5 blueliners the Buffalo Sabres can draft AFTER the first round in 2023

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The Buffalo Sabres met with several defensemen that they can take in the mid-to-late rounds of the 2023 NHL Draft. Here are five that jump out.

The Buffalo Sabres prospects pool is thin at defenseman, so you can expect the Blue and Gold to stock up on at least a few during the 2023 NHL Draft. In Round 1, look for general manager Kevyn Adams to take who he feels is the best player on the board before he starts to roll with team need, and defense is by far the unit he needs to address.

The Sabres specifically need to fill the pool with right-handed defensemen, four of which are listed below. So who were a few defensive prospects the Sabres met with at the NHL Combine last week that they may consider after the first round? Here are five names.

Could Morin end up with the Buffalo Sabres?

BASEL, SWITZERLAND – APRIL 30: Etienne Morin of Canada in action during U18 Ice Hockey World Championship bronze medal dispute match between Canada and Slovakia at St. Jakob-Park at St. Jakob-Park on April 30, 2023 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) /

5 defensemen the Buffalo Sabres can draft following Round 1

1 – Etienne Morin, LHD

An offensive defenseman, Etienne Morin put up 72 points, 21 goals, and 51 assists for the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. Morin is also a workhorse, sometimes hitting the ice for 30 minutes in a single game, so it shouldn’t be a problem if he’s asked to play for long stretches.

The downside with Morin, however, is his defensive game. And should the Sabres take him in the second or third round-Elite Prospects has him ranked 71st-he will need to hone more than a few skills when he’s in his own zone.

2 – Oliver Bonk, RHD

The Elite Prospects 2023 NHL Draft Guide compared Oliver Bonk to Jake McCabe, so that may pique your interest. And if the Buffalo Sabres took the 6’1, 176 lb OHL product, they are getting a blueliner capable of shutting down opponent after opponent. Sounds like a smaller version of Mattias Samuelsson, right?

The Blue and Gold also need to find long-term fixtures for their bottom three, and Bonk could eventually project to play there at the next level. He needs to add obvious size, but once he fills the frame, Bonk would be preventing a lot of breakaways and odd-man rushes that the Sabres grew notorious for allowing last season.

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