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Network mocks Matthew Wood to Buffalo Sabres at 13th overall

By Sion Fawkes

LOWELL, MA - MARCH 11: Matthew Wood #71 of the UConn Huskies skates against the UMass Lowell River Hawks during NCAA men's hockey at the Toscano Family Ice Forum on March 11, 2023 in Storrs, Connecticut. The River Hawks won 2-1. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
LOWELL, MA - MARCH 11: Matthew Wood #71 of the UConn Huskies skates against the UMass Lowell River Hawks during NCAA men's hockey at the Toscano Family Ice Forum on March 11, 2023 in Storrs, Connecticut. The River Hawks won 2-1. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /
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The Buffalo Sabres graduated from picking in the top ten, and the Athletic believes they will once again go with a forward with the 13th selection. 

Case in point, the Buffalo Sabres need to stock up on defensemen. But by picking 13th overall, chances are, two of the top blueliners in the 2023 NHL Draft, Axel Skandin Pellikka and David Reinbacher, won’t be there.

So, in that case, general manager Kevyn Adams can always seek to trade up, which should at least give him a chance to land Pellikka, or, he can stand pat and take the best player on the board. And per The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, that player is none other than Matthew Wood, RW/UConn.

This honestly wouldn’t be a bad move. And while the Sabres need defensemen, Wood is the type of player who could add a layer of physicality and intimidation to the Blue and Gold. Looking at his profile on Elite Prospects, Wood stands at 6’3, and weighs 190 lb, and the fact the 18-year-old is still growing into his frame shows us what kind of imposing presence he could be in a few short years.

Buffalo Sabres would be smart to draft Matthew Wood

His numbers also weren’t bad for a freshman in college, with 34 points, 11 goals, and 23 assists in 35 contests. He also tacked on another 13 points, seven goals, and six assists in the WJC-18 for Team Canada, further showing us that he can produce. But of course, numbers don’t tell the entire story.

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Given his size, Wood could be an option to place in front of the net against opposing defensemen when he’s finally ready to make the jump to the NHL, and if the Blue and Gold are still looking for another piece to add to its core when that time comes. So yeah, the Buffalo Sabres would still need defensemen if they were to draft Wood, and a lot of them, but if he’s the best player on the board with the 13th overall pick, take him, and don’t think twice about it.

Source: NHL Mock Draft 2023: Connor Bedard to Blackhawks as we pick for every lottery team by Corey Pronman, TheAthletic.com

(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)

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