Potential 11th pick by the Buffalo Sabers in the 2024 draft: Berkly Catton – The Hockey Writers –

As June progresses and the 2024 NHL Draft draws closer, the Sabers will have to decide which player to take with their 11th overall selection. With tons of talent on both ends of the ice and a prospect pool already stacked with talent, they will have plenty of choices to further deepen their roster for the future. One player who stands out among the forward group is Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. With a screening of our writers here at Hockey Writers being selected around 12th overall, and other projections and simulations showing him to be taken in similar positions, it’s pretty realistic to see Buffalo taking him there.

Evaluating Catton’s Strengths

Right off the bat, it’s easier to see what he does best, which is shooting the puck. Finishing the 2023-24 season with a stat line of 68 games, 54 goals, 62 assists and 116 points, Catton is one of the best in this draft class to light the lamp. He has some of the best offensive skills, and the only real issue that brings him down is his size. At just under six feet tall, the Sabers would draft yet another technically undersized forward into their prospect pool, but with what he brings to the table, they wouldn’t regret it. He has skilled hands, a quick release and all of his skills come together well to balance his scoring to become a split score type player.

Beyond his ability to put the puck in the net, he is one of the smoothest skaters and passers available in this draft. With nearly an assist per game, his ability to see a play develop and get the puck where it needs to be is incredible. On top of that, he has some of the best skating skills that would fit in very well with the rest of the Sabers roster. His ability to make space for himself is equal to his ability to skate and make room for his teammates, and combining those abilities with his vision and scoring ability makes him one of the most lethal scorers available. As many have rated him so far, his talents fall more into the top 10 (maybe even top five) of the draft, but due to his size, he could fall outside of that range and The Sabers could find themselves in another Zach Benson/Matt Savoie situation and get a huge steal.

What can Catton work on?

Every prospect has something they can work on, or they have at least some form of weakness in their game that may need to be adjusted once they reach the NHL. The obvious thing that comes to mind for Catton is his size and the need to adapt his game to accommodate the more physical nature of the NHL. While the league continues to favor smaller players, I don’t see that as much of a problem as others might, especially since he’s still over 5-foot-10.

As an offensive-minded player, he tends to force plays, and that’s something that’s more of a choice than anything else. Smart players are sometimes hesitant to make plays, and aggressive players try to force plays, so in Catton’s case, he’s more of the latter. This is more of a minor flaw that can be fixed over time than a major problem, but personally I’d rather see it try to make games than not do it at all. Try to fail and learn the hard way: That’s how defenseman Rasmus Dahlin did it, and he looks great now, so I wouldn’t mind seeing Catton learn the same way in Buffalo.

Where is Catton located?

The Sabers already have a plethora of prospects crowding their system, and he would line up with Savoie, Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen and Noah Ostlund for the top forward spots. Specifically on the center depth chart, he would compete more with Kulich, Savoie, and Ostlund, but if he were moved to the wing during his developmental process, his competition would be further expanded. With his skillset and the value he brings as a scoring and two-way threat, he could possibly overtake Kulich and Ostlund on the depth chart right away, and perhaps even make one or both expendable. As a better faceoff player and a more offensively gifted prospect in comparison, he may have an edge, but I don’t see him overtaking Savoie as the best prospect right away.

He would have some years of development left in him and the Sabers would have the ability to be patient with him, as they have no need to rush their NHL prospects in any way. With the way he plays, he would likely replace Jeff Skinner long term, or Alex Tuch if he doesn’t stay with the team after his current contract expires after 2025-26. The Sabres’ top-six forward group is still a work in progress, and there’s still plenty of potential that a prospect like Catton could work his way into that position if he’s developed the right way.

Projecting his career in Buffalo

If things go this way and Buffalo ends up selecting Catton with the 11th overall pick, how would his career in Buffalo pan out if he ends up developing in a best-case scenario? Seeing him in a top-six role, particularly at center, flanked by wingers Jack Quinn and Zach Benson, would be an absolute dynamite trio. Benson would be the pesky winger who creates space and can do what he needs to, Catton would be the faceoff specialist with exceptional scoring and playmaking ability, and Quinn would be the pure scorer who capitalizes on every chance which would be given to him. At max capacity, Catton would be the centerpiece of a similar version of the former Boston Bruins trio Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand-David Pastrnak.

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Yes, that’s a very high assessment of where he could take the line, but considering the skills he possesses individually and what he can do to elevate his teammates, it’s pretty realistic to see him make a big impact as a first- or second-line center in the NHL. An NHL points-per-game pace is certainly not out of the question for someone like him, and putting him with teammates who complement his style of play will only enhance those skills further. Additionally, with Sabers development coaches like Seth Appert now part of their NHL coaching staff, Catton would have all the opportunities he needs to grow at the right pace if selected. If Buffalo is lucky enough to see him go all the way down to 11, they shouldn’t hesitate to take him.