Draft Steals & NHL Farm System Rankings: Buffalo Sabres | THW Prospect Corner

Draft Steals & NHL Farm System Rankings: Buffalo Sabres | THW Prospect Corner

Welcome to the hockey Riders Prospect Corner a show with our top prospects riding crew bringing you the latest news analysis scouting reports mocks rankings and much more from the world juniors to the NHL draft floor from the farm to the NHL our team covers everything that

Happens in the world of prospects so sit back grab a notebook and get ready for Prospect Corner Prospect Corner hello everybody and welcome back to another episode of prospect Corner presented by the hockey writers today we’re going to be looking at some potential steals for the 2024 draft also

Looking back at the last three drafts and kind of picking some early steals there that are so far and then we’re going to be doing a deep dive into the Buffalo Sabers farm system we’re going to start from there we’re going to just keep going until we’re through them all

That’s going to take a bit bit of time we may do two an episode at times but um and then of course I’m talking about the 2024 draft throughout as well um I am your host Matthew zor and I am joined in as always Prospect expert at the hockey

Writers Peter barini and Dayton Rymer uh Peter how’s it going doing great yeah um you know uh trade deadlines around the corner then right after that you know we’re going to amp up the content of the draft over at uh thw so that’s going to be going to be very interesting we are

Already set we’re already getting stuff prepared and yeah we’re we’re excited to get going for the home stretch now yeah right right after the the trade deadline we’ll be starting to release some uh Prospect profiles as we always do with the hockey Raiders here we also have uh

Of course all the coverage that uh we usually do for the draft too so yeah it’s GNA be fun and Dayton how’s it going oh you know not too bad it’s uh what I think I heard minus 40 with the windshield uh today so not fun stay and

Warm is about about all I can say yeah it’s it’s not that cold here but it had gotten back to freezing again here so yeah we always get some kind of blast of winter at the end uh going into March and then all of a sudden it’s spring so

We’ll uh we’ll see hopefully there’s not too much more of that so let’s uh before we get going with our our steals here I got to remind everyone of the hockey riters substack we have one dedicated every NHL team we also got one for the NHL draft and Prospects which is going

To get a lot bigger and a lot more stuff going to be in there as we get going closer to the draft as we go through the draft uh so sign up to get all our best Prospect articles throughout the hockey writers website we got directly to your

Inbox also got the premium tier which gives you exclusive articles rankings Prospect interviews mailbags a whole bunch of fun stuff there so make sure you’re checking that out at the signup link below all right well let’s get let’s get started into our steals we’re going

Doing a few of these as we get closer to the draft because everyone loves uh looking at deeper into the draft with some of the different names that maybe you don’t know I because we have we know all the stars we know all the guys are

Going to be drafted in the top 10 top 15 but there are some that could potentially be guys that should have been drafted there that uh we already have a few I in this this from this past draft looking like that so Peter I’ll start with you uh who

Do you kind of have your eye on as potentially a steel already I know it’s early I know we’re not gonna find this out until like what five maybe five years down the road that they that they are but there’s some early indications of some players that could potentially

Be drafted later on that could end up being uh steals do you have anyone in mind uh I mean if it’s too early I’m just gonna say Conor Barda number one overall um I mean yeah it is fairly early to say who’s going to be a

Standout but I think the obvious one is probably Zack Benson on Buffalo which we will’ll probably talk about later on but I mean it’s the most glaring one because of the IQ and the hockey sense that he already has like the skill set yeah he’s undersized you know 5 10 I believe is

What is weight or height is at 59 163 yeah that may be a slight red flag in regards to can he hold his own but you know 18 points in 47 games this season in the NHL is actually pretty impressive and considering that the Sabres are kind

Of like on a downward spiral right now again mid-season um he’s still looking like a bright spot for them you know he’s energetic he’s a strong playmaker he’s got the skill and hands and tight spaces you know he’s very Dynamic and again the P the the puck sense and IQ is

Just what really stands out I mean obviously too early to tell but for him to fall outside of that top 10 like the Buffalo Sabers have been doing the past like you know two three seasons of drafting they just been stealing players and plucking them whenever they fall

Into their hands and that’s a very good sign for them so very early on he’s probably going to be my early steo I’d probably say all more to for the Chicago Blackhawks I thought maybe he could have been a little bit higher up as well but

You know when you have a onew Bard and mo as your potential future centers that’s still pretty fun yeah Benson’s the more of the biggest obvious one won’t talk too much about because we’re we’re doing the Buffalo Sabers uh farm system he’s probably pretty high up there but yeah

He’s definitely one from the 2023 draft already and he’s in the NHL I and he’s he’s a regular in the NHL he’s not a guy that’s being like scratched all the time he’s playing a lot call ups and down constantly yeah so he he’s a guy that’s already established himself in the in

The NHL obviously going to have a lot more to come from him uh potential wise but yeah definitely 13th overall should have been top 10 for sure Dayton who do you got from the 2023 draft already that you’re seeing that is already a steal where they were

Drafted uh well I went a little bit further down the draft to see if there was anyone that jumped out at me and I got down into the seventh round so pull pulling way down here but Aiden thinkink was a seventh round pick by the Nashville Predators um he had a

Really great season when he was drafted uh 97 points in 54 games with the Brooks Bandits was an assistant captain and still fell to the seventh round I mean 5′ 10 isn’t that small right so I don’t I don’t know why people kept passing on him or teams kept

Passing on him clearly they shouldn’t have because he is one of the top scorers in Penn State University right now he has 33 points in 32 games as a freshman very impressive in the NCAA uh 15 of which are goals so he is putting up the points and doing

Very well uh a as an as a college student uh hockey player and yeah looks like he is right on track to become a very productive player in the future yeah he’s one that was really surprising where he went at 218th overall that’s like almost that he

Wasn’t drafted so I mean it to be there and I know I think Logan had him third round I believe in his rankings I don’t know where you had him Peter I I believe it was around there round there was at least a third round selection yeah yeah

So I mean to go in the seventh round and and he’s showing that it’s it’s like you said NCAA is not easy to score in as a freshman and he’s doing it so that’s 15 goals is quite a quite a few for a guy that’s that that’s just getting speed

Wet in college so H we’ll see what he does in the next few seasons with there because if this is the his first year what is he gonna do as he as he matures as he gets stronger uh yeah it’s going to be fun Nashville sure got a sure got

A steal down there and they got quite a few guys in this draft that are GNA end up being pretty good for them in the future for sure all right I I’m gonna I’m gonna just pick out I know he’s not a Canucks Prospect anymore but I still think he’s

A steal and that’s Hunter brevich H he’s I mean I know he’s a Calgary Flames Prospect now but what he’s doing in the OHL and where he was drafted H in the third round yeah in the third round and you know he’s scoring at a clip that he

Slowed down a bit finally I mean it took a while for him to slow down but he’s not doing as much but he’s still on Pace for almost 100 points and he’s doing it yeah 94 points so he’s still pretty close to being on Pace to get that 100

Points and you know to nearly double his production from last season and looking like he could be a legitimate maybe not a top four right now but definitely NHL defenseman he he’s definitely a steel in the third round and now it’s not gonna be a steal for the Canucks but for a

Steal where he was selected so brevich is for me uh for the 20123 draft so far right let’s move to the 2022 now we’re going to start getting maybe clearer as we go to the through here but 2022 draft uh start with you Dayton is there anyone from that that’s already

Looking like a steel so far yeah there’s a few guys who are still playing in junior who I think are clearly steals like they should have gone higher um I’ll start with one of my hometown guys Brandon lazowski for the Toronto Maple Leafs he was a another seventh round pick now he

Is on the smaller side at 5 foot n but he definitely doesn’t play 5 foot n uh he’s got a lot of strength to him he’s got a great shot and works really well on that top line for for the Saskatoon blades um right now he has 33 goals in

57 games on Pace for 80 points uh putting up career highs that’s exactly where you want him uh he is going to be a very dangerous score if given the opportunity as a smaller player of course you’re never sure if he’s going to get it but right now he’s looking

Very good another one I will add is a defenseman Graham sword uh he is also playing the w WL with the wachi wild um so he has 14 goals in 56 games pretty good for a defenseman and then uh 70 points uh I don’t I don’t know where

These are coming from but he’s really breaking out this year and like 6’3 192 he was a fifth round pick of the Nashville Predators another good Nashville pick um yeah he’s got a really good sense for for offense and is showing that with uh his 20-year-old season in

Wachi so yeah really like to see that that breakout and I think that’s another one that the the Predators have in the pocket that is going to pay off well yeah the the Predators sure have h a few guys in the last couple drafts for sure we already mentioned have two of

Them now uh for before for Peter I I’ll mention mine and that’s Dennis hild Toby uh fourth round pick I mean he’s a goenda that a lot of the time these guys that goal tenders do get drafted later on but for what he’s doing so far H he’s got

His he did have a start uh he did Peter right one says he has one game so I don’t think he got start or was in relief no I don’t think he got any games whatsoever all right he was just there he didn’t get any games until Ilia

Samson off came back all right yeah but you know he’s looked really good for the Toronto Marley’s I already possibly going to be getting some NHL times soon and for a fourth round pick looking like it’s a bit uh bit of a spoiler he is 10th in my newest rankings for goal

Tending prospects I so yeah he’s he’s shot up on a lot of boards and could potentially be I think the mapl is starting to do some get some system rather than signing them or trading for them they’re actually doing some homegrown goenda wall one of them

And then hild Toby it could be a tandem in the future who knows and uh that’s two guys that they’ve drafted and developed which which is usually not the case they’re usually trading or signing them so that’s that’s a good sign for them in the future and hild’s showing

Showing that I wasn’t aware that he was drafted in 2022 I thought he was drafted a long a lot longer ago but there you go right Peter over to you who do you got from this 2022 draft so far that’s a steal ah you guys are making it so hard

That I got to take a maple leaf Prospect right now with lazowski and hild to be off the board as much as I want to say Nikita ganin um because I’m not g to shut up talking about him I am I I am gonna mention a different player uh

That’s David goette from the Seattle uh or drafted by the Seattle uh Kraken 61st overall and yeah just tearing up the ol leading the league in with 94 points and you know we didn’t think that you know he could top what he did last season with 92 and he’s already eclipsed at

That rate so he’s just taken the league by storm he’s just very patient he’s a very Dynamic playmaker um you know he’s he’s putting up the points and he’s leading the wolves um like the next best player is Quinton musy and he’s 23 points back of Goyette in regards to first and second

Place right now so that just shows you how Dominic Goyette has been and how how much of a charge he’s taken for the Wolves this season so um yeah he’s gonna be my pick and unfortunately I could not round up the Maple Leafs hatrick right

There gy hin a good pick too uh he he’s sure shown that where he was drafted could be a really good pick too so yeah some some good picks there all right moving to the 2021 draft and these are going to get more clearer now uh of who’s who’s the steal because we

Got quite a few in the NHL right now from the 2021 draft uh Peter I’ll start with you who do you got as a steal from this from uh draft now two years yeah two years in from from it uh you know what um again it’s so

Easy to pick Matthew KN here because he probably should have been a first rounder um given how you know he missed half of the first season with Co but then he turned on the Jets afterwards but um again I’m not I’m not going to I

Want to go there but I’m not but I think the obvious one is a steel in a good way where they took that chance and that’s Dallas with Wyatt Johnson that pick is paying off a big time right now um you know obviously that draft was basically a tossup basically very limited viewings

Very limited games very limited players playing in during the covid-19 pandemic and Johnson was one of those players that really didn’t get an opportunity That season and then after he gets drafted he goes on 124 Point run with the Spitfires in 2122 back toback 40o Seasons with the Stars there’s going

To be a point where he’s going to break out and he’s going to be a very very consistent Point producer for the stars and he’s going to get more minutes more I sign more responsibilities it’s only going to be a matter of time before that happens and the fact that they took him

When they had the chance to it’s it’s just speaking volumes to this their scouting Department right now yeah looking back he probably should have been drafted in the top 15 I mean he was drafted 23rd overall and already has 82 points already low enough for

That yeah yeah so I that that’s I mean the stars in general I mean we’re gonna get to them as we get going through our farm systems and they’re for a playoff team perennial playoff team they’ve got a pretty strong Prospect pool uh so far and they’re just coming more coming you

Know stankoven just around the corner and he’s is dominating the AHL right now so yeah all right dton who do you have uh from this draft that’s uh steel well I’m gonna start my uh my thing with a question for you guys how many fifth round picks from the 2021 draft are

Playing in the NHL right now that would that only be one by the way one yeah I was about to say it’s it can’t be more than two yeah it’s Joshua W for the montal Canadians he’s the only one who’s made it from he’s actually the lowest picked player from the 2021 draft

To make the NHL and he does not look out of place with the Montreal Canadians he has been doing fantastic uh so far he’s got into 13 games already has a goal Five Points and then in his first season in the AHL he already had 13 goals and 32

Points that’s very strong for a rookie uh coming in without pretty much any AHL experience he had one playoff game before that I I mean hardly counts right so that’s somebody that the Montreal Canadians desperately need is getting those high value picks from lower in the draft and he’s going

To slot in very well into that middle six I think that’s where he’s projecting to go um slide in the wing there you never know who he’s going to end up playing with maybe he’s going to slide in beside Cole Coffield set him up with a couple of

Assists yeah this is a great pick uh definitely snuck uh snuck him from under several people’s noses yeah uh 150th overall they they picked him so yeah I love seeing that that’s that’s a great pick up in the F fifth round yeah it’s it’s surprising where he

Was drafted because I I didn’t think he was drafted that low I because he’s been one of their top prospects for for a while now and he’s yeah like you said ripped up uh Juniors and then the AHL looks like he’s fine there and now he

Looks he’s fine in the NHL so we’ll see what his ceiling is I mean it could be that his ceiling is a middle six guy H or who knows he could be a Topline guy eventually I mean Cole Coffield wasn’t expected to be a Top Line player because

Of his size um but look what he’s doing now so mine is JJ moer I for the Arizona Coyotes he was draft did in the second round but he was the first guy from this draft that actually played in the NHL from from all these guys so and he

Already has 67 points in 180 games and he’s one of the coyotes top defenseman uh plays A Lot H he’s already I think they felt okay trading Chan because they had him and that’s that’s something big for a guy that a second round pick and he’s doesn’t look he didn’t look out

Of place in his first first season in the NHL and coming right out of the draft so that’s that’s a pretty big thing I think moer has been a steal for a while I think a lot of people kind of realized that being in the second round

He probably should have been drafted in the first looking at it now so definitely a steal in my eyes for sure all right finishing this off we’re gonna we’ll talk we’ll talk about the 2024 draft and I I know this one for sure we’re not gonna know for way down

The road but Peter do you have anyone that you have your eye on already that could potentially be a steel or potentially be drafted low and then end up being a steel H yeah this is definitely very very difficult um you know I looking at the list right now obviously there’s

Some like in terms of like NHL Central scouting there like a lot of to stand out that you know are very low that could go high or vice versa um but I feel like you know I hate I hate to pick on like the top 10 or

Like you know in the higher ups right now because I still feel like berky Ken is going to fall out of another top 10 spot because we all know the reason why doesn’t matter how good he is how smart he is he’s going to fall out because of

That size Factor he’s 510 170 but he really shouldn’t he should be in the top top five maybe or like a top six pick H what have you but anything lower than that is just going to be disrespectful to him because you know we know how good

Of a player that he is right now um I I think that that’s going to be one name that we really need to keep an eye on but in terms of like later in the draft um you know it’s it’s very difficult because it’s still very early on but I think

Once the draft actually happens then will’ll get that sense yeah he should have been very much higher up yeah it’s it’s tough doing this so early because we don’t know I mean a lot of these guys we expect to be higher and then they’re drafted way lower I and it ends

Up like you know Berkeley Count’s gonna be one for sure he’s gonna be drafted lower and he definitely should be higher with his talent I yeah we’ll see dton you have anyone I was just about to say I did not want to see Dayton’s name because I’m pretty sure I know who he’s

Going to say I I tried to go for some uh some more underrated guys who I think could show up um I’m interested to think to hear who you’re thinking I was gonna pick though see yeah it was Misa that’s who I was thinking yeah no that’s

Fair so four top ranked guys I think Aaron kaharu is g to drop he has he has size issues that the scouts are going to look at um and he’s been injured uh parts of this season which is not a great reflection on well it doesn’t give you a good

Picture of who he is right you have to really look for his highlights but outside of the first round or second round I think someone who could end up being a steal is a guy by the name of James reer so I don’t know if that’s uh someone

Who’s come across your Radars yet he is 152nd on NHL Central scouting he’s only 5 foot n 168 so not the worst uh combination of size and weight um but with the okay I always screw this up deuk debuk Fighting Saints okay um he I mean he’s 18 years old so

Not not an over Ager I don’t think uh 2005 October right on that edge yeah um but he’s already the assistant Captain he’s got 47 points in 38 games 19 of which are goals uh and that’s yeah that’s a pretty good clip for a draft eligible

Guy that is I mean he’s the seventh youngest on the team already serving in a leadership role uh fourth in points that’s somebody I want to keep an eye on um I’ll also add Hunter St Martin who is an over rager he’s playing with the Tigers right now Medicine Hat tigers

That is he’s got good size six foot2 so someone should you know pick him up uh because he’s almost playing at a point per game Pace I think he’s just overshadowed by some of the other guys on the Tigers right now which would be guys like Kaden lindström Hunter McKenna

Andrew basa uh even Oasis wise blat uh who is not drafted but should be uh have kind of stolen the Thunder he’s a fantastic depth scorer and so if he’s given a shot I think he’s really gonna explode for points and you just someone’s got to take that

Chance yeah those are two names to to keep an eye on and we we’ll throw a few more as we go throughout these shows as we get closer to the draft we’ll get more clear picture of where these guys are going I yeah it it is tough to look at right now because

You don’t know where these guys are going to go so uh we’ll just have to wait and see all right well that’s our draft portion of the show H we’re going to talk about the Buffalo Sabers next but before we do that got to talk about our

Substack here at the hocky Riders we have one dedicated every NHL team we also got one for the draft and Prospects content I sign up to get everything delivered to your inbox multiple times per week we also got the premium tier with the exclusive article rankings mailbags interviews bunch of fun stuff

There so make sure checking that out in the signup link below all right well let’s get to our first farm system Deep dive and we’re going to start at the top because it’s always fun to start with the the big teams that have a lot of great prospects

And we’re going to start with the number one ranked as according to our farm system rankings here done by Logan uh Buffalo Sabers they are number one and they were number one in the first uh set at the beginning of the season they were also number one in the mid season

Rankings it didn’t change so I Logan had his top five prospects in there I don’t think he put him in order in order but we’re gonna do that we’re gonna put him in order so I’ll start with you Peter who are your top five prospects for the Buffalo

Sabers I mean if we’re excluding Zack Benson because there’s that you know what was it the 50 game Mark that excludes him he’s closing in 50 anyway so I’m I’m not going to pick him right now he’s like two or three away NHL player by the time this comes out he’s

Going to be not a prospect anymore so um it’s gonna be yui kulok no osen um Devon Levi isach rosan and Matthew seavoy again not in any particular order those are just the five names that really stand out and rightfully so because they are their five best prospects at the

Moment yeah all great names uh Dayton you got those five or you’re uh switching them up no think I’m right with you there um you can’t really get better than who they have in their forward group Kulik osland seavoy Rosen um that’s that’s a really good group and

It’s difficult to put them in order yeah if forced to I think I would go kulak first he’s been really really uh good in the AHL and should translate well to the NHL um Devon Levi has also been really good uh had a bit of a rock start to his

Rookie season but it shouldn’t be bad goalies are are tough to predict and you just got to give them time so yeah no that’s that’s a good top group and yeah it’s it’s splitting hairs when you got those guys uh yeah Levi’s a I mean goenda wasn’t ready for the NHL fulltime

I get some seasoning in the AHL and they got UPL up there that seems like he’s kind of set H in the NHL now so there’s no reason to rush him so it’s good he’s in the AHL but he is definitely one of their top prospects uh still for sure

Yeah I don’t have any disagreements I I think those are the five I don’t have anyone else that they got a few other interesting guys we’ll talk about but um yeah those are definitely the five all right standouts this season uh there’s a few and probably some of those five uh

Peter who do you have as a as some standout prosp ects that have caught your eye so far this season um I want to talk about uh again we’re going to talk about probably you know Yuri kulok but Noah osen too um I want to highlight him because he seems

To be a name that’s not being talked about enough because of who’s in front of him right now obviously we know kulik’s a power game but osland is you know just just as Dynamic with the shot and the intensity that he plays with you know 18 points at 32 game I mean sorry

Not um uh yeah 18 points in 32 games this season um with uh I’m I have trouble pronouncing it V show V show V show yes okay there we go so in the shl again probably still not getting enough like you know minutes everything like that but I think he’s still like proving

Himself and and still holding his own at the senior level so that way when he makes that transition from Sweden to North America he still has that Pro experience under his game as well I think that’s going to be very important for him um really stood out at

The UA teams with 10 points to seven games um Sweden again falling just short but he’s a big reason why they made it to that gold medal game again just falling short which is a little bit disappointing but he definitely has what it takes to be a Difference Maker for uh

Buffalo in the near future again probably still under size again he probably needs to add a little bit more weight maybe not height-wise but he needs to bulk up add a little bit more muscle but Ju Just like what Buffalo has been doing drafting players like Matt

Seavoy Zack Benson they had the IQ he has the awareness he’s very deceptive in manipulating plays so um he’s definitely going to be one to watch out for in the near future yeah Oland we’ll see where he’s is if he’s gonna play center in the NHL

I don’t know uh with his size but H he is a centerman they’ve got quite a few centers in their system sooy Rosen can play center H you know kulick I believe can play center as well he is a center too it’s just someone’s gonna have to play Wing

So yeah H Anton Wahlberg another one Center they’ve got quite a few so but yeah he’s definitely one to keep an eye on and he’s had a good season too right dton who do you have uh as as some standouts from the saber system so far um I really like how Isaac roshen

Rosen R that’s another one yeah yeah I feel like I’ve heard it a couple of ways um Ros Rosine I I think it’s it depends on who’s saying it I know right it’s anglicized or not yeah isn’t that how it always goes but Rosine I’ve really liked

His progress this year um 29 Points in 46 AHL games uh this is his second season in the AHL but he’s on Pace to get to almost 20 goals at 43 points that’s a pretty good total for a developing Prospect um like you mentioned he can play center probably

More of a Winger um that’s just kind of seems to be where he’s transitioning to but no he’s uh he’s one that I think has slid under the radar a little bit just with all eyes on Kulik and even Matt seavoy this year who I think is

Getting a bit of a bad R for his world junior performance he’s still got five goals in his last five games like he’s he’s on a tear he’s gonna be fine um but roshen then slips under the radar and he’s been just as good uh as those

Guys I mine is a guy that I is not not a top name but vold kov he’s got 55 points this season as a defenseman H split between the Quebec ramparts and the Drummond V Vol jur he was drafted in 2022 in the fifth round so

That’s uh pretty good I don’t know like the qm JL is a pretty you know high-scoring league but you know producing there he’s a right-hand shot to D and we all know uh what you know the Sabers need on the right side so he

Could I don’t know I mean again he he 20 years old he’ll probably be he’ll be transitioning to the AHL next season so we’ll see what what that goes if his offense can Transit there but you know I it’s on Pacer 67 points I is a pretty

Good clip and he’s been doing it actually you know last season he had 39 points so he’s he’s could be doubling that this season so uh keep an eye on him he’s a bit of an under the radar Prospect but he stood out uh for sure all right now speaking of underrated

Prospects now these are the names that we don’t maybe not normally talk about but uh could potentially come out of nowhere and be something so H Dayton you got anyone in that category for the Sabers here yeah so the Sabers I think it’s no secret have not a lot of depth

On their defense um and we’ll likely look at some targets that they can focus on a little bit later here but right now now they’ve got one guy who I think has a chance to be an impact defenseman especially on that really weak white right side that they have which is Maxim

Stach the Slovakian with uh oh sorry where is he playing right now um Michigan State University now not great numbers with Michigan State which I mean the NCAA is a tough League especially as a freshman so he’s he’s doing okay there at the world juniors you really got to see what he

Was capable of one goal six assists seven points in just five games and he’s a big reason why Slovakia at least this year is right in there with the metal contenders and it was his Third campaign too so he had all that experience he’s a very interesting and talented defenseman great two-way

Abilities um he’s got that offensive side but he can back it up with that defensive side as well and pretty decent size 6’2 190 got that right shot yeah he’s he’s on progress to or on yeah on progress to make the NHL I think in the

Next couple of years and if he does that’ll be a very good sign for the Sabers yeah we talked we’ll talk about later what their weaknesses in the system is but yeah there’s some wide open spots for the right right hand shot defense and uh sturb back definitely

Stood up out at the world juniors and and I mean NCAA tough league for defenseman uh to produce points but you know nine points 26 games not horrible I but who knows what he’s going to do in the NHL if he’s going to be an offensive

Defenseman or he just going to be a very solid two-way guy but uh yeah the Sabers definitely need guys like that to come up all right Peter who do you have as an underrated uh underrated Prospect with Savers yeah um we talk about how great their forward dep is but I’m going to

Highlight a name that maybe could be flying under the under the radar based on like you know where rosean is at where kulak is at where you know even like Matt seavoy is at um excuse me I’m gonna talk about Victor neev um on the left side they’re they’re kind of weak

On the left side defensively obviously you got you know um Zack Benson that’s probably going to be one of your top Wingers in the future um he he’s a lat shot so I think he’s going to get one of those spots but I think he’s he could be

A very strong and you know quick and you know offensive middle six type of player um he’s got the speed he’s a fantastic skater he’s got the hands that could just attack ahead on and push Defenders back like he plays with that pace and that high intensity and level of you

Know offense that can make him and Sabers A Difference Maker the only thing is he just needs to get a little bit more consistent be a little bit more physical and work on that but I do like the upside that he does bring to that left side for the Sabers because um you

Know they Pride themselves on being you know offensive factors you know they want to be deep offensively this is the guy that could provide some strong secondary scoring for them I’m gonna mention a defenseman too mattx lingren uh left left side defense I I was surprised where he was draft in

The fourth round I thought he was going to be drafted a lot sooner especially what he would what he did with the he was drafted in 2022 and what he was doing with the Blazers in that season 44 points in 68 games and then he followed that up last

Season with 34 with with the red your Rebels he’s already got 35 he already surpassed that this season with the rebels he’s an alternate Captain as well so he’s got a bit more leadership being you know counted on for that now and then you know he’s looks like he’s going to

Be a good two-way defenseman in the NHL I don’t know why he was he dropped into the fourth round he’s got just got good skater you can move the puck I it’s it’s maybe his consistency defensively maybe that he could fix but I mean that’s something that you’re G you’re gonna be

Able to develop throughout H moving into the AHL and and as you go through so I I think he’s still going to end up being a pretty good defenseman in the NHL and yes their left side is loaded so he’s gonna he’s gonna have a hard time

Getting in there he may have to play his offside but we’ll see what lingen can do but he’s had a really good Junior career uh putting up points so and he’s been a plus player um in the last three seasons and want to take plus minus into account

But yeah I I still think lingren is gon to end up being H pretty good uh in the future all right we mentioned some I mean these are probably going be pretty easy to pick out but uh dayen who what is your what is the strengths of this

Farm system I is it the forward group what part of the system is their strongest right now I think they um sorry uh ability to put the puck in the net if that’s one way to say it they’ve got a really good young for forward group so we’ve talked about a

Few of the prospects but in the NHL already they got JJ PKA Jack Quinn um they’ve got like Dylan cousins pton Krebs these are all really good offensive guys and they know how to score so that’s definitely not a problem for the sabes and given that they’re all I think under like

23 um this it’s a great group they’ve got the they’ve got the goal scoring sorted out that’s not going to be an issue for a very long time yeah I that’s probably Peter you probably agree with that what what about what about weaknesses I mean we mentioned the right

Side on defense uh what other things do they kind of have to address um moving forward in their farm system here yeah I think it’s just maybe find yeah we already know the right side very very aak um but I think maybe just trying to find that consistency in

Goenda like Dayton mentioned they can put the puck in the net but they struggle to keep the puck out as a result and obviously um you know UK peka Lucan in it has kind of assumed the starter role right now but you know decent save percentage right now decent

Goals against average it’s just a win loss kind of up there but you know what after last season he didn’t look as sharp I think maybe right now maybe that competition is kind of fueled with Devon Levi if Levi is able to take the right steps appropriately and continue to get

Better then we could definitely say that you know they got a strong tandem um that that could be a a very steady 1 a 1B type of scenario where you’re not going to over pressure one of those two guys so that’s one thing um to look forward to mainly as aside from the

Right side I think just the goal tending situation itself is how is that going to play out um they do have Scott rat in the system as well I really like that pick um last year I believe I believe he was selected um in the fifth round uh 141st

Overall um but he still weighs away he still got a lot of things that he needs to work on as well and also the Seattle thunder birds if you look at as numbers they’re not that strong but they were much better the previous season before so they have some names they just need

To keep on working at it working they need to keep working on it and develop uh as the years go onh yeah goal tending and then the right side other defense I think that’s what they got to address I the goal endings may be okay like you said I mean Levi

And P UPL are you know developed properly and they’re they it’s a really good tandem for a long time H it’s just can it be that and Levi’s shown flashes it’s got a lot more developing to do so H we’ll just going to have to wait and

See I guess that that’s our man on the show wait and see but yeah that I think the goal tending maybe drafting another one just to kind of get the depth there and but we’ll see what happens with that all right moving to this year’s draft and uh draft targets now first round

Pick they got both their picks I mean probably not gonna be trading them away because they’re I don’t think they’re selling they’re not going to be buying at this deadline I think they’re they may be getting some guy I don’t know I mean the the Savers are an interesting

One I mean they’re not close to the playoffs I I don’t know what they’re going to do but right now they’ve got all their picks so it’s kind of hard to go through all but we’re just going to focus on the first two rounds right as of right now they’d be

Picking eighth and 40th so Peter give us some targets for the sabes are they I mean further strategy well we’ll package these these two together first what is their strategy going to this draft is the best player available and then throw out some targets that you think they

Could be focusing on around the eighth and the 40th picks here I think with the eighth pick you got to go best player available I mean you want to make that top 10 pick count um but at the same time you know if there’s a player of

Positional need that turns out to be the best player let’s say A you know Zan perek you know great shot defenseman very Dynamic offensive playmaker shoot the puck and jump into the rush and he’s very confident at what he does why not fill that spot up and you know he’s just

Breaking records right now so why not take a guy like that into the top 10 that could both throw your right side already and he could be a foundation for them in the future and the same thing you could probably do the same thing for the second round pick best player

Available but then again you’re still looking at a lot of right-handed D options that could be within that range as well that you could probably fill out in your top four uh if Henry Muse is available can you try and take him Dominic badinka he’s kind of an

Underrated name flying under the radar right now do you go forward where you know I’m I’m kind of high on a player like John mustard or um you know even someone like Merrick vaner who’s shooting up the boards right now because of how consistent he’s been playing the

Season already and if there’s a player that’s falling down there why not why not take that chance of drafting them and try and steal them just at a different round at this point um so those are two names or a few names that I’m just spitballing out there but with

That first pick if Zay perek is still on the board why not take that chance and you could hit both or you know just get just get it over and done with by taking one of the better players and fill out a right shot defenseman yeah perek would look good

Alongside power doly and that’s for sure he gets his potential that that’d be pretty scary all right Dayton h do you agree with that best player available at the points and you have some names that they should be focusing on in those two spots pretty much yeah I

Think I think play well I think teams should always be looking at best player available um that’s that when you don’t that’s when you start getting really strange picks kind of like the Ottawa Senators taking Tyler bue 10th overall I’m never mention that that was we never get an answer for

That and it’s clearly not working out like going to be a fine player he’s not going to be 10th overall he’s never going to be 10th over overall never was going to be but whatever um so that’s when you draft for positional need instead of looking at okay who’s at

The top of the list yeah with the 2024 draft you got a ton of great defensemen at the top a lot of them who have right shots so yeah if Zan per is available there grab him that would be a fantastic ad uh another guy or a few other guys

Who would look really good is Carter yakimchuk he’s got that size that you know would would really help um uh oh I forgot his first name but pric peric perck peric thank you yes um or Adam Urich all great guys to Target uh right in that top 10 honestly none of

Them would look out of place maybe a little bit of a reach but not not a big reach at all uh looking at 40th overall yeah grab another guy who can shoot right and is on defense right there’s so many um like Charlie elck he could be around by the

40th depending on how things go EJ Emery um like you mentioned Henry Muse that’s those are three excellent right-handed defensemen and one of them is likely going to be around there maybe depending on how things fall Harrison Bruni right he improved this St yeah he definitely has yes uh currently out with

An injury which is unfortunate but he uh yeah really really good defenseman that definitely could be around there at the 40th so why not grab a couple who are going to make your team essentially basically guaranteed NHL players I don’t think the saers should be going forwards anymore I mean not not

In the first round I I I know there’s probably be some guys that they’re going to be tempted to grab like they did with Benson I mean it was really like you have to take him I mean that’s just where they where they were but this draft there just so

Many good right-hand defenseman I mean they need it they’re draft yes to be best player available but they’d be drafting positional need as well at that point I but there just so many guys so many great guys that they could draft and to address that I think definitely

Go for at least one of those one of them being a defenseman and probably the top the the first round pick um will be that all right our final H one for this is Prospect of the year so far and uh it could be a guy we’ve mentioned probably

Is one of the guys we’ve mentioned already but Dayton who is your prospect of the year uh so far for the Sabers I’m maybe gonna pick an unpopular one H but I’m gonna go with Matthew seavoy I think he has been above and beyond a fantastic Prospect like exactly

What you’d want from a ninth overall pick yes his world juniors was disappointing everyone on Canada except celebrini was disappointing yeah so that was just I think a poorly constructed team and not necessarily A player’s fault you can come at me at the comments if you

Want I’ll I’ll fight my position I’m I’m uh pretty confident in that but he’s been so good in the uh WHL this year he’s well over a point per game um in fact he’s probably gonna hit two points per game by the end of the season

Uh and almost a goal a game that’s exactly what you want to see from your top guy someone who is continually progressing and hitting New Heights each season um even after his trade from the wachi wild to the mustra Warriors He’s been just as dangerous he even has an

NHL game under his belt six AHL games during which he put him five points yeah he’s great and one little blip shouldn’t remove the fact that he is going to be a fantastic NHL player yeah I that’s World Juniors I think he just it was a whole thing I I

Don’t think it was his fault at all I for how how it all went so yeah seavoy definitely still a top high-end Prospect for for the Savers Peter what about you uh who’s your prospect of the year so far for the Sabers yeah it’s definitely got to be

Seavoy I mean you look at the production that he’s doing with both the Wild and the warriors uh in Musa when he got traded it’s you know 24 points in 35 games I mean not 35 in uh 24 games sorry I cannot count right there jeez I’m I’m

Looking at the projected status well but he would have been on Pace for 70 points in 35 games I he has been dealt with some injuries this season as well um be it he was had some issues during Team Canada as well where he was dealing with injuries believe there’s um some

Issues as well when he came back uh with Musha as well um was week to week with a r body injury that I could find and this was back you know just a few weeks ago so he has dealt a bad hand this season but he’s still been productive when he’s

Been healthy and you know he easily could have given it to Zach Benson for making the jump already but what so always been able to do you know still dominate his age level World Junior side he’s still being a dominant factor in the WHL and that’s why he was sent back

To still work on it and dominate it when he can that way when he’s already 20 years old he’s going to be done for this year he’s going to be moving on to the next level so hopefully this could prepare him for the next level and I think he’s up for that

Challenge I feel like he could have made the NHL if he wasn’t injured I he just got hurt at the beginning and then they got him in for like five minutes or something and then sent him back it just made made it was kind of weird that NHL

Debut but uh yeah he’s taken in stride went back to Junior and he’s dominated I I think he’s gonna be the NHL next season if not the NHL he’s gonna be dominating the AHL I yeah soo’s definitely um I I it’s either him or uh or kulick

For me I just kulik’s been been so good in AHL he’s been so good uh at the world juniors uh this season again um yeah it he’s a he’s a top prospect and seavo and you could pick one of them I seavoy Benson Benson technically in our

Prospect even though he was just drafted but uh yeah and they’ve got just such a strong pool and it’s hard to pick I just one but yeah Sao is probably the one for me too all right well there’s uh the Sabers uh farm system we got uh got some really

Exciting ones coming up as well but the Buffalo Sabers when they can start figuring it all out and get all these guys in the NHL they are going to be a tough team a very high-end offensive team and they’ve already got some really good defensemen it’s just and the goal

Tending configures up they’re going to be a Powerhouse I mean you’d think they’d be a Powerhouse you’d hope that they’d be a Powerhouse I guess for for Sabers fans I it’s been a long time coming uh just to make the playoffs it’s been over a decade so I it’s coming and

These all these prospects will end up being in the NHL and they’re going to be pretty good so look out for the Sabers I keep saying that every season one of these years it’ll be right so there you go all right Prospect of the week now as we finish up our show

And I will start us off with Rd Baines I made the NH well he made his NHL debut this last week has three games under his belt now he’s looked really good he’s played with JT Miller and Brock besser on the I don’t they kind of call them

The top line or leas Patterson’s line is the top line I don’t know 1 a 1B I he’s playing with J he’s been playing with JT Miller I and looks like an NHL player I mean he’s not he hasn’t scored yet he hasn’t gotten any points but he looks

Doesn’t look out of place he’s been great at four checking made made a couple great pass passes that guys couldn’t finish on H also he tried to pass to to besser a couple times on two-on ones that got blocked we he should have just shot it but that’s uh

That’s a rookie wanted to want to just pass to the guy that he it’s like he’s probably G to score more than me but uh yeah Baines just coming out of undrafted and had really good AHL season he’s got a career high there um I’m just happy

For him of what what he’s been able to do H and made the NHL now so um and’s already gotten some great praise from toet as well as being a high an NHL player so uh Baines is my Prospect of the week all right Dayton

Who do you have H as your prospect the week this this week uh I’m gonna go with somebody we mentioned earlier a little bit uh and that’s Logan stankoven who just scored his first NHL goal which is always exciting um and he also got an

Assist in his uh second game so now he’s up to two points in two games that’s that’s so good he always was going to be a really talented player but people kept overlooking him because of his height he is only 5’7 that’s that’s admittedly pretty small for NHL

Standards um so he went into the second round like he was a first round Talent always was going to be a first round Talent this year in the AHL it’s he’s been crazy right he’s the uh top scorer at least last I checked and uh his point streak

Of five games was just broken um which is okay he’s in the NHL now so it’s fine yeah no he’s he’s doing awesome and that’s I feel like that’s what everybody thought was going to happen and now there’s proof right he’s great just great yeah and I don’t think anyone

Doubted it that he’s gonna come to the NHL actually good to I the Stars I mean they just they’ve got another one all right Peter uh finishing it off who’s your prospect week yeah I’m doing a little early like scouting and getting my March rankings together and I’m going to pick Merrick

Vaner from the Hamilton Bulldogs with Ontario Hockey League um last four four games eight points in that span but in his last outing he scored four points and a hattrick um just a pure goal scorer you know he’s got the intensity he’s got the shot in accuracy he’s able

To drive the middle of the ice um you know he’s got that you know that mindset in him that he just wants to Pepper the opposition and pepper goalies with pux on that he’s going to be that type of player in the near future where you know

He’s that’s going to be hiso he’s got the power and release I I think that you know he’s definitely moved up on my list of players didn’t quite have a strong top prospects game but then again that’s one game there’s bigger S with him with the Bulldogs and I’m confident that he’s

Definitely going to move up and be a major factor in that regard um think teams are going to get no uh be on high notice because he’s already have he already has 30 goals decent playmaker as well with his 39 assists but you know he’s going to be a guy that’s going to

Be known for putting the puck in the net his latest hat-trick is a reason why and he’s my Prospect of the week yeah great pick there and uh I mean there’s going to be a few there’s going to be a lot more names like I say as the

Season goes on play start there’s going to be more that’s going to stand out and uh we’ll start mentioning them more too so keep an eye out we got we got great stuff coming for the draft like mentioned at the top of the show uh lots of prospect Pro I can speak Prospect

Profiles uh coming out I and that’ll be just after the trade deadline once all that’s over over and done with um we’ll talk about some any Prospect trades that happen I don’t know how many will happen there hasn’t been any trades in the NHL since uh what was the bemstrom trade

That was just kind of like okay Emil bemstrom that was the last one uh last big one was the elas Lindholm uh trade so really there hasn’t been anything uh we got a week to go to the deadline and uh we’ll see if there’s any other uh big

Deals that happen that involve prospects we’ll talk about them but that does it for us this week thanks for tuning in to another Prospect another episode of prospect Corner make sure you subscribe H’s YouTube channel make sure you catch up all all our new episodes and also

Make sure you’re checking out our NHL and draft prospect substack to stay caught up on all our new prospects content there’s a link in the description below thank you Peter and Dayton and thank you for all for joining us on this week’s edition of prospect Corner we will see you next time

The Hockey Writers prospect crew of Matthew Zator, Peter Baracchini and Dayton Reimer get together to revisit the 2023, 2022, and 2021 Drafts to highlight some prospects that are looking like steals already.

Then, they dive into the latest farm system rankings and focus on the number-one-ranked Buffalo Sabres. They highlight their top-five prospects, standouts this season so far, underrated prospects, strengths and weaknesses, and more.

Subscribe to the Prospects and Draft Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – https://thehockeywriters.substack.com/subscribe

0:00 Intro
3:40 Steals From the 2023 NHL Draft
9:48 Steals From the 2022 NHL Draft
14:56 Steals From the 2021 NHL Draft
20:25 Potential Steals in the 2024 NHL Draft

26:43 Buffalo Sabres: Top-5 Prospects
28:49 Buffalo Sabres: Standout Prospects This Season
33:59 Buffalo Sabres: Underrated Prospects
39:31 Strengths/Weaknesses of the Sabres’ Farm System
43:12 Sabres’ 2024 Draft Strategy & Potential Targets
49:05 Sabres’ Prospect of the Year So Far

54:14 Prospects of the Week

The THW Prospect Corner crew are great writers too:
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Peter Baracchini – https://thehockeywriters.com/author/pbaracchini/
Dayton Reimer – https://thehockeywriters.com/author/dreimer/

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