Why the Sabres shook up the NHL Draft for Daxon Rudolph

The Buffalo Sabres kept the fourth overall pick, and after the first three picks went as many expected, the Sabres gave the NHL their first surprise of the night with the selection of defenseman Daxon Rudolph. There were not many who expected Rudolph to go ahead of players like Alberts Smits, Carson Carels, or Chase Reid, who were the next three picks.

However, the Sabres may have seen something similar to David Hall of Daily Faceoff, who believes Rudolph may have the 'highest ceiling' of all the defensemen in this class.

"What fans should know about Daxon Rudolph is that he might have the highest ceilings among all defensemen in this class," Hall said. "One of his most dangerous qualities on the blue line is his shot, and not only the velocity that he can shoot it, but his ability to get it off in situations that most defensemen just simply can't."

Buffalo Sabres love to see their defensemen jump into the offensive zone and make plays

The Buffalo Sabres had three of their defensemen finish the season with double-digit goals, and Owen Power was not far off with eight. Their ability to get involved in the offense really frustrated teams and gave them an advantage.

Daxon Rudolph seems to have that same skillset from what he showed in the WHL last season, as Hall notes in his scouting report. He had 28 goals and 78 points total in 68 regular-season games, but also had nine goals and 27 points in 19 playoff games.

The Sabres had to shuffle up their Top 4 this offseason by trading Bowen Byram, and eventually, a player like Rudolph could step in and replace some of that lost production. He is set to play at the University of Denver and might still be a few years away, but he certainly could be a big part of the Sabres' future.

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