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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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Buffalo Sabres
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 20: A Referee tries to separate #11 Topi Ronni of Finland from fighting with #5 Lian Bichsel and #19 Yannic Offner of Switzerland during Men’s 6-Team Tournament Preliminary Round – Group A Game between Finland and Switzerland of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics on January 20, 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/Getty Images) /

Lian Bichsel

Think a bigger, and potentially stronger version of Mattias Samuelsson, and you will get Lian Bichsel. I’m projecting Bichsel to fall to the Buffalo Sabres with the sixteenth pick if their favorite forwards are gone.

Also unlike Samuelsson, the 6’5, 225 lb Bichsel displays an offensive-savvy game. Playing professional hockey for Leksands IF in the SHL, Bischel logged just three points in 29 games. However, for their J20 team, he scored seven times (three goals) in 11 games. This shows that with further development, he can continue to develop his two-way game.

It should come as no surprise that Bichsel uses his formidable build to his advantage, routinely stalling plays and forcing opponents to improvise. And at 18, he can grow even further into his frame, which is a scary thought.

Despite his towering size, Bichsel is coordinated and nimble in his skating ability. And although he remains raw in several aspects, he can develop into an elite NHL defensemen after three to four seasons of fine-tuning his play.

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