3 surefire steals the Buffalo Sabers should target in the NHL Draft

Taking a prospect in the third round or later has recently paid off for the Buffalo Sabers in the NHL Draft, even though none of their players in recent memory have become All-Stars. Despite this, they not only brought great organizational depth, but these players also showed us that they were good enough to spend time on NHL ice and even put in some useful performances.

One player is Jacob Bryson, who lost out in 2023-24 to the numbers game in the defensive rotation, but the 2017 fourth-round pick still saw time in 206 NHL games with four goals and 36 points. Sometimes those hidden gems are players the Blue and Gold might have wished they had signed, like Brandon Hagel, who in 293 games has 90 goals and 207 points.

Other notable players include William Borgan (fourth round, 2015), Victor Olofsson (seventh round, 2014), and Linus Ullmark (sixth round, 2012). We can agree that each of these players has had a successful career when it comes to their draft position, especially Ullmark.

Whether these are all “steals” is very subjective, but the fact is that mid- or late-round picks can buy time on NHL teams. So who are three players worth considering for Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft, who could fall to the third round or later and who have surefire steal potential?

When I was looking for these potential steals, I was looking for notable attributes that included either size, playmaking potential, experience, or even “jack of all trades” reputation. Some players combine all of these into one, and Jakub Fibigr of the Mississauga Steelheads is one of them.

Currently, Fibigr has 61 games of regular season OHL experience and five more playoff games under his belt, but that doesn’t take into account 50 regular season games last year in Czechia and over 35 international games. And wow, did Fibigr look great in his first North American season, putting up 43 points in those 61 games with seven goals to show for it. Add in four more points in five playoff appearances and Fibigr finished the year with 47 of 66.

Overall, Fibigr has two-way attributes, which could add to his value on Day 2 of the NHL Draft. That said, there could be a chance he hears his name called in the third round. But if he falls to fourth overall, Kevyn Adams would land a great pick if he rolls with Fibigr.