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Buffalo Sabres Draft Options: Is Matthew Tkachuk Worth Trading Up?

By Richard Spalding

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The Buffalo Sabres need scoring on the left wing, but it would take a trade in order for Tkachuk to come to the 716.

After many long hours spent doing our research and watching footage, we here at Sabre Noise have provided breakdowns of the three best defensive prospects available in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Personally, I would love to see the Sabres draft Olli Juolevi, which would give the team another Finnish blueliner to pair alongside Rasmus Ristolainen.  Meanwhile, Melissa had the Sabres drafting Mikhail Sergachev in her mock draft, and many of you have expressed an interest in Jakob Chychrun.  

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But what if the Buffalo Sabres decide to add a weapon to their arsenal of forwards in the 2016 draft, instead?  The team could use scoring, especially on the left wing, and with defenders usually needing a little extra time to develop their game, GM Tim Murray may forego drafting a blueliner and take one of the forwards left on the board when it is Buffalo’s turn.

Which brings us to Matthew Tkachuk.

The son of Keith Tkachuk, Matthew is considered by most scouts to be one of the top-five forwards available this year.   The only way Tkachuk is available for the Sabres would be if GM TM swung a deal that move the Sabres into the top five, but is he worth such a move?

Hell no.  But let’s look at Tkachuk anyway!

Tkachuk certainly knows how to score, having put up 107 points during the regular season with the OHL London Knights and then adding an additional 40 points in 18 playoff games.   That’s right: 40 points in 18 games.

Drool.

What I especially like about Tkachuk is that he plays with a bit of an edge.   No offense to Tyler Ennis, because it’s nice to have a speedy guy on your roster, but Tkachuk is the kind of player who knows how to score and get up close and personal with opposing forwards.  Currently standing 6’1″ and weighing around 194 pounds, Tkachuk can hold his own in front of the net and take a hit as well as he gives one, and many scouts and players already see a good deal of Tkachuk’s father in him:

"“He looked like his old man out there,” U.S. national junior coach Ron Wilson said. “He has a nose for the net and fights and claws to get there; he’s tenacious, just like his dad.”Jim Johannson, who serves as general manager for the U.S. national junior team, agreed.“He’s got a wonderful game down low,” Johannson said. “He’s an agitator and a guy who’s at the net, but who also has a really good stick and good hands as a scorer and playmaker. He also plays well in traffic and knows how to battle below the circles to create offensive opportunities.” (NHL.com)"

Next: Sabres Add Depth At Blueline With Brycen Martin

It would be great to see Tkachuk wear a Buffalo Sabres sweater next season, especially since he already plays a pro-style game.   And if GMTM could somehow convince someone like the Vancouver Canucks that Tyler Ennis plus the 8th overall pick was worth the 5th pick in the draft, well that would be just peachy – you can tell how much I want the Sabres to get rid of Ennis – but we all know it will take more than just a 20-goal scorer with a recent history of injuries to move up in the draft, and there are other options at left wing that the Sabres can count on being available when they pick 8th, so Tim Murray will have no pressing need  to give up anything of value just to get Tkachuk.

Stranger things have happened, so if Tkachuk falls out of the top 5 and is actually available at 8 (or if someone like Vancouver or the Edmonton Oilers are crazy enough to swap places), the Sabres would be nuts to pass on him.  Just don’t get your hopes up that such a scenario will actually happen!

Check out the following highlight video – I strongly recommend you mute it, since the accompanying music is an acquired taste to say the least – and chime in down below in the comments!

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