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NHL DRAFT COMBINE, BUFFALO STYLE |
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Happy Memorial Day from sun soaked Buffalo, NY.
To quote the immortal Bob Cole: "EVERYTHING is happening".
Or, so it seems.
First and foremost let me say how sincerely grateful I am to those heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We can never forget.
Secondly, puck drop for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals featuring the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins will commence tonight in Steel Town. I like the Sharks to win their first Stanley Cup in their team's 25 year history in seven games. Lil Joe Pavelski will be your Conn Smythe winner. If not Pavelski then Logan Couture.
Also, Congratulations to the OHL London Knights for winning the 2016 Memorial Cup. On Sunday, highly touted NHL draft prospect Matt Tkachuk scored the OT game winning goal for London with a wicked toe drag After the game, Tkachuk revealed the he had been playing on a severely sprained ankle for over a week. Remarkably, Tkachuk scored 25 goals and 23 assists in 22 OHL playoff games. In 18 playoff games this season, he scored 20 goals and 20 assists. Tkachuk is a monster on the walls. He's a big, fast, nasty, strong as an ox wing man who possess a deft scoring touch at and around the net. Tkachuk reminds me a ton of former London Knight and current Anaheim Duck Corey Perry. Jeff Carter is another comparable to Tkachuk, who stands 6'1" and 200 lbs.
Tkachuk is the exact power forward that many NHL GMs, including Buffalo boss Tim Murray, would love to get his mitts on. Murray holds the eighth overall pick in the draft right now. Tkachuk will likely go fourth overall. At present, Peter Chiarelli of the Oilers to listening to any and all offers for his 4th overall pick. If Murray, or any other team wants Tkachuk at 4, they will have to pony up trade package that includes a top 4 right shot NHL D, a proscect D, and a premium draft choice. Buffalo has the murrency to make that deal. Murray will go to the NHL Draft armed with 12 premium picks in the 2016 entry bazaar. Murray owns his eighth overall pick, a second, four thirds, one fourth, 2 fifths, one sixth, and two seventh rounders.
Question is will another NHL GM up the ante and beat Murray to it?
Teams who miss out on Tkachuk will then set their focus on Pierre Luc Dubois, the large and in charge power house from Cape Breton's Screamin' Eagles. Dubois is a beast of a winger and like Tkachuk has the shot, wheels, vision, strength, and touch around the net to be a star in the NHL in no time flat.
Oh, and the NHL Draft Combine officially opens today in Buffalo. This is the second consecutive opportunity for the Buffalo Sabres to host the annual pre-draft scouting event.
I've already been asked by many out of town agents and media types what are the hot places to hand out in Buffalo this week. I tell them Larkinville, Canalside, Lake Erie fishing boat excursions, Niagara Falls. The restaurants are scrumptious and affordable. The food and desserts are to die for. Take a bow, Buffalo. the world is coming to see you this week.
The 2016 NHL Scouting Combine will give 114 players eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft an opportunity to showcase themselves for all 30 NHL teams beginning today in sunny Buffalo.
The combine will be held May 30-June 4 at the arena where the Sabres play attached HarborCenter ice facility in downtown Buffalo. The Sabres and the Pegula Family rebranded and reinvented the 2015 NHL Draft Combine by housing the event in appropriate setting that was conducive to hockey and fitness. I'm happy to report that gone are the days where the top prospects, their agents, NHL GMs, and scouts, watch the top athletes perform their physicial fitness and agility exercises in a dingy conference room at a Toronto hotel.
What's more, nearly all or most of the draft eligible prospects will be dressed to the nines and will be accompanied by family when the Sabres host the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24 and 25.
Teams will have the opportunity for 20-minute, 1-on-1 interviews with the prospects beginning today and through June 3. The medical examinations will be held June 1.
I'm very excited to speak with the aforementioned Tkachuk, Dubois and the three left shot D at the top of the draft in Jakob Chychrun, Olli Juolevi, and Mikhail Sergachev. If Tim Murray keeps the eighth overall pick, he will be selecting one of three left shot D. My head tells me Chychrun, but my heart tells me Juolevi, who is a Memorial Cup winner as well from the London Knights. Imagine a top pair of world class Finns for the next decade in Juolevi and Rasmus Ristolainen.
"What the players have to keep in mind is that this will be their initial contact with many NHL teams so they have the chance to make that good initial impression," Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr told NHL.com. "Some kids aren't that comfortable when they're in an interview environment, so it's important they be prepared to talk about themselves, which is something they might not be used to doing. The combine gives the NHL teams a chance to get to know the player away from the rink."
The bike tests will be held on separate days. Prior to the 2015 combine, they had been done the same day.
Here is the alphabetized list of all prospects who are expected to be in Buffalo today:
PLAYER, TEAM, LEAGUE, POSITION
VITALY ABRAMOV, GATINEAU, QMJHL, RW
FREDERIC ALLARD, CHICOUTIMI, QMJHL, D
WADE ALLISON, TRI-CITY, USHL, RW
JOSEPH ANDERSON, USA U-18, USHL, RW
JOSH ANDERSON, PRINCE GEORGE, WHL, D
JONATHAN ANG, PETERBOROUGH, OHL, C
RASMUS ASPLUND, FARJESTAD, SWEDEN, C
NATHAN BASTIAN, MISSISSAUGA, OHL, RW
JAKE BEAN, CALGARY, WHL, D
KIEFFER BELLOWS, USA U-18, USHL, LW
TYLER BENSON, VANCOUVER, WHL, LW
WILLIAM BITTEN, FLINT, OHL, C
HENRIK BORGSTROM, HIFK JR., FINLAND-JR., C
JESPER BRATT, AIK, SWEDEN-2, LW/RW
LOGAN BROWN, WINDSOR, OHL, C
VOJTECH BUDIK, PRINCE ALBERT, WHL, D
CONNOR BUNNAMAN, KITCHENER, OHL, C
NICHOLAS CAAMANO, FLINT, OHL, RW
MATTHEW CAIRNS, GEORGETOWN, OJHL, D
JACOB CEDERHOLM, HV 71 JR., SWEDEN-JR., D
DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, CHILLIWACK, BCHL, D
JAKOB CHYCHRUN, SARNIA, OHL, D
KALE CLAGUE, BRANDON, WHL, D
EVAN CORMIER, SAGINAW, OHL, G
JONATHAN DAHLEN, TIMRA, SWEDEN-2, C
SEAN DAY, MISSISSAUGA, OHL, D
ALEXANDER DEBRINCAT, ERIE, OHL, RW
CAM DINEEN, NORTH BAY, OHL, D
DILLON DUBE, KELOWNA, WHL, C
PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS, CAPE BRETON, QMJHL, LW
DANTE FABBRO, PENTICTON, BCHL, D
MATT FILIPE, CEDAR RAPIDS, USHL, LW
EVAN FITZPATRICK, SHERBROOKE, QMJHL, G
ADAM FOX, USA U-18, USHL, D
TRENT FREDERIC, USA U-18, USHL, C
JULIEN GAUTHIER, VAL-D'OR, QMJHL, RW
TIMOTHY GETTINGER, SAULT STE. MARIE, OHL, LW
BRANDON GIGNAC, SHAWINIGAN, QMJHL, C
SAMUEL GIRARD, SHAWINIGAN, QMJHL, D
BENJAMIN GLEASON, HAMILTON, OHL, D
MICHAEL GRAHAM, EDEN PRAIRIE, HIGH-MN, C
LUKE GREEN, SAINT JOHN, QMJHL, D
JAMES GREENWAY, USA U-18, USHL, D
NOAH GREGOR, MOOSE JAW, WHL, C
CARL GRUNDSTROM, MODO, SWEDEN, RW
FILIP GUSTAVSSON, LULEA JR., SWEDEN-JR., G
LIBOR HAJEK, SASKATOON, WHL, D
CARTER HART, EVERETT, WHL, G
BRETT HOWDEN, MOOSE JAW, WHL, C
FILIP HRONEK, HR. KRALOVE, CZREP, D
LUCAS JOHANSEN, KELOWNA, WHL, D
MAX JONES, LONDON, OHL, LW
TYSON JOST, PENTICTON, BCHL, C
OLLI JUOLEVI, LONDON, OHL, D
TANNER KASPICK, BRANDON, WHL, C
BORIS KATCHOUK, SAULT STE. MARIE, OHL, LW
ARTUR KAYUMOV, TEAM RUSSIA U18, RUSSIA-JR., LW/RW
CLAYTON KELLER, USA U-18, USHL, C
WILLIAM KNIERIM, DUBUQUE, USHL, RW
JACK KOPACKA, SAULT STE. MARIE, OHL, LW
CHAD KRYS, USA U-18, USHL, D
LUKE KUNIN, U OF WISCONSIN, BIG10, C
VLADIMIR KUZNETSOV, ACADIE-BATHURST, QMJHL, RW
JORDAN KYROU, SARNIA, OHL, C
PASCAL LABERGE, VICTORIAVILLE, QMJHL, C
PATRIK LAINE, TAPPARA, FINLAND, RW
MAXIME LAJOIE, SWIFT CURRENT, WHL, D
RYAN LINDGREN, USA U-18, USHL, D
LINUS LINDSTROM, SKELLEFTEA JR., SWEDEN-JR., C
WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, USA U-18, USHL, RW
GRIFFIN LUCE, USA U-18, USHL, D
JOSHUA MAHURA, RED DEER, WHL, D
OTTO MAKINEN, TAPPARA JR., FINLAND-JR., C
BECK MALENSTYN, CALGARY, WHL, LW
ADAM MASCHERIN, KITCHENER, OHL, LW
AUSTON MATTHEWS, ZURICH, SWISS, C
MITCHELL MATTSON, GRAND RAPIDS, HIGH-MN, C
CHARLES MCAVOY, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, H-EAST, D
MICHAEL MCLEOD, MISSISSAUGA, OHL, C
GRAHAM MCPHEE, USA U-18, USHL, LW
VICTOR METE, LONDON, OHL, D
KEATON MIDDLETON, SAGINAW, OHL, D
CAMERON MORRISON, YOUNGSTOWN, USHL, LW
JACOB MOVERARE, HV 71 JR., SWEDEN-JR., D
BRETT MURRAY, CARLETON PLACE, CCHL, LW
MARKUS NIEMELAINEN, SAGINAW, OHL, D
ALEXANDER NYLANDER, MISSISSAUGA, OHL, LW
TYLER PARSONS, LONDON, OHL, G
ANDREW PEEKE, GREEN BAY, USHL, D
CLIFF PU, LONDON, OHL, RW
JESSE PULJUJARVI, KARPAT, FINLAND, RW
JOSEPH RAAYMAKERS, SAULT STE. MARIE, OHL, G
TAYLOR RADDYSH, ERIE, OHL, RW
TY RONNING, VANCOUVER, WHL, RW
GERMAN RUBTSOV, TEAM RUSSIA U18, RUSSIA-JR., C
JORDAN SAMBROOK, ERIE, OHL, D
ZACHARY SAWCHENKO, MOOSE JAW, WHL, G
MIKHAIL SERGACHEV, WINDSOR, OHL, D
GIVANI SMITH, GUELPH, OHL, RW
OTTO SOMPPI, HALIFAX, QMJHL, C
JORDAN STALLARD, CALGARY, WHL, C
LOGAN STANLEY, WINDSOR, OHL, D
SAM STEEL, REGINA, WHL, C
RILEY STILLMAN, OSHAWA, OHL, D
SIMON STRANSKY, PRINCE ALBERT, WHL, LW
GABRIEL SYLVESTRE, SHAWINIGAN, QMJHL, D
TAGE THOMPSON, U OF CONNECTICUT, H-EAST, C
MATTHEW TKACHUK, LONDON, OHL, LW
RILEY TUFTE, BLAINE, HIGH-MN, LW
EETU TUULOLA, HPK JR., FINLAND-JR., RW
CARSEN TWARYNSKI, CALGARY, WHL, LW
DYLAN WELLS, PETERBOROUGH, OHL, G
JOSEPH WOLL, USA U-18, USHL, G
MAX ZIMMER, CHICAGO, USHL, LW
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