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Mock Draft 3.0: Buffalo Sabres snag two defensemen

By Sion Fawkes|
KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Tristan Luneau #8 of Team White skates during morning skate prior to the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Tristan Luneau #8 of Team White skates during morning skate prior to the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
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The Buffalo Sabres will most definitely try to bolster depth at forward in the 2022 NHL Draft. But there are scenarios where they will go defense.

In the previous two mock drafts, I’ve hit hard on forwards, with the predominant number of projected draft picks coming at either center or winger. But, what if the Buffalo Sabres find themselves in a scenario where their favorite players are taken?

At which point, they may go with the best overall player on the board. And that player could be a defenseman. Further, with so many forwards now in the pipeline and the top six appearing to be set on the primary roster assuming Victor Olofsson returns, general manager Kevyn Adams may decide to spend two of his three picks on defense anyway.

However, he will want to spend at least one pick, preferably the ninth pick, on a forward. So below and in the following slides, you will see two picks on the defensive side of the puck that I feel are good fits for the Buffalo Sabres.

Buffalo Sabres
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 20: Joakim Kemell of Finland is challenged by Mattheo Reinhard of Switzerland in the Men’s 6-Team Ice Hockey Tournament Preliminary Round – Group A Game 6 match between Finland and Switzerland during day 11 of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics at Lausanne Vaudoise Arena on January 20, 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Buffalo Sabres Mock Draft 3.0: Pick #1: Joakim Kemell

Standing between 5’9 and 5’11, the 176 lb, Kemell is a bit on the slim side and would do well in a developmental league honing his game after adding a good ten pounds of size. However, he is all set to return to Liiga in 2022-23, hoping to build off a successful 2021-22 campaign with JYP when he scored 23 points (15 goals) in 39 games. And had it not been for a shoulder injury, Kemell may have performed even better.

He is a versatile player, arguably the most versatile in the NHL Draft, given his ability to play in and adapt to all situations. Kemell also shows a lot of energy on the ice and he loves contact, which are two more reasons he could use more bulk to his slim frame.

His versatility extends to playmaking. It is not uncommon to see Kemell use his speed to open up a sound shot selection for himself. He can also get open and drill a one-timer from anywhere on the ice. These two variables alone show that opponents will need to account for him every time he takes the ice when he returns to Liiga. And that might just translate to the NHL.

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