It wasn't that long ago that the Buffalo Sabres were loaded with exceptional young defense prospects.
Tyler Myers was supposed to be the next big thing.
Marc Andre Gragnani, TJ Brennan, Drew Schiestel, Jerome Gauthier Leduc, and Alex Biega used to be all the rage. Chris Butler and Dennis Persson were hot prospects, too.
Only Leduc is still in the organization today.
Rasmus Ristolainen was a first rounder who has immediately graduated from the incubator to the top four ranks on the Buffalo roster. Remember when Brayden McNabb was the best, can't miss D prospect in the organization? How about Nikita Zadorov? Chad Ruhwedel was an intriguing prospect?
Today, Buffalo’s best young players are their forwards.
In two and a half years time, Tim Murray has flipped his depth to the offensive side of the puck. Murray is stockpiling gifted forwards at the expense of his D depth.
Murray has traded away Darcy Regier drafted D-men to build his asset base. Murray traded Brayden McNabb for power forward Hudson Fasching, who is entering his junior season at the University of Minnesota. Fasching will be a Sabre in the next couple of seasons. McNabb won a Stanley Cup with the Kings two seasons ago.
Tyler Myers was traded last February with Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, and Brenden Lemieux in exchange for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and Jason Kasdorf.
Jake McCabe, the University of Wisconsin and Team USA leader, will be doing everything in his power to earn a top seven D job in Buffalo this season. If he cannot do so, he will play a pairing role in Rochester this season.
Murray has not been bashful about rebuilding his forward depth chart. He has assembled a mini gold mine of exquisite forward prospects.
Buffalo young guns took the New Jersey prospects out behind the woodshed and dropped a man sized butt whoopin' on them Saturday night in Buffalo. Jack Eichel (second overall pick), Samson Reinhart (second overall pick), Nick Baptiste (third rounder), Justin Bailey (second rounder) and Evan Rodrigues (undrafted free agent, BU) all turned in exceptional performances. The five youngsters accounted for five goals of the six goals scored and eight points overall. What is more impressive is that Eichel, Reinhart, Baptiste, Bailey, and Rodrigues peppered 23 of the 38 shots that that Sabres took on the Devils. The young forwards were Buffalo's best players in the 6-2 win.
“I know it’s a prospect tournament, but you’re suiting up against another team and you’re putting your game sweater on,… Jack Eichel said. “It seems like a real game, and it’s nice to get off on the right foot. We’re a pretty confident bunch.…
Thanks, Sabres.com
“When your top-end guys can be successful like we are, it’s easy to win games,… Baptiste said. “You want to have those goals in as much as you can, and then I think everyone feeds off it. You carry the momentum throughout the whole game.…
Rodrigues, a Toronto native, continues to impress by making the simple, smart plays with the puck in all three zones. What he lacks in size, he more than makes up for is speed and skill. Rodrigues will have himself a time in Rochester this season. The sky is the limit for how far this can go inside the organization.
D-man Anthony Florentino is progressing nicely in his development as is Brady Austin.
Murray has drafted more D prospects in Brendan Guhle, Devante Stephens, and Brycen Martin.
Better days lie ahead for the Buffalo Sabres.
My bills though!! @NickBaptiste @dupes94 pic.twitter.com/VLYJtOycuR
— Justin Bailey (@JustinBailey95) September 13, 2015