Buffalo Sabres land a major surprise at forward in NHL Mock Draft 3.0
Sometimes, a consensus top-five pick will freefall in the NHL Draft, and in my latest simulation, the Sabres snagged that freefaller.
Mock Draft 3.0 for the Buffalo Sabres had a surprise factor in it, with a top-three prospect falling straight to them in FC Hockey’s Mock Draft Simulation. That said, I was convinced this player would be long gone by the time the Blue and Gold’s pick rolled around at No. 11, but as fate would have it, that wasn’t the case.
But the 11th overall pick wasn’t the only place I found value in this mock draft, as I seemingly had star-studded talent fall to me in most of the nine selections, with only the final two picks in this exercise being taken on not much more than potential. This made for one exciting draft, and it was a staunch reminder that when draft day rolls around, anything can happen.
So who did I land at No. 11, and how likely is this simulation to become a reality come draft day? Brace yourself, because not only will the first pick be quite the shocker - in a mock draft simulation, mind you - but that second-rounder could also easily wind up going in the top 32.
11th overall: Ivan Demidov, RW/SKA St. Petersburg
Surprised? Hey, sometimes these mock draft simulations have a mind of their own, but when Ivan Demidov fell to 11th overall, there was no question. Sure, there are some issues surrounding the level of competition Demidov is facing in the MHL, and also questions surrounding when he’ll come to North America, but it seems like he’d be willing to venture over now if he didn’t have another year left on his contract.
While I have no doubt that Demidov will go in the top three, in the strict terms of this mock draft simulation, he’d be a Sabre. So, while it would be cool to see this being the case, let’s also be realistic and assume otherwise, even if it’s fun to speculate.
43rd overall: Charlie Elick, D/Brandon Wheat Kings
Here’s another one who dropped right to me, as I was convinced Charlie Elick wouldn’t make it far past the first round or would at least go elsewhere shortly thereafter. Elick’s size could be the deciding factor in him going earlier, but you also won’t find too many more disruptive defensemen out there in the second-tier of blueliners in this draft. If Elick falls to the Sabres here, fans should expect to see him eventually make his way to Buffalo, probably in 2027-28 or 2028-29.
76th overall: Miguel Marques, RW/Lethbridge Hurricanes
Talk about someone who exploded onto the scene for the Lethbridge Hurricanes this year; Miguel Marques went from eight goals and 20 points in 59 regular season games to 74 points and 28 goals in 67 this season. A winger who can make every pass, even if he trusts himself a little too much at times, Marques would be a sensational value pick if he falls to No. 76.
108th overall: Tarin Smith, D/Everett Silvertips
Tarin Smith doesn’t carry Charlie Elick’s size, but he’s an aggressive player who welcomes contact. With the puck, he notched 44 points and eight goals in 67 regular season games, plus another five points and one goal throughout eight playoff appearances. Smith’s points productivity imply that he’s a two-way player, and it’s a correct assumption.
109th overall: Topias Hynninen, C/Jukurit
Topias Hynninen’s nine points and lone goal in 43 regular season contests for Jukurit’s big club wasn’t bad for a player his age, and he further showed that prowess in U20 SM-sarja when he had nine points and three goals in eight games, and again at the international level, where he put up nine points in 10 games. Size is nowhere near where it needs to be, but Hynninen will be in Finland for a while (current contract through 2025-26), so he’s got plenty of time to bulk.
122nd overall: Pavel Moysevich, G/SKA St. Petersburg
Pavel Moysevich has textbook height for a goaltender, standing at 6’5. He still has a lot of room to grow into his frame, but his contract runs through 2027, so like Hynninen, there’s a lot of time to add size. He’s not the type of goaltender who will ‘wow’ you with highlight-reel saves, but with a 0.942 save percentage and a 1.25 GAA in 13 KHL games, he’s off to a good start, even if he was playing for one of the best teams in the league.
172nd overall: Jack Berglund, C/Farjestad
I’m a huge fan of players like Jack Berglund, who already has an excellent build at 6’2, 207 lbs, and one who can play center or winger. He also played at several levels last season, spending most of his time in J20 Nationell, where he scored 15 goals and notched 34 points in 41 regular season outings.
224th overall: Artur Faizov, C/Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
Like Jack Berglund, Artur Faizov can also play center and left wing, and his 6’1, 183-pound build is already adequate. While we definitely need to see more of a sample size from him, at 224th overall, he’s one of two potential-based picks I went with, one forward and one defenseman…
225th overall: Bryce Pickford, D/Medicine Hat Tigers
Bryce Pickford was a teammate of Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff for a while with the Seattle Thunderbirds, but he will be wearing a new uniform next season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He has 34 points and seven goals throughout the previous two seasons and 119 games worth of regular season experience in that same frame.
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(Statistics powered by Elite Prospects)