173rd overall: Hudson Thornton, D/Prince George Cougars
Another prospect who I was shocked to see fall to 173, I didn’t hesitate to scoop up Hudson Thornton. His transition game is one of the best among lower-tier players in this draft class, and the 74 points in 68 contests was eye-popping, so the Buffalo Sabres would have a brewing two-way defenseman if they rolled with him in the later rounds.
205th overall: Zachary Schulz, D/USNTDP
His analytics won’t impress you, but Zachary Schulz is one of those players who brings an edge to his game. And in the final round, the Sabres just need to be looking for the perfect flier to take, and Schulz has those characteristics, performing well based on playing to his strengths, but with more than enough room to grow.
While the first part of this seven-round mock draft looks similar to what I’d used in the 1.0 version, I rolled with a different, and improved, strategy for my final mock of the 2023 draft season. Will the Buffalo Sabres agree with me and take a few players listed above? We will find out in less than 24 hours.
(Prospect stats and information provided by the Elite Prospects Draft Guide and EliteProspects.com)