3 surefire steals the Buffalo Sabres must target in the NHL Draft
Taking a prospect in the third round or later has paid dividends recently for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL Draft, even if none of their players in recent memory have emerged into stars. Even so, they did not just make great organizational depth, but these players also showed us they were good enough to see time on NHL ice and even put up some serviceable performances.
One player is Jacob Bryson, who lost out in 2023-24 to the numbers game in the defensive rotation, but the 2017 fourth-round pick still saw time in 206 NHL games with four goals and 36 points. Sometimes, those hidden gems are players the Blue and Gold may have wished they signed, like Brandon Hagel, who, through 293 contests, has 90 goals and 207 points.
Other notable players include William Borgan (fourth round, 2015), Victor Olofsson (seventh round, 2014), and Linus Ullmark (sixth round, 2012). We can agree that each of these players has enjoyed successful careers in regard to their draft position, especially Ullmark.
Whether they were all ‘steals’ is highly subjective, but the point is, mid-to-late-round picks can carve out time on NHL squads. So, which three players would be worthy of consideration for Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft who could fall to the third round or later and have surefire steal potential?
Jakub Fibigr, D/Mississauga Steelheads
When seeking out these potential steals, I was looking for notable attributes that included either size, playmaking potential, experience, or even the ‘jack of all trades’ reputation. Some players have all of these wrapped into one, and Jakub Fibigr of the Mississauga Steelheads is one of them.
Currently, Fibigr has 61 games of OHL experience in the regular season and another five playoff games on his resume, but that doesn’t account for 50 regular season games last year in Czechia and 35-plus contests internationally. And wow, did Fibigr look good in his first North American season, putting up 43 points in those 61 games with seven goals to show for it. Add another four points in five playoff appearances, and Fibigr ended the year with 47 in 66.
Overall, Fibigr possesses two-way attributes, and that could add to his value when Day 2 of the NHL Draft rolls around. That said, there could be a chance he hears his name called in the third round. But if he drops to the fourth, Kevyn Adams would land an excellent value pick if he rolled with Fibigr.