BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres didn’t get any lottery luck, so they have the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. New coach Lindy Ruff recently declared the Sabres are in a “win now” situation, and general manager Kevyn Adams has already made six first-round selections in the last three NHL Drafts.
So that gives Adams some options with this pick. He could move it to find an upgrade for the NHL roster. He could take a bigger risk on upside. Or he could stick to the patient approach and add another top-end talent to one of the strongest prospect pools in the NHL.
Here’s a quick post-lottery snapshot of some of Buffalo’s options with the No. 11 pick.
We are set to pick 11th in the 2024 #NHLDraft!
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Trading the pick
The Sabres have reached a point in their rebuild where it makes sense to consider trading the first-round pick as part of a package for a proven NHL player. Adams should be listening to offers and making a few of his own depending on which veteran players are on the block leading up to the NHL Draft. But they should only do it if they can find the right trade. There’s no reason to force it, particularly when plenty of players with no-movement clauses will block a move to Buffalo anyway. Adams could also trade some of his prospects who have already been developing and backfill the prospect pool by using this pick on another player.
“We’re in a different phase right now,” Adams said on WGR 550 this week. “We need to look at every possible scenario to help our team get better. When I talk about winning now, (trading the pick) absolutely comes into play. We’re certainly not going to do something that doesn’t make sense, but we will definitely talk about that type of move and does that make sense? Maybe it makes a lot more sense now, based on where our roster is and where our prospect pool is, than it did one, two, three, years ago.”
What if they look for a forward?
Cayden Lindstrom, center, Medicine Hat (WHL)
Despite dealing with injuries this season, Cayden Lindstrom seems like a likely bet to be gone before the Sabres are picking. He blends skill (27 goals and 46 points in 32 games) with the size and physicality that make him project as a power forward in the NHL. If he falls, the Sabres would do well to add a skill set like his to their prospect pool.
Tij Iginla, left wing, Kelowna (WHL)
After his recent showing at the Under-18 World Championships, Tij Iginla could end up being a top-10 pick. The son of former NHL star Jarome Iginla, Tij put up 84 points in the WHL this season. He’s an aggressive forechecker with the shooting talent that should translate to the NHL. He would certainly fit the type of skill set the Sabres could use more of in their system.
Cole Eiserman, left wing, USNTDP
Cole Eiserman was my pick in The Athletic’s first staff mock draft. I was surprised he was available, but there are questions about the “roundedness” of his game, according to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. But that’s going to be true for a lot of 17-year-olds. But there aren’t a lot of prospects in this draft who can score the way Eiserman can. He set the NTDP record for goals in a season and might have the best scoring ability in this entire draft. That’s tough to pass up with the No. 11 pick.
Konsta Helenius, C, Finland
Konsta Helenius was still on the board for the Sabres in our staff mock and would be another great option if Buffalo keeps its pick. The Sabres have a ton of centers in their prospect pool and Helenius offers a similar skill set to some players already in the system. But his production in Finland’s top pro league (36 points in 51 games) isn’t common for a draft-eligible player.
Berkly Catton, C, Spokane (WHL)
Berkly Catton is another player who might not make it to Buffalo’s pick after he put up 116 points in the WHL this season. He’s only 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, but he did everything for Spokane this season, including killing penalties. The Sabres haven’t shied away from smaller forward prospects in the past, so Catton seems like a player who could be on their radar.
What about the defensemen?
Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary (WHL)
The Sabres are loaded with young defensemen at the NHL level with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Bowen Byram and Mattias Samuelsson, all left-shot defensemen 24 years old or younger. They also drafted two right-shot defensemen last season in Max Strbak and Gavin McCarthy and have a few other promising prospects on defense. But Carter Yakemchuk undoubtedly brings a different flavor. He has a powerful right-handed shot and plays a nasty style that makes him stand out among his peers. He was fourth in the WHL in penalty minutes last season.
Anton Silayev, LHD, KHL
With the Sabres’ prospect pool well stocked, they could afford to spend a high draft choice on a Russian player and wait for that player to come over to North America. The Sabres have had good luck signing some of their recent Russian draft picks, too. Anton Silayev went No. 6 in our staff mock draft, but Wheeler has him No. 10 in his rankings. Wheeler also noted some scouts have the 6-foot-7 Silayev as the top defenseman in the draft.
Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw (OHL)
Zayne Parekh is a dynamic offensive threat who likes to push the play offensively. That fits the skill set the Sabres already have in a lot of their NHL defensemen, so they would need to be convinced Parekh can handle his own end, too. But when you’re drafting at this spot, you’re looking for the star potential. And Parekh’s 33-goal, 96-point season in the OHL suggests that he defensively has that upside.
Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen (Czechia)
Like his older brother who was a first-rounder in 2022, Adam Jiricek has developed his game while playing pro hockey in Czechia. Injuries derailed his draft year a bit, but Wheeler notes, “tools and room to grow his game and fill out his frame. He’s also competitive, I like his defensive habits and he’s got size and ability.” This wouldn’t be the flashiest pick at 11, though.
(Photo: Mike Stobe / NHLI via Getty Images)
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Courtesy : https://theathletic.com/5478627/2024/05/08/sabres-2024-nhl-draft-trade/