2018 NHL mock draft: Coyotes to snag Rasmus Dahlin?

2. Buffalo Sabres – Brady Tkachuk (C,LW) Boston University

This is where the draft gets interesting. Dahlin is the clear No. One pick but what follows is not clear cut. Brady Tkachuk is a fit for Buffalo who needs speed, size and skill in their forward grouping. Tkachuk comes from a hockey family with his dad being a former player and his brother currently playing for the Calgary Flames.

Brady also had a strong World Juniors tournament this year, earning nine points in seven games. The important stat from that tournament with him is penalty minutes, he was able to limit it to two. Brady has acknowledged he has matured his game a lot while playing in the NCAA, he was knocked by scouts early for being undisciplined.

Team Fit

It is no secret Buffalo needs speed. Phil Housley plays a speed game and the current forwards don’t have enough of it. The Sabres are often also pushed around physically. Brady can slot into the top nine and provide both. A line Sabres fans would love to see next year is Tkachuk – Eichel – Mittelstadt the three of them combining elite speed and playmaking would create a matchup nightmare for other teams.

Mittelstadt and Tkachuk looked very comfortable with each other on the same line during the World Juniors tournament. They very well could be reunited in Buffalo. Even if it isn’t on the top line Tkachuk can make a difference on the third line in more of a player that wears down other teams top line.