The Buffalo Sabres are finally in an enviable position where they have enough positional talent and depth, both at the NHL level and in their farm system, to utilize a simple "best player available" approach throughout the 2026 NHL Draft.
It's a welcome change for the Sabres, who spent much of their recently ended 14-year playoff drought targeting a certain position or high-floor prospects capable of reaching Buffalo quickly. That was even true last year, when key long-term defensive questions led the club to select 6-foot-6 blueliner Radim Mrtka in the first round.
The organization is also hosting this year's draft, which is scheduled to take place June 26 (Round 1) and June 27 (Rounds 2-7), at the KeyBank Center. That always adds a little extra buzz to the team's top choice. Buffalo owns the No. 27 overall pick.
Now the question is what direction the Blue and Gold will go with that selection. Let's analyze some of the top prospects who may be available late in the opening round.
Nikita Klepov (Forward)
Klepov is the best-case scenario for the Sabres. He's the most talented player with at least a chance of still being on the board at No. 27.
The 17-year-old Florida native is coming off a monster season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit. The winger posted 97 points (37 goals and 60 assists) across 67 regular-season appearances before tallying a goal and four helpers in four playoff games.
"Nikita had an opportunity to do something special when he arrived in our league and he attacked it," Saginaw head coach Chris Lazary told WJRT's Lisa Giles. "His preparation for games was as intense as his play, and that's one of the biggest reasons he was able to have such a historic season."
Klepov is a workhorse who'd eventually fit right in alongside the likes of Zach Benson and Josh Doan, who were the Sabres' most consistent players throughout the club's run in the 2026 NHL Playoffs in large part due to their seemingly endless motors.
He's committed to play college hockey at Michigan State in 2026-27. If his freshman season with the Spartans matches the rate of development he showcased in the OHL, it could be a short one-year stay in East Lansing for the high-upside forward.
Ryan Roobroeck (Forward)
Roobroeck is one of the draft class' most interesting cases. The center looked like a future top-10 selection after scoring 87 points (41 goals and 46 assists) in 64 games for the OHL's Niagara IceDogs in 2024-25, but his production dipped (58 points in 49 contests) this season.
It's usually not a promising sign when a player's output drops in his draft year but, at the same time, he still scored well over a point per game. He also made noticeable strides toward becoming a more complete player by upgrading his compete level defensively in 2025-26.
"I'd say the NHL Draft puts a little more weight on your shoulders, but you just try to put it in the back of your mind, focus on where we're at and push myself," Roobroeck told Ryan Pyette of the London Free Press in February.
His size (6'4'', 216 pounds) and offensive track record give him first-line upside, and that makes the Canadian pivot worth taking late in Round 1 for Buffalo despite any lingering risk from his slight step back this season.
It wouldn't be a surprise if the Sabres, or whichever team drafts Roobroeck, convinces him to play college hockey in 2026-27 rather than returning to the OHL. Seeing him against older, stronger competition would help determine how close he is to NHL readiness.
Tommy Bleyl (Defenseman)
Bleyl skyrocketed up draft boards with a standout campaign for the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats. The offensive-minded blueliner compiled an eye-popping 81 points (13 goals and 68 assists) in 63 regular-season games. He added six goals and 22 assists in 21 postseason contests.
The defender, who grew up in Schenectady, New York (about a four-hour drive from Buffalo), doesn't want to get pigeonholed as a one-dimensional player, though.
"Yeah, I would say I'm kind of a two-way defender. Obviously, a lot of people think of me as an offensive defenseman. I can see where they get that," Bleyl told Elite Prospects' Russ Cohen. "I'm always joining the rush and using my feet to get the puck out of the zone. I'm a defenseman, and that's my main priority. So, I always valued being good on the defensive side of the puck. I would say I'm more of a two-way defenseman."
Bleyl may eventually need to add more weight and strength to his 6-foot, 170-pound frame to withstand the rigors of playing defense at the NHL level, but his tool kit can match any defensive prospect in the draft class not currently projected to land inside the top 10.
He'd also add another right-shot defenseman to the Sabres' prospect pool, which may be needed if Buffalo general manager Jarmo Kekalainen opts to use Mrtka as part of a blockbuster trade for a high-scoring top-six forward this summer.
