Sabres go for defense at 21

BUFFALO – Earlier in PHN’s mock draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected Radek Faksa with the 12^th overall pick to help with the forward position. With the 21^st overall pick, which the Sabres received as part of the Paul Gaustad trade. Will most likely look for defensive help this time around.  
Buffalo has mostly wingers and defenseman as their top prospects. The way the draft is falling, however, in a defense heavy draft, the Sabres will have plenty of options to choose from. The way PHN’s is falling could look at some of the following options: Derrick Pouliot, Dalton Thrower, Matthew Finn, Slater Koekkoek, Ville Pokka, and Ludvik Bystrom.
Pouliot is the highest rated player left according to CSS rankings, but that might not be on Buffalo’s board. The issue with Pouliot is he is listed at 5’ 11” while Koekkoek is the tallest at 6’ 2”. If size matters Koekkoek is the pick, but other than with Tyler Myers size hasn’t mattered much.
With that said, look for the Sabres to make the following announcement come draft day.
“With the 21^st overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select, from the Portland Kitchener Rangers, Derrick Pouliot.”
To learn more about Derrick Pouliot click here .
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com