With the 2016 NHL Draft behind us we can all now argue who were the real winners and losers of the 2016 draft. With the rebuilding process going as planned in Toronto after acquiring the goaltender, Frederik Andersen prior to the draft, Toronto used their first overall pick to select the highly noted center, Auston Matthews. Also, many sons of former NHL players were drafted which made for a fun twist and an emotional couple of days in downtown Buffalo where the draft was held.
The Buffalo Sabres, also in the middle of their rebuilding process and hopefully nearing the end, selected Alexander Nylander with their eighth overall pick. Nylander is the brother of a notable prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the young man has potential to be a star in the NHL. While playing 57 games in the Ontario Hockey League, he put up 75 points having 28 of them being put in the back of the net. While many experts say he is one of the more talented players to come out of the 2016 draft, his physical status may not be ready for the NHL come the 2016 season. Standing at exactly six foot and weighing in at 178 pounds, he may need a couple of years to ready himself and improve a bit more before lacing up the skates as a Buffalo Sabre. In my opinion, this was still a very good pick by the Sabres. They do need a top four defenseman but chose to go with a highly skilled forward in the first round which is not the worst option. With many other youngsters like Reinhart and Eichel already in the pros, Nylander will fit in perfectly with his offensive skill set, come time he's ready for the NHL.
During the draft, the Sabres made a trade to send defenseman Mark Pysyk and the 38th and 39th overall picks to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and the 33rd overall pick. Kulikov has already played seven seasons in the NHL and proved he was a top defenseman during the Panthers playoff run this past year. Kulikov's strong skating and talent on the defensive side of the puck is what attracted Sabres GM Tim Murray. He is strong on the penalty kill and was very reliable for the Panthers when they needed to protect a lead and Murray believes that he could be a top defenseman for the Sabres.
After the draft comes the resigning process and then the real fun, free agency. With many trade rumors and rumored signings, this offseason could be a fun one to be a Sabres fan. With Tim Murray saying that they will be going after "big fish" it gives Sabres fans a little to look forward to. With the expected moving of Steven Stamkos, this could be what Murray is hinting at. Although, it may not happen, the Sabres are most likely going to join the running for the former 60 goal-scorer. With other rumors of Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler being on the move, Buffalo would not be a bad fit. Fowler is also a top-four defenseman and could add to the defensive side of Buffalo's game while also making an offensive threat from the blue line.
I would love to see the Sabres go after some big name players to hopefully give themselves a shot at the playoffs this year. Robin Lehner will most likely be returning as the starting net-minder. Lehner has had previous success in Ottawa and I believe if the team can manage to be strong defensively and find ways to score Lehner will do just fine. With rookies, Eichel, Reinhart, and McCabe returning after their first year of play they will play key alongside other veterans. With all the young talent and veteran leadership I still believe the Sabres are missing just a little bit more depth on the offensive side and another top defenseman. With free agency just ahead, we will see what happens.
