Equipped with a trio of first-round draft picks, Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams will soon bolster his already deep prospect pool.
However, the Sabres won’t have first dibs when the draft is held July 7-8 in Montreal. They own picks 9, 16 and 28 in the first round, the latter two of which were acquired in the Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart trades, respectively.
There is no longer a glaring need at forward. The Sabres addressed that weakness the past two drafts by adding Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka and Isak Rosen, among others. There isn’t an immediate hole on defense, either. And while the goaltending issue needs resolved, there isn’t one projected to go in the first round.
With three early selections, and 11 in the entire draft, Adams can restock areas that were depleted by graduations to the NHL – particularly on defense – and could potentially take a flier on a player who others might deem too risky for the first round.
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With that in mind, here’s a snapshot of some candidates at Nos. 9, 16 and 28, including a few possible answers to need on defense:
At pick No. 9
Joakim Kemell, winger, JYP (Finland): Regarded as one of the top goal scorers in this draft, Kemell had an outstanding season in Finland’s top professional league, Liiga, as an 18-year-old with 15 goals and 23 points in 39 games. The Sabres’ prospect pipeline is deep on the wing, and it’s likely Kemell will be selected shortly before Buffalo is on the clock, but he could be atop their prospect rankings if available here.
Conor Geekie, center, Winnipeg (WHL): Yes, the Sabres are deep at center in the NHL with Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs and Casey Mittelstadt, but they have surprisingly few pivots elsewhere in the organization. Geekie also has different strengths. He’s 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with the ability to play center or wing. While Geekie will need at least another year of physical development before playing in the NHL, he’s already good around the net and his skating should improve with time.
Matthew Savoie, winger, Winnipeg (WHL): Some fans will groan when they see that Savoie is 5-9, but the game has changed. Players his size are having remarkable success in the NHL, and Savoie has the intangibles to become a dynamic player. He totaled 35 goals and 90 points in 65 regular-season games before an outstanding showing in the playoffs for the Ice.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki, winger, Djurgardens IF (Sweden): Another proven goal scorer, Lekkerimaki had seven goals in 26 games in the Swedish Hockey League as an 18-year-old. He also was dominant against his peers at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship, leading his team to a gold medal with five goals and 15 points in only six games.
Kevin Korchinski, defenseman, Seattle (WHL): The Sabres don’t have an immediate need for an impactful defenseman because the NHL roster includes Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson and Henri Jokiharju. But the pipeline is thin – especially with uncertainty surrounding unsigned 2019 first-round pick Ryan Johnson – and we saw in the Stanley Cup Playoffs how important it is to have six capable defensemen.
Korchinski is expected to be the best available here. He’s coming off an outstanding season in Seattle with 84 points in 82 games. More important than points, Korchinski can break pressure with a smart first pass to exit his zone. He’s a very good skater and isn’t afraid to join the rush to contribute offensively. His skill set would be a fine complement to Samuelsson and Jokiharju.
At pick No. 16
Frank Nazar, center, USA Hockey National Team Development Program: Nazar has the speed, competitiveness and skill to eventually have success in the Sabres’ system under coach Don Granato. You could argue that his skill set is like other centers in the organization, but there’s nothing wrong with accumulating talented players. Figure out the rest later. He’s committed to the University of Michigan, which did a fine job with the on-ice development of top prospects like Power.
Brad Lambert, winger, Lahden (Finland): Once considered the eventual No. 1 pick in this draft, Lambert’s stock dropped the past two seasons because of his production in Finland’s top professional league. He totaled only 11 goals in 95 games against men during that span. Lambert wasn’t dominant against his peers in international competition, either.
However, his defensive game grew immensely overseas, and he is one of the most skilled players in this draft. He’s working with retired NHL player-turned-strength coach Gary Roberts to physically prepare for the next step. Lambert is worthy of this pick. The big question is where does he play next? He needs to find somewhere to grow his offensive game.
Owen Pickering, defenseman, Swift Current (WHL): A 6-4 blue liner with a left-handed shot, Pickering has upside offensively. He’s also a great skater and good with the puck, particularly on the breakout, but there’s a meanness to his game that would be a fine addition to the Sabres. Pickering had nine goals and 33 points in 62 games with Swift Current.
Rutger McGroarty, winger, USA Hockey National Team Development Program: The Sabres need another skilled power forward in the pipeline – Olivier Nadeau was an excellent add last July – and McGroarty has all the intangibles to develop into a net-front difference-maker. McGroarty skated on the top line at the NTDP and knows how to finish plays. He’s also set to attend Michigan, where he can develop his two-way game and add strength.
At pick No. 28
Jimmy Snuggerud, winger, USA Hockey National Team Development Program: A dynamic scorer with an exceptional shot, Snuggerud and McGroarty skated on a line with top prospect Logan Cooley this season. Snuggerud plays a hard-nosed game – like his father, Dave, an effective depth forward for the Sabres from 1989-92 – to pair with top-six offensive potential. He’s committed to play at the University of Minnesota.
Filip Mesar, winger, HK Poprad (Slovakia): A great skater with creative instincts similar to those of Peterka, Mesar estimated at the NHL Scouting Combine that his longest meeting was with the Sabres, who have made some smart additions from Eastern Europe. Mesar had 11 goals in 43 games in Slovakia’s top professional league. He also had a strong showing at the Under-18 worlds with five goals and 12 points in seven games.
Ivan Miroshnichenko, winger, Avangard (Russia): There are significant questions surrounding Miroshnichenko because of the uncertainty surrounding players with a Russian passport and he completed treatments for Hodgkin’s lymphoma this spring. But he’s unquestionably one of the top players in this draft. The Sabres have the draft capital and prospect pipeline to take a risk here.
Ty Nelson, defenseman, North Bay (OHL): A No. 1 pick in the 2020 OHL Draft, Nelson is a skilled right-shot defenseman who has shown a mature two-way game. He'll wow you with a spectacular offensive play on one shift and deliver a big hit on an opponent during his next time over the boards.
