I think so to . But we need to start scoring goals . And you do not goal scoring from drafting a defense man again.
- Maximum Signal

There's lots of defensemen that make their team better at scoring goals
And not just from the point on the power play
Exiting the zone with good passes or even skating it out is key to any good offensive team...
A good offense starts with defense!

U keep saying I don't "know" Ekblad will be a stud so we should trade him
So shouldn't we trade Reinhart them as well bc we don't "know" that he can be a franchise center?
It's the exact same argument
- jdfitz77

What do we need ??? We need forwards especially centers . That is what you won't acknowledge. We have enough good perhaps great defense men . This guy is not Bobby Orr . If he was Bobby Orr I would consider it.

There's lots of defensemen that make their team better at scoring goals
And not just from the point on the power play
Exiting the zone with good passes or even skating it out is key to any good offensive team...
A good offense starts with defense!
- jdfitz77

And we are set on defense !

Myers is not going to regress again. He has been through his growing pains . I do not want to go through it with more players than I have too. If we do not get Reinhart and Ekblad drops to us . We should trade him for offensive assets and lots of them if he is great as you say.
- Maximum Signal

I'm optimistic about Myers too,
But he's looked better for about 25 games or so
Not ready to put his name on the Norris just yet
I'm not saying he will regress,
But he's hardly a sure thing either

And u never answered my previous questions

And the "as great as I say" comments are getting old
There's no need to be condescending
There's about 1000 pro scouts & talent evaluators that are saying the exact same things about Ekblad as I am

I'm optimistic about Myers too,
But he's looked better for about 25 games or so
Not ready to put his name on the Norris just yet
I'm not saying he will regress,
But he's hardly a sure thing either

And u never answered my previous questions

And the "as great as I say" comments are getting old
There's no need to be condescending
There's about 1000 pro scouts & talent evaluators that are saying the exact same things about Ekblad as I am
- jdfitz77

He is +1 for this whole season , He is not blowing me away when I look at we already have and what we need .

What do we need ??? We need forwards especially centers . That is what you won't acknowledge. We have enough good perhaps great defense men . This guy is not Bobby Orr . If he was Bobby Orr I would consider it.
- Maximum Signal

You are just 100% WRONG
I have repeatedly acknowledged we need centers/forwards

Did I not say i'd pick Reinhart 1st overall?
Did I not propose Ennis & Pysyk for E.Kane (or a similar deal) as an option to trading Ekblad should we pick him?

Please answer those questions and them tell me I "won't acknowledge we need forwards"

Read more, be rude less
And don't put words in my mouth
U clearly have a comprehension problem

He is +1 for this whole season , He is not blowing me away when I look at we already have and what we need .
- Maximum Signal

What's Myers +/-?


Aaron Ekblad's Player Profile

"His reach can be very disruptive for enemy forwards. Playing a simple game on pairing with Derrick Pouliot, who has good rushing ability and scored a cracking goal. Made great clearing pass under pressure from two forecheckers; lots of poise. Amazing he’s the youngest defenseman on the team. Plays for Barrie in the OHL."
Profile from: Ryan Kennedy of THN - WJC recap on Jan. 2nd

You are just 100% WRONG
I have repeatedly acknowledged we need centers/forwards

Did I not say i'd pick Reinhart 1st overall?
Did I not propose Ennis & Pysyk for E.Kane (or a similar deal) as an option to trading Ekblad should we pick him?

Please answer those questions and them tell me I "won't acknowledge we need forwards"

Read more, be rude less
And don't put words in my mouth
U clearly have a comprehension problem
- jdfitz77

You have to big a crush on this guy . Step back and let's see where is rated in April . Because I do not see building around anymore defense men . Where has that gotten Nashville with the best defense man in the league? I watched every Canadain game at the world championships . I watched Mr Ekblad . He just did not control the game at any time to me. To live up to all his hype. I am going to up up to Saint Catherines to see him next time they play the ice dogs. Maybe live I will be more impressed.

What do we need ??? We need forwards especially centers . That is what you won't acknowledge. We have enough good perhaps great defense men . This guy is not Bobby Orr . If he was Bobby Orr I would consider it.
- Maximum Signal

You guys are missing the point of The "taking the best player available" argument...it isn't that we think taking a D to keep is what we want...it is all about how to get that dynamic forward...having Ekblad as trade bait, or a D he replaces as trade bait enables the Sabres to acquire it through a trade, not the draft. Period. And since you can't guarantee Reinharst as a goal scorer either, your argument to take a forward doesn't come into play because they would acquire a proven scorer from another team.

He is +1 for this whole season , He is not blowing me away when I look at we already have and what we need .
- Maximum Signal

Need more?
Ok...


Aaron Ekblad's Player Profile

@IssHockey - "Everything on blueline; commands PP point to shutting down top offensive threats. NHL ready." - Dec. 18th, 2013

@IssHockey - "Can't deny his character and born-leader qualities…the backbone of the Colts." - Nov. 17th, 2013

You guys are missing the point of The "taking the best player available" argument...it isn't that we think taking a D to keep is what we want...it is all about how to get that dynamic forward...having Ekblad as trade bait, or a D he replaces as trade bait enables the Sabres to acquire it through a trade, not the draft. Period. And since you can't guarantee Reinharst as a goal scorer either, your argument to take a forward doesn't come into play because they would acquire a proven scorer from another team.
- IonSabres

Exactly what I have said . If everyone has a big woody for him . we should great offensive assets for him. I like our defense.

You have to big a crush on this guy . Step back and let's see where is rated in April . Because I do not see building around anymore defense men . Where has that gotten Nashville with the best defense man in the league? I watched every Canadain game at the world championships . I watched Mr Ekblad . He just did not control the game at any time to me. To live up to all his hype. I am going to up up to Saint Catherines to see him next time they play the ice dogs. Maybe live I will be more impressed.
- Maximum Signal

Well Ryan Kennedy of TSN disagrees with you
And he's paid for his opinion

I can keep posting scouting report after scouting report that agrees with me and not you

Not ready to admit u are 100% wrong in saying "I don't acknowledge we need a center" yet?
Do I have to repost those?

You guys are missing the point of The "taking the best player available" argument...it isn't that we think taking a D to keep is what we want...it is all about how to get that dynamic forward...having Ekblad as trade bait, or a D he replaces as trade bait enables the Sabres to acquire it through a trade, not the draft. Period. And since you can't guarantee Reinharst as a goal scorer either, your argument to take a forward doesn't come into play because they would acquire a proven scorer from another team.
- IonSabres

I'm not at all
1) I've clearly stated I'd take Reinhart 1st
2) I've said I'm ok trading Ekblad if the return is good enough
3) I'd rather trade others (for top forwards) bc Ekblad projects to be better than any defenseman we have
4) I know he's not a sure thing, but no draft pick is
5) I've also said I like how our defense looks for the future, but that shouldn't mean we don't look to make it better if the situation arises...
And that should go for any position

Exactly what I have said . If everyone has a big woody for him . we should great offensive assets for him. I like our defense.
- Maximum Signal

So why are you he'll bent for screaming take a goal scorer then. Just saying'. 'cause that is what J was arguing as well, but you were yelling at him to take a forward!

I'm not at all
1) I've clearly stated I'd take Reinhart 1st
2) I've said I'm ok trading Ekblad if the return is good enough
3) I'd rather trade others (for top forwards) bc Ekblad projects to be better than any defenseman we have
4) I know he's not a sure thing, but no draft pick is
5) I've also said I like how our defense looks for the future, but that shouldn't mean we don't look to make it better if the situation arises...
And that should go for any position
- jdfitz77

Right, I get it...I'm with you...Max don't consider the why take Eblad...as trade-bait argument

Goodnight gents...see ya all tomorrow.

Well Ryan Kennedy of TSN disagrees with you
And he's paid for his opinion

I can keep posting scouting report after scouting report that agrees with me and not you

Not ready to admit u are 100% wrong in saying "I don't acknowledge we need a center" yet?
Do I have to repost those?
- jdfitz77

If the Sabres draft Ekblad over Reinhart it will be a huge mistake.

There's lots of defensemen that make their team better at scoring goals
And not just from the point on the power play
Exiting the zone with good passes or even skating it out is key to any good offensive team...
A good offense starts with defense!
- jdfitz77

Not really, when a team is entering your zone 100000 times a game because you have Matt D'Agostini and Steve Ott playing top 6 minutes Niklas Lidstrom would make mistakes. We have no sustained pressure, without better forwards that won't change, without better forwards teams will still be coming at us 10x more than we are coming at them.

Ekblad might be great, but he's not a need here. It will not be luxury if we draft him, it will be a problem because we will literally be forced to either overpay a FA or forced to make trades. When your desperate to trade someone you rarely end up with the better end of the deal

The Sabres drafting another defensemen in 1st round is like the Bills continuing to draft pass rushers and running backs with NO quarterback, they won't win you anymore games. You need that center (quarterback)

Hmm, we got a little relief tonight with Edmonton's win, which should put them up on us by 5 points (though we have 2 games in hand).

If the Sabres draft Ekblad over Reinhart it will be a huge mistake.
- ImThatGuy

I can't imagine we would
I'd definitely take Reinhart 1st, no question

But there's no way I'd take DalColle or Ritchie, or Nylander, or Draisaitl, or Bennett, etc over Ekblad just bc we need a forward more

We'll also get additional picks from trading Miller, Ott & Moulson to add to the THREE 1sts and SIX 2nds we have... So we will have the ability to move up and get other guys we particularly like

I can't imagine we would
I'd definitely take Reinhart 1st, no question

But there's no way I'd take DalColle or Ritchie, or Nylander, or Draisaitl, or Bennett, etc over Ekblad just bc we need a forward more

We'll also get additional picks from trading Miller, Ott & Moulson to add to the THREE 1sts and SIX 2nds we have... So we will have the ability to move up and get other guys we particularly like
- jdfitz77

We currently have 1 first. I assume you mean over the next 2 years?

Not really, when a team is entering your zone 100000 times a game because you have Matt D'Agostini and Steve Ott playing top 6 minutes Niklas Lidstrom would make mistakes. We have no sustained pressure, without better forwards that won't change, without better forwards teams will still be coming at us 10x more than we are coming at them.

Ekblad might be great, but he's not a need here. It will not be luxury if we draft him, it will be a problem because we will literally be forced to either overpay a FA or forced to make trades. When your desperate to trade someone you rarely end up with the better end of the deal
- sbroads24

It definitely goes both ways
We have a good group of forwards, we just need that "star" or two
My wish list reads like this...
1) McDavid
2) Eichel
3) Reinhart
4) Ekblad
5) anyone else

If for no other reason, I'm taking Ekblad 2nd (if Reinhart is gone) and hanging into him until the draft next year...
Bc McDavid & Eichel are the two best forward prospects since Tavares, maybe since Crosby

I can't imagine we would
I'd definitely take Reinhart 1st, no question

But there's no way I'd take DalColle or Ritchie, or Nylander, or Draisaitl, or Bennett, etc over Ekblad just bc we need a forward more

We'll also get additional picks from trading Miller, Ott & Moulson to add to the THREE 1sts and SIX 2nds we have... So we will have the ability to move up and get other guys we particularly like
- jdfitz77

The drop off in talent isn't as big as you think. Reinhart isn't some flashy superstar Crosby type player. In fact guys like Drasaitl and DalColle might have more raw talent.

It definitely goes both ways
We have a good group of forwards, we just need that "star" or two
My wish list reads like this...
1) McDavid
2) Eichel
3) Reinhart
4) Ekblad
5) anyone else

If for no other reason, I'm taking Ekblad 2nd (if Reinhart is gone) and hanging into him until the draft next year...
Bc McDavid & Eichel are the two best forward prospects since Tavares, maybe since Crosby
- jdfitz77

Nashville had 2 Norris caliber defensemen on their team and couldn't make it out of the 1st round. Listen I think Ekblad will be excellent, but we have about 6-7 holes to fill in that lineup and most are on the 1st line. McDavis would be great but we'd still have a shot by drafting a forward.
I guess it will be more clear where all these guys project closer to the draft anyways, things always change a little