Jealousy & Team Sean or Team Ryan

There was a two part documentary on the overhaul that the Edmonton Oilers overtook this past off season called Oil Change that ran on the NHL Network in the last week.

I was jealous.

After the horrible season that the Oilers had last year their owner (who's company produced the documentary, FWIW) felt that they needed a huge culture change and to commit to a sizable rebuild.

I was jealous that the Oilers had an owner that cared about his team and was involved in a shift in direction for the on ice product.

I was jealous that they had a buch of really good young forward prospects like Eberle, Paajarvi, and then Taylor Hall.

I was jealous that their GM was willing to cut ties with guys that were seen as part of the problem.

While many Bills fans have gotten to the point where they don't have a lot of hope for the team while Ralph is the owner, I wonder if there is any chance that the culture change the Sabres need will ever happen with Golisano & Quinn are the owner/managing partner duo with the Sabres.

I was jealous of Tampa Bay getting Steve Yzerman to take over that club.

I hope that one day Golisano will wake up and make the culture change that the Sabres need to really compete for the Cup.

I'm just not very hopeful that that day will ever come......

Team Sean or Team Ryan?

Red Line Report

Since the Sabres are currently dead [radio edit] last in the NHL and would be guaranteed a top 2 pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft if the season were to end today, let's start talking about the top end prospects in the 2011 Draft.

Most people agree that there are 3 elite prospects in this year's draft.

I'm going to take Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson off my radar for a few reasons:

A) He's Swedish and the Sabres have been drafting only North American kids for a while
B) He's a RH defenseman and the Sabres have selected RH defensemen Mark Pysyk (2010) and Tyler Myers (2008) in the first round of 2 of the last 3 drafts
C) The Sabres really need a franchise center and the other two guys are potential franchise centers

So, this year's Taylor vs Tyler debate will be Sean Couturier vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Couturier will be the guy that people that want the Sabres to get bigger will favor as he has 3 inches and 15 to 20 pounds on Nugent-Hopkins.

Personally, I am leaning towards Nugent-Hopkins because of the talk that he has high level hockey sense and his vision and puckhandling ability is getting compared to Patrick Kane.

Couturier looks to be the better goal scorer. Nugent-Hopkins is more of a playmaker.

Couturier might be more responsible defensively.

Nugent-Hopkins led Canada in scoring at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament with 7 points in 6 games.

Couturier is good at the faceoff dot and his work ethic is getting solid reviews, as well.

If the Sabres season does go in the absolute tank, they likely won't go wrong with either kid. But, I tend to like prospects that see the game better, so for now, I'm on Team Ryan.