The Buffalo Sabres have plenty of draft picks in the early rounds, but let’s not forget about those sleepers they can acquire in the later rounds
Per Puck Pedia, the Buffalo Sabres have 10 draft picks heading into the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Earlier in the week, we covered the 2022 Buffalo Sabres Mock Draft 1.0 that had general manager Kevyn Adams selecting three forwards in the first round.
Today, we will be talking about potential deep sleepers that Adams can snag following the first round, with a prospect slated to fall because of lingering health issues. One the Sabres may want to consider if that prospect falls out of the first round.
We all know the Sabres want to inject more goaltenders into the system. They may already have goalies like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Devon Levi, and perhaps Erik Portillo raring to go – Luukkonen perhaps as early as next season if and when the Sabres re-sign him while Levi and Portillo remain in the college ranks.
Below, you will find one forward, one defenseman, and one goaltender the Sabres can go after in the second round or later. Starting with a forward who may become the steal of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Buffalo Sabres: Deep sleeper #1
Ivan Miroshnichenko has the talent to be a top fifteen pick on draft day. However, Dobber Prospects reported that the talented forward was diagnosed with Hodgins Lymphoma, which will undoubtedly scare teams away.
There is still a chance someone takes Miroshnichenko in the first round given his outstanding production, especially through 2020. Even at age 18, he displays outstanding size at 6’1, 185lb. The question is, will he maintain that size, and what will he play like when he is fully healthy again?
One reason the Sabres should keep Miroshnichenko high on their draft board and snag him as early as the second round is because of his aggressive nature on offense. Not only can he attack the net, Peter Baracchini of The Hockey Writers even said he can do so while protecting the puck, which at the NHL level will limit turnovers.
"“Goals are always on his mind as he has incredible speed and a wicked release. He has no problem in driving and attacking the net as he has the ability to shield and protect the puck.” – Peter Baracchini."
Want to see Miroshnichenko’s prowess for yourself? Check out the following video.