The Bills aren't the only show in town anymore.
While the NHL's longest playoff drought still resides in Buffalo, the Sabres are on the verge of making it a thing of the past. With a full season of Devon Levi in the blue paint — as well as another season of development for their young core — the folding table faithful in western New York will be taking their tailgates well beyond Orchard Park.
A breakout season from Tage Thompson and others has created less room on the bandwagon, but there's still enough space to hop on before it's too late.
Now GM Kevyn Adams will look to bolster an already impressive group of talent at the 2023 NHL Draft. He's armed with eight picks heading into draft night. Better yet, there isn't a pressing need for Buffalo which means that talent — and the famous hot chicken — is the only thing on the menu in Nashville.
MORE: NHL Draft Big Board 2023: Ranking the top 100 prospects
Here's a look at the Sabres picks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Sabres draft picks 2023: When does Buffalo pick?
The Sabres make their first selection at No. 13 on day one before they turn the page to a busy day two — with seven picks on Thursday.
- Round 1, Pick No. 13: Zach Benson, LW, Winnipeg Ice
- Round 2, Pick No. 39: Anton Wahlberg, C, Malmo
- Round 2, Pick No. 45: Maxim Strbak, D, Sioux Falls
- Round 3, Pick No. 86: Gavin McCarthy, D, USHL
- Round 4, Pick No. 109: Ethan Miedema, LW, Kingston
- Round 5, Pick No. 141: Scott Ratzlaff, G, Seattle
- Round 6, Pick No. 173: Sean Keohane, D, Dexter School
- Round 7, Pick No. 205: Norwin Panocha, D, Eisbaren Berlin Jr.
Sabres 2023 NHL Draft order
Buffalo will look to build on a promising 2022-23 season with eight more picks to add to their prospect pool. The Sabres were able to acquire their earlier second-round pick thanks to the trade that sent Rasmus Ristolainen to Philadelphia.
| Round | Pick (Overall) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 13 |
| 2 | 39 |
| 2 | 45 |
| 3 | 86 |
| 4 | 109 |
| 5 | 141 |
| 6 | 173 |
| 7 | 205 |
Sabres NHL Draft biggest need
The good news for the Sabres is that they don't have a lot of needs in the draft. As a whole, the organization has plenty of talent, especially with their youth. There's not much concern in goal and certainly nothing to worry about on the scoring side of things.
One could — and probably should — argue that defense can be problematic going forward. However, those issues are likely to be fixed in free agency with forwards who can play the role. So as far as biggest need goes, keep an eye on defense. Don't be surprised if Buffalo opts instead for the best player available, though.
Sabres first-round mock draft 2023
Here is the latest prediction for who the Sabres will pick with the No. 13 selection in this year's draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Matthew Wood | RW | UConn (NCAA) |