The Buffalo Sabers will be 11th in the 2024 NHL Draft

Kevyn Adams of the Buffalo Sabers watches before the first round of the 2022 NHL Upper Deck Draft at the Bell Center on July 7, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Sabers neither moved up nor down in the 2024 NHL Draft on Tuesday night, remaining at 11th overall for the early rounds.

Buffalo had a 3 percent chance of winning the lottery for the first overall selection on June 28 in Las Vegas, and similar odds in the second drawing for the second pick. There was also a chance the Sabers fell to 12th or 13th.

The San Jose Sharks, with former Sabers forward Mike Grier as general manager, are in the draft lottery for the No. 1 pick.

This will be the 13th straight year that Buffalo has held a top-13 pick, and the Sabers have made 18 first-round selections in the last dozen selections. After being a top-10 pick for a full decade, Buffalo drafted Zach Benson 13th overall last June, and the 18-year-old spent his entire rookie season on the NHL roster.

Sabers History of No. 11 Picks

2002😀 Keith Ballard, Minnesota (NCAA)

1992😀 David Cooper, Medicine Hat (WHL)

1983: C Adam Creighton, Ottawa (OHL)

1979😀 Mike Ramsey, Minnesota (NCAA)

1974😀 Lee Fogolin, Oshawa (OHA)

Of the players the Sabers drafted 11th overall, Ramsey played the most games in Buffalo. Ramsey’s 911 games with the franchise rank third all-time.

Top prospects head to Buffalo

The NHL scouting combine will once again take place in Buffalo in June.

The NHL combine is similar to the popular NFL version, featuring top draft-eligible North American and international prospects. This year’s event will take place June 2-8 at KeyBank Center and HarborCenter.