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Will #13 Be Lucky For The Sabres At ’23 NHL Draft?

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12 months ago

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The Buffalo Sabres will be selecting 13th overall at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, Tennessee next month, marking the first time the club will not have a pick in the top 10 since 2012.

GM Kevyn Adams has made the most of his top selections, with forward Jack Quinn eighth overall in 2020, defenseman Owen Power with the top pick in 2021, and center Matthew Savoie ninth in 2022. The Sabres also appear to have been successful deeper in the first round with the choice of Swedish forwards Isak Rosen at #14 overall in 2021 and Noah Ostlund at 16th in 2022, and Czech center Jiri Kulich at #28 last July in Montreal.

Taking a look at the last six drafts and who were picked in their draft slot, the Sabres have an excellent chance of adding another quality prospect to the fold, but someone who might have one significant flaw in their game.

 

The 13’s

2022 – Frank Nazar(Chicago): A product of the US National Development Program, Nazar missed most of his freshman year at the University of Michigan after hip surgery, but came back at the end of the year to play 13 games.

2021 – Matt Coronato(Calgary): A skilled winger with a scoring touch, the Long Island native had two 36-point seasons at Harvard before signing with the Flames at the end of last season.

2020 – Seth Jarvis(Carolina): The Hurricanes cashed in on Toronto’s desperation to unload the final year of veteran Patrick Marleau’s contract. Jarvis made the NHL at 19 and has scored in double figures in his first two professional seasons.

 

2019 – Spencer Knight(Florida): The Panthers snagged their goalie of the future in the middle of the first round. Knight jumped from Boston College to the NHL as a 19-year-old and split time with Sergei Bobrovsky for the President’s Trophy winners in 2022 before struggling this season and entering the NHL player’s assistance program.

2018 – Ty Dellandrea(Dallas): After four full seasons with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds, Dellandrea spent time on the Stars taxi squad in 2021 and a full year in the American Hockey League before graduating to the NHL and scoring 28 points (9 goals, 19 assists) in 82 games.

2017 – Nick Suzuki(Vegas): The Golden Knights second first-rounder in their debut season, Suzuki was traded to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal the following year. The talented two-way center made the Canadiens at age 20, was one of the driving forces of their improbable run to the Cup Final in 2021, and was named team captain after being signed to an eight-year, $63 million contract extension.

 

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