Top 6 prospects the Buffalo Sabres met at the 2023 NHL Combine

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The Buffalo Sabres drafted some players they met with at the 2022 NHL Combine, so they will likely head in the same direction for 2023.

The Buffalo Sabres have made it clear that they are interested in picking players who they meet with at the NHL Combine. Therefore, there were six prominent prospects who could wind up going in the top 15 that they spent time getting to know over the past week, and of them will likely find themselves in the system when the Sabres make their pick at 13th overall.

Who did Buffalo meet with and who can you expect to don a blue and gold jersey on draft day? Keep reading for more.

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) /

6 prominent prospects the Buffalo Sabres met at 2023 combine

Matthew Wood, RW

I’ve been highly impressed with winger Matthew Wood thanks to his size and productivity. At 6’3, 190 lb, Wood is an outlier to many prospects from a size standpoint and he will likely continue to grow into his frame for the next few years.

An outstanding shooter, Wood put up 45 goals for the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies in 2021-22. He also put up respectable numbers with the University of Connecticut this past season with 34 points in 35 contests, along with seven goals and 13 points in seven games at the WJC-18.

David Reinbacher, RHD

Many see David Reinbacher as the best defenseman in this draft class, and it’s tough to see him falling to the Buffalo Sabres. Nonetheless, he was worth getting to know better in the event he slides down the boards.

At 6’2, 187 lb, Reinbacher’s size is trending in the right direction, and he will get bigger in time. Following his first season in NL for EHC Kloten, he logged 22 points and three goals in 46 contests to go with a sound defensive game, especially when he’s in the neutral zone.

HALIFAX, CANADA – JANUARY 05: Ethan del Mastro #24 of Team Canada and Eduard Sale #28 of Team Czech Republic skate against each other during the third period in the gold medal round of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on January 5, 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Eduard Sale, LW

I already endorsed Eduard Sale to the Buffalo Sabres at 13th overall if he’s there, given his incredible productivity and familiarity with Jiri Kulich. An offensive highlight reel in both scoring and in the way he plays the offensive game, Sale can also take a similar route that Kulich took if the Blue and Gold draft him 13th overall.

Once he winds up in Rochester should the Sabres draft him, Sale would have a golden opportunity to further develop his game given the amount of talent already in Buffalo. However, Jeff Skinner is 31 and could start to fade three years (or sooner) from today, and Sale could be a good fit to be his eventual successor.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, LHD

At 5’11 and 181 lb per his Elite Prospects profile, Axel Sandin-Pellikka needs to put on some size, but as with many 18-year-old prospects, that will come in time. Sandin-Pellikka’s two-way game jumps out, including his 36 points and 16 goals for Skellefteå AIK J20 in J20 Nationell this past season.

While the Sabres already have two blueliners in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power who can contribute a solid offensive game, adding a player like Sandin-Pellikka would make for excellent insurance once he inevitably takes his game to North America. He could be the best two-way defenseman in the 2023 draft, and the Sabres shouldn’t hesitate if he falls to them and they’re looking for a blueliner.

LANGLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JANUARY 24: Forward Colby Barlow #39 of the Owen Sound Attack skates for Team White during the 2023 Kubota CHL Top Prospects Game Practice at the Langley Events Centre on January 24, 2023 in Langley, British Columbia. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images) /

Colby Barlow, LW

Colby Barlow is another 18-year-old prospect whose size (6’2, 187 lb) is trending in the right direction, even if it would be great to see him put on a good 15-20 pounds over the next few seasons. Productivity-wise, Barlow made a respectable jump from 2021-22 when he scored 47 points in 59 games to 2022-23, when he logged 79 in 59, including 46 goals.

He’s another winger on this list who could eventually replace Skinner that displays an incredible shot. Barlow is also one of those players who possesses incredible instincts, allowing him to make plays all over the ice.

Quentin Musty, LW

For Buffalo Sabres backers, Quentin Musty will be an immediate fan favorite if drafted. At 6’2, 190 lb, the 17-year-old is yet another prospect slightly ahead of the curve size-wise. And like Barlow, Musty made more than a respectable jump productivity-wise, going from 31 points in 50 games for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves in 2021-22 to 78 points in 53 outings in 2022-23.

Sabres MUST consider Eduard Sale at 13th overall. light. Related Story

If the Sabres want a player capable of getting physical with opponents to win puck battles on the boards or to provide a presence near the net, Musty is their guy. Give him a few more years of development and he too is another prospect who could be that eventual replacement for Skinner.

Source: What we’re hearing about the Sabres’ offseason after the NHL Scouting Combine by Matthew Fairburn, TheAthletic.com

(All statistics provided by Elite-Prospects Draft Center, and all prospect information courtesy of the 2023 Elite Prospects Draft Guide)

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