2023 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Buffalo Sabres land best available
The Buffalo Sabres hold the 13th overall pick and they are in prime position to land a top ten talent if they freefall down the draft boards.
The 2023 NHL Draft is roughly two-and-a-half weeks away, and a lot will change between then and now over where each prospect will be rumored to land. But we need to start somewhere, so think of this mock draft featuring the first 13 picks as a rough starting point.
But if the dominoes fall as followed, who will the Buffalo Sabres end up taking with the 13th pick in my NHL Mock Draft 1.0? Keep reading for more.
2023 NHL Mock 1.0: Buffalo Sabres land…
1 – Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, C/Regina
Everyone knows what the Chicago Blackhawks are doing, so it will be no surprise when they roll with Connor Bedard with their first overall pick. Barring something completely unforeseen in the next two-and-a-half weeks, the Blackhawks will have their next franchise player to build around.
2 – Anaheim Ducks: Adam Fantilli, C/Michigan
The Anaheim Ducks are another team that needs to draft a game-changer to excite fans, and Adam Fantilli is that player. Per Elite Prospects, he boasts ideal size at 6’2, 187 lb, and his offensive production is nothing short of remarkable, with 65 points and 30 goals in 36 regular season games last season.
3 – Columbus Blue Jackets: Leo Carlsson, F/Orebro HK
Standing at 6’3, 194 lb, Leo Carlsson’s size is the first thing you will notice about him. Having played for two seasons in the SHL, Carlsson has only gotten better, having scored 25 points in 44 contests, and he carried that productivity over into international play.
4 – San Jose Sharks: Matvei Michkov, RW/SKA
Perhaps the most polarizing prospect on the draft board this season, Matvei Michkov could be the biggest boom-or-bust pick in the top ten. While he’s a remarkable talent, his KHL contract could scare some teams off, but the rebuilding San Jose Sharks are acquiring the rights of a potential game-changer if they can eventually convince him to come to North America.
5 – Montreal Canadiens: Will Smith, C/USNT
Defensively, Will Smith could use a lot of fine-tuning, but the future Boston College product’s playmaking skills are on another level, with 189 total points in 2022-23 in just 87 contests between the NTDP, USHL, and WJC-18. Give him time at the collegiate level to fine-tune his overall game, and Montreal may have landed a future star.
6 – Arizona Coyotes: Zach Benson, LW/Winnipeg Ice
This one could come down to David Reinbacher or Zach Benson. But at this point, the Arizona Coyotes need to go with the best overall player on the board, even if defense may be a bigger need. You could call Benson an elite player now, but give him another season or two, and he will hit the ice in full stride.
7 – Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Leonard, F/USNT
The Philadelphia Flyers are another team who could go either with a forward or a blueliner, but I’m having them go with the hard-hitting, ultra-competitive power forward in Ryan Leonard. Like the other forwards that have gone before him, Leonard has shown the ability to consistently produce.
8 – Washington Capitals: David Reinbacher/EHC Kloten
The Washington Capitals scoop up the best defenseman in this draft class, and he will immediately bring a competitive edge to the system. With Alexander Ovechkin on the back nine of his career, the Caps need to bring in more players who have that edge, and the ultra-talented Reinbacher is a perfect fit.
9 – Detroit Red Wings: Oliver Moore, C/USNT
The Detroit Red Wings are getting who may be the fastest skater in the draft, and one of the class’ best transition forwards. Every NHL team wants to draft a player with a high motor, and Moore’s just doesn’t stop.
10 – St. Louis Blues: Daniil But, RW/Loko Yaroslavl
I had Daniil But as one of many players the Buffalo Sabres could take in the 2023 Draft, but in this mock, he doesn’t make it past the St. Louis Blues. Overall, St. Louis is getting a potential-laden player who already boasts NHL-caliber size and upside.
11 – Vancouver Canucks: Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D/Skelleftea AIK
Axel Sandin-Pellikka is another player I’d have loved to have seen fall to the Sabres, but the offensive-defenseman will be too much for the Vancouver Canucks to pass on. Sandin-Pellikka should eventually develop into a sound talent on the power play.
12 – Arizona Coyotes: Matthew Wood, F/UConn
The Arizona Coyotes are getting a versatile player in Wood who is not only highly productive already, but he has yet to reach his ceiling. Yet another prospect with NHL-caliber size, Wood’s going to be a force when he fine-tunes his game with time.
13 – Buffalo Sabres: Dmitri Simashev, D/Loko Yaroslavl
I’ve talked a lot about Dmitri Simashev already, and the defenseman will fill an immediate need in the Buffalo Sabres system. At 6’4, 201, Simashev is going to be a hard hitter once he has the opportunity to put on even more size and strength.
Hot. 6 prospects Sabres met at the 2023 NHL Combine. light
Again, think of this mock draft as a starting point for a few more in the near-future. Over the next two weeks, we will have a better idea of who is going to land where, and we will adjust as needed.
Source: NHL Mock Draft 2023: Pronman, Wheeler and Bultman put on their GM hats, pick two rounds by Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler, and Max Bultman, TheAthletic.com
(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects, information provided by the NHL Draft Guide by Elite Prospects)