Buffalo Sabers Land Major Surprise at Forward in 3.0 NHL Mock Draft

The 3.0 mock draft for the Buffalo Sabers featured a surprise factor, with a top three prospect falling straight to them in FC Hockey’s mock draft. That said, I was convinced that this player would be long gone by the time the Blue and Gold’s pick came in at No. 11, but as fate would have it, that wasn’t the case.

But the 11th overall pick wasn’t the only place I found value in this mock draft, as it seems like blue-chip talent fell to me in most of the nine selections, only the last two choice of this exercise not having been retained. much more than potential. It made for an exciting draft, and it was a faithful reminder that when draft day comes, anything can happen.

So who did I land at No. 11, and how likely is this simulation to become a reality on draft day? Get ready, because not only will the first pick be pretty shocking – in a mock draft, mind you – but that second rounder could easily end up in the top 32 as well.

Surprised? Hey, sometimes these mock drafts have a mind of their own, but when Ivan Demidov fell to 11th overall, there was no doubt about it. Of course, there are issues regarding the level of competition Demidov faces in the MHL, as well as questions regarding his arrival in North America, but it seems like he would be willing to venture there now if he hadn’t done it. There is still one year left on his contract.

While I have no doubt that Demidov will be a top-three pick, in the strict terms of this mock draft he would be a Saber. So while it would be cool to see that be the case, let’s be realistic and assume otherwise, even if it’s fun to speculate.