11. Buffalo Sabres
Kimelman -- Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary (WHL): Yakemchuk led WHL defensemen with 30 goals this season and his poise with the puck and skating allow him to find holes to create plays in the offensive zone. And at 6-3, 202 pounds, the 18-year-old right-handed shot has NHL-ready size. The Sabres have done well finding young forward prospects that could be future building blocks; adding Yakemchuk would give them a big one on the back end who eventually could play alongside an already solid defense corps of
Owen Power,
Rasmus Dahlin and
Bowen Byram.
Morreale -- Berkly Catton C, Spokane (WHL): Catton (5-10, 175) plays a hard-driving game, is relentless in puck pursuit and has a compete level too good to ignore. Catton was fourth in the WHL with 116 points (54 goals, 62 assists) in 68 games; he's the third NHL draft-eligible WHL player since 2000 with at least 115 points in a season, joining Bedard (143 points in 2022-23) and Nic Petan (120 in 2012-13). Catton also won 53.4 percent of his face-offs, led the WHL with seven short-handed goals and was third for Spokane with 30 power-play points (13 goals, 17 assists).