Coyotes Bring Back Vrbata

The Arizona Coyotes didn't want to keep the recycled Antoine Vermette around, but they are definitely okay with bringing Radim Vrbata back into the fold, as the two sides came to an agreement, which is believed to be a 1-year, $1 million deal, which will be a 35+ contract, eligible for bonuses.  Those bonuses have also been reported to be in the neighbourhood of $2.25 million, if the goals are met for them.

The deal was reported to be close on Monday and Tuesday, the announcement was made official from the team, ending the speculation.

The 35-year old didn't have the best of seasons with the Vancouver Canucks in 2016, certainly when you compare them to his career numbers.  In 63 games, the winger finished with 13 goals and 27 points, often not lining up on the 1st line, the role he was brought in to fill, which was very strange.

Nevertheless, he is moving back to some familiar territory and he will looked upon to help guide the team's youth movement.  The overall offense of this group does improve with the addition of Vrbata, but they are still in need of a top end centre to really get the best out of their wingers.  This will keep the overall projections down a little bit, but there have been some improvements to the goaltending, since the new offense could bring another win or two, in theory.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
Oliver Ekman-Larsson	D	60	N
Mike Smith	G	55	N
Max Domi	F	45	N
Martin Hanzal	F	45	N
Radim Vrbata	F	45	N
Shane Doan	F	40	N
Anthony Duclair	F	40	N
Tobias Rieder	F	40	N
Louis Domingue	G	35	N
Jamie McGinn	F	35	N
Dylan Strome	F	35	Y
Michael Stone	D	35	N
Brad Richardson	F	30	N
Alex Goligoski	D	30	N
Jordan Martinook	F	20	N
Connor Murphy	D	20	N
Ryan White	F	15	N
Kevin Connauton	D	15	N
Luke Schenn	D	15	N
Klas Dahlbeck	D	10	N
Zbynek Michalek	D	10	N
Tyler Gaudet	F	5	Y
Jamie McBain	D	5	N
Jarred Tinordi	D	5	N

Even if Vrbata hits his targets for his bonuses, the Coyotes have more than enough cap space this season to facilitate them and not take any extra hits on next season's totals.  With the experienced winger on the books, the projected 25-man roster is now coming in with $5.3 million to spare under the ceiling.

2017 Pool Projections: Rookies

Last season, the rookie pool was a little bit of a bust, since someone decided to rush off the starting line with four rookies at the draft, but to Ryan's credit, he had picked four decent rookies and they actually kept him in the race for the big money for quite a while, but that didn't quite last and winning his money back was a nice consolation prize.

This season, the rookie pool is a possibility, but not yet a certainty and there will be more details about that here in the next week or so.  With it being a possibility, the rookies are still going to be highlighted, as we could see a pretty good class break through to the bigs and put up some numbers.

These numbers are still fairly preliminary, but it's a good starting point, I think.  We'll get to see a few of these players at the World Cup, so we'll have a good idea of what they are going to bring to the table in the coming season, while the rest, we'll have to wait and see they even make it out of training camp.

With Jimmy Vesey's UFA decision upcoming, he'll also be added to this list, but it hasn't quite been decided what he will be projected to do yet.  There might be an updated list published, closer to the hockey pool draft, October 8th, so stay tuned.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Team
Auston Matthews	F	60	TOR
Patrik Laine	F	55	WPG
Matt Murray	G	45	PIT
Jesse Puljujarvi	F	45	EDM
William Nylander	F	40	TOR
Oliver Bjorkstrand	F	40	CBJ
Pavel Zacha	F	35	NJD
Mikko Rantanen	F	35	COL
Sebastian Aho	F	35	CAR
Timo Meier	F	35	SAN
Nick Schmaltz	F	35	CHI
Dylan Strome	F	35	ARI
Hunter Shinkaruk	F	30	CAL
Michael Dal Colle	F	30	NYI
Joshua Ho-Sang	F	30	NYI
Ivan Provorov	D	30	PHI
Brady Skjei	D	25	NYR
Kasperi Kapanen	F	25	TOR
Slater Koekkoek	D	25	TAM
Sonny Milano	F	25	CBJ
Kyle Connor	F	25	WPG
Julius Honka	D	25	DAL
Mark Jankowski	F	25	CAL
Garret Sparks	G	20	TOR
Calvin Pickard	G	20	COL
Mitchell Marner	F	20	TOR
Connor Brickley	F	20	FLA
Ryan Pulock	D	20	NYI
Kevin Fiala	F	20	NAS
Jordan Weal	F	20	PHI
Ivan Barbashev	F	20	STL
Zach Werenski	D	20	CBJ
Nikita Tryamkin	D	15	VAN
Hudson Fasching	F	15	BUF
Noel Acciari	F	15	BOS
Joshua Morrissey	D	15	WPG
Rocco Grimaldi	F	10	COL
Brock McGinn	F	10	CAR
Nikolay Goldobin	F	10	SAN
Fredrik Claesson	D	10	OTT
Adam Pelech	D	10	NYI
Sergey Tolchinsky	F	10	CAR
Madison Bowey	D	10	WAS
Troy Grosenick	G	10	SAN
Ryan Gropp	F	5	NYR
Pavel Buchnevich	F	5	NYR
Linus Ullmark	G	5	BUF
Shea Theodore	D	5	ANA
Scott Wilson	F	5	PIT
Nick Paul	F	5	OTT
Darren Dietz	D	5	WAS
Jordan Oesterle	D	5	EDM
Max McCormick	F	5	OTT
Oskar Sundqvist	F	5	PIT
Josh Anderson	F	5	CBJ
Casey Nelson	D	5	BUF
Anthony Mantha	F	5	DET
Tanner Kero	F	5	CHI
Tyler Gaudet	F	5	ARI
Stephen Johns	D	5	DAL
Garnet Hathaway	F	5	CAL
Blake Pietila	F	5	NJD
Scott Mayfield	D	5	NYI
Scott Harrington	D	5	CBJ
Tyler Wotherspoon	D	5	CAL
JC Lipon	F	5	WPG
Joel Vermin	F	5	TAM
Yanni Gourde	F	5	TAM
Luke Witkowski	D	5	TAM
Stuart Percy	D	5	PIT
Emile Poirier	F	5	CAL
Rinat Valiev	D	5	TOR
Aaron Dell	G	5	SAN
Haydn Fleury	D	5	CAR
Marek Hrivik	F	5	NYR
Viktor Loov	D	5	TOR

Ducks Snap Up Vermette

Of course, the day that you release your pool projections to the world, you immediately have to start the revision process!  The Anaheim Ducks added some depth down the middle, something that actually goes a long ways to their shortcomings that I was mentioning in my post, signing Antoine Vermette to a 2-year deal, reportedly worth $3.5 million.

The 34-year old was just recently bought out by the Coyotes, as Arizona has moved towards playing more of their youth or one would only assume.  Vermette was still productive in the 2016 season, finishing with 17 goals and 38 points in 76 games, which kept him in the pool worthy ranks, sitting 148th among all forwards.

This is a guy that the Ducks could really use and it could really make a bit of a difference in the Pacific Division, which was getting more difficult for everyone playing in the division.  Adding this depth down the middle, just behind Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler and he should make the 3rd line a little more credible through the year.

With the addition of Vermette and his projected 40 points, I believe this makes the Ducks just a little bit better and that added 5 points to the team's number one goalie, John Gibson, lifting his number into the 1st round at 75 points.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
John Gibson	G	75	N
Ryan Getzlaf	F	70	N
Corey Perry	F	70	N
Ryan Kesler	F	55	N
Jakob Silfverberg	F	45	N
Rickard Rakell	F	40	N
Antoine Vermette	F	40	N
Sami Vatanen	D	40	N
Nick Ritchie	F	30	N
Andrew Cogliano	F	30	N
Hampus Lindholm	D	30	N
Jonathan Bernier	G	25	N
Cam Fowler	D	25	N
Kevin Bieksa	D	25	N
Simon Despres	D	15	N
Mason Raymond	F	10	N
Clayton Stoner	D	10	N
Ryan Garbutt	F	5	N
Chris Wagner	F	5	N
Nate Thompson	F	5	N
Jared Boll	F	5	N
Shea Theodore	D	5	Y
Korbinian Holzer	D	5	N
Nate Guenin	D	5	N
Jeff Schultz	D	5	N

With some shifts in their overall roster, the are still well-below the salary cap ceiling with their figures, even with Nate Thompson projected to start the year on the Injured Reserve.  The 24-man roster is projected to come in $4.9 million below the ceiling, still leaving plenty of room for any work down the road.

2017 Pool Projections

There! All 30 teams are now published on the blog with their 2017 projections, but take them with a grain of salt... I am a crazy person, after all.

Everyone is looking to pool guides and all sorts of magazines for pool help, but some of those are not really as dynamic as the blog, because of publishing times and such, so I do like to offer up a brand of my own thinking, based on my pool that I run every year.

Saying that, here's what you have to consider when looking at my posts:

1. In order to be pool worthy, a player's projected points needed to fall into a position where they would be taken among 27 teams (last year's participation), in the 14 rounds (8 forwards, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies).
2. The 75-point range is good enough to make a player 1st round worthy
3. In a quick mock draft, 30 points was the lowest forward taken, 20 points was the lowest defenseman taken and 15 points was the lowest goalie taken

Of course, your pool isn't likely going to be the same as mine, so do consider this to be just a guideline of thought, more than actually me telling you that you should pick such and such a player at this time, because that's silly.

More things to consider, this is the middle of August and we are still a long ways away from hockey pool drafts, unless you're taking part in the World Cup of Hockey draft, then it isn't quite as far away, but you know what I mean.  Things are going to change, injuries may occur at the World Cup, signings will happen, rookies will dazzle at training camp and so on and so forth.  As the Summer turns into Fall, I will have more updates on the blog and I will add some dynamic looks at these projections, so stay tuned as we move along.

2017 Pool Projections: Anaheim

The Anaheim Ducks will continue to go as far as their two top players will take them.  It has been a little while since Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry really dominated the scoring race, but they still remain as one of the top pairings in the NHL, but who will feature as their linemate in the 2017 season?

The Ducks were the top team in the Pacific Division last season and they did so by being an exceptionally difficult team to play against and by the look of their additions and changes in the off-season, they will continue to operate under that model, relying heavily on their scorers to do what they do best and use their depth to grind out those extra minutes.

The crease will be a little bit more of a different story, as Frederik Andersen is now out and it is John Gibson and Jonathan Bernier's team, but the split will be an interesting one.  One would look back at the last couple of seasons and say that the team groomed Gibson to be their number one guy, but at 23 years old, he may still have his streaks of good and bad play, which may give Bernier a good chunk of the split, as a seasoned keeper in the league.

I'm not completely certain that the Ducks have what it takes to do it all over again, because the margin of error in the Pacific Division is going to get a lot smaller, a lot faster.  Let's see what they have in store for us.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
Ryan Getzlaf	F	70	N
Corey Perry	F	70	N
John Gibson	G	70	N
Ryan Kesler	F	55	N
Jakob Silfverberg	F	45	N
Rickard Rakell	F	40	N
Sami Vatanen	D	40	N
Nick Ritchie	F	35	N
Andrew Cogliano	F	30	N
Hampus Lindholm	D	30	N
Cam Fowler	D	25	N
Kevin Bieksa	D	25	N
Jonathan Bernier	G	25	N
Ryan Garbutt	F	15	N
Mason Raymond	F	15	N
Simon Despres	D	15	N
Clayton Stoner	D	10	N
Shea Theodore	D	5	Y
Chris Wagner	F	5	N
Nate Thompson	F	5	N
Jared Boll	F	5	N
Korbinian Holzer	D	5	N
Nate Guenin	D	5	N
Jeff Schultz	D	5	N

Table last updated on August 5th

Most Intriguing or Breakout Player

Anaheim's 1st round pick in the 2014 draft, forward Nick Ritchie, should be just about ready to take on a full-time job with the club or at least the club would hope so.  The 20-year old had an up-and-down year between the big club and the AHL, where his minor league numbers were certainly decent, 30 points in 38 games in San Diego.

The big power forward has a very decent chance of cracking this season's roster, as the depth beyond the top five or six players is somewhat questionable and easily manipulated by kids with breakout years.  As per my table above, I think we'll see a good deal of Ritchie and he should work out to be pool worthy, if his draft ranking has anything to do with it.

First Round Picks

Neither Ryan Getzlaf nor Corey Perry finished in the 1st round bracket last season and as much as I have their production up again, they are still not ranked among the 1st rounders in the rankings this time around.  John Gibson was also close, but I'm getting the feeling that the Ducks won't repeat that tremendous season they had.

Other Pool Worthy Forwards

The Ducks are not short on pool worthy forwards, but their impact may not be as great as it was last year, mostly because I don't think their depth improved over their opponents knowing more about their team and how to play against them.  Still, Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell will all play good mid-round roles in the pool, with Silfverberg being the most likely to exceed those early expectations.

Other Pool Worthy Defense

The big three, Sami Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler, all have pool worthiness to them and they have some real potential to do some good for your pool team.  Fowler, however, has been at the root of many trade rumours in this off-season and in order for Anaheim to improve their overall depth, there is a good chance that he gets dealt, where he can possibly do even more good.  If the Ducks don't upgrade up front, their key offensive defenders may remain limited on what they can do.

Goaltending Situation
.
When the Ducks sent Frederik Andersen to the Maple Leafs, it was acknowledging what we already knew for the most part, that John Gibson was going to take over the job as the number one guy, it was the plan all along.  But a second trade with the Leafs, essentially made it Andersen for Jonathan Bernier, does cloud that think, just a little bit.  I would assume that Gibson will be looked upon to be the number one guy, but taking Bernier out of the fires of Toronto, could help to improve his game and challenge Gibson for the spot.  Very curious, indeed.

Team To Pick From?

I am not convinced that there are many steals to be had from the Anaheim Ducks, especially late.  There are about five or six spots in their forward ranks, which are up for grabs for players in their system and that doesn't leave a lot of confidence in the team, but anything can happen in the end and they could prove to be a good team at the mid-season changes.

Unsigned Players and Salary Cap

The Ducks' Summer isn't quite done yet, as Rickard Rakell and Hampus Lindholm are still in need of deals, as both are currently restricted free agents, who didn't have any arbitration rights.  Both players have been making big contributions to the team over the past couple seasons, so they are both likely looking for reasonable deals to help compensate for their contributions.

The team has about $7.5-8 million to play with underneath the cap ceiling to get these two deals done and if the players had their way, it might not be enough.  This is a sensitive situation and one that takes us back to the rumours about the team moving Cam Fowler and his contract.

Injuries

It may not be a hockey pool injury, per se, but the Ducks will likely get some cap relief, if needed, from Nate Thompson and his Achilles injury.  The rugged winger had surgery to repair that key tendon in his foot and his recovery will set him back well into the New Year.  His $1.6 million cap hit could hit the Long-Term Injury Reserve, which could aid the team for the time he is out.

2017 Pool Projections: Arizona

The change in management late last season has seemingly changed some of the focus in the Arizona desert, but not all of it, as it still appears to be the slow build into a contender for the Coyotes.  On the plus side, the build is starting to take shape, as the young players are really coming along.

The trouble with the rebuild process is that they will need these young players to take the initiative to excel in order for this team to win right away and be a playoff team and it just feels like they are just that franchise forward away from being that team.

Until that franchise forward emerges and takes the lead, this will be Oliver Ekman-Larsson's team and it will go as far as he can take them, in essence.

With the buyout of Antoine Vermette, at the beginning of August, they have acknowledged that they can keep spots open for players like Dylan Strome and/or Christian Dvorak and not worry about keeping his cap hit around.  These will be the guys that could make an impact, both for the team's playoff chances and in the hockey pool.  Get a good look at Coyotes camp, when it rolls around at the end of September and keep an eye on the kids, they could be worth the gamble.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
Oliver Ekman-Larsson	D	60	N
Mike Smith	G	50	N
Max Domi	F	45	N
Martin Hanzal	F	45	N
Shane Doan	F	40	N
Anthony Duclair	F	40	N
Tobias Rieder	F	40	N
Louis Domingue	G	35	N
Jamie McGinn	F	35	N
Dylan Strome	F	35	Y
Michael Stone	D	35	N
Brad Richardson	F	30	N
Alex Goligoski	D	30	N
Jordan Martinook	F	20	N
Connor Murphy	D	20	N
Ryan White	F	15	N
Kevin Connauton	D	15	N
Luke Schenn	D	15	N
Klas Dahlbeck	D	10	N
Zbynek Michalek	D	10	N
Tyler Gaudet	F	5	Y
Jamie McBain	D	5	N
Jarred Tinordi	D	5	N

Table last updated on August 8th

Most Intriguing or Breakout Player

The speedy Tobias Rieder is still flying under the radar of sorts, but a pretty good 2016 season has him right in the thick of things in Arizona and he should be a pretty important piece of the puzzle moving forward.

I'm not convinced that this is the season that everything comes together for the Coyotes, but it will be a season where we'll all see flashes of what this team is capable of and Rieder will be one of those players that really makes a splash and we take notice of him.  There is a good chance that he will end up being a good bargain player in the hockey pool this coming season.

First Round Picks

It is going to be compete by committee in the 2017 season, so I don't think we'll see any opening round picks this year, but we could see a player or two step up for the Coyotes, making us think twice or three times about the draft for the 2018 season.  That's another story for another time.

Other Pool Worthy Forwards

In one of my early mock drafts, according to my projections, the Arizona forwards were not popping up until the 7th round, so there was no rush to jump on them.  They certainly have a cast of characters that will be fun to cheer for, but there isn't much in the team that convinces me that they will be better than 7th round picks yet.  Max Domi, Martin Hanzal, Shane Doan, Anthony Duclair, Jamie McGinn and possibly Dylan Strome, all have the potential for helping your pool team, but don't get caught picking them too early.

Other Pool Worthy Defense

The onus on the blueline has been working quite well for a few teams in the NHL, Nashville being one of the prime examples, so it should come as no surprise that a team like the Coyotes would follow that model and build from the back.  Behind Ekman-Larsson, they are assembling a decent core group, including Michael Stone, Alex Goligoski and Connor Murphy.  All three are increasing in pool potential and this year will be a good stepping stone to bigger and better things.

Goaltending Situation

When Mike Smith lost 40 games to a lower-body injury this season, Louis Domingue stepped up and played exceptionally well in his place.  Smith had a slightly better record in a few less games for the Coyotes last season, which gives him the edge to start the season, but Domingue is hot on his heels, likely licking his chops for another shot at taking over the job.  Both are definitely pool worthy, but pick accordingly.

Team To Pick From?

If you're looking for some high risk picks for some high rewards, then the Coyotes are definitely one of those teams that you can look towards for that big payoff.  If you believe that this youth movement really has some traction, then those late sleepers here are the way to go.  If your ideal is better safe than sorry, I think you can find a better team to find some late round action from.

Unsigned Players and Salary Cap

Well, that intriguing/break out player would be far more intriguing if he had a contract to play with.   As of this post, Tobias Rieder still sits on the shelf without a deal, but when he gets that new contract... look out!

After filling out a projected 23-man roster with some of their young prospects,  taking into account the contracts for both Pavel Datsyuk and Chris Pronger, not forgetting about the buyouts on the books, the Coyotes still have $6.3 million left under the cap ceiling.

Injuries

Defenseman Michael Stone, one of the pool worthy defenders, may not be 100% when the season gets started in mid-October, as he is recovering from knee surgery after blowing both his ACL & MCL before the end of the 2016 season.  His goal is to be ready to go, but the player and team have acknowledged that he may not be ready.

2017 Pool Projections: Boston

The Boston Bruins have not been in the playoffs for the last couple of seasons, but it may not have been reflected as accurately in the scoring statistics, as the Bruins have still managed to put some players in the top end of the rankings, especially last season.  The Bruins have still managed to have a player worthy of a 1st round selection and it shouldn't come as any surprise that it's Tuukka Rask, who gets the bulk of the ice-time in the crease.

The major task this season will be to improve upon those standings, even just by a little bit, trying to push themselves back into at least the wild card spots and the addition of David Backes through free agency might be the boost that they were looking for.  The former captain of the Blues should be able to fit into what the Bruins are all about and also provide some much-needed grit in their top six.

Yes, for the most part, the formula remains the same for the Bruins, as a good portion of the core remains the same to start the 2017 season, just with that slight addition of Backes.  On the surface, it is really questionable, as to whether he is enough to lift them into that playoff spot, divisional or wild card.  One would have to believe that Montreal will be back in form, while Buffalo and Toronto will also make serious strides.  The Bruins will have to defend their spot, as much as they are chasing down the three teams that finished ahead of them last season, so this won't be any picnic.

I'm not sure the Bruins can afford to miss the playoffs again, especially with Zdeno Chara turning 40 in March, as he has been the strongest pillar of this team for too long and doesn't have much time left.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
Patrice Bergeron	F	70	N
David Krejci	F	70	N
Brad Marchand	F	65	N
Tuukka Rask	G	60	N
Ryan Spooner	F	50	N
David Backes	F	50	N
Torey Krug	D	50	N
David Pastrnak	F	45	N
Matt Beleskey	F	35	N
Zdeno Chara	D	35	N
Jimmy Hayes	F	35	N
Frank Vatrano	F	30	N
Riley Nash	F	25	N
Colin Miller	D	25	N
John-Michael Liles	D	20	N
Anton Khudobin	G	20	N
Seth Griffith	F	20	N
Kevan Miller	D	15	N
Adam McQuaid	D	15	N
Joe Morrow	D	15	N
Noel Acciari	F	15	Y
Tyler Randell	F	5	N
Zac Rinaldo	F	5	N
Tim Schaller	F	5	N

Table last updated on August 5th

Most Intriguing or Breakout Player

This should be the year that defenseman Torey Krug really takes on the bulk of the responsibility on the Bruins' blueline, but that isn't to say that Chara won't be a factor, it should just be that more of the responsibility will fall on his shoulders, under the guidance of his captain.

Krug has really come along in the early part of his career and now the 25-year old should be looking to be that guy to guide his team moving forward.  A solid season should warrant at least 50 points for the pivot and one should assume that he would better his 4-goal total that he had in the 2016 season, just by default.  I am truly looking for him to break out this coming season.

First Round Picks

Usually having a goalie that is 1st round worthy is a good sign that your team is probably going to make the playoffs, so with the inclination that Tuukka Rask isn't in that bracket, according to these numbers, it's not a good sign.  Rask can't feel too badly though, I don't have any Bruins worthy of the round, but that isn't to say that someone isn't going to take a chance on him, come October 8th.

Other Pool Worthy Forwards

The Bruins will have plenty of pool options at the forward ranks between Patrice Bergeron & David Krejci, down to Frank Vatrano, who emerged last season as a decent name.  One guy you may want to take a look at for a bargain pick would be Ryan Spooner, who has been slowly creeping up the ranks for the Bruins and should be a good option in the mid-to-high rounds.

Other Pool Worthy Defense

Having four pool worthy defenders is going to be helpful, starting with Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara, down to Colin Miller and John-Michael Liles.  By helpful, I do mean for the hockey pool, as three of the four on the list are not exactly strong defensively, which could be one of their biggest downfalls.  That's not what we're looking for here, however.

Goaltending Situation

This is still Rask's team, but the back-up job could be still open.  Anton Khudobin was signed as an unrestricted free agent and likely has the inside track for the job, but the Bruins do have a couple of kids in Malcolm Subban and Zane McIntyre, who could emerge.

Team To Pick From?

Since your regular season pool doesn't generally bleed into the playoffs, you're going to have a pretty reasonable bet out of these Bruins, since they will be scoring for you, a lot of times from a depth position.  If you're looking for a player in those late rounds, trying for a bit of a sleeper, you might be able to find something from Boston.

Unsigned Players and Salary Cap

The Bruins were done most of their key free agent work early on in the summer, so there wasn't much left to do when August rolled around.  There are some restricted free agents left to deal with, but they don't hold any pool value at this point.

The 23-man projected roster we have for the Bruins is also coming in at a reasonable cost, leaving about $5.3 million from the ceiling.  If the Bruins get off to a slow start, which they might, there is plenty of dollars left to go around to help their cause, more likely via the trade market.

Injuries

At the end of the 2016 season, the Bruins were a hurting group of guys, but an off-season to heal up is just what the doctor ordered and it doesn't appear like the Bruins will have any issues, when camp opens up this year, barring any problems at the World Cup, that is.

2017 Pool Projections: Buffalo

The Buffalo Sabres have been busy in the off-season and all of that hard work they have been putting in should be fruitful, if everything goes the way it should.

Key additions through free agency and the trade market have certainly boosted the credibility of this lineup and the Sabres might be able to take advantage of their division still being in a state of flux, rebuilding and retooling teams alike.  Adding a power forward like Kyle Okposo should provide some more offensive presence, while Dmitry Kulikov still has some potential to be a point producing defender in the league.

These additions, plus their key draft picks over the last few years, could very well lead the Sabres back into the playoffs and they will have just as good of a chance as any, as long as their goaltending hits their stride at the right time.  With the way parity is shaping the league, the Sabres have certainly worked their way into a favourable position and immediate success isn't out of the question, heading into the 2017 season.

Player	Pos	16/17 Proj	Rookie
Ryan O'Reilly	F	65	N
Robin Lehner	G	60	N
Kyle Okposo	F	60	N
Jack Eichel	F	60	N
Sam Reinhart	F	45	N
Evander Kane	F	45	N
Tyler Ennis	F	45	N
Rasmus Ristolainen	D	45	N
Brian Gionta	F	30	N
Zemgus Girgensons	F	30	N
Zach Bogosian	D	30	N
Cody Franson	D	25	N
Anders Nilsson	G	20	N
Marcus Foligno	F	20	N
Matt Moulson	F	20	N
Dmitry Kulikov	D	20	N
Johan Larsson	F	15	N
Hudson Fasching	F	15	Y
Jake McCabe	D	15	N
Nicolas Deslauriers	F	10	N
Josh Gorges	D	10	N
Linus Ullmark	G	5	Y
Justin Falk	D	5	N
Casey Nelson	D	5	Y

Table last updated on August 5th

Most Intriguing or Breakout Player

Are we finally going to see what Robin Lehner can truly bring to the Buffalo Sabres?  Lehner was picked up from the Ottawa Senators to be their number one goalie in 2015 in a package deal that saw a 1st round pick go the other way, so they were putting a lot on this move, but got very little last season, due to injury.

Now, it's a new season, Lehner is healthy and he won't likely be challenged too much by the depth that is behind him, so it's his crease to start the season and he'll be a big part of where the Sabres finish up in the regular season.


First Round Picks

When we look at this roster above, Jack Eichel is the only real standout that could possibly reach that 75-point plateau, but the team around him doesn't exactly build confidence that he's going to do it this season.  I don't think the Sabres will have a 1st round worthy player this year, but they are going to move a lot closer to having that option, especially if they can start stringing wins together.

Other Pool Worthy Forwards

Of course, you should be holding Ryan O'Reilly in pretty high regard, as he is an integral cog that makes this machine work and quickly, he'll shuffle behind some of the future superstars on this team and that should be okay with him.  He'll make a pretty good impression again this year, helping the likes of Kyle Okposo, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane and Tyler Ennis to come up to pool worthy numbers.

Other Pool Worthy Defense

The Sabres appear to have a real gem in Rasmus Ristolainen, as his numbers have trended upward fairly quickly.  His current projection may be a bit low, but will certainlyy get a good long look before the season starts, as he will be a big part of the Finland contingent at the World Cup.  Zach Bogosian, Cody Franson and Dmitry Kulikov should also play big roles for the Sabres and they could all end up better than their projections, assuming that all these pieces come together at the same time.

Goaltending Situation

The back-up goaltending situation may be far from set in Buffalo and it could be a good battle.  I am currently giving the edge to Anders Nilsson, who has bounced around a bit, upon his return to the NHL, but Linus Ullmark is waiting in the wings for his chance and training camp could be his time to shine.  Lehner will get most of the minutes, but he has yet to prove himself as a workhorse, so there will be minutes to pick-up this season for the back-up(s).

Team To Pick From?

The Sabres are going to be one of those interesting gamble teams this year.  Either you believe that they can lift their season into the playoffs, then they would be a good bargain team in the late rounds, or they'll flop under the lack of experience and they won't be able to score in the late months of the season and bust.  This one will be a matter of perspective, but I might be leaning towards the playoffs here.

Unsigned Players and Salary Cap

The Sabres still have to put some dollar figures next to some key players before the season starts, including their top defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and a key roster forward in Zemgus Girgensons, both restricted free agents and looking for deals for the long-term.

The Sabres should have in the neighbourhood of $9 million to work with underneath the salary cap ceiling, but they would have to be committed to some long-term deals with their two key RFA's this year.  Girgensons may still warrant a bridge deal, while Ristolainen could be looking for Bogosian money to stay long-term with the team.

Injuries

Forward Tyler Ennis couldn't finish the 2016 regular season with some concussion issues, missing the last 45 games of the season with the head trauma.  There hasn't been a lot of updates on his condition through the Summer, but if he has been cleared, he still has the potential to put some points on the board, but you may want to skip him in the draft, cleared or not, waiting to see what he could do in the season and pick him up in the mid-points of the season.