The NHL Draft is just a month away, and with the Sabres once again securing a top-10 pick, they will look to add their next star of the future. If you haven’t read our other two articles on some top draft prospects, they will be linked here, as the Sabres have plenty of options with the number nine pick in the draft.
This time around, we look at Jake O’Brien, a center in the Ontario Hockey League, currently playing for the Brantford Bulldogs. The OHL was stacked this year with talent, as the top three projected picks also come from the OHL.
O’Brien is the fifth-ranked prospect in the OHL and is projected to go at number nine to the Sabres, according to ForTheWin’s latest mock draft. The 6’2’’ playmaker is one of the best in the draft as he comes off a 98-point season this year at just 17 years old.
O’Brien would be massive for the Sabres, who I’d like to see add to their center depth. O’Brien would be a great replacement for Dylan Cozens in a few years. His off-the-puck play is great as he consistently turns defense into offense, and he’s always out-thinking his opponents.
O’Brien just fell short of 100 points with 98 as we mentioned before, but he only continued to get better as the season wore on. He’s never going to blow you away with his pure skill, but his work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones are what make him a future NHL player.
O’Brien was given some high honors in his draft comparison as his playmaking skills were compared to those of Connor McDavid, and his goal-scoring ability was compared to Alex DeBrincat.
If you are being compared to Connor McDavid, you have to be doing something right. O'Brien could be the steal of the draft for the Sabres, if he is available with the 9th pick. It may only take him a few years before making an NHL roster, and Rochester would be a great place to go.
Their development would help O’Brien fine-tune his skills and make him NHL-ready in no time. If the Sabres are to select O’Brien, he just might be the franchise’s next big star.