Buffalo Sabres Draft Options: Is Jake Bean A Dark Horse Or Front-Runner?

The Buffalo Sabres have plenty of LHD available to them in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, but is Jake Bean worth the 8th overall pick?

With three left-handed defensemen all projected to go within the top ten picks of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, it would appear as if the Buffalo Sabres will have plenty of opportunities to draft a mobile defenseman to flesh out the left side of the blueline.

But what if the best option for the Sabres is NOT one of the three blueliners we have profiled here at Sabre Noise? (Well, outside of Olli Juolevi, the LHD I really hope is still available when the Sabres pick.)

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As you probably deduced, I’m discussing jake Bean, the soon-to-be 18 year-old LHD who just finished his second season playing for the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL. Aside from Juolevi, Bean is probably the best puck-moving blueliner in this year’s draft. He has great vision, is a smooth, fast skater, and displayed a knack for quarterbacking the power play with the HItmen. His 24 goals scored in 2015-16 also set a team record for most goals scored by a defenseman, and Bean finished the season with an impressive 64 points in 68 games played, raising his career total with the Hitmen to 103 points in just 119 games.

Here’s what Future Considerations had to say about Bean:

"Bean is a slick, pass first, puck moving blue liner who is absolutely deadly in transition. He has quick feet that allow him skate with the puck and the vision to quickly find his passing options. Has solid composure and will calmly skate the puck out of pressure before head manning a pass up to streaking forwards. His defensive ability needs work as right now it consists of an active stick he uses to try to shut down opponents as they’re coming down wide on the rush. Needs some added strength and to improve his defensive positioning."

Clearly, the kid has weaknesses on the defensive side of the ice. At only 17, he still has the sort of lanky body (6’1″, 172 pounds) that keeps him from being a physical presence, and probably even deters him from trying to play a more physical game. He has an active stick and knows where to position himself on the defensive end, but will get absolutely eaten alive if he doesn’t add some mass. Hopefully, he doesn’t try to emulate Tyler Myers and continues to work on the physical aspect of playing D.

In the past few days, I have seen an interest in Bean from Philadelphia and Boston fans, based mostly on the success that Shayne Gostisbehere enjoyed in 2015-16. Granted, not every young, puck-moving defenseman is going to make that transition to the NHL like Ghost did, but it is easy to see why so many GMs would hope that Bean becomes the next Ghost. Saying the Flyers made the playoffs because of Gostisbehere is not entirely accurate, but then again, it is not far from the truth. Buffalo Sabres General Manager Tim Murray understands that his team’s ability to qualify for the playoffs hinges on whether or not he can get his hands on a quarterback-type defenseman, and Bean has the potential to be that guy – in a few years.

Next: Sabres Draft Options: Is Matthew Tkachuk Worth trading Up In The Draft?

Jake Bean has a lot of upside, but would the Buffalo Sabres use the 8th pick in the draft to take him? That’s a no, given the fact that the Sabres also need scoring on the left wing and will certainly be able to address that even if the three best LHDs in the draft are taken. Of course, the Sabres could always trade down in the draft and hope to pick him up in the teens, but that would make no sense whatsoever. I’m not saying that there is zero chance Bean gets drafted in the top ten, but given his physical limitations right now and Buffalo’s desire to begin fighting for a playoff spot, it makes sense for GMTM to look for a player who could have an impact sooner than later, whether that impact come on offense or defense.

Enjoy Mr. Bean’s highlights and as always, sound off below.