With the ninth pick, the Sabres have a few options in what will be a talent-rich draft class. While they’re not picking high enough to land an immediate star or game-changing franchise player, they’ll still get a good selection at No. 9, assuming they don’t make a trade.
But, the burning question is, who are the best candidates right now, right now, a good seven and a half weeks before Round 1 begins? I could write about 10 players I’d like to see Buffalo grab at No. 9, but to start off what will be an exciting 2025 NHL Draft season, I wanted to share my top three.
Below, you’ll find three forwards - the first looks like one of the draft’s more dynamic playmakers, another can finish sequences and pitch in on assists, and the final name on this list will evolve into a dynamic scorer.
Jake O’Brien
Jake O’Brien has the length and the skills, but he may lack the size at just a listed weight of 170 lbs to make an immediate impact with the big club. Actually, foreshadowing for you: he wouldn’t see time with the Blue and Gold for at least two seasons. Significant time, at least, if they drafted him.
He hasn’t stood out in international play, but O’Brien has been at least a point per game player since the 2023-24 season. He put up just 13 goals in 2023-24, but his 51 assists screamed future playmaker if he could replicate that number this past season.
He did, with 32 goals and 66 assists, good for 98 points across 66 games. That said, if the Sabres drafted him, they may’ve landed a future forward who will create chances for his teammates.
Carter Bear
While Jake O’Brien has playmaker written all over him, Carter Bear enjoyed a breakout season in 2024-25 after showing flashes in 2023-24. That season, he managed 57 points and 25 goals in 67 contests before following it up with 82 points and 40 goals in 56 games.
Bear is a versatile forward who can play on the wing and at center, and he doesn’t have as much of a frame to grow into as O’Brien, clocking in at 176 lbs at 6’0. The only real downside here is that he lacks experience in international play, but his blend of scoring and playmaking skills should put him on the Sabres radar.
Justin Carbonneau
If there’s one player who I felt fell too far in Tankathon’s May 6th mock draft, it’s Justin Carbonneau. Unlike Jake O’Brien, who is more of a playmaker, and Carter Bear, who clocks in as a hybrid, Justin Carbonneau is more of a finisher - think Tage Thompson, but a shorter, more compact version.
Still, his 6’1, 192 lb frame is better built to withstand NHL demands, even if there’s a slim-to-none chance that he sees any real NHL action in his draft year. Carbonneau’s production picked up in 2023-24 when he finished the season with 59 points and 31 goals across 68 games, and that foreshadowed what he’d do this season.
Fast-forward to 2024-25, and Carbonneau snagged 89 points and 46 goals across 62 games. He’s also not afraid to mix it up with opponents, having served 32 and 61 minutes in the box over the last two seasons, respectively.