3 underrated prospects the Buffalo Sabres must target with the NHL Draft’s 11th pick
The Buffalo Sabres still hold the 11th pick, and with the draft steamrolling toward us, it’s time to talk about some more underrated talent to consider.
The 2024 NHL Draft is nearing its two weeks to go window, meaning speculation surrounding what the Buffalo Sabres will do with their first-round pick is swirling. General manager Kevyn Adams could pick one of a few enticing forwards on June 28th, or what’s not to say he doesn’t take a different route entirely?
Adams could be that general manager who likes a prospect slated to go later and will, therefore, reach for someone few of us thought would go at No. 11. But just because there could be a potential reach, it doesn’t mean we would need to criticize the pick.
I’m one of those believers in the “If you like a prospect enough, you take them” philosophy. And there are three players in particular slated to go later in the draft that I would have zero issues with Adams taking at No. 11, should he keep the pick.
Cole Hutson, D/USDP
Every time I mention Cole Hutson, I’m tempted to put an ‘F’ behind his name instead of a ‘D’ because he plays so well in the offensive zone and has such an array of puck control he looks like a forward. His 51 points and 15 goals in 51 games with the U.S. National U18 team should tell you that. Hutson also had epic outings in the USHL, with 12 points and three goals in 19 games, and at the World Juniors, with 13 points and four goals in seven contests.
His size may scare some Sabre fans, especially following the previous two drafts in which Matt Savoie and Zach Benson were the top picks. Drafting someone like Hutson would also mean potentially passing on effective blueliners who carry more size, like Carter Yakemchuk, Stian Solberg, and Sam Dickinson, if they’re available at No. 11.
If drafted at 11th overall, Hutson would join his brother, Lane, as a prospect in an Atlantic Division team’s system. Lane is currently about to take the next step in his career with the Montreal Canadiens, and if Cole follows his brother’s career path, it wouldn’t be long until he’s in the Sabres rotation if they draft him. Well, that’s if they can find a spot for him in that rotation, considering the young talent they already got.
Sacha Boisvert, C/Muskegon
As of June 12th, Tankathon has Sacha Boisvert going 23rd overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there’s a lot to like about his future University of North Dakota product. At 6’2, it’s clear that Boivert has great length, and he also put together a pair of remarkable seasons at the USHL level, with 17 goals and 45 points in the 2022-23 regular season before putting up 68 points and 36 goals in 2023-24.
Looking at the scouting report from Cap Friendly, they love his compete level, his identity as a scorer, hockey IQ, and ability to contribute on special teams. All of these traits are something the Sabres must add to their system, and Boisvert checks all the boxes.
As with most draft prospects, we have no idea when he will be ready for the pro game. But Boisvert is also a player who could play all four seasons of his collegiate eligibility, hone his game, add another season of experience in the AHL, and make his NHL debut later.
The Blue and Gold have a system that doesn’t need to rush anyone, and Boisvert’s current talent and productivity are already at a threshold where he knows how to produce. Now, he just needs to develop, and the high potential player he is means he’s more than deserving of being a potential reach.
There will be players still on the board who should go before Boisvert when the Sabres pick, but I wouldn’t be disappointed at all if they rolled with the Muskegon product on June 28th.
Matvei Gridin, F/Muskegon
Size was the first trait I looked for with Matvei Gridin, whose 6 '1, 185-pound frame is more than ahead of the curve. A teammate of Sacha Boisvert, Gridin had a rather underwhelming first season in the USHL, where he scored eight goals and finished with 21 points in 40 games. But let’s remember that it was also his first experience playing hockey in North America, and Gridin was bound to improve.
That occurred this past season, when he erupted for 83 points and 38 goals in 60 contests before he finished the playoffs with an additional goal and five points in eight games. Thanks to his overall size, you can guess that Gridin’s strength lies in playing a physical game, and this makes him valuable down low and near the crease when his team has the puck.
Once again, it’s a style of play the Sabres need from a prospect in their system, given their lack of it at the NHL level. Sure, we’ve seen Alex Tuch, Jordan Greenway, and Zach Benson find homes in front of the net, but when Gridin is eventually NHL-ready, Tuch will be in his thirties, Greenway will be long gone, and it’s a complete mystery as to who else will take up the mantle in the interim besides Benson.
This is why it takes so much forward thinking when it comes to the NHL Draft, as general managers and their respective front offices must ask themselves how a prospect will best serve them in a three-to-five-year timeframe in most cases. These were my thoughts when I added Gridin to this list.
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