The Buffalo Sabres have to consider themselves extremely fortunate that a great deal of NHL clubs still are hesitant to select undersized players, in spite of their speed and skill set. Such was the case at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, where Connor Bedard went first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Anaheim selected Leo Carlsson second overall, Columbus chose Adam Fantilli with the third pick, and San Jose snagged Will Smith to complete the center quartet, but that left eight picks before the Sabres selection came up.
While three seasons is not enough to determine whether the eight youngsters selected next are busts or not, there is little doubt that the Sabres are more than happy that winger Zach Benson slipped out of the top 10 and to their pick at 13th overall. It was a complete shock that the diminutive winger made the NHL right out of junior, never went back to the WHL or played a game in the American Hockey League, and after three seasons, the only two players who have played more NHL games has been Bedard and Fantilli.
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Here is a quick update of some of the other players selected by the Sabres in 2023:
Anton Wahlberg – C – 39th overall
The 20-year-old came to North America to play with Rochester at the end of the 2024 season and played in the Calder Cup playoff games vs. Syracuse. The 6’4”, 205 lb. forward finished his first full season with the Amerks with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 63 games, but struggled in the playoffs after recovering from illness, going pointless in six games. This season, Wahlberg’s point total was up slightly (38 points in 68 games), but his goal total declined to nine. With the potential loss of veteran forwards Alex Tuch and Beck Malenstyn in free agency, it is possible that the big forward will see some NHL opportunity this season.
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Maxim Strbak – D – 45th overall
The big right-handed defenseman played for Slovakia in four World Juniors, and signed with the Sabres after his junior year at Michigan State, where the 21-year-old scored 18 points (3 goal, 15 assists) in 37 games. Strbak played two games for the Amerks at the end of the season, and is expected to be a full-time blueliner next season under Michael Leone in Rochester.
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”, 188 lb. blueliner went to the Frozen Four in his freshman year and as a sophomore, had 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games for the Terriers. This season, after posting a career-high 21 points (4 goals, 17 assists) in 36 games, the right-handed blueliner signed his ELC with the Sabres and played five games with Rochester.
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