Grading The Sabres’ 2026 Draft Picks

Morozov is the kind of center who can eventually be plugged perfectly into any team’s middle six and be successful once he adapts his game to the NHL level. He is strong on the puck, smart with the plays he makes, and is willing to grind things out to win puck battles. He is a stellar fit for the Sabres, and he addresses their lack of center depth in prospects.

Round 4 – 124th Overall – Olivers Murnieks, Center: Grade – C+

The Sabres are never shy with their desire to take players with a bit of an edge. Olivers Murnieks is that kind of player in spades. The center has the tendencies of a grinder/power forward, but doesn’t put up huge numbers. He is a player that will pressure every puck, drive the net, fight battles along the walls, and just be a forechecking menace. He has some work to do on the skating end of things, but as a whole, his value is in his determination and work ethic. Everything that is an issue in his game can be worked on with good coaching. The Sabres made a solid pick here.

Round 5 – 156th Overall – Doman Szongoth, Center: Grade – C

The Sabres picked up yet another center with hopes to continue developing their depth in in Doman Szongoth. They also continued along the path of selecting young players who have two-way abilities; Szongoth is a player who is good in the defensive zone but can struggle to transition to the offensive side at times. His issue is his skating ability more than anything, as he does not move or adjust as fast as most other players can. Realistically, he has a bright future ahead of him as a bottom-six forward, but if he can improve his speed and offensive capabilities, he could very well exceed that expectation.

Round 6 – 188th Overall – Dylan Dumont – Right Wing: Grade – B

Dylan Dumont, a power-forward type player who has some goal scoring ability thanks to his shooting and net front presence, is the perfect “work-in-progress” pick. It isn’t often that a late round pick shows enough upside to have a great chance at NHL success, but Dumont has the right tools. He just needs some refining and skills development. Could he be a top-six NHL forward? Not necessarily, but he has all the makings of an ideal third-line scoring forward who can be a pest, and those are always great assets.

Overall Grade For 2026 Draft Class – B

The Sabres took a good look at their prospect pool, along with their full-time roster, realized where they were thin, and they addressed it. Picking up a high-end right-handed defender was a top priority, especially after the loss of Bowen Byram. Having options in their prospect pool to dip into within a year or two was also paramount.

On top of that, they picked up a few centers they can be patient with and work on while the current roster continues to compete. This will let them all develop into what the roster needs when their time comes for a potential call up. Overall, the Sabres did well with their 2026 picks, but it will not likely go down as a “top” draft class in franchise history. As a whole, I would give them a B for this draft.