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

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Will the Buffalo Sabres draft Eduard Sale?

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.

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