With the opening pick of the fourth round, 97th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres select right winger Olivier Nadeau from the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Nadeau is a power forward that is certainly not afraid to use his size and power to make a play in the dirty areas of the ice. The 18-year-old was over a point per-game player in the QMJHL this season with 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points in 34 games for Shawinigan.
While Nadeau is not the fastest of skaters, he protects the puck extremely well, which allows him to play a pace game in the offensive zone. The native of St-Georges, Quebec has good patience for plays to develop, and is capable of making difficult passes to create scoring chances or get a puck on goal with his shot.
Nadeau was ranked as high as the 74th overall prospect by TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie. He was also ranked 76th by FCHockey, 88th by Elite Prospects and 99th by McKeen's Hockey.
The Sabres will next select with the 159th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
