The Buffalo Sabres headed into day 2 of the draft with only 3 picks, 1 in round 5 and 2 in round 7. The Sabres GM Mitchell was considering moving late picks for cash to help in free agency but opted to keep his selections. It's hard to find star players in the late rounds and most of the time these are long shots to even make the NHL. With that in mind, here are the Sabres selections:

 

 

134th Overall Selection:

 

Dominik Kahun C/LW 5'11" 172 lbs - EHC Munchen (DEL)

DEL - 42GP 12A 29A 41P 2PIM +16

 

Kahun played junior hockey for the Sudbury Wolves and put up decent numbers considering who he had to play with during his time there. It put him on teams radar for the draft but he ended up being passed over. He took his game back to Germany where he's developed into a top line player and showed some good poise in the playoffs the last three seasons there. He was recently signed to a contract by the Hawks and will battle for a roster spot in camp. Kahun is a great skater, has good hands, and is a playmaking LW. He's also reliable defensively. He needs to continue to get stronger in order to improve his shot. All the players at the top of the teams draft board were gone much earlier than expected and forced the GM to switch gears and start pulling from his Euro, NCAA, and CHL overager list. Ceiling would be a 2nd line playmaking LW but 3rd & 4th line duty is a more realistic expectation.

 

 

198th Overall Selection:

 

Sheldon Rempal LW/RW 5'10" 165 lbs - Clarkson University (NCAA)

NCAA - 39GP 23G 23A 46P 34PIM +19

 

Rempal is a college signee who signed with the Kings in the NHL. He put up good numbers at every level he has played so far and should have an easy adjustment period after turning pro. He's a tremendous skater, has a high hockey IQ, and is a tenacious forechecker. One knock on him is something he has no control over, size. "We wanted to pick Rempal here and Kahun with our last pick, but things can change quickly during the draft." said GM Mitchell. "We're still glad to have these two targets even though one was taken much earlier than expected." Rempal's ceiling is high, he has the skill to play in a top line role but his likeliness to hit that ceiling will depend a lot on the situation he ends up in in LA. Worst case senario we think the Sabres got themselves a top farm player, which isn't nessissarily bad in the 7th round.

 

 

224th Overall Selection:

 

Alexandre Alain C/RW 6'2" 181 lbs - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

OMJHL - 65GP 44G 43A 87P 52PIM +26

 

Overager from the Q, at least he's not small right? In all seriousness, he's not likely to make the NHL. He struggled to put up good numbers with Gatineau but once he was moved to the Armada he found chemistry with linemates and saw himself getting 1st line minutes. He's a good skater for his size and works hard in all zones. He'll need to continue to work on his shot and hone his game. There is no sense talking about a potential ceiling since he's more than likely not going to be put in a position to achieve it, so we'll say at the very least we've drafted a middle six AHL winger.

 

Next up for the Sabres is free agency where the Sabres are hoping to make some noise, but it will be difficult without much money in the bank for bonuses. Also keep an eye out for the annual Fall prospect rankings to see where your new draftees fit into the mix.