Ranking the last 10 Buffalo Sabres first round picks from worst to best

Ryan Johnson, D/Minnesota

As of July 2022, we aren’t even sure if Johnson even signs with the Buffalo Sabres. If he is traded or opts not to sign, he’s obviously a wasted investment. So good luck to him if he decides to take that route.

Now if Johnson decides to play for the team that liked him enough to draft him, there are many pros to his game. Like Rosen, he’s a speedy skater and one of the most agile in the college ranks. He’s physical at the blue line, and is outstanding when in control of the puck.

Overall, I like Johnson as a player. And also like Rosen, he should move up easily in these rankings if he decides to sign a contract. Johnson also has incredible two-way tendencies, evidenced by his 19 points (three goals) in 39 games last season.

If he signs and plays well in Rochester, then the Sabres may, in time, have an incredible rotation of young defensemen. Perhaps the most intriguing in all of professional hockey.

Alexander Nylander, LW/Mississauga Steelheads

If I was ranking only first round picks who have seen time in the NHL, Nylander would be the obvious cellar dweller. So here’s another bold prediction: Nylander freefalls to the bottom of these rankings if Rosen plays well and Johnson merely signs. 

I recently stated Nylander was among the worst draft picks in Buffalo Sabres history, and he has the numbers to back it up. As of 2022, he played in 84 NHL games, but 19 of them came with the Sabres. In those 19 contests, he scored just six points (three goals).

Nylander later saw 65 contests with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he scored 26 points and 10 goals. While those aren’t necessarily horrible statistics, he only saw 12:08 seconds of average ice time. Obviously, the Blackhawks weren’t impressed enough to trust him to man the ice for too long.

Owen Power, D/Michigan

You may argue that Owen Power should rank higher and I will agree after we see at least one full NHL season from him. But the reality is, Power has played in just eight NHL games and opponents had no idea of how the Sabres were going to use him.

Now that NHL teams have a sample size on Power, expect some turbulence during his rookie season. And you can also look for some growing pains and a few what was he thinking moments. This low ranking isn’t necessarily to underrate Power. It is just hard to rank someone higher with such little NHL experience.

But we can agree that he has already impressed the Buffalo Sabres faithful more than Nylander, having scored three points, two goals, and an assist. Power also had nine blocks, six takeaways, and four giveaways over 22:05 of ice time.

And yes, you can expect Power to move up in these rankings in time. You can also say the same about the next player in these rankings.

Jack Quinn, RW/Ottawa 67’s

While I flip-flopped between Quinn and Power, I eventually went with Quinn (feel free to castigate me), because of his stellar offensive production during his two game sample size at the NHL level. I believe that, had Quinn not gotten hurt, he would have played a few more games with the Buffalo Sabres.

Instead, Quinn missed extended time and returned to the Rochester Americans, where he dominated with 61 points, 26 goals, and 35 assists in 45 games. While Quinn took heat for falling flat on his face in the playoffs, the 10-game stretch that garnered just two points remains an outlier.

We will see how Quinn performs this season to determine whether he can ward off Power. If he picks up where he left off in the regular season, odds are Quinn will fly up these rankings. Especially given the struggles of our next player.

Casey Mittelstadt, C/Eden Prairie High (Minnesota)

Like Nylander, Mittelstadt has so far ridden the bust label. Unlike Nylander, he still has a chance to rid himself of that label. If nothing else, Casey Mittelstadt will at least forever have a place in Buffalo Sabres lore as the man who scored the game-winning goal during Rick Jeanneret’s final broadcast.

But let’s get real: Mittelstadt can potentially tumble down these rankings. No, he will never fall as low as Nylander, but it is possible he ends up at Number 9 on the list by the time it’s all said and done.

Injuries and inconsistency have plagued Mittelstadt, and he has just 195 appearances in five seasons with the Sabres. In those 195 games, Mittelstadt has scored just 80 points, 33 goals, and 47 assists. He also has 734 face-off wins and 916 losses for a 44.5 winning percentage.

If Mittelstadt gets his act together, he may eventually climb these rankings. Especially since two of the top four players on this list are no longer on the team.

Dylan Cozens, C/Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

Cozens is easily turning into a fan favorite, to the point where some fans even want him to become the next team captain in Buffalo. While that is far fetched as of 2022, you cannot undermine his tenacious approach to the game or his growing leadership skills.

And while Cozens scored just two goals following the All-Star break, we still need to praise his jump from 2020-21 to 2021-22. His shooting percentage increased by 1.6 percent. He also scored 0.481 points per game, which bested his 0.317 points per game a year prior.

Cozens also took better care of the puck and he also logged 33 takeaways last season, nearly tripling his output from a season before. If Cozens plays in 2022-23 like he did during the first half of the 2021-22 season, watch out. He might just move up to Number 2 on this list. But as of today, we have a couple of infamous names to talk about.

Sam Reinhart, C/KOOTENAY (WHL)

Let’s give Rasmus Asplund some credit – He beat Reinhart in the voting for the Selke Trophy. And let’s be honest: Reinhart has never been an outstanding player in the NHL, but he is still a valuable asset who played in 454 games with the Buffalo Sabres. His numbers were respectable, with 134 goals, 161 assists, and 295 points. He also logged a 13.6 shooting percentage.

He also remains a decent two-way player in this league. While you expect to see a bit more production from a second overall pick, Reinhart is also by no means a bust who will probably keep playing strong for another decade before he calls it quits.

And although he is no longer in Buffalo, let’s not forget that the Sabres did get the 28th overall pick in 2022 for Reinhart and a potential franchise goaltender in Devon Levi. If the 28th pick pans out and Levi is the guy in the net, then it’s fair to keep Reinhart in the top five.

Jack Eichel, C/Boston University

The Buffalo Sabres faithful will forever enjoy watching Alex Tuch embarrass Eichel at the KeyBank Center on March 10th. And while it will be years before we find out who gets the last laugh in this feud, right now, the Sabres are up 1-0.

But we still need to admit the obvious: Jack Eichel was a great player in Buffalo. Not Connor McDavid great, obviously, but when you score 355 points in 375 appearances for a single franchise, you were doing something right on game day. That said, Eichel gets the Number 2 selection.

But hey, at least someone on the Sabres played well enough throughout their young career that I didn’t have to rank him Number 1. Let’s find out who that player is and what has made them THE BEST of the past 10 first round picks.

Rasmus Dahlin, D/Frolunda (Sweden)

Dahlin burst onto the scene during the 2018-19 season, snagging a spot on the All-Rookie Team and finishing third in the Calder Trophy voting. This past season, Dahlin made his first of hopefully many All-Star Game appearances.

He also came on strong offensively while maintaining a phenomenal defensive game. Dahlin recorded 53 points, sinking 13 goals and providing 40 assists. Defensively, he snagged 91 blocks and 121 hits.

While he takes care of the puck well, Dahlin still has a few what was he thinking moments, evidenced by his 51 giveaways. But if he can tame that issue in 2022-23 and build upon his success from last season, there is no stopping this defenseman who is threatening to attain elite status.

So, there you have it – the last 10 first round picks of the Buffalo Sabres ranked. Clearly, some players on this list have the potential to move up while others may drop. Ideally, those in the organization today ascend like none other so we have an excuse to drop the likes of Eichel and Reinhart back a few spots.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and Elite Prospects)