I figured with Ennis, Gerbe, and Adam as young centres, they would go with the BPA which is probably Reinhart.
Those 3 are wingers actually. None the less i think Buffalo should take the best d-man because Gaunce,Girgensons and Faksa might be 3rd liners in the NHL and at best 2nd liners. If Galchenyuk could fall to them, then yes they should take him.
Those 3 are wingers actually. None the less i think Buffalo should take the best d-man because Gaunce,Girgensons and Faksa might be 3rd liners in the NHL and at best 2nd liners. If Galchenyuk could fall to them, then yes they should take him.
Ennis has actually been playing center recently and has excelled. The jury is still out on Adam, he might be a winger, might be a center. Gerbe is definitely a winger.
Never the less, Buffalo is stocked with high end defense prospects and literally has one maybe two centers in their system who MIGHT have a shot at making the NHL one day. Our defense is actually quite good, we've just be murdered by injuries on the back end this year (something like 60+ man games lost).
So, like I said, probably Faksa, Gaunce or Grigensons and not a defenseman. Faksa and Gaunce are pretty much locks for beng at least 3rd line centers with size and good defensive play. Buffalo would value them much higher. Of course, I still hope we pick top 5/win the lottery and land Galchenyuk (please please please)
Ennis has actually been playing center recently and has excelled. The jury is still out on Adam, he might be a winger, might be a center. Gerbe is definitely a winger.
Never the less, Buffalo is stocked with high end defense prospects and literally has one maybe two centers in their system who MIGHT have a shot at making the NHL one day. Our defense is actually quite good, we've just be murdered by injuries on the back end this year (something like 60+ man games lost).
So, like I said, probably Faksa, Gaunce or Grigensons and not a defenseman. Faksa and Gaunce are pretty much locks for beng at least 3rd line centers with size and good defensive play. Buffalo would value them much higher. Of course, I still hope we pick top 5/win the lottery and land Galchenyuk (please please please)
Buffalo has a good prospect in Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb is pretty good, but neither are a top pairing d-man.
If Buffalo can't get Galchenyuk i'd say it's smarter to grab Dumba/Trouba/Ceci/Rielly/Reinhart than Faksa,Girgensons,Faksa. Who I think may all be "just" a 3rd liner.) Those d-men will be a top 4 d-man and all could be top pairing d-men too which i believe is more valuable than a 2nd/3rd liner.
Especially if Ennis does play center for the rest of his career than they have their top 2 centers and many good young wingers.
Buffalo has a good prospect in Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb is pretty good, but neither are a top pairing d-man.
If Buffalo can't get Galchenyuk i'd say it's smarter to grab Dumba/Trouba/Ceci/Rielly/Reinhart than Faksa,Girgensons,Faksa. Who I think may all be "just" a 3rd liner.) Those d-men will be a top 4 d-man and all could be top pairing d-men too which i believe is more valuable than a 2nd/3rd liner.
Especially if Ennis does play center for the rest of his career than they have their top 2 centers and many good young wingers.
Pysyk will probably be a 3/4 guy but with what McNabb has shown, he definitely could be a 2/3 guy. Not to mention we have Ehrhoff (a 2/3 guy) locked up for the next 9 years, Myers signed to a lengthy extension (1/2 guy), Regehr who is declining but will continue to be a solid 4 and could be resigned after next year, Sekera who in the last two years has been a great 2nd pairing guy who can step up to the first pairing if injuries happen, Weber who has turned his game around recently and can be a 5/6 guy, Leopold who is a good second pairing guy, not to mention the likes of Brennan and Schiestel who are still waiting for a real shot (and Brennan has looked decent in his call ups).
We have defensive depth out the ass. I'm not saying that one of those defensemen who might be available won't have a bit more upside, but our total lack of prospect centers should lead us to picking one of Faksa, Gaunce or Girgensons. We need center prospects and we need them now. Roy and Ennis are tiny and not a top two that is ideal. One small center is fine, both your top 6? Not so good. While those centers are not locks for top 6 talent, it's worth the shot due to team needs.
I would like them to do everything possible (within reason) to move up if need be to grab Galchenyuk. Taking one of those three is the backup plan.
I can see Gaunce going top 15, but he is a major project. He will not be able to skate in the NHL. He is too soft to stay in front of the net and soley be a finisher.
At the CHL prospects game, he looked slow out there compared to the WHL and Q skaters.
Pysyk will probably be a 3/4 guy but with what McNabb has shown, he definitely could be a 2/3 guy. Not to mention we have Ehrhoff (a 2/3 guy) locked up for the next 9 years, Myers signed to a lengthy extension (1/2 guy), Regehr who is declining but will continue to be a solid 4 and could be resigned after next year, Sekera who in the last two years has been a great 2nd pairing guy who can step up to the first pairing if injuries happen, Weber who has turned his game around recently and can be a 5/6 guy, Leopold who is a good second pairing guy, not to mention the likes of Brennan and Schiestel who are still waiting for a real shot (and Brennan has looked decent in his call ups).
We have defensive depth out the ass. I'm not saying that one of those defensemen who might be available won't have a bit more upside, but our total lack of prospect centers should lead us to picking one of Faksa, Gaunce or Girgensons. We need center prospects and we need them now. Roy and Ennis are tiny and not a top two that is ideal. One small center is fine, both your top 6? Not so good. While those centers are not locks for top 6 talent, it's worth the shot due to team needs.
I would like them to do everything possible (within reason) to move up if need be to grab Galchenyuk. Taking one of those three is the backup plan.
I agree they lack a potential top end center in their prospect pool and have good depth for d-men, but they could use a top end d-man prospect still like Murray,Dumba,Trouba,Reinhart or Ceci. They would benefit most from a center, but if it's not Grigorenko or Galchenyuk i think they should take 1 of those d-men rather than centers like Faksa,Gaunce,Girgensons as they are 2nd/3rd line guys. They don't have huge potential. Center is the biggest need, but a top end d-men like i said is their 2nd biggest need. If it's between those 3 centers and a few of the d-men i named, i think they take a d-man who brings the higher upside over those 3 centers i named who are 2nd liners at best in my opinion.
Realistically the only way the Leafs use the 5th pick on a dman is if Yakupov, Grigorenko, Galchenyuk and Forsberg are all taken with the first 4 picks. Also, I still don't think the Canes would take Gaunce over Faksa even despite Faksa's concussion.
