Sabre GM Darcy Regier says that there still is a possibility that he may be able to trade to move up from the 8th slot in the NHL Entry Draft. Regier says that there may be one opportunity to move up to a team ahead of them.
There are reports that canes GM Jim Rutherford is willing to trade his 5th overall pick for a top 4 defenseman. Are the Canes willing to take the 8th overall and a Buffalo top 4?
If so, Buffalo can take either Monahan, Nichushkin or Lindholm at #5, and Carilina can grab either Nurse or Zadoriv at #8.
Hmmmm.....
Regier also says that there is a lot of interest in his 16th overall pick.
Thanks, sabres.com
Colorado, Florida and Tampa are holding pat at 1-3, respectively.
Nashville, Carolina, Calgary and Edmonton are directly ahead of Buffalo right now at 4,5,6.7, respectively. Nashville are looking for a scoring winger (Stafford?). Carolina need a top 4 D (Sekera?) badly. Calgary are in a full re-build and need a starting goalie and top 4 D (Miller, Sekera?). Edmonton are looking to upgrade their starting D and they want a top 4 D (Miller, Sekera?) in the worst way.
Any news on Miller and Vanek fronts?
Regier says that he has spoken with the players.
I traded email this morning with Vanek's agent, Steve Bartlett, who told me that as of this morning he had not spoken with Regier. I emailed with Miller's agent Mike Luit earlier this week and he said that he hasn't spoken with Regier since before last week's pre-draft press conference.
I chatted briefly with NHL draft prospect Adam Erne on Friday afternoon.
He is in New York City along with dozens of his fellow draft-eligible prospects who are preparing for the moment when they will walk across the stage at the NHL Draft on Sunday afternoon.
He reiterated that he wants to play with his best friend, Mikhail Grigorenko, in Buffalo.
Erne, the former Quebec Rempart scoring star, visited with the Sabres earlier this month when he attended the Buffalo Combine. needless to say, Erne was bit by the Buffalo bug on his visit.
The Sabres invited some 70 players to Buffalo, among them were Erne, Monahan, Bailey, Fuale, Rychel, and many more. The Sabres scouts put the young stars onto the ice so that they could evaluate each player's compete level, up-close and personal. The Sabres ran the prospects through 2-on-1 drills. There were no scrimmages, just skating drills.
Darcy Regier, Kevin Devine, and the Sabres scouts were able to observe Erne's respiratory and endurance fitness with the VO2 and Wingate tests at the NHL Combine in Toronto on May, however, there were no on-ice drills for team scouts to use to evaluate the speed, agility, quickness, footwork and hand-eye skills.
Erne told me that the Sabres are interested in his skills.
"I'd like to say they (the Sabres) seemed interested.. it seemed like the meeting went really well. I was happy with my on ice performance in front of them"
Erne's overall impressions of the Buffalo combine:
"It was a blast!"
Erne has a very close personal friend, and former line mate named Mikhail Grigorenko, who you may have read about in this space before.
"Honestly I loved every second of being in Buffalo it was so much fun. It would be awesome to play with Grigo again he is a great friend"
Erne scored 127 points (56 goals) in 132 regular season games for Patrick Roy's Remparts the past two seasons. Erne was a point a game producer in QCity ( 0.96 points per game). In 22 playoff games, he scored 7 goals and added 9 assists (0.73 points per game).
In that same time span, Grigorenko scored 70 goals and added 69 assists ( a 1.51 points per game avg. in 92 games). In 22 playoff games, Grigo added 8 goals and 16 assists (a 1.09 points per game avg).
I'll draw the conclusion:
Grigo fuels Erne's production, and vice versa.
Point production. Passion. Punches. Power forward.
Yes, please.
Regier, Devine and the Sabres scouts have seen a lot of Erne the past couple of years. The Sabres when they would routinely watch Grigorenko live and in person while he competed in The Q. It was hard for the Sabres brass to miss Big Erne's heavy hockey style and his soft hands.
Erne's a versatile winger, who can play on the right and left sides. He's exactly the player that the Sabres are looking to add to their already impressive organizational forward ranks that includes studs Joel Armia, Zemgus Girgensons, Johann Larsson, Dan Catenacci, Christian Isackson, Corey Tropp, Phil Varone, Justin Kea, Colin Jacobs, and Riley Boychuk, .
Erne hits, skates, creates, and scores with regularity. He's a high-motor player and will add size and strength in the years to come, which will only benefit his power game.
Its a very realistic possibility that the Sabres will select Erne with their 16th overall pick.
The city of Buffalo, and the Sabres organization made quite a profound impression on Erne during his short visit earlier earlier this month.
Having Grigorenko already on board is a great deal closer. Now, the Sabres have to fight off the other teams who want to get a look-see of Erne before the NHL Entry Draft in Newark on Sunday.
The first time I saw him skate was two years ago. It was a blistering hot day in early August. I jumped into the Amherst Pepsi Center in suburban Buffalo. I was there to talk to a Sabres player about the upcoming season. My eyes were immediately drawn to the tall, slender kid with the fast hands and fast feet. "Justin Bailey" one of the Sabres players told me when I asked who the mystery man was. I'll be honest. I'd heard of Bailey around the local WNY rinks, however, I'd need seen him skate up close. I liked what I saw. The shinny match lasted 60 minutes and I really got a good eyeful of Bailey's size and skill. You can learn a lot about a player watching pond hockey. Bailey, then 16, was running and gunning with a host of NHLers, including South Buffalo's Pat Kane. Bailey didn't look out of place to me.
Two years later, Bailey is on his way to the NHL.
Justin Bailey made a man-sized first impression in his first OHL season. Bailey scored 19 goals and was voted Rangers "Rookie of the Year". Bailey is in Newark right now with his family and friends. He will likely hear his name called in the second round at Sunday's NHL Entry Draft in Newark.
The Williamsville resident participated at the Toronto and Buffalo Combines and he's now ready to take the next step in his hockey hs journey. Justin Bailey will be drafted into the NHL. The biggest question on the minds of Buffalo Sabres fans is whether Bailey will still be on the board when the Sabres pick twice in round two of Sunday's draft. The Sabres currently own the 8th, 16th, 38th, 52nd, 69th, 129th, 130th, 143rd, 159th, and 189th picks. Bailey is slotted 38th overall and the Sabres own the 38th overall pick.
I like your chances of drafting the Buffalo Kid, Sabres fan!
He was only one week into his Kitchener Rangers career, Bailey was on the business end of bone shaking bidy check that was delivered by Calgary Flames prospect Patrick Sieloff of the Windsor Spitfires. Concussion.
Bailey recently told NHL.com:
"Getting hit like that was something I could have gotten away with last year," Bailey said. "It was really tough. As a rookie, and kind of being on the lower end of the food chain there, it was tough to adjust to."
He was sidelined for five games and was forced to sit in street clothes and watch the inaugural USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, which his hometown Buffalo Sabres hosted at First Niagara Center.
Before he was injured, Bailey was slotted higher on the Central Scouting North American prospects list. When the final prospect was released recently, Bailey was listed at #38 among North American skaters.
I caught up with Bailey via email on Friday afternoon.
Here's a glimpse into Bailey's mind as he prepares to walk across the NHL Entry Draft stage on Sunday.
Your first season in the OHL was impressive, 19 goals at Kitchener. How will you improve next season?
Next season will be a completely different year for myself and my team. We had an older team this year And a lot of the older players will be leaving. For myself a leadership role is something that I want to improve and as well as produce the way I believe I can
Were you invited to the Buffalo Combine? If so, what were you told to work on this Summer to get better? Size, strength? What did the other NHL scouts tell you at the Toronto Combine?
I was. The Buffalo Combine was a good test of on and off ice testing. Mostly everything Buffalo told me was said to me at the Toronto combine. Most of the teams told me size and strength which Is something I have identified already. It is good to hear NHL teams want me to work on something that is fixable and not God given
Who is your favorite NHLer right now?
It's tough to pick. I appreciate all of the guys in the NHL and the roles they play. I like the younger guys the most who came from the chl because that's the route I took and it's cool to look up what teams they played for just 3 years ago
Who do you model your game after?
I play my own game and take a lot of pride in it. If I had to strive to be like some people in the NHL it would be Eric Stall and David Backes. Eric Stall is a big power forward who competes as good if not better than anyone in the league. He's big but not limited to a physical role. He has skill and makes plays a playmaker or smaller guy would make. David Backes is similar in the sense that he is a power forward as well but he plays more of a physical In your face game. This is something I am trying to do more of because when I do make that jump to the NHL I would more than likely have to play that physical role and it's something I accept openly. These guys are not old point producers but captains of their teams and leaders.
How great would it be if you were drafted by your hometown Sabres?
It would be special. I grew up loving the Sabres. I know for my family it would be a treat being that my family is very close, but If it happens it happens , I'm truly blessed to hear my name called by any team
What's your favorite Buffalo restaurant? Whats your pre-game meal?
My favorite by a landslide is Chefs Restaurant. My pre game meal is grilled chicken with bread and a side of pasta
We here at SabresBuzz are cheering you on, Justin. We hope to see you play in a Buffalo Sabres sweater for years to come!
Thanks, NHL.com
***
Speaking of Sean Monahan...
The gifted Ottawa 67 center spoke at today's pre-draft media luncheon in New Jersey. monahan said that he has spoken with the Sabres a "couple times". The 67s captain characterized the Buffalo combine as "good" and that he thought that he made a great impression.
Thanks, Florida Panthers TV
Monahan calls himself a complete 200 foot player and his role model is Jonathon Toews.
The Sabres love Monahan because he's a 60% faceoff winner. He's a beast on draws, and Rolston wants to play an uptempo, puck possession game. He plays 5 on 5, PP, and PK.
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