Buffalo Sabres Draft Options: Swapping With Edmonton

The Buffalo Sabres currently hold the 8th pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Here’s why moving up to 4th would work.

The 2016 NHL Entry Draft is fast approaching, and the Buffalo Sabres are currently sitting in a friendly position. Although the 8th overall pick in the draft is not going to land them a sure-fire player, the Sabres should be able to draft either a top-9 forward (hopefully top-6) or a solid defensive prospect who could become a top-4 blueliner down the road.

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I hate to sound like a broken record, but I always feel it is wise to point out that the Buffalo Sabres do not NEED to make a play during the draft. Picking 8th is fine, and no fan should complain if GM Tim Murray decides to stand pat and simply use the 8th pick on June 24.

However, there is a logical trade that the Sabres should definitely pursue, and it involves the Edmonton Oilers.

Last week, I discussed the possibility of GMTM making a trade that brought Edmonton’s Taylor Hall into the 716. It was fantasy, of course, but everyone who follows the NHL knows that the Oilers need quality defensemen badly. Edmonton has players to spare, and it would not surprise me to see Peter Chiarelli and Craig MacTavish do some wheeling and dealing during the draft that sends one or two misfit toys out of Edmonton.

Fantasy though the Hall scenario may have been, it is entirely possible that the Sabres could make a trade with the Oilers, one that sees the two teams swap places in the draft. The reasoning behind this is pretty easy to follow: the Oilers should be looking to draft a quality blueliner with top-4 potential, and with either Olli Juolevi, Jakob Chychrun, or Mikhail Sergachev certain to be available when it is time to pick 8th, it doesn’t make sense for the Oilers to waste the 4th pick on a player who could still be hand in the bottom half of the top ten.

It’s true that the Buffalo Sabres also need a little bit of help at the blueline, but Buffalo also needs a top-6 forward quite badly, especially on the left wing. However, whereas the Oilers can afford to wait until the 8th pick in order to fill one of the biggest holes on their roster, the Sabres cannot hope to draft one of the best forwards available in the draft by standing pat. We all know that Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine will be taken first and second (or second and first, if you honestly believe that Laine would be a better fit in Toronto than Matthews), but picking 4th will give the Sabres the chance to draft either Matthew Tkachuk, Pierre-Luc Dubois or Alexander Nylander, any of who should really solidify the left wing for the Sabres in a year or two.

Next: Sabres Draft Options: Logan Brown

The best part of this trade would be that the Buffalo Sabres would not need to give up much to make this happen. Obviously, the Sabres would give the Oilers the 8th pick in the draft, plus a second and maybe even third-round pick (not necessarily for the 2016 draft). Heck, I even hear that GMTM is not a big fan of Mark Pysyk so I suppose Murray could include him or another player who the Sabres feel is expendable, although I personally would prefer the Sabres keep Pysyk. If GMTM feels he can acquire a top-4 defenseman through trade or free agency, moving up to 4th in the draft makes a hell of a lot of sense.

Of course, there is always the chance that the Edmonton Oilers enjoy being among the NHL”s cellar-dwellers and draft yet another forward whose career they can sabotage, but let’s hope they have learned their lesson. This is a smart trade that can benefit both teams, and is an idea that I hope is at least pursued on the Buffalo Sabres’ end.

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