Who might the Sabres take with top pick in 2021 NHL Draft?

Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams wasted no time bringing clarity on what to expect as the team approaches the 2021 NHL Draft with the No. 1 overall selection.

“We’re really not going to focus on position, just going to pick the best player available,” the GM said while addressing the media via video conference after the draft lottery. “It’s a huge opportunity for our franchise to improve. I feel like this is a really, really big step, something we need”.

The Sabres will have the first overall pick for the fourth time in franchise history, previously selecting Rasmus Dahlin (2018), Pierre Turgeon (1987), and Gilbert Perreault (1970).

While we know the selection will be the best player available, who might Buffalo pick? Will they be NHL ready or a development project?

“What we’ll talk about what is best for this player and what is best for this franchise, so you’re balancing all that- And there are so many things that come into play, could be physical maturity, some of it could be mental maturity and you just don’t want to rush someone,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams shared on the team’s approach towards the pick.

“We will not rush players” the GM added. “There are clearly players that can step in (to the NHL right away) … but we’re not going to put a player in a position that we don’t feel is best for their development.”

There is not a clear consensus No. 1 player for the top selection, but there is a majority favorite among many teams’ draft boards.

That player is 6 ft 5 inch, 214 lb, University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power of Mississauga, Ontario. He brings defense, speed, and skating ability that is not common among players his size and will impact the game at both ends of the ice. The opportunity to pair him with fellow first overall pick Dahlin could make for a powerful one-two combination adding some pop to the backline.

Considering how many games the Sabres lost narrowly this season, be it in regulation or overtime, adding top talent to their defense could only help.

The team does need some help on the front of their line, which is why they brought in Taylor Hall during last year’s free agency on a one-year deal. The season didn’t work out how the team and player had envisioned, with his former coach being relieved and Hall being traded to Boston.

Likewise, adding talent at the center position could also be a big help as veteran Eric Staal was also shipped out. However, those needs can be filled in different ways, allowing them to take the best players available in this year’s draft.

Buffalo does have help coming up the pipeline, headlined by 2020 first-round pick Jack Quinn, whose chance to debut late in the regular season was delayed due to injury. Other top draft picks in their system include defenseman Oskari Laaksonen and Ryan Johnson, goalie Erik Portillo, forward Aaron Huglen, wingers Lukas Rousek and J.J. Peterka, and center Matteo Costantini.

The Sabres also have a promising young crop of talent that saw their first NHL playing time this season, highlighted by the emergence of center Dylan Cozens.

“I was energized by the young corp at the end of the year,” said Adams. “They showed growth and character about being a Buffalo Sabre. This is about putting a group of people that really truly love this organization.”

The 2021 draft offers additional opportunities for Buffalo, as the team has 10 total selections that include two picks in the second round and two in the third. They could trade either to move up to add more first-round talent, trade for current NHL talent, or swing deals for draft compensation to help protect existing assets from the upcoming Seattle Kraken expansion draft.

Due to last year’s pandemic-disrupted seasons for junior, college, and international hockey leagues, this draft will present some scouting challenges in evaluating players. Drafting or trading for proven talent or protecting their own from the expansion could be the safest bet. Nonetheless, Adams remains confident.

“I’m proud of the way our scouts, for the last year, have worked. It was a different year. Certainly bringing in Jason (Karmanos) is a great add for us.”