Mock Draft 1.0 tells us who the Sabres must select in each round of the 2024 NHL Draft
The Buffalo Sabres must find a way to acquire established talent this offseason and finally end their playoff drought. This means taking close looks at players who are on bad hockey teams with mediocre prospect pools and enticing them with some of their higher-end talents, regardless of who those players are.
It also means giving little thought to whether it’s Jiri Kulich, Matt Savoie, Nikita Novikov, or even someone who hasn’t even signed yet. At one time, we would have all liked to have seen the aforementioned players, plus those like Isak Rosen, Anton Wahlberg, and Noah Ostlund scoring goals in Sabres uniforms.
But considering the current situation, it’s not feasible to keep such players in Rochester (or the junior leagues) if it means landing a player for the immediate future.
Luckily for the Sabres, general manager Kevyn Adams knows how to draft well, and he once again has plenty of picks at his disposal. So it shouldn’t hurt too much to see one of the names mentioned above going elsewhere if he enjoys yet another solid NHL Draft, especially with another pick in the top half of the field.
So, who must the Sabres target in all seven rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft now that they know exactly where they’re picking? Using the mock draft simulator from FC Hockey, I decided to lay out a logical scenario.
Round 1: Zeev Buium, D/University of Denver
Should the Sabres end up trading one of their playmakers this summer, someone like Zeev Buium would factor in as a sound replacement, regardless of position. The former national champion may not be the RHD, but Buium would be way too enticing of a prospect for Kevyn Adams to pass up.
Round 2: Will Skahan, D/Boston College
A lot of fans may not like seeing yet another LHD in the system, but Will Skahan was the best player on the board in the second round. His size and “shutdown” mentality aren’t just two ideal traits for the imposing blueliner but an excellent complement to Buium.