SB Nation - Buffalo Sabres

Visuals: Valeri Nichushkin 2013 WJC Highlights

FHS Scout Says: Here is where the serious questions start as Val shows a lot of potential but the production leaves me wanting more. I think there is bust potential here as he could be more flash than finish.

Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #5 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #9

Bob McKenzie: #6 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #6

The Hockey News: #7

Hockey Prospectus: #7

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #7

NHLE: 33.1

Required Reading:

Visuals: Sean Monahan Highlights

FHS Scout Says: Has a lot of intangibles that NHL scouts love like great hockey sense, defensive conscience, strong on draws, etc. but that's not necessarily a great calling card for his fantasy potential. His numbers this year were very solid, especially given that Ottawa was a crap team, as Monahan was in on 44% of Ottawa's goals... lofty! But a little extrapolating is going to have to be done to determine what he will do when surrounded by more talent.

Hunter Shinkaruk, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #6 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #13

Bob McKenzie: #8 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #14

The Hockey News: #23

Hockey Prospectus: #10

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #9

NHLE: 31.4

Required Reading:

Visuals: Hunter Shinkaruk Highlights

FHS Scout Says: He's on the smallish side (5'10" & 181) but has put up big numbers the past two WHL seasons including 49 goals in 2011/12 when he formed a dynamic duo with Emerson Etem. I like the skills, shiftiness & tenacity and think he could be one of the most productive scorers in this class.

Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #12 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #14

Bob McKenzie: #15 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #30

The Hockey News: #10

Hockey Prospectus: #12

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #12

NHLE: 18.1

Required Reading:

Visuals: Ryan Pulock 2011-12 WHL Highlights

FHS Scout Says: His numbers dipped in this third WHL season but Brandon was scoring over a goal per game less this season than last so I don't think you can punish him for that too much. Pulock was a forward up until his Jr. days and has a shot like the hammer of the gods that will make him an effective weapon on an NHL PP.

Max Domi, C, London (OHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #19 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #25

Bob McKenzie: #18 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #10

The Hockey News: #15

Hockey Prospectus: #9

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #15

NHLE: 33.3

Required Reading:

Visuals: Max Domi 2012-2013 OHL Highlights

FHS Scout Says: Domi is a complete offensive player but he is missing one element that would make him sure-fire NHL star... size. He was able to succeed in the OHL without that advantage, albeit with a stacked team, but there are questions if it will hold him back in The Show. I like the skill-set and think he may have his Dad's determination to prove the doubters wrong but I'm not sure I'm willing to take a risk like this at the top of the draft.

Alright, so there you have your five options. Who would you take 6th overall in a fantasy prospect draft? Do your homework, come to your own conclusions and make your vote count. We want to hear some different opinions here, so please flood the comment section with your thoughts and if you like someone else in this slot then choose the Write-In Vote and make your case in the comments.

We'll move on to the 7th pick on Friday.

Poll

Who would you take 6th overall in a fantasy prospect draft?

Sabres Links: Pegula talks on WGR, Datsyuk, Couture, Voynov re-sign

Jack N. Goods — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:08 -0000

Sabres Links

Terry Pegula appears on Sabres Hockey Hotline, says Darcy Regier has done nothing wrong [WGR 550]
Sabres interviewing assistant coaching candidates [WGR 550]
Sabres announce Summer Fan Fest, to feature rookie scrimmage and concert [Sabres.com]
The Stanley Cup shows how fragile the Sabres truly are [SabreNoise]
Cody Hodgson faces off with Pavel Datsyuk for the TSN Play of the Year [TSN]

Around The League

Pavel Datsyuk agrees to new three year deal [NHL.com]
Sharks sign Logan Couture to five year deal [TSN]
Slava Voynov signs six year extension with Los Angeles [TSN]
Could Vancouver and the Rangers be swapping coaches? [New York Daily News]
Senators' home renamed Canadian Tire Centre [CBC]
Flames acquire Corban Knight from Panthers [TSN]

2013 Buffalo Sabres Report Cards: Andrej Sekera

Andy Boron — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:30:06 -0000

Andrej Sekera

#44 / Defenseman / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-0

Weight: 201

Born: Jun 08, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2012 - Andrej Sekera	37	2	10	12	-2	4	0	0	0		33

Contract: Signed through the 2014-15 season at $2.75 million

Report Card Grade in 2012: 7 out of 10

Introduction: Andrej Sekera is a player who's caused some dissension among Sabres fans over the past few seasons. On the one hand, he's a very solid, reliable, two-way defenseman, but on the other hand, he doesn't stand out in any category that's easy for fans to relate to.

Key Stat: Splits are the key stat(s) for Sekera. In the first two months of the season, he was a -6 with just 4 points, while over the last two Sekera posted a +4 with 8 points. In home games, Charles Barkley would have called Sekera turrible, with a -7 in 19 games, but in 18 road games he was a +5. We've seen Sekera's talent in the past, but one of his issues has always been consistency. The 27-year old is entering a phase of his career where he needs to show it more consistently over the next two seasons if he's going to earn his big payday in the summer of 2015.

Thumbs Up: Andrej Sekera played against the most difficult competition of any defenseman on the Sabres blue line. Sekera was the tenth highest scorer on the team, and second highest among defensemen behind Christian Ehrhoff. He racked up over 21 minutes of ice time, third on the team, and accrued only 4 minutes of penalty time. The Slovakian d-man racked up 73 blocked shots, good for third on the team, despite playing in only 37 games.

Thumbs Down: Sekera had the third worst Relative Corsi mark on the team, meaning the opposition outshot the Sabres while he was on the ice more than almost anyone on the team. He doesn't hit much, with only 30 in 27 games, and had almost twice as many giveaways as takeaways. He contributes a bit on both the power play and penalty kill, though not much compared to other blueliners.

Voting: Using the good old grade school system of A, B, C, D, F, with A representing a great season, C an average season, and F a very poor season, grade Andrej Sekera on his performance this year according to the expectations you had for him.

Poll

What grade would you give Andrej Sekera for his 2012-13 season?

Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 NHL Mock Draft: Pick #16

TJ Maughan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:00:05 -0000

Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.

Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2012 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.

Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the sixteenth overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.

Darcy Reiger: With the sixteenth overall selection in this years draft, the Buffalo Sabres' are pleased to select...

Frederik Gauthier

Left Wing / Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)

Height: 6-3

Weight: 193

Born: April 26, 1995

Hometown: Mascouche, PQ

Shoots: Left

Rankings: CSS (8 NA), ISS (18), TSN (21), Hockey Prospectus (31)

The Skinny: After taking a defenceman with their first pick, the Buffalo Sabres should be looking at a forward with their second pick -- acquired as part of the Jason Pommonville trade. With Gauthier they will get a steady, competent player with offensive upside.

Hockey Prospectus:

"Gauthier experienced an up-and-down campaign. He showed significant flashes, but also lapsed offensively for long stretches. He measures at 6'5", 214 pounds, has some offensive talent, and shows advanced play for his age. He is an above-average skater, well above-average for a player his size, as he has a real easiness to his stride. He exerts little effort in his pushoffs, and he picks up speed very well. He is very agile, given his size."

AIH Draft Board

Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Nationality	Amateur Club
1	Colorado Avalanche	Seth Jones	D	USA	Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
2	Florida Panthers	Jonathan Drouin	LW	CAN	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3	Tampa Bay Lightning	Nathan MacKinnon	C	CAN	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
4	Nashville Predators	Aleksander Barkov	C	FIN	Tappara (SM-liiga)
5	Carolina Hurricanes	Sean Monahan	C	CAN	Ottawa 67's (OHL)
6	Calgary Flames	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	CAN	Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7	Edmonton Oilers	Elias Lindholm	C	SWE	Brynas (Elitserien)
8	Buffalo Sabres	Darnell Nurse	D	CAN	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
9	New Jersey Devils	Bo Horvat	C	CAN	London Knights (OHL)
10	Dallas Stars	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	RUS	Chelyabinsk 2 (MHL)
11	Philadelphia Flyers	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	FIN	TPS (SM-liiga)
12	Phoenix Coyotes	Anthony Mantha	RW	CAN	Val d'Or Forreaurs (QMJHL)
13	Winnipeg Jets	Kerby Rychel	LW	CAN	Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
14	Columbus Blue Jackets	Max Domi	C	CAN	London Knights (OHL)
15	New York Islanders	Alexander Wennberg	C	SWE	Djurgaden (Allsvenskan)
16	Buffalo Sabres	Frederik Gauthier	LW	CAN	Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)

Community Draft Board

Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Nationality	Amateur Club
1	Colorado Avalanche	Seth Jones	D	USA	Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
2	Florida Panthers	Nathan MacKinnon	C	CAN	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3	Tampa Bay Lightning	Jonathan Drouin	LW	CAN	Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
4	Nashville Predators	Aleksander Barkov	C	FIN	Tappara (SM-liiga)
5	Carolina Hurricanes	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	RUS	Chelyabinsk 2 (MHL)
6	Calgary Flames	Sean Monahan	C	CAN	Ottawa 67's (OHL)
7	Edmonton Oilers	Darnell Nurse	D	CAN	Sault Ste. Marie Grehyounds (OHL)
8	Buffalo Sabres	Elias Lindholm	C	SWE	Brynas (Elitserien)
9	New Jersey Devils	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	CAN	Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
10	Dallas Stars	Bo Horvat	C	CAN	London Kinghts (OHL)
11	Philadelphia Flyers	Rasmum Ristolainen	D	FIN	TPS (SM-liiga)
12	Phoenix Coyotes	Max Domi	C	CAN	London Knights (OHL)
13	Winnipeg Jets	Anthony Mantha	RW	CAN	Val d'Or Forreurs (QMJHL)
14	Columbus Blue Jackets	Ryan Pulock	D	CAN	Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
15	New York Islanders	Nikita Zadorov	D	RUS	London Knights (OHL)

Poll

Who will the Buffalo Sabres' select with the sixeenth overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft?

Frederik Gauthier

11 votes

Mirco Mueller

2 votes

Alexander Wennberg

18 votes

Valentin Zykov

7 votes

Other (please specify in the comments section)

6 votes

44 votes | Poll has closed

Sabres Hiring Of Kanalley, Ryndak Are Steps In The Right Direction

Andy Boron — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:07 -0000

The Buffalo Sabres announced yesterday that they've made two additions to their internal staff - Craig Kanalley has been hired as the team's new social media manager and Chris Ryndak will write in some capacity on the editorial side.

On the surface, this might not seem like that important of an announcement, however, both of these writers share two important traits - they come from the ever-growing online pool of quality bloggers/writers, and they each have unique Buffalo connections. Kanalley was born in Buffalo, graduated from St. John-Fisher college, and his namesake is Buffalo Sabres great Craig Ramsay, while Ryndak was a writer for popular Buffalo-based blog The Goose's Roost before covering the team for NHL.com.

These are two smart hirings by the Sabres that received instant praise amongst Buffalo's Twitterati, not only because they both have strong personal connections to the team, but because the Sabres went out and found two guys who produce high-quality work, and brought them in to the fold. When you combine this with the fact that the organization has already been utilizing the talents of Kris Baker from the excellent Sabres Prospects blog to help with their draft coverage, you can see the organizational pattern of targeting smart voices who have a passion for Sabres hockey, and using their talents to improve the team's coverage of itself.

The off-ice product should improve with the team's recent additions, and improvement in any area is a good thing. However, this now puts the onus on GM Darcy Regier and his team to improve the on-ice product in a meaningful way come the draft and free agency.

All the insightful Tweets and editorials in the world won't mean much if the team plays as poorly as it did for stretches last season. I'm looking forward to seeing what Kanalley and Ryndak bring to the organization, but I'm looking forward even more to how they cover the team's inevitable changes.

Sabres Links: Sabres Free Agent tarkets, Flyers sign Streit, Seattle next season?

Jack N. Goods — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:06 -0000

Sabres Links

Coller: Who should the Sabres target in free agency? [WGR 550]
Sabres hire Craig Kanalley for social media [Sabres.com]

Around The League

Alain Vigneault to be named Rangers coach [TSN]
Flyers agree to four year contract with Mark Streit [TSN]
Coyotes would move to Seattle if ownership falls through [Seattle Times]
Red Wings interested in Stephen Weiss [M Live]
Canucks sign Swedish goaltender Joacim Eriksson [NHL.com]

2013 Community Fantasy Draft Rankings: 5th Pick

Cam Collingwood — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:57:03 -0000

So far no real upsets as we like Barkov at #4:

Aleksander Barkov - 52%

Valeri Nichushkin - 29%

Elias Lindholm - 11%

Write-In Vote - ??? - 5%

Sean Monahan - 0%

Hunter Shinkaruk - 0%

So with the 4th pick in any fantasy prospect draft, Gary Bettman would like to announce that we have selected Aleksander Barkov.

Here is who is off the board:

#1 Nathan MacKinnon (64% of the vote)

#2 Jonathan Drouin (69% of the vote)

#3 Seth Jones (50% of the vote)

#4 Aleksander Barkov (52% of the vote)

Here are your candidates for the 5th pick:

Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Chelyabinsk (KHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #2 (Euro Skaters)

ISS: #4

Bob McKenzie: #10 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #5

The Hockey News: #5

Hockey Prospectus: #4

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #5

NHLE: 20.0

Required Reading:

Visuals: Valeri Nichushkin 2013 WJC Highlights

Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #5 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #9

Bob McKenzie: #6 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #6

The Hockey News: #7

Hockey Prospectus: #7

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #7

NHLE: 33.1

Required Reading:

Visuals: Sean Monahan Highlights

Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (SEL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #3 (Euro Skaters)

ISS: #7

Bob McKenzie: #5 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #9

The Hockey News: #4

Hockey Prospectus: #6

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #6

NHLE: 36.9

Required Reading:

Visuals: Elias Lindholm 2013 WJC Highlights

FHS Scout Says: There is a lot to like here as Lindholm played regularly (16 mpg) in the SEL as an 18-year-old and had numbers that would make Mika Zibanejad jealous. His career path is similar to Nicklas Backstrom with Lindholm putting up slightly better numbers the past two years... and we all know how that turned out! So I think we have an underrated offensive talent here that is getting lost in the hype surrounding The Big Three.

Hunter Shinkaruk, C, Medicine Hat (WHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #6 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #13

Bob McKenzie: #8 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #14

The Hockey News: #23

Hockey Prospectus: #10

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #9

NHLE: 31.4

Required Reading:

Visuals: Hunter Shinkaruk Highlights

Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL)

Rankings:

Central Scouting: #12 (NA Skaters)

ISS: #14

Bob McKenzie: #15 (mid-term)

Craig Button: #30

The Hockey News: #10

Hockey Prospectus: #12

NHL Numbers Consensus Rankings: #12

NHLE: 18.1

Required Reading: