The Buffalo Sabres have the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, so there are several good things that can come from picking in the middle of the round.
“With the 13th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select…” These are the words we will hear roughly two months from today to see who will join the system. And there are some sound names out there that I would love to see eventually take the ice in a blue and gold uniform.
However, some of those players I’d like to see have slim odds of playing for the Sabres because of their 13th overall selection. But it doesn’t mean it would be impossible to snag them in the 2023 NHL Draft. Some players fall into a team’s lap, and other times, they pull off a blockbuster trade to snag their top guy.
So what could general manager Kevyn Adams do on draft day? Here are three dream scenarios. Oh, and as a side note: These 3 scenarios CANNOT all occur simultaneously.
Top 3 dream scenarios for Buffalo Sabres
1 – David Reinbacher falls to the Sabres
David Reinbacher is that RHD most Buffalo Sabres fans want. And while I’m the type who puts little stock into handedness (just give me a hockey player, please), even I can’t deny how excited I would be for Reinbacher to land with the Blue and Gold at #13.
Reinbacher already possesses great size for an 18-year-old, at 6’2, 187 per Elite Prospects. He is also the type of player who would have a more seamless transition to North America, given his experience playing in NL this past year over in Switzerland.
2 – Sabres pull off blockbuster for a top four defenseman
This one unfortunately involves giving up the 13th pick, but would it really be that bad if general manager Kevyn Adams brought something more than a top four blueliner to the Buffalo Sabres? As in, someone capable of playing on the top pairing night in and night out, which would be a good thing considering the fact Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson forced themselves to play through injuries?
No, this isn’t Adams’ style, but I’ve always stressed this point: Expect the unexpected. Last year, this would have been more farfetched, but now that the Sabres are a viable hockey team, it’s really something to at least discuss.
3 – Sabres trade back into the first round and snag Quentin Musty
I think just about everyone in the Buffalo Sabres fanbase has heard of Quentin Musty, a local boy who could be there for the taking late in the first round. And perhaps Kevyn Adams says, “You know what, I want this kid in the system,” and trades up for the 6’2, 190lb Musty.
The former top pick in the OHL needs to work on his speed, but his skill-set is one of the best out there. Productivity-wise, he scored 78 times (26 goals) in 53 contests, a 47-point increase from this 2021-22 outing. Musty also has traits to become a future power forward in the NHL, so he’s definitely worth trading up for if he falls to the late first round.
Source: Buffalo Sabres 2023 NHL Draft options: An early look at who could be available at 13 by Matthew Fairburn, TheAthletic.com
(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)