3 underrated prospects the Buffalo Sabres must target with the NHL Draft’s 11th pick
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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