This is a FanPost written by T. McGee.
DBTBers –
Hello, my fellow DBTB’ers! Lindy Ruff is back, and hopefully he didn’t bring the Sabres’ record of drafting during his tenure (remember Sabre legends Barrett Heisten, Jiri Novotny, and Mike Funk? Of course you don’t!). With Sabres fandom brimming with nostalgia, they may have forgotten about the upcoming NHL Draft. And who could blame them? Fortunately for you, I haven’t. So as the Draft Year winds down, scouts are making their travel arrangements to head to BFLO for the Combine from June 2nd to the 8th. The First Round of the Draft will commence at Sphere in Vegas on June 28th (very cool place, BTW) and then wrap up with the remaining rounds on the 29th. Lots of intrigue still to come, and some late risers and fallers yet to make their presence known…but it should be a fun last month and change.
Most of the big events have wrapped themselves up at this point. The KHL, SHL and Liiga all have determined their Champions. Obviously, the NCAA is done, as is the USHL. And up in Canada, the three respective leagues have finished and we’re on to the Memorial Cup. For Sabres prospect watchers, future Sabre legends Matt Savoie (Moose Jaw) and Vsevolod Komarov (Drummondville) will both be playing in the signature event. And as an aside, I may start calling Komarov “Wheezie” because Vsevolod just is too much to type. But the point being, the only major event for most of these kids eligible to be drafted is the aforementioned Combine. Now we’re in the window where scouts are coming together to start hammering out their respective team’s Board. As news starts to leak out, remember we’ve gotten into the ‘smokescreen’ and ‘just having conversations’ point in the Draft Year. Media and amateur draft nerds will be overanalyzing players and some guys will start dropping in their rankings for no apparent reason. A lot of grains of salt should be employed when reading/listening to draftniks until we get to the Draft. Personally, this is when I really start to dig in on the guys I think I like.
The last big event went down a few weeks ago. The World U-18s wrapped up with Team Canada winning the Gold over the USA, and it was a coming out party for a number of players in next year’s Draft. In fact, the top 3 scorers in the tournament are all players who are eligible for next year’s Draft! But there were a few guys from this year’s class who jumped out to me. Tij Iginla continues his incredible season, putting up 12P in 7 games (6 goals!) for Team Canada, while playing his normal in-your-face style. He’s pretty close to a lock for the Top 10 at this point. For the Americans, under-the-radar forward Teddy Stiga, who has separated himself from the herd of other secondary forwards on the National Development team, had a great tournament on both ends. Do-it-all Melvin Fernstrom seemed like he was all over the ice, skating on the top line and playing on special teams. For the Finns, 2C Heikki Ruohonen came out of nowhere to really sparkle, with 5P in 5 games, making him a legitimate mid-round candidate. Some other standouts were mobile defenseman Gian Meier (more on him later) of the Swiss, Miro Satan Jr (yes, THAT Miro Satan is his old man!) centering for the Slovaks, and big rig Adam Jecho for the Czechs. As always, it was a fun showcase for a lot of the draft eligibles, plus a little peek into the future of next year’s Draft class!
When the U-18s wrap up, the media gets rolling on putting out their final Draft Rankings. Not everyone’s are complete yet, but I can give you a taste of what’s out there at the moment. One thing’s clear…it’s Macklin Celebrini and the 11 Dwarves. Once you make it past the #1 overall, it’s a big jumble of about 11-12 players. So it’s anyone’s guess who goes where. Which means, someone is going to slide to the Sabres…maybe, like Zach Benson last year, someone very, very good. Here are some of the end-of-year rankings:
Craig Button (TSN): Craig’s List: Konsta Helenius, Tij Iginla push into top five | TSN
Bob MacKenzie (Draft Nerd Emeritus): Bob McKenzie’s NHL Draft Ranking: An ‘unpredictable ride’ after Macklin Celebrini | TSN
Sam Cosentino (TSN, NHL Network): Sportsnet’s 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings: April Edition
Dobber Prospects: DobberProspects’ April Top-96 for the 2024 NHL Draft – DobberProspects
For those of you who want to do their own research – and I recommend it – there’s a good place to start as any. As far as the Sabres go, I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved a pick or two. Since Adams came on board and revamped the Scouting Department, the Sabres have taken a smidge more Canadians than they have Swedes, with Russians being a close third. On the short end, 1 Slovak, 2 Finns, and surprisingly – given the relationship between HarborCenter and USA Hockey – only 3 Americans. So keep that in mind as you get your popcorn ready to watch the Draft!
As we come down to the end of Draft Season, I’ve got a couple more things left in the bag; 1) a full, 7-round Mock Draft complete with over-agers, and 2) a final, Top 150 Big Board which is easily printable so you can laugh at me from the comfort of your couch. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I did compiling!
Let’s go Sabres!
ROUND ONE:
#1: SAN JOSE: Macklin Celebrini, 5’11 C, NCAA
#2: CHICAGO: Anton Silyayev, 6’7 LHD, RUS
#3: ANAHEIM: Artyom Levshunov, 6’2 RHD, NCAA
#4: COLUMBUS: Ivan Demidov, 5’11 RW, RUS
#5: MONTREAL: Tij Iginla, 6’0 LW, WHL
#6: ARIZONA/UTAH: Zeev Buium, 6’1 LHD, NCAA
#7: OTTAWA: Zayne Parekh, 6’0 RHD, OHL
#8: SEATTLE: Cayden Lindstrom, 6’5 C, WHL
#9: CALGARY: Sam Dickinson, 6’3 LHD, OHL
#10: NEW JERSEY: Beckett Sennecke, 6’3 RW, OHL
#11: BUFFALO: Konsta Helenius, 5’11 C/RW, FIN
#12: PHILADELPHIA: Carter Yakemchuk, 6’2 RHD, WHL
#13: MINNESOTA: Berkly Catton, 5’11 C/LW, WHL
#14: SAN JOSE (PITTSBURGH): Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, 6’1 RW, SWE
#15: DETROIT: Sasha Boisvert, 6’2 C, USHL
#16: ST LOUIS: Jett Luchanko, 5’11 C, OHL
#17: WASHINGTON: Cole Eiserman, 6’0 RW, US NTDP
#18: CHICAGO (NY ISLANDERS): Cole Hutson, 5’9 LHD, US NTDP
#19: VEGAS: Trevor Connolly, 6’1 LW, USHL
#20: NY ISLANDERS (CHICAGO/TAMPA BAY): Liam Greentree, 6’2 RW, OHL
#21: LOS ANGELES: Yegor Surin, 5’11 C/W, RUS
#22: NASHVILLE: Michael Hage, 6’1 C, USHL
#23: TORONTO: Charlie Elick, 6’4 RHD, WHL
#24: ANAHEIM (EDMONTON): Terik Paraschek, 5’11 RW, WHL
#25: COLORADO: Adam Jiricek, 6’1 RHD, CZE
#26: OTTAWA (BOSTON): Cole Beaudoin, 6’2 C, OHL
#27: CAROLINA: Andrew Basha, 6’0 LW, WHL
#28: MONTREAL (WINNIPEG): Stian Solberg, 6’2 LHD, NWY
#29: CALGARY (VANCOUVER): Matvei Grindin, 6’1 C, USHL
#30: NY RANGERS: John Mustard, 6’1 C, USHL
#31: DALLAS: Teddy Stiga, 5’10 RW, US NTDP
#32: PHILADELPHIA (FLORIDA): Igor Chernyshov, 6’2 LW, RUS
ROUND TWO:
#1: SAN JOSE: Dominik Badinka, 6’2 RHD, FIN
#2: CHICAGO: Emil Hemming, 6’2 LW, FIN
#3: ANAHEIM: Harrison Brunicke, 6’2 RHD, WHL
#4: COLUMBUS: Raoul Boillard, 6’1 C, QMJHL
#5: WINNIPEG (MONTREAL): Marek Vanacker, 6’0 LW, OHL
#6: UTAH/ARIZONA: Lucas Pettersson, 6’0 C, SWE
#7: OTTAWA: Sam O’Reilly, 6’1 C/RW, OHL
#8: SEATTLE: Matvei Shuravin, 6’3 LHD, RUS
#9: CALGARY: Ryder Ritchie, 6’0 LW, WHL
#10: NEW JERSEY: EJ Emery, 6’5 LHD, US NTDP
#11: BUFFALO: Simon Zether, 6’3 C, SWE
#12: CAROLINA (PHILADELPHIA): Alfons Freji, 6’1 LHD, SWE
#13: MINNESOTA: Colton Roberts, 6’4 RHD, WHL
#14: PITTSBURGH: Nikita Artamonov, 5’11 RW, RUS
#15: DETROIT: Aron Kiviharju, 5’10 LHD, FIN
#16: ST LOUIS: Will Skahan, 6’4 LHD, US NTDP
#17: UTAH/ARIZONA (WASHINGTON): Melvin Fernstrom, 6’1 C/RW, SWE
#18: CHICAGO (NY ISLANDERS): Linus Eriksson, 6’0 C, SWE
#19: WASHINGTON (VEGAS): Henry Mews, 6’0 RHD, OHL
#20: NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Lukas Fischer, 6’4 LHD, OHL
#21: NY ISLANDERS (CHICAGO/LOS ANGELES): Dean Letourneau, 6’6 C, OJHL
#22: NASHVILLE: Adam Jecho, 6’3 RW, FIN
#23: ST LOUIS (TORONTO): Spencer Gill, 6’3 RHD, QMJHL
#24: EDMONTON: Leo Sahlin-Wallenius, 6’0 LHD, SWE
#25: MONTREAL (COLORADO): Maxim Masse, 6’2 LW, QMJHL
#26: ANAHEIM (BOSTON): Tanner Howe, 5’10 RW, WHL
#27: CAROLINA: Veeti Vasainien, 6’0 LHD, FIN
#28: NASHVILLE (WINNIPEG): Julius Miettinen, 6’3 C, WHL
#29: NY ISLANDERS (CHICAGO/VANCOUVER): Tomas Lavoie, 6’3 RHD, QMJHL
#30: SEATTLE (NY RANGERS): Kamil Bednarek, 6’0 C, US NTDP
#31: DALLAS: Luke Misa, 5’10 C, OHL
#32: UTAH/ARIZONA (FLORIDA): Danill Ustinkov, 6’1 LHD, SWISS
#33: PHILADELPHIA: Noel Fransen, 6’1 LHD, SWE
ROUND THREE:
#1: ANAHEIM (SAN JOSE): Kasper Pikkarainen, 6’3 RW, FIN
#2: CHICAGO: Ryerson Leenders, 6’2 G, OHL
#3: ANAHEIM: Evan Gardner, 6’2 G, WHL
#4: COLUMBUS: Tarin Smith, 6’1 LHD, WHL
#5: MONTREAL: Carson Wetsch, 6’3 RW, WHL
#6: UTAH/ARIZONA: Luca Marelli, 6’2 RHD, OHL
#7: CHICAGO (OTTAWA): Miguel Marques, 6’0 W, WHL
#8: SEATTLE: Sebastian Sioni, 6’1 RHD, FIN
#9: CALGARY: Jacob Battaglia, 6’1 RW, OHL
#10: NEW JERSEY: Nathan Villeneuve, 6’0 C, OHL
#11: BUFFALO: Alexander Siryatsky, 6’2 LHD, RUS
#12: PHILADELPHIA: Max Curran, 6’3 C, WHL
#13: MONTREAL (MINNESOTA): Ben Danford, 6’1 LHD, OHL
#14: ANAHEIM (PITTSBURGH): Gabriel Eliasson, 6’6 LHD, SWE
#15: DETROIT: Eriks Mateiko, 6’4 LW, QMJHL
#16: ST LOUIS: Eemil Vinni, 6’2 G, FIN
#17: WASHINGTON: Aatos Koivu, 6’0 C, FIN
#18: WASHINGTON (NY ISLANDERS): Tomas Galvas, 5’10 LHD, CZE
#19: VEGAS: Gabrial Frasca, 6’0 C, OHL
#20: SAN JOSE (TAMPA BAY): Leon Muggli, 6’0 LHD, SWISS
#21: COLUMBUS (LOS ANGELES): Karl Sterner, 6’3 RW, SWE
#22: NASHVILLE: David Svozil, 6’1 LHD, FIN
#23: SEATTLE (TORONTO): Oskar Vuollet, 5’10 C/W, SWE
#24: UTAH/ARIZONA (EDMONTON): Jack Burglund, 6’3 C/RW, SWE
#25: UTAH/ARIZONA (COLORADO): Carter George, 6’1 G, OHL
#26: WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Hagen Burrows, 6’2 W, US HS
#27: CAROLINA: Markus Kearsey, 5’11 LHD, QMJHL
#28: NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Timur Kol, 6’3 LHD, RUS
#29: VANCOUVER: Adam Kleber, 6’5 RHD, USHL
#30: ST LOUIS (NY RANGERS): Will Zellers, 5’11 C, US HS
#31: NASHVILLE (DALLAS): Justin Poirier, 5’8 RW, QMJHL
#32: FLORIDA: Colin Ralph, 6’4 LHD, US HS
ROUND FOUR:
#1: UTAH/ARIZONA (SAN JOSE): Ollie Josephson, 6’0 C, WHL
#2: NASHVILLE (CHICAGO): Jakub Fibigr, 6’1 LHD, OHL
#3: ANAHEIM: Tomas Mrsic, 5’11 RW, WHL
#4: COLUMBUS: Christian Kirsch, 6’4 G, SWISS
#5: MONTREAL: Miro Satan Jr, 6’7 C, SVK
#6: UTAH/ARIZONA: Felix Lacerte, 5’10 C, QMJHL
#7: OTTAWA: Herman Traff, 6’3 RW, SWE
#8: SEATTLE: Kevin He, 6’1 LW, OHL
#9: CALGARY: Hiroki Gojsic, 6’3 RW, BCHL
#10: VANCOUVER (NEW JERSEY): Tuomas Suoniemi, 5’10 C, FIN
#11: BUFFALO: Kim Saarinen, 6’4 G, FIN
#12: BUFFALO (PHILADELPHIA): Logan Sawyer, 6’1 C/LW, BCHL
#13: MINNESOTA: Javon Moore, 6’2 RW, US HS
#14: PITTSBURGH: Darels Uljanskis, 6’1 LHD, SWE
#15: OTTAWA (DETROIT): Dawson Cowan, 6’3 G, WHL
#16: ST LOUIS: Alexis Bernier, 6’1 RHD, QMJHL
#17: WASHINGTON: Ondrej Kos, 6’1 LW, FIN
#18: NY ISLANDERS: Brodie Ziemer, 5’11 RW, US NTDP
#19: SAN JOSE (VEGAS): Clarke Caswell, 5’11 C/LW, WHL
#20: OTTAWA (TAMPA BAY): Jonnie Morello, 6’3 C, OJHL
#21: LOS ANGELES: Martin Hronik, 6’5 G, SVK
#22: NASHVILLE: Axel Nyman, 6’5 G, SWE
#23: TORONTO: Nilopekka Muhonen, 6’4 LHD, FIN
#24: NASHVILLE (EDMONTON): AJ Spellacy, 6’3 LW, OHL
#25: COLORADO: Jamiro Reber, 5’10 C, SWISS
#26: BOSTON: Tory Pitner, 6’1 RHD, USHL
#27: CAROLINA: Markus Gidlof, 6’4 G, SWE
#28: WINNIPEG: Riley Patterson, 6’0 C, OHL
#29: VANCOUVER: Jimmy Dodig, 6’5 LHD, US HS
#30: NY RANGERS: Alexander Zetterberg, 5’8 C, SWE
#31: DETROIT (DALLAS): Andrei Krutov, 5’11 W, RUS
#32: FLORIDA: Max Plante, 5’10 C, US NTDP
ROUND FIVE:
#1: MONTREAL (SAN JOSE): Mac Swanson, 5’8 C, USHL
#2: CHICAGO: Will McIssac, 6’4 RHD, WHL
#3: COLORADO (ANAHEIM): Max Vilen, 6’2 LHD, SWE
#4: COLUMBUS: Yegor Graf, 5’11 C, RUS
#5: MONTREAL: John Whipple, 6’1 LHD, US NTDP
#6: UTAH/ARIZONA: Topias Hyninnen, 5’10 C/RW, FIN
#7: OTTAWA: Heikki Ruohonen, 6’1 C, FIN
#8: COLORADO (SEATTLE): Mitja Jokinen, 5’10 LHD, FIN
#9: CHICAGO (CALGARY): Matvei Babenko, 6’3 RW, RUS
#10: NEW JERSEY: Parker Von Richter, 6’1 RHD, OHL
#11: MINNESOTA (BUFFALO): Luka Testa, 6’0 C, OHL
#12: FLORIDA (PHILADELPHIA): Matthieu Tallifer, 6’0 RHD, AJHL
#13: MINNESOTA: Kieron Walton, 6’5 C, OHL
#14: SAN JOSE (PITTSBURGH): Miro Holinka, 6’2 C, CZE
#15: DETROIT: Nico Antenen, 6’2 C, SWISS
#16: ST LOUIS: Markus Loponen, 6’1 C, FIN
#17: WASHINGTON: Mikhail Yegorov, 6’4 G, USHL
#18: NY ISLANDERS: Keith McInnis, 6’1 LHD, BCHL
#19: PHILADELPHIA (VEGAS): Jakub Milota, 6’2 G, QMJHL
#20: TAMPA BAY: Roman Luttsev, 6’0 C, RUS
#21: PHILADELPHIA (LOS ANGELES): Cooper Cleaves, 6’4 RHD, US HS
#22: CHICAGO (NASHVILLE): Aiden Park, 6’0 C/W, US HS
#23: TORONTO: Alexandre Blais, 5’10 RW, QMJHL
#24: EDMONTON: Brenden McMorrow, 6’2 LW, US NTDP
#25: NEW JERSEY (COLORADO): Nicholas Kempf, 6’2 G, US NTDP
#26: BOSTON: Thomas Desruisseaux, 5’11 C, QMJHL
#27: CAROLINA: Maxim Velikov, 6’1 RW, RUS
#28: WINNIPEG: Will Felicio, 5’11 LHD, USHL
#29: TORONTO (VANCOUVER): Caleb Heil, 6’3 G, USHL
#30: NY RANGERS: Owen Protz, 6’0 LHD, OHL
#31: DALLAS: Erik Burger, 5’11 LHD, SWE
#32: BUFFALO (FLORIDA): Gian Meier, 6’2 RHD, SWISS
ROUND SIX:
#1: VANCOUVER (SAN JOSE): Zach Pelletier, 6’3 G, QMJHL
#2: CHICAGO: Arvid Westlin, 5’11 RW, SWE
#3: ANAHEIM: Joey Henneberry, 6’2 C, QMJHL
#4: COLUMBUS: JJ Monteiro, 6’0 C, BCHL
#5: MONTREAL: Quinn Kennedy, 5’10 C, QMJHL
#6: UTAH/ARIZONA: Adam Belusko, 5’11 LHD, SVK
#7: OTTAWA: David Green, 6’2 LHD, OJHL
#8: SEATTLE: Brayden Dube, 5’10 C, WHL
#9: CALGARY: Kyrill Zarubin, 6’5 G, RUS
#10: NEW JERSEY: Petr Sikora, 5’11 C, CZE
#11: BUFFALO: Jack Bodin, 6’4 RHD, SWE
#12: PHILADELPHIA: Diego Johnson, 5’11 RW, AJHL
#13: MINNESOTA: Caeden Harrington, 6’1 RHD, US HS
#14: PITTSBURGH: Austen Baker, 6’0 C, US NTDP
#15: DETROIT: Jack Sadowski, 6’0 C/LW, US HS
#16: PHILADELPHIA (ST LOUIS): Matti Butkovskiy, 6’2 LW, FIN
#17: WASHINGTON: Loke Johanssen, 6’4 LHD, SWE
#18: NY ISLANDERS: Paul Mayer, 6’2 LHD, GER
#19: VEGAS: Gavin Hodnett, 5’8 LW, WHL
#20: TAMPA BAY: Jared Woolley, 6’4 LHD, OHL
#21: LOS ANGELES: Bruno Idzan, 6’0 W, SWE
#22: EDMONTON (NASHVILLE): Jesse Heslop, 5’10 RW, WHL
#23: TORONTO: Ilya Protas, 6’3 C, BLR
#24: EDMONTON: Danill Natasky, 6’3 C, RUS
#25: COLORADO: Joona Saralainen, 5’9 W, FIN
#26: BOSTON: Anton Ohlsson, 6’0 LHD, SWE
#27: CAROLINA: James Reeder, 5’10 RW, USHL
#28: WINNIPEG: Kambryn Henrickson, 6’2 G, USHL
#29: VANCOUVER: Nolan Roed, 5’11 W, US HS
#30: NY RANGERS: Alexander Shen, 6’0 C/RW, RUS
#31: ARIZONA (DALLAS): Josh Fluker, 5’11 RHD, WHL
#32: FLORIDA: Artemi Nizameyev, 5’10 RW, USHL
The SABRES Haul:
1#11: BUFFALO: Konsta Helenius, 5’11 C/RW, FIN: The Sabres don’t draft much from Finland – only two Finns since Adams took over – but this kid is the real deal. A patient, creative centerman whose motor is always running. There are some similarities to players in the Sabres’ system already – Ostlund, Benson, even Rosen – but he’s definitely his own man. First and foremost, Helenius is a worker. He’s constantly on the move, and in that regard, he’s a lot like Benson. He never gives up on a play, is a dogged puck hound, and defensively he’s constantly in motion looking to get position or be the first to loose pucks. You get the feeling that when each shift is over, he’s given his all. Couple that with his smarts, and you’ve got a highly effective two-way centerman. In his own end, his feet are always moving and his super-active stick makes him a menace to deal with from an offensive player’s perspective. Helenius makes his check uncomfortable, deflects passes and shots, and generally gets inside his opponent, making it tough to get to good scoring areas. But he defends well in space too. Seems to have a sixth sense for the other team’s best forward. Will drop off his check to disrupt that player’s shot or attempt to make a play. He’s not chasing the puck, however. It’s all very intentional. Incredibly slippery down low in the O-zone. In fact, a lot of his offense is generated off the cycle and recovering pucks below the dots. His instincts and spatial awareness are Grade A. Has great feel for where everyone is on the ice and how to move them around to open up passing and shooting lanes. Always a half-step ahead of the opposition. Can hang on to the puck even against bigger defenders until the right moment, then zips a pass through a crowd to an open teammate for a high-quality chance…or he can one-touch the puck before the defense can get set to create another excellent chance. Will try things during a game to try to figure out how to beat a defense or make an attack more productive, then as he learns, will put that into effect later in the same game. Uses a lot of fakes and will make himself bigger or smaller when attacking traffic. Loves to go to the middle of the ice. His skating is very good. Not explosive per se, he’s got good burst and his edgework is exceptional, but he seems to play faster than he is. Part of this is his intelligence, as he knows where to go and when to be there, but he plays with a ton of pace and his feet are always moving. That said, Helenius’ skating is plenty good enough to get him around the NHL ice. He’s a better skater right now than, say, Benson. Good lateral movement lets him adjust on the fly. Doesn’t typically hesitate unless he’s trying to draw players out or move them where he wants them. Plays a heavy game for his size, and although he can get knocked around, it doesn’t discourage him from going to the netfront or into the corners and fighting for pucks. Where he resembles Ostlund are his hands and playmaking. Vision is superior, and he’s a pass-first kind of player. Places pucks precisely and on-time. They always seem to be on a platter for guys, particularly when setting up a teammate for a one-timer. Can deliver the sauce but will put a hard pass or a soft pass right on the tape depending on the situation. Understands how to put pucks into space and let his linemates skate into them. Deadly passer on the PP, can be a killer in transition too. Look-offs and head/shoulder fakes are a big part of his arsenal. One area is his remarkable confidence level. Despite playing against men for nearly his entire draft season, Helenius was fearless in attempting risky passes and plays with a low chance of success. The fact he made some of them work is a testament to his high skill level, more so than anything else. He needs to be a bit more conscious of his puck management, which is something that will come with time. His shot also leaves a little to be desired. Very accurate but it is neither heavy nor hard. That said, he can pick corners with the best of them, and can do it either with a one-timer or on the move. Helenius matched Patrik Laine in terms of points-per-game as a draft eligible in Liiga, and in fact the only player he finished behind in that category was Sasha Barkov. So some very good company. Put up 36P in 51 games as (mostly) a 17-year-old in Liiga, and added 6P in 6 playoff games. He also put up 7P in 5 games at the U-18s. Some observers will say he struggled at the World Juniors, but even though he only notched 2P in 7 games, he created a ton of chances that his teammates did not cash in. Helenius reminds me a bit of his fellow Finn, Anton Lundell, mixed in with some Robbie Thomas from the Blues.
2#11: BUFFALO: Simon Zether, 6’3 C, SWE: Big, versatile, and productive, Zether can play in any situation, and at nearly any position. While he won’t dazzle you with his physical traits, Zether is a smart, reliable North-South forward who could be a really solid middle-6 forward once he develops. Doesn’t have much flash in his game. Workmanlike, mature. Obviously, he’s got great size at 6’3 already, but Zether brings a variety of attributes to the game. Plays a fundamentally sound game, rarely turns pucks over in bad spots on the ice and will grind the game down to a nub if you let him. Loves to get pucks deep, retrieve them, and cycle the puck until the defense wears itself out before he makes a play that leads to a dangerous chance. He gets pucks out of his own end and keeps them out. Just doesn’t make a lot of mental mistakes. The most interesting part of Zether’s game is his versatility. You can ask him to do just about any job up front, and he can at minimum do a solid job. Defend the other team’s top line? Check. Grind out a lead? Yessir. Slide out to wing, or play down the middle? Can do that. Drive a line and generate offense? Got that one too. Just seems like an open book for a team to mold him to fit a role in their organization. Zether’s doesn’t just have size…he uses it to make his game better. Defensively, he can be a problem for teams to deal with. His length, his smarts, and his ability to play all over the ice make him a huge challenge to escape from. Feet are good enough to stay in front of nearly any opponent, and that reach closes down passing and shooting lanes that others can’t get to. He could be more aggressive physically in these situations, but he’s not tentative. Simply relies on positioning to help him out in his own end more than anything else. And he won’t cheat to create offense. If this is his assignment, he’s 100% committed. Grind it out? He’s quick enough to win more than his share of 50/50 pucks. And he’ll get that puck deep almost every time he gets the chance. Can be an effective forechecker in these situations with his quickness, or if asked to stay conservative and drop into the Neutral Zone, he will do that. Four-way skating is very good; he’s not explosive, but he’s got light feet and can move really well for a kid his size. If he can learn to generate more power in his initial couple strides, Zether could be a superb skater. Transitions smoothly from forward to back, which, again, helps him defensively. But he’s quick enough and eats up so much ice with each stride, he’s tough to defend in transition because he can beat an opponent up ice without being a blazer. Head is always up; good recognition of situations, knows when to attack and when to play it safe with the puck. Offensively, he’s got a nasty snapshot and can uncork a heavy wrister if you give him a little time. That release should be sped up a bit, but it’s a weapon especially when trailing transition as a 3rd skater in. Is tough to handle around the net as well. Doesn’t ragdoll opponents, but feet are constantly moving and he’s always fighting for inside leverage around the top of the crease and trying to keep his stick free. Has a power forward’s frame, and with his nose for the puck, could be a player that scores a lot of garbage goals. Hand-eye could use some improvement, as in theory, he should be really quite good at tips and deflections but doesn’t score nearly enough using those skills. Zether is a leader as well – he wore the C for his U-20 team in Rogle, where he put up 27P in 18 games before getting the call-up to the SHL. Played 42 games in the SHL, managing only to chip in 4P in a season where he was used sparingly, with one game where he only played a single shift. With the right development, Zether could become a player like a Nicolas Roy (VGK) or a Nick Paul (TB), a big center who can chip in offensively from a shut-down role.
3#11: BUFFALO: Alexander Siryatsky, 6’2 LHD, RUS: Let’s return to the Sabres’ typical drafting style – going with athletic, rising players and hoping they can coach them into major contributors. This kid is a bit of a rail (6’2, 165#) but has been steadily rising throughout the year. And he’s got a box full of tools. Given how stacked the Sabres are in prospects, why not take a chance? The Russian is not going to wow you with big numbers but going from the Russian U-18 league to the KHL (for 3 games) is a pretty extreme jump. And he’s got a very late birthday to boot…he missed the cut-off for next year’s Draft by about a month. So let’s dig in a bit. First off, Siryatsky is a long, efficient defender. He’s got excellent awareness of his own zone and an understanding of what his check wants to do at any given time. Unlike a lot of young defenders, he’s got a much more mature recognition of how to defend his own ice and the Neutral Zone, and frequently kills plays before they come together. His ability to identify threats and extinguish them before they can turn into chances is high-level. That alone gives him some value. There just aren’t a lot of kids at this level who can defend not only their check, but in space, against men…certainly not in the KHL, which might be the 2nd best league in the world. His smarts help him disrupt zone entries, close out transition opportunities before they get started, and generally make things really difficult for the opposition. Those smarts also feed his anticipation, which is also high-level. Sees plays before they develop. Finds a way to break up those plays, whether with a really active stick, quick feet, or beating opponents to their spot. Skating is solid. He’s not going to blow you away with blazing fast speed, but his footwork and smooth change-of-direction lead you to believe he’s only going to get quicker as he gets stronger. And his feet are good enough that once he locks onto you and gaps up, you’re not getting away from him. It’s almost like he’s playing possum when you watch him; he kind of sits back in the middle of the zone, and then when his check becomes dangerous, Siryatsky suddenly is in his back pocket and the guy coughs up the puck under pressure. Now, at the KHL level, he seems to be a defense-only sort of player. Still valuable, for sure, but limited. At the junior level, however, he plays with more offense to his game. Putting up 19P in 36 games for Stalnye, he shows a much greater willingness to lug the puck up ice and become a danger in transition. Almost too poised and patient at times when playing in his own age group, he’ll overhandle the puck waiting for plays that aren’t there. And he’ll pass up open passing lanes and rush lanes with the expectation/hope that something better will come, and if it doesn’t, it’s a turnover. That said, such overconfidence can be a sign that he’s not challenged enough against his own age group, which is why his game changes so starkly when he is called up to the KHL. A year in the VHL might do the trick for him next season. Obviously, he will need to fill out and get stronger, and that will only help add to his skating, his shot, and his ability to hold up under heavy forechecking. But given BFLO’s depth on the back-end, and the success they had with Nikita Novikov, they can afford to take their time with Siryatsky and let him develop physically and mentally. With the Russians turning out some top-notch defensive prospects in the last few years (Nikishin, Shimishev, Gulyuyev, and this year’s Silyayev) this is a good flier to take for the Sabres.
4#11: BUFFALO: Kim Saarinen, 6’4 G, FIN: A goalie? Another Finn! Yes, their last attempt at drafting a Finnish goaltender hasn’t worked out so far (Topias Leinonen), but in the interest of deepening the prospect pool between the pipes, the Sabres make another run at a big body to stop the puck. And Saarinen is just that. At 6’4 185#, this kid covers a lot of net. But can he keep the net empty? The answer to that is usually ‘yes’. While he has ideal size, he also happens to have excellent hand-eye and can not only flash the leather with his glove, but his legs can get outside of his body as well, reacting quickly to pucks along the ice. He’s also lightning quick to get into the butterfly (maybe too quick?), which he does well, remaining fully upright and making himself big. His long legs and flexibility allow him to stay tight to the ice. This makes him really difficult to score on in tight, when a lot of players cannot lift the puck up and over the big Finn. He gets something on nearly every shot in and around the crease. Also moves well laterally, able to make big pushes to get across while remaining upright. Stymying breakaways and 2-on-1s is something that seems to come easier for him, when he can follow the play. Where he can get into trouble is tracking pucks on the perimeter. While he has a real knack for following the puck in scrums around the net, finding the puck through traffic, and when he does, controlling the rebound, can lead to him allowing some goals from distance. These goals leave you scratching your head at times when you consider how good he is in close. His puck handling is infrequent, and not especially notable one way or the other. Reflexes are very good; Saarinen has a lightning quick glove and is proficient with his blocker, although that’s his weaker side. He’s on the rise and has been playing with increasing confidence since the previous year. He was lights out in U-18, where he started the year, with a 1.67 GAA and a .945 SV%. So good, in fact, his club team (HPK) elevated him to U-20, where he also shined with a 2.41 GAA and a .917 SV%. Not only that, but he managed to get a couple games at the Liiga level – the Finns’ elite Men’s League – where he played well with a 2.46 GAA and a .909 SV%. At the U-18 Worlds, he dazzled with a 0.77 GAA and a .952 SV%. So he’s had a very successful year and continues his upward trajectory. With Levi and UPL, the Sabres are potentially set in goal for a long time to come. But one never knows about injuries or contracts or whatever that can make things much more complicated, so adding a potentially quality goaltender is never a bad thing.
4#12: BUFFALO (PHILADELPHIA): Logan Sawyer, 6’1 C/LW, BCHL: This kid has largely went under the radar for much of the season, but as is typical, some of the best players in the Tier II leagues are now getting their due from the scouting community. One of those players is Sawyer, a dynamic forward playing for the Brooks Bandits in the BCHL. Just a natural scorer, Sawyer has superb offensive instincts, and while more of a goal scorer, he can do just about anything you need on the offensive end of the ice. Foremost in his toolbox is his shot. Sawyer is a volume shooter, which is good, because he’s got a hard, heavy, accurate shot that he can beat goalies from bad angles and from distance. Still, he can get inside and has the patience and confidence to rip pucks from between the circles and change shooting angles to deceive the goaltender, making his sniping even more dangerous. Has a good feel for finding space in the zone, both carrying the puck and without it. Sawyer also is a deadly weapon on the PP. He typically slots in the Tage spot on the left half-wall, but he can quarterback a PP from there, or receive passes for lethal one-timers from the top of the circle. Has a strong release although it’s not elite. But he’s not a one-trick pony. The kid can pass the puck as well. Those offensive instincts help him draw defenders who want to close him out due to his shot, and then distribute the puck to his open teammates. He’s not going to be especially creative, but he moves the puck to the right, open player to create chances when his opportunities arise and when they aren’t there, he is surprisingly an effective puck possession forward who can take a hit or two and hang on to the puck, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. The puck, like it does with many natural scorers, seems to follow him. An excellent level of spatial awareness. Seems to know just how much time he has to make a play before it gets shut down. His skating is not elite, and in fact, it’s not event great, but it’s serviceable. And he hustles. That, combined with a real attacking mindset, helps him get around the ice pretty well despite his lack of pure speed. So he isn’t going to win a lot of puck races. Still, he’s got a good change of direction, and is always looking for a route to the slot. Defensively, he’s still a work in progress. A very willing, and capable, backchecker, you have to be aware of him on the ice, as he will pick your pocket when you least expect it. Knows when and where to lift your stick to recover pucks. Doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game. Will battle intensely for the puck, whether it’s board battles, stick battles, or just retrieving pucks in the corner. Like a lot of offensive-minded players, he can caught chasing the puck or cheating out of the zone instead of sticking with his check. So there’s work to be done in his own end, but I don’t think he’s unwilling or lacks the smarts to be a competent defender. Has had a very good year for an awesome Brooks club, putting up 78P in 59 games for the Bandits, but he’s been even better in the playoffs, where he’s led the club with 13P in 11 games as they are currently in the Final Four in their league. Off to Providence next season, where he’ll learn from a top coach in Nate Leaman, and the Sabres can take their time with him.
5#32: BUFFALO (FLORIDA): Gian Meier, 6’2 RHD, SWISS: Big, long puck transporter for the Swiss, really has shone in the latter weeks of the season. He’s not going to put up big offensive numbers, and he’s not going to go around putting guys through the glass. But what he’s capable of is retrieving pucks, triggering transition with a crisp, accurate pass, and trailing the play to put pressure on the opposition’s defense. With his size and right shot, he’s not unlike a bigger Jokiharju. With his length and his tools, he could also be a secondary shut-down defender. Meier’s not flashy, and you’ll never mistake him for Cale Makar, but he uses the tools he does have to defend and get the puck going toward the other team’s net. He’s a savvy skater, with pretty good speed, tight turns, and strong lateral movement. Has light feet, footwork helps him stay in front of opponents even when skating backwards. And he’s thin (6’2 170#) so as he adds size, he should become quicker and heavier on his skates. Very good stick. He’s aggressive with it, always has stick-on-puck, and isn’t afraid to use it for leverage in puck battles or to tie up the hands of a forward around the net. Yet he doesn’t take many penalties, which speaks to his deception and ability to close out the opposition without getting caught using his stick to interfere. Pretty good gaps, although he isn’t as tight as he could be, he uses that stick and his length to mitigate his lack of elite footspeed. Has sharp hockey smarts, doesn’t often overextend himself chasing players or pucks to the perimeter. Will stay in good defensive position and protect the slot, wait for the play to come to him. In that sense I really like Meier’s game. He doesn’t let the situation or the opponent dictate to him what he’s going to do. He just plays his game and makes the right play. Triggering transition is the most interesting part of his game and calls to mind some past Sabre greats like Henrik Tallinder. Has a really strong first pass out of the D-zone. Anticipates the forecheck and moves the puck before it gets set up; not afraid to carry the puck if the situation calls for it and is remarkably good at orchestrating counters and transition rushes with timely passes to the right players. His confidence with the puck has grown by leaps and bounds as this year has gone along. Is not going to create a lot in the O-zone, where he beats a defender and creates odd-man situations below the hash marks. The simple play is almost always the play Meier makes when the puck winds up on his stick in the other team’s end. Controls possession. Puck placement is very good, especially when trying to keep control of the puck. Doesn’t have a dangerous shot, relies on getting pucks through or shooting for rebounds most often. This is another area where he can improve upon gaining size. A leader, Meier has worn the C at multiple levels, including for the National Team. Put up a fairly pedestrian 20P in 41 games at the U-20 level in Switzerland, with another 4P in 8 playoff games. But was quite good at the U-18s, where he chipped in 4P in 5 games, won Player of the Game a couple times and was the leading D-scorer for the Swiss at the Hlinka. I think he’s a player that the Sabres can be patient with and let him develop, and he could turn out to be a bigger version of a player like Nate Schmidt.
6#11: BUFFALO: Jack Bodin, 6’4 RHD, SWE: The Sabres continue with the big defenders, drafting a big, bruising Swedish defender with an American name. Standing at 6’4 220#, Bodin is a big boy who isn’t just out there banging bodies (although he can do that too). He’s got some game as well. But let’s focus in on his physicality. Bodin is a big kid who plays like he understands the value of a heavy game. He rarely leads with his stick, bur rather shoulders and hips. Someone who relishes physical contact, he pins and holds opponents against the boards or in the corners to allow his teammates to collect the puck and move it along. Around the crease, Bodin doesn’t bother too much with tying up sticks, but rather moves people out of the high-danger areas physically, first by getting inside leverage on them, and then just shoving them away from the top of the crease…occasionally with a cross-check or two thrown in for good measure. Interestingly, he doesn’t take a lot of penalties, so he recognizes the value of staying on the ice and helping his team (only 12 PIM in 46 games at the U-20 level). He will blow guys up, however, if they’ve got their heads down or he catches them against the boards. And normally does it clean. Defending transition, Bodin can transition from forward to backwards well enough, and really he’s better served defending puck carriers than forward coming down the wing without the puck, as he can use that physical style to body up the player with the puck and push them to the outside. Unafraid. Will level some guys in open ice as well. His skating could use some work. Generally, his mechanics are OK, and he gets around pretty well. Four-way mobility is decent. But he really lacks explosiveness. That impacts puck retrieval, and changing direction, as it takes him a little bit longer to get moving when he has to react quickly. So that’s an area to work on. With the puck on his stick, he’s much less of a threat. Not a great passer, he’s rarely going to attempt a play to carry the puck and beat a forechecker one-on-one, nor will he try many long stretch passes to hit streaking forwards on the tape. For him, getting the puck out is his primary objective, and if he can maintain possession while doing so…great. But not necessary. Will chip it out, bank it off the boards, put the puck in places where his guys can go get it, but his first order of business is keeping the puck out of high-danger areas. Because of his lack of burst, he’s not a big threat in transition, and when he’s running the point, he will always make the simple play. He does have a bomb from the point, however, when he gets enough space to use it. It’s a heavyweight shot and it hurts. But he doesn’t use it frequently enough and could stand to increase the speed on his release and add some shots to his arsenal. Bodin put up 12P in 46 games at the U-20 level and played on Sweden’s entry to the World Junior A Challenge alongside much older players. Bodin is also a very young player in the Draft class, with a July birthday. So he’s got a little bit more runway to improve his game. Ideally, if everything works out, you’re looking at an Erik Cernak-type of player down the road.
7#11: BUFFALO: Kaden Pitre, 5’11 C, OHL: Last year, I really liked this kid’s older brother. Now I get a second chance to draft from the Pitre household. This selection is a lot like when the Sabres drafted Tyson Kozak in the 7th round a few years back. A scrappy centerman from the CHL who’s kind of flown under the radar? Why not? Pitre just finished his 2nd year for the Flint Firebirds, a year where the team underperformed and Pitre missed a significant amount of time, mostly with a shoulder injury that kept him out of action from Halloween until around Christmas. Still, he managed to be productive, and he plays a gritty, mature, in-your-face style that belies his age. Pitre is a high-end skater. He’s got great burst and can fly up the ice, he’s deceptively quick in small spaces and his linear speed is top notch. Also a nimble, agile skater in all directions, very slick in small areas and able to get separation to make plays with only a stride or two. That’s a big advantage. He’s a skilled playmaker who is a pass-first sort of center, able to draw defenders thanks to his skating, then distributing the puck to open teammates when the defense comes to him. Has a good sense of timing as well. Seems to know just how much space he has to hang on to the puck and gets rid of it just as the defense closes off his passing lanes and gets a body on him. His slipperiness with and without the puck causes problems for opponents especially below the dots. There are times he’s impossible to box out or get inside leverage on, as shifty and quick he can be. Uses those wheels and elusiveness to get the puck on net, keeping his stick free and able to navigate the forest of legs and sticks around the net. It’s not a hard shot, and won’t scare anyone from distance, but has a knack for getting the puck to the net and causing problems for the defense. So he’s always a threat. Is particularly dangerous in transition, often joining the rush late, but using his wheels to turn a two-on-two into an odd-man rush as he drives the net. Defensively, Pitre plays a scrappy game. Plays the same game as a bigger player, getting gapped up on his check and staying in their face for the duration of a shift. Isn’t averse to pushing and shoving, throwing his body around. Positionally, as a centerman, he’s very sound. Covers a lot of ice. Knows how to defend in space, protect the slot, and can get from the top of the zone to behind the net in a blink. Will play a rough-and-tumble style despite being rather slight (5’11 165#), which could contribute to the injuries. Uses his feet to stay in front of opponents and needs to get better, more consistent in using his stick. The reason why Pitre could still be available at this spot in the draft has two parts: 1) he’s got a lot of tools, but he doesn’t put them together simultaneously with enough regularity…i.e. he can be wildly inconsistent from one period to the next, and 2) his style of play does not, at this point, fit his size, so he can be vulnerable to injuries until he starts to get stronger and in better condition. If he can overcome those issues with his game – and to be fair, he missed nearly half of the Firebirds’ season – then he could be a late round find for the Sabres. Statistically, had a nice season with 30P in 35 games for Flint. Ideally, I think he could be a JG Pageau-sort of player if he can stay healthy and add some strength.