IN AN IDEAL world, the Sabres wouldn’t be picking in the top half of the draft, but another playoff-less campaign allows Buffalo to leverage five selections in the first four rounds into a prospect pool that’s even deeper than the one they already possess. The Sabres’ top pick last year, left winger Zach Benson (13th overall), jumped right into the lineup, and Buffalo has shown a desire to pick NHL-ready players and bring them into the fold without much hesitation.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Tage Thompson regressed after last season’s monster 47-goal campaign. And though the Sabres have faith he can return to that form, Thompson’s dip in production made clear the need for another high-end scorer.
LONG-TERM NEEDS: In Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Bowen Byram, Buffalo has all the blueline firepower it…
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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Draft Preview 2024