NHL Draft: Sabres’ biggest needs and top prospects

When the Buffalo Sabers take the ice for the 2022-23 season, they will have an exciting mix of youth and talent. After collecting several first-round picks and acquiring others, the Sabers look like a team that will soon challenge the powerhouses of the Atlantic Division. This group will be punctuated by first overall picks Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin on the blue line and a group of recent first round picks including Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn and Isak Rosen.

While the team is still a few seasons away from competing and could very well miss the playoffs again next season, Sabers fans will be thrilled with the brand of hockey on display. With another top-10 pick coming this season, Buffalo will only get deeper.

Best hopes

Peyton Krebs – Seeing Jack Eichel walk away was a sad day for many Sabers fans. Watching Krebs’ development this season has alleviated the situation considerably.

Krebs, an elite playmaker with an off-the-charts hockey IQ, excelled in stints in the American Hockey League upon his arrival after the trade, and again after Buffalo was eliminated from the playoffs playoffs. He played his natural center position, contributed 22 points in 48 games and looked ready to stake his claim in Buffalo’s top six.

Jack Quinn – The eighth overall pick in 2020, Quinn has seen steady development. He used the pandemic rules to get an early start in the AHL, and after acclimating last season, he exploded for 61 points in 45 games. This is production rarely seen from a 20-year-old player in the league.

Quinn also had two points in a two-game call-up against Buffalo. A lethal scorer, Quinn completed his two-way game in the AHL and will enter the NHL next season ready to contribute immediately.

JJ Peterka – The German playmaker, considered by many to be a first-round talent before sliding to 34th overall in 2020, was difficult to deal with as a 20-year-old in the AHL, scoring 68 points in 70 games. Perhaps more impressive was his ability to maintain his scoring pace in the playoffs with the Rochester Americans.

With the puck on his stick, Peterka is creative and plays at a high pace. He will advance to Buffalo alongside his young Rochester teammates next season.

Ready for the NHL

Owen Power could still technically be considered a prospect, but his level of preparation in the NHL usurps the nickname. Despite only playing eight games after his season with the University of Michigan ended, Power took the ice asserting a veteran poise beyond his years.

Buffalo, however, will have an influx of NHL talent ready to take the next step alongside Power, including Krebs, Quinn and Peterka, as well as Ukko-Pekka goalie Luukkonen. When you combine this group with Cozens, Tage Thompson, Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, the future of the Sabers looks bright.

One to watch

With Luukkonen ready to enter Sabers camp, Devon Levi will bide his time in the NCAA again. The NCAA Rookie of the Year and top guard seemingly doesn’t have much to prove, other than perhaps his ability to replicate the eye-popping numbers he’s posted recently.

At the 2020 World Juniors, Levi was named the tournament’s top goaltender after posting a 0.75 GAA and .964 save percentage. This year in the NCAA with Northeastern, Levi was almost as good, finishing with a 1.54 GAA and a .952 save percentage.

The only knock on Levi is his six-foot stature, but his stats are larger than life. After this season, Buffalo will have a good problem to solve: what to do with two blue-chip prospects in net. Luukkonen has been dubbed Buffalo’s “goaltender of the future,” but Levi might have other ideas.

Draft needs

With depth at all positions, Buffalo will have the opportunity to take risks and select the best player available at each pick. Ninth overall, the Sabers will face a plethora of options at all forward positions. Top defenders in Simon Nemac and David Jiricek will likely be off the board at this point, meaning if Buffalo wanted another defender they would have to reach for him, or could choose to trade up and add additional picks.

With such depth, the Sabers could also head for the fences with two of the “riskiest” names on the board, Brad Lambert and Ivan Miroshnichenko. Both are considered top-five talents, but are projected outside of that range.

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