The Buffalo Sabres, after finally ending their 14-year playoff drought and building a strong foundation of prospects, may be in position to take a bold swing in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic projected the Sabres to do exactly that in the outlet's latest mock draft, giving them left-shot defenseman Xavier Villeneuve with the No. 27 overall pick.
Villeneuve has been a source of debate throughout the season due to the contrast between his terrific production from the blue line — 143 points (26 goals and 117 assists) in 152 games across three years with the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada — and his lack of size (5'11'', 162 pounds).
"The core of the Sabres' blue line is big, and they've got another one on the way in Radim Mrtka. That makes them fertile ground for a talent like Villeneuve as a contrast," Wheeler wrote. "Not only is he one of my [best players available] here, but this is also the range where he really starts to make sense as a worthwhile swing. The Sabres are a team, with their still-young group up front and on the back end, that can afford to take it."
Buffalo's remarkable turnaround season was fueled by its top-four defense group of Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram. Mrtka is the club's first-round selection from the 2025 draft, and he's likely a year away from NHL readiness.
The Sabres also feature a solid group of secondary defensive prospects, led by Adam Kleber and Maxim Strbak, which gives them a little more freedom to take a chance on a boom-or-bust player in the opening round of this year's draft.
Buffalo Sabres' long-awaited organizational growth makes Xavier Villeneuve an intriguing option in the 2026 NHL Draft
The Sabres, during their decade-plus of misery, were typically linked to (and often selected) high-floor prospects with shorter development runways. They needed players who were capable of helping turn things around, even if they didn't have a true game-changer ceiling.
Things are finally starting to feel different in Western New York, though.
Buffalo has a strong roster foundation, with many of the key players inked to long-term contracts and a few more (Byram and Zach Benson) who could join that group this summer.
Add in a prospect pool headlined by Mrtka and Konsta Helenius, who was the Blue and Gold's most consistently dangerous forward after joining the lineup midway through the team's second-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, and there's ample reason for optimism.
It also puts the Sabres' front office, guided by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, to take their chances on a high-upside draft target like Villeneuve.
The undersized defender has committed to play college hockey at Boston University next season, and he could ultimately spend two or three years with the Terriers. A trio of NCAA seasons is more than you'd typically expect for a first-round choice.
Villeneuve will have to check a couple important boxes before he makes the jump to pro hockey, though.
First, he'll need to show he can put on sustainable weight. Players are capable of packing on the pounds over the summer, but whether they can maintain it during the course of a long season is important, especially when it comes to an 84-game NHL schedule.
Second, the 18-year-old Canadian will need to show his offensive skill set can translate against bigger, stronger opponents at the collegiate level. His performance as a freshman will be one of the most notable stories worth watching coming out this year's draft class.
Villeneuve is a gifted prospect, there's no doubt about that, but there's some legitimate bust potential due to the size and the concerns stemming from that talking point, including whether he'll be able to hold up defensively against NHL power forwards.
So, the 2025 Emile Bouchard Trophy winner as the QMJHL's best defenseman will benefit from an organization that's going to have some patience. While the learning curve may be a bit steeper, he's still a worthwhile target late in Round 1 because of the obvious star potential.
The Sabres can give him that development time because of their current blue-line strength, and it's the type of move that could pay off in the long run as Buffalo attempts to emerge as a perennial Stanley Cup contender in the years ahead.
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