Sabre Noise
Fansided

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

By Sion Fawkes

HALIFAX, CANADA - JANUARY 04: David Reinbacher #5 of Team Austria skates during the second period against Team Latvia in the relegation round of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on January 4, 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Team Latvia defeated Team Austria 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
HALIFAX, CANADA - JANUARY 04: David Reinbacher #5 of Team Austria skates during the second period against Team Latvia in the relegation round of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on January 4, 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Team Latvia defeated Team Austria 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next

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.

Could the Buffalo Sabres draft Matthew Wood?
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.

Home/Draft