Buffalo had eight picks in 2023, including three picks in the top 45
Buffalo had eight picks in 2023, including three picks in the top 45
The Buffalo Sabres are considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL. This is partially the benefit of selecting so high in recent drafts, but the club has also appeared to have a keen eye for talent and has promising youngsters that they’ve selected in the lower rounds.
Here is a quick update on the players selected in 2023:
Zach Benson – LW – 13th overall
Benson has exceeded all expectations after slipping to 13th overall but did benefit from the opportunity created by Matthew Savoie’s injury. The 18-year-old winger has four assists in eight games, and Sabres head coach Don Granato has stressed that he has been conscientious at both ends of the ice, but a decision if he will be staying past the nine-game mark will be determined after he plays in Washington on Wednesday.
Anton Wahlberg – C – 39th overall
The big center split time between the junior level and SHL with Malmo last season, and this season the 18-year-old has six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 17 games. Wahlberg played for Sweden at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Michigan, and the Five Nations Tournament, and may play at the WJC in Gothenburg next month.
Maxim Strbak – D – 45th overall
A big right-handed defenseman who left his native Slovakia to play in the USHL leading into his draft year, Strbak has five points in his freshman year at Michigan State University.
Gavin McCarthy – D – 86th overall
A Western New York native who played three seasons for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, McCarthy played two years for Muskegon before heading to Boston University. The 6’2”, 183 lb. McCarthy has one assist in 11 games for BU.
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