Right about now it’s not hard to picture many Buffalo Sabres fans hitting their heads off of the nearest table wondering how in the world their general manager, Darcy Regier, could trade Daniel Paille.
And not only just for trading him, but trading him to the Boston Bruins of all teams.
Since Paille was sent from the 716 to the 617 four seasons ago, the Bruins have won the Stanley Cup once, the Northeast Division twice and have even knocked the Sabres out of the playoffs in the first round.
Now, to say that their success has to do with Paille directly is a bit far-fetched. He has been great during the past two rounds of this year’s playoffs and has the game-winning goal in both of the Bruins’ Stanley Cup Final victories, but the team’s success is not on his shoulders.
What Paille has done is solidify a bottom six that could be one of the best in the NHL.
So why did the Sabres and Regier feel the need to ship him off to a division rival, especially given the time they put into developing Paille?
He was drafted 20th overall in the 2002 Entry Draft, with the Sabres using the first-round pick they obtained from the Detroit Red Wings in the Dominik Hasek trade to move up 10 slots to select the Guelph Storm product. Paille spent two more years in the OHL and represented Team Canada in the World Junior Championships both of those years.
After spending the better part of two years with Rochester of the AHL and splitting time between Buffalo and Rochester the next season, Paille was promoted to the Sabres’ roster full-time in 2007-08. In his first full year, he had the best statistical season of his career, posting 35 points in 77 games, spending most of his time on the third line.
While recording a comparable season statistically in 2008-09, Paille struggled to stay consistent, posting numerous stretches without a point and a minus in the plus-minus column.
The next season, Paille was traded to the Bruins for a third-round pick, which was used on depth prospect Kevin Sundher, who likely will never see more than a bottom-six role with Rochester.
So should Sabres fans be mad that Paille never really got a fair shake as a Sabre? Yes and no.
It was pretty shocking that Regier would be as cavalier with one of his more talented young guys, even if his talent was clearly as more of a two-way, bottom-six player. Paille had the tools to be an excellent shutdown pivot and had the size and skating ability to back it up.
However, looking back at what the Sabres were facing at that time makes the move make at least some sense for those who are extremely unhappy.
Paille had been a healthy scratch for most of the beginning of the season that year, with then-coach Lindy Ruff favoring the play of a less-targeted Pat Kaleta and rookie Tim Kennedy.
Beyond that, the Sabres were flirting with the top-end of the salary cap, having just signed Jason Pominville and Ryan Miller to new deals that summer. Needing to clear some space, the Sabres saw the underperforming Paille as the easiest piece to move.
But the most important factor in all of this has been Paille‘s ability to play on the third and fourth lines in Boston, a team whose defensive identity is far more apparent than any post-lockout Sabres team. Paille has not come close to eclipsing the statistical levels he hit while in Buffalo, but he has flourished in his defense-first role with the Bruins.
So, while Paille is enjoying a fair amount of success this postseason, it may not be necessarily fair to say “that could be us,” because, realistically, the Sabres would not have been able to get the same type of play out of Paille given the differing styles of the two teams.
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This will be a six-part series highlighting what the Buffalo Sabres‘ draft plans may be, including an individual look at all four picks the Sabres have in the top-50.
The Buffalo Sabres will be busy during the first round of this month’s NHL Entry Draft.
After projecting them to select Elias Lindholm, a center/wing hybrid from the Swedish Elite League, with their No. 8 overall pick, the Sabres will have eight picks to see what unfolds for them at pick No. 16.
There are a few directions the Sabres can go with the 16th pick. Their first inclination, having taken a forward at No. 8, will probably be a defenseman. There are a few three-zone defenseman who could or should be available at the 16th spot.
The most wanted at that spot will likely be Ryan Pulock, who starred for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. While considered an offensive defenseman right now, many believe he has the tools to become an excellent defensive zone guy as well. His shot also draws rave reviews, a quality the Sabres are currently lacking on their blue line. Pulock led his team in scoring this season as well with 45 points in 61 contests.
Pulock has been projected to go as high as No. 8 (to the Sabres) and No. 20 to the San Jose Sharks, but most have him in the 10-14 range, so he may only be there if he slides or the Sabres move up.
The other defenseman the Sabres will be taking a long look at is Mirco Muller, also playing in the WHL for the Everett Silvertips. The Swiss defenseman has been shooting up draft boards as of late due to his complete playing style and high ceiling. He may not be flashy, but he will get the job done in all three zones, something the Sabres sorely need.
Muller flew under the radar until the World Junior Championships in Ufa this year, so he is not projected nearly as high as some defensive prospects, but the most recent mock drafts have him going as high as No. 16 to the Sabres.
There is a dark-horse pick here, and it depends on what the Sabres’ top brass feel about their goaltending future.
Zach Fucale is the clear No. 1 netminder in the draft this year, but the talent in the pool of skaters this year has likely pushed him out of the lottery picks, and possibly even the first round entirely. He backstopped the stacked Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL to the Memorial Cup this year and posted a ridiculous 45-5-3 record this season.
While clearly a blue chipper, Fucale has been projected everywhere in the draft, from as high as No. 11 to the Philadelphia Flyers to as low as No. 34 to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round.
If he is available, it will depend on the Sabres’ evaluation of Matt Hackett and Jhonas Enroth as their starting goalies of the future, but may be a shoo-in if Ryan Miller is traded, as many expect him to be.
Another consideration is if the Sabres take a defenseman with the eighth pick. That opens up the possibility of them taking a wing here, making Adam Erne, Valentin Zykov, Ryan Hartman and Hunter Shinkaruk guys to keep an eye on.
Overall, signs point to Pulock being the most desired guy at No. 16, but the reality is that he could be gone by the time the Sabres pick at No. 8. Muller has the goods but may be considered a reach with the 16th pick.
The best guess?
Due to Miller’s likely relocation, assuming they stay at No. 16, the Sabres’ selection is: Zach Fucale, G, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
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This will be a six-part series highlighting what the Buffalo Sabres‘ draft plans may be, including an individual look at all four picks the Sabres have in the top-50.
With all of the suffering Buffalo Sabres fans endured this season, it may be a bit underwhelming to pick eighth in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. At various points in the season, the Sabres were challenging the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers for the first overall selection, so it is certainly understood why many feel that way.
But the reality is that the Sabres have the opportunity to get a top-end prospect even if they stay at the eighth spot.
Last week, the Sabres’ needs were discussed, and the feeling around the hockey world is that the Sabres will go in one of a few directions: scoring winger, three-zone defenseman or trading up into (likely) the top-four.
Scoring winger is probably the team’s biggest need and also where the prospect pool falls off significantly once the top two or three guys have been selected. This makes it more likely the Sabres will go this route with their no. 8 pick, rather than hoping to pull something off with their no. 16 pick.
There are three players the Sabres will be looking long and hard at that fit the scoring wing bill: Jonathan Drouin from Halifax of the QMJHL, Valeri Nichushkin from Chelyabinsk of the KHL and Elias Lindholm from Brynas IF of the Swedish Elite League.
Simply put, Drouin and Nichushkin are special players who will factor into any NHL lineup come October. Lindholm has excelled in the Swedish Elite League as an 18-year-old, and while he may not be the prospect Drouin and Nichushkin are, he’s about as close as it gets.
Drouin played with fellow top-five lock Nathan MacKinnon in Halifax, but don’t let that temper your expectations. Drouin is masterful with the puck and has vision like no other player in the draft. His 105 points in only 49 games is spectacular, and that does not even include the 35 points he tallied in 17 playoff games. He is also not impeded by his size as players with his skill tend to be as he stands 5’11” and weighs in close to 180 lbs.
As you may have guessed, Drouin will move fast in a few weeks, likely to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third spot at the extreme latest.
Nichushkin is charging up draft boards as of late and the latest mock drafts from NHL.com have him going no later than the sixth spot to the Calgary Flames, and most figuring the Carolina Hurricanes will snatch him up at number five.
Nichushkin combines size with skill like no other player in this draft and has garnered more than a few comparisons to both Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin due to his excellent skating ability and his affinity for going through people instead of around them.
The last high-end possibility for the Sabres is Elias Lindholm, who was able to score 30 points in 48 games in the Swedish Elite League despite playing against much older, stronger players. He played center last season, but could play wing in the NHL. While some question his talent ceiling, he should become a top-six forward.
Lindholm has been projected all over the top-10, but most have him going in the six to eight range.
The potential overriding theme here?
The Sabres will likely need to trade up in order to secure Drouin or MacKinnon, and possibly even Lindholm. There are other names that have been thrown around, like Hunter Shinkaruk from Medicine Hat of the WHL or Valentin Zykov from Baie-Comeau of the QMJHL, but they have the potential to be around for the Sabres’ second first rounder.
Look for Darcy Regier to make a splash here, because the Sabres need top-six help on the wing. According to Josh Cooper of The Tennessean, Colorado, Florida and Nashville have all indicated that they would not be shy about discussing their numbers one, two and four picks, respectively.
While Darcy would not pass up MacKinnon or Alexsander Barkov if they were available, one would have to think Drouin and Nichushkin are the likely targets, especially if the Sabres are forced to move up to get him.
Assuming the Sabres stay at number eight, the prediction is: Elias Lindholm, C/W, Brynas IF (SEL)
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