Buffalo Sabres listed as one of the best landing spots for Connor Bedard
By Sion Fawkes
The Buffalo Sabres were recently one of four teams mentioned to be a top landing spot for the highly-coveted Connor Bedard.
In short, landing Connor Bedard with the #1 overall pick would be cool for any NHL team. And honestly, when I look at his numbers, the first player that comes to my mind is Sidney Crosby, which is why many in the Buffalo Sabres faithful would like to see nothing more than a tank job for the Blue and Gold to land Bedard.
Fortunately in the NHL, a team doesn’t necessarily need to tank, thanks to draft lotteries potentially providing what NHL analyst Frank Seravalli can only describe as chaos. And that’s what would erupt if either the Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, or Vancouver Canucks get lucky and snag the first overall pick.
And since Seravalli used the word chaos to describe a situation where the Sabres landed Bedard, it’s clear he is not predicting a tank job. Nor should the Sabres tank, as the last time they attempted a tank job, they ended up with Jack Eichel as opposed to another kid named Connor – you may have heard of him.
And may I remind you that too many in the fanbase flat out refuse to move on from Eichel. So no, attempting a tank job isn’t necessary. I’ve said it before on this page and I’ll say it again – Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Buffalo Sabres would win Connor Bedard sweepstakes on pure luck
As bad as the Sabres have played in November, they have reached the point of their development where they are now the NHL’s most chaotic team. Some fans claim they’re a bad team. This is false. Bad teams don’t start off 7-3-0, something I’ve seen true experts like Mike Harrington of Buffalo News point out to the NHL’s version of kids via social media.
Bad teams also don’t win 16 games in two months. But young teams often have a tough time responding when opponents figure them out. And that’s what the Sabres will be going through for the rest of the season. They will win some, lose a little more, and probably end up somewhere in the 85-90-point range.
At which point, perhaps Seravalli’s prediction of pure chaos erupts and the Sabres land Bedard with the number one overall pick. Here’s my favorite quote from Seravalli in case you’re interested:
"I keep thinking of the disappointment in GM Tim Murray’s face when they lost the Connor McDavid sweepstakes and ended up with Jack Eichel. He’s already gone. The Sabres are trending upward, Bedard would be a huge boost, and I think the NHL in general is better when the Buffalo market is cooking with gas. – via Daily Faceoff."
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Do I honestly think the Buffalo Sabres will win the Bedard sweepstakes? I can name literally a million things that are likelier to happen, even if half the fanbase is in denial these days because of a 7-11-0 record at the 21.9% mark of the season. But still, it would be absolutely hilarious if the Sabres had, say, the 13th-lowest points total and against all odds, got the first pick in the 2023 Draft.
Article Source: What NHL team would be the best landing spot for Connor Bedard? by Matt Larkin
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