, I'll consider it a success - especially if most of those years are with the NYR.
I don't even think Mac has significantly higher upside to be honest.
__________________
"Here we can see the agression of american people. They love fighting and guns. when they wont win they try to kill us all." -HalfOfFame
I like the McIlrath pick more than I did at the time but still have to go with Sauer. Hes proving to be a solid NHL defenseman and that is something we still HOPE McIlrath can become. Im sure at the time Jessiman was looked at the same way McIlrath is. Im not comparing the picks or anything Im just saying known quantity should be largely taken into account over a question mark.
That being said... I am happy we took McIlrath over Fowler. The only other player I would have preferred over McIlrath who was available was Gormley because I have a feeling he will be very comparable to Marc Staal if he hits his full potential, but at the end of the day McIlrath is our guy and I think he will become an outstanding NHL player. Maybe 20-25 points a year but the meanest nastiest **** on the ice.
Has to be Sauer, he's proved so far he can handle the NHL.
How can that have any bearing on the question at hand? By that logic no prospect in the AHL could ever be rated higher than any prospect currently playing (even playing well) in the NHL.
How can that have any bearing on the question at hand? By that logic no prospect in the AHL could ever be rated higher than any prospect currently playing (even playing well) in the NHL.
Its not the deciding factor or anything. But lets be honest here. If you could take Chris Kreider or Brandon Dubinsky and only have one of them right now, who would it be? Kreider whos upside seems to be a 1st liner with phenomenal speed? Or Dubinsky who is a proven 50 point guy and will likely score 30 this year and have around 65 points and is a 2nd liner/fringe 1st liner? Idk about you but im taking the guy who has proven he can score and play at a 60-65 point level vs the guy who has the potential for 70+
The Sauer/McIlrath situ is no different. Sauer has proven he can play NHL level hockey and do his job well. McIlrath has more upside but hasnt even shown he can play at the AHL level yet, let alone the NHL while Sauer has played solid hockey at both.
McIrath has a higher potential that could squeak him into a good #3 dman, maybe #2 if everything clicks perfectly.
Sauer made the NHL already and is playing great as a bottom pair so far.
Mcilrath has the potential to fill a big whole - Edge to mcilrath, but I don't want to undersell Sauer either. He's cotinuing to establish himself as an important piece on Defense...
Its not the deciding factor or anything. But lets be honest here. If you could take Chris Kreider or Brandon Dubinsky and only have one of them right now, who would it be? Kreider whos upside seems to be a 1st liner with phenomenal speed? Or Dubinsky who is a proven 50 point guy and will likely score 30 this year and have around 65 points and is a 2nd liner/fringe 1st liner? Idk about you but im taking the guy who has proven he can score and play at a 60-65 point level vs the guy who has the potential for 70+
The Sauer/McIlrath situ is no different. Sauer has proven he can play NHL level hockey and do his job well. McIlrath has more upside but hasnt even shown he can play at the AHL level yet, let alone the NHL while Sauer has played solid hockey at both.
Well said...that's my reasoning. Sauer is already at a stage that we're hoping McIlrath reaches. And, like we're seeing with Dubinsky this year, it is my belief that Sauer still has upside. He's a very good skater, handles the puck well, and is very sound defensively. He also brings an edge. MCIlrath may have more potential, but, he has a long way to go in developing that potential.
Well said...that's my reasoning. Sauer is already at a stage that we're hoping McIlrath reaches. And, like we're seeing with Dubinsky this year, it is my belief that Sauer still has upside. He's a very good skater, handles the puck well, and is very sound defensively. He also brings an edge. MCIlrath may have more potential, but, he has a long way to go in developing that potential.
