Tom Willander is another blueliner the Buffalo Sabres can snag at 13

The Buffalo Sabres can go in several directions with the 13th overall pick at the end of the month, and Tom Willander could be a remarkable option. 

While the Buffalo Sabres saw a trio of defensemen sign in recent weeks, they are still lacking in the prospects pool at the blue line. General manager Kevyn Adams will likely take the top player on his draft board with the 13th pick, and a talent like Tom Willander could be too much to pass up if David Reinbacker and Axel Sandin-Pellikka are gone.

I’ve talked about other defensemen recently, like Mikhail Gulyayev, but I haven’t dived into Willander, who can add a physical presence to the system. Like other potential defensemen, Willander will need multiple seasons to develop, but he could be yet another chess piece to the Sabres defensive rotation in time if he outplays the likes of Ryan Johnson, Nikita Novikov, and Vsevolod Komarov.

He’s also an RHD, which will add value given the number of LHDs in the Sabres lineup already. Jacob D. Strozyk of The Hockey Writers recently wrote about Willander and discussed a scenario where the 18-year-old could ultimately pair with Rasmus Dahlin on the top pairing a few years down the road, freeing Mattias Samuelsson to form a dynamic duo with Owen Power on the second pairing.

Tom Willander would make an excellent consolation for the Buffalo Sabres

As mentioned, Willander will need multiple seasons to develop. And given his lanky 6’1, 179 lb frame, plus his high motor and physical style, he would do well to add at least 20 lb of muscle, which will take time. He also has a good deal of base strength, so adding more size to his frame will give him the eventual potential to become one of the game’s more feared hitters.

Willander is also rather productive offensively, given his 25 points in 39 contests for Rögle BK J20 in his home country of Sweden. He followed up that same production during international play, showing us that Willander has a fair share of value to give offensively.

Overall, if the Buffalo Sabres land Willander with the 13th pick, know that they are getting a blueliner with outstanding potential, even if they are not David Reinbacher. He has the potential to evolve into a physical specimen who may also pitch in offensively.

Source: Sabres Have Great Defensive Options With 13th Overall Pick by Jacob D. Strozyk, TheHockeyWriters.com

(Statistics provided by the 2023 Elite Prospects Draft Guide)