The more I read from Pronman, the more I think he's just winging it. Buffalo gets two of his top 15 draft prospects, including Grigorenko (his #2), in addition to good AHL/NHL rookie campaigns from Foligno and McNabb, and very good junior seasons from Pysyk and JGL, and they stay at #18 (same as last year). Dallas gets average campaigns from two of their top-3 prospects in 2011--Oleksiak and Glennie--adds Faksa and Eakin, and they jump 15 spots from 28 to 13. Huh?
He also claims to stress the importance of prospect pools with "a lot of good prospects, but not necessarily top-tier prospects." Uhh, hasn't been that the book on the Sabres for years? I'm just very confused by his methodology this season, as Buffalo finally seems to have a nice mix of top-end guys, and a lot of solid, projectable NHL players, and yet they stagnated. Just very odd.
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Originally Posted by Awwufelloff
Detriot at 3.
He's loved that system for years. He ranked them #1 last season. He's enamored with Jarnkrok and Nyquist.
I thought Hishon was made a poor decision at the time but Brady hit him in the head and deserved the suspension based on how Branch and company run the CHL discipline. Don't admire your pass and pay attention to who is on the ice, right? It also sucked because I had Sea Dogs-vs-Ice tickets for the next Kootenay game and didn't get to see McNabb at the MemCup live...
Yeah, he deserved the suspension based on the CHL rules for sure.
That type of thing wouldn't fly in higher leagues though and most of them want McNabb to fail because of the hit.
It's like they think that it's okay to just skate in the middle and watch the puck since they're cracking down on hits to the head.
Someone excused it as Hishon "already being committed to the hockey play".
Yep, committed to a dumb hockey play that you're told not to try.
Another said "I'm guessing you've never played hockey" and followed it up with "generally in hockey you watch the puck".
Hmm...
I seem to recall laughing at members of Colorado's fanbase that were expecting retribution for this hit when we played them last season. A suspendable elbow yes, but damn did Hishon have some blinders on if he didn't see McNabb lurking.
I seem to recall laughing at members of Colorado's fanbase that were expecting retribution for this hit when we played them last season. A suspendable elbow yes, but damn did Hishon have some blinders on if he didn't see McNabb lurking.
Know who's on the ice. It's not McNabb's first rodeo. Hello, Kyle...
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle
“I always said when he was 16 and playing for us that he’d be playing in the NHL at 19,” said Jim Montgomery, Girgensons’ coach the past two seasons with the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.
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Montgomery, who played 12 pro seasons and was an AHL standout, says there’s no question Girgensons has the ability.
“I know that he’s better than a lot of young players, first-year pros, that I played with and against,” Montgomery said. “He’s better prepared and more talented.
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The danger could be he loses his confidence and it sets him back,” Montgomery said. “But he accepts challenges and relishes them.
“He can help a team win in the American League. I think he’s the prototypical power forward. You look at L.A. (the Los Angeles Kings) and Boston (Bruins); they won with big players that play 200 feet of ice.”
Rob Sanderson @DropThePuckWHTK
Girgensons indicated he'll be meeting with Lindy & Darcy tomorrow & hinted he might make a decision for next season tomorrow #Sabres
Really would have liked to see Gusev get a camp invitation.
Who knows maybe he wouldn't have come, but the skill is absolutely there and he showed great chemistry with Grigs and Kucherov on the international stage.
Really would have liked to see Gusev get a camp invitation.
Who knows maybe he wouldn't have come, but the skill is absolutely there and he showed great chemistry with Grigs and Kucherov on the international stage.
How do you think Tampa would've felt if we invited one of their draft picks to our Dev Camp?
Good stuff as usual. Anything to add on our summer camp invitees, Mackenzie Braid and Jamie Wise?
Braid is still trying to establish himself as a full time OHL defenseman. He's bounced around between 4 teams in the past two years. He looks like he's maybe found a home in Sudbury, where he saw probably the most ice time he's ever had on an OHL team. Needless to say I was surprised to see he had gotten an invite to an NHL training camp. Braid is a stay at home kind of guy, who has good mobility and a bit of a mean streak. I definitely wouldn't call him anything close to an NHL prospect at this point.
Wise is an interesting case. He transformed himself from a tough guy/enforcer to a hard working goal scorer this year in Mississauga. He works his tail off at both ends of the ice and actually showed some good hands in close this year. His skating is actually OK for a bigger guy too. I didn't really anticipate him getting a contract, but if he impressed at your rookie camp, maybe he can get an AHL deal and work his way up. Could be a potential role player/energy guy.
“I play like Ryan Kesler,” he said. “That would be my comparison.”
And with the Sabres also nabbing the offensively gifted Mikhail Grigorenko in the first round, Buffalo looks to have an amazing 1-2 punch down the middle – or playing together as they did during rookie camp – in the near future.
“It’s a great move by the team to get two big centers,” Girgensons said. “I prefer to play center, but it doesn't matter to me if I play wing because he pushes me out. But I’ll give 200 percent to get in front of him.”
Armia's coming with Finlands U20-team to Lake Placids U20 Summer Hockey Challenge, that starts tomorrow. Hoping to find some reports here if anyone's going.
Meanwhile, Armia's team Ässät opened their season today in the traditional Pitsiturnaus hosted by their local rivals, Lukko. 6 teams in 2 groups, top 2 qualify for semis, then finals. Ässät didn't qualify thanks to goal differential, they lost to Lukko 0-2 (I'm hearing Ässät controlled the play, but couldn't score to save their lives) and won 2nd-level team Sport 2-1.
Games are 2x20 minutes, it all takes place over one day, and all the teams have been practicing on ice since Monday, so you can imagine the level of play is shoddy to put it nicely. The tournament is a fantastic excuse to skip work, watch hockey and get drunk right from 9am and beyond.
Armia's coming with Finlands U20-team to Lake Placids U20 Summer Hockey Challenge, that starts tomorrow. Hoping to find some reports here if anyone's going.
Meanwhile, Armia's team Ässät opened their season today in the traditional Pitsiturnaus hosted by their local rivals, Lukko. 6 teams in 2 groups, top 2 qualify for semis, then finals. Ässät didn't qualify thanks to goal differential, they lost to Lukko 0-2 (I'm hearing Ässät controlled the play, but couldn't score to save their lives) and won 2nd-level team Sport 2-1.
Games are 2x20 minutes, it all takes place over one day, and all the teams have been practicing on ice since Monday, so you can imagine the level of play is shoddy to put it nicely. The tournament is a fantastic excuse to skip work, watch hockey and get drunk right from 9am and beyond.
I debated blowing off my family reunion to make the drive up to Lake Placid for this weekend, but in the end, family won out. Hopefully someone's near enough to get some eyes on the guys (maybe Saxe, since he used to be in the Albany area can make it).
It's been a quarter century since the Buffalo Sabres have had an 18-year-old make their roster right after being drafted. Pierre Turgeon did it in 1987, the last time the Sabres had the No. 1 pick.
This year, they could have two teenagers on the roster.
The Sabres traditionally have lacked size up front, especially on their top two lines. General manager Darcy Regier hopes he's eliminated that problem for the future by taking a pair of big centers in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
I debated blowing off my family reunion to make the drive up to Lake Placid for this weekend, but in the end, family won out. Hopefully someone's near enough to get some eyes on the guys (maybe Saxe, since he used to be in the Albany area can make it).
Any idea which reporters are going to be there? Twitter? Blogs? Anything?
I debated blowing off my family reunion to make the drive up to Lake Placid for this weekend, but in the end, family won out. Hopefully someone's near enough to get some eyes on the guys (maybe Saxe, since he used to be in the Albany area can make it).
Yea, I'm going to try and make it up monday for 2 games if I don't have to work and either my Sabres friend or girlfriend can go. Hopefully it works out, I'd love to see how Armia is fitting into the Finland squad now vs. last year.
I'll be vacationing on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid all next week, but as I mentioned in the OT thread, I also celebrate my anniversary next week, so idk how much time, if any, the missus will allot me to watch the camp. I imagine I'll be able to sneak away for a few hours while she gets pampered with spa treatments, but I'm not certain off-hand when those appointments will be and who will be on the ice. However, I'll post updates from anything I do witness at the camp and any sightings from around the town.
my memory deceived me, could have sworn he got passed over again.
