Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Quentin Musty was able to came home for the NHL Combine, as the winger is from Buffalo.
The Hamburg native played for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, and has spent the last two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sudbury Wolves.
Many feel like Musty will be the first player from Buffalo to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since Pat Kane was taken by the Chicago Blackhawks first overall in 2007. Musty feels this week in Buffalo has gone well for him.
“It was great. I had a lot of teammates last year that have been to this, so I knew what it was coming in,” Musty said on Saturday. “For it to be in my backyard is nice, and it was a good experience.”
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We’ve heard Syracuse native Alex Tuch talk about being a Sabres fan as a kid, and Musty is no different.
“Being from here and having season tickets growing up, it’s great to be back in this building where I started my hockey career,” he said. “It’s been my dream to play in the NHL, and this is a step towards that.”
Heading into the draft, Musty could be taken anywhere from the middle of the first round or even into the second round.
“You have no idea where you’re going to go,” Musty acknowledges. “You could fall, you could rise, you have no idea.”
The NHL’s Director of Central Scouting, Dan Marr sees Musty as a player that is starting to take steps, but doesn’t realize how good he is or will be.
“He’s one of those players where you’re going to say the best is yet to come,” said Marr on Friday of Musty. “He’s got that talent and ability, and I don’t know that he realizes how good he could be. But I think he’s starting to figure that out.
“This was a year where things started to come together for him. Now hopefully he gets drafted high, and he gets that motivation to where he’s going to become better and better.”
“I think the way I carry myself, I think I’m a pretty humble guy, but I definitely have some confidence inside my game,” Musty said in response to Marr. “I like to be a creative player, so I think I know I can compete at the highest level. I’m pretty confidence in myself.”
Musty scored 26 goals and 52 assists for 78 points in 53 games with the Wolves last season, and really upped his game under new coach Derek McKenzie. The 17-year-old says he learned a lot.
“I just cleaned up my game a bit by rounding it out, and being more defensive and doing the little things right. Once I did those, it created more chances for me, and I had the puck a lot more. I grew my game that way,” Musty said.
“Derek brought in a lot of experience, and he’s shown me the way of things I need to work on to make it to the next level.”
Having season tickets to Sabres games growing up, there are a lot of memories Musty has watching hockey games in Buffalo.
“I grew up watching a lot of those guys,” he said. “Tyler Myers was here when he was at his best when he won the Calder [Trophy]. It's things like that, or when they were clinching the playoffs, those are the greatest memories. This is a great place to be a fan of and watch games.”
As far as where Musty might go in the 2023 NHL Draft, Marr says Central Scouting has him in consideration to go in the first round.
“He’s got the physical package, he’s got the speed, he’s got the hands, and the smarts and scoring ability. He’s got potential to be a power forward,” Marr said.
Now with the NHL Combine over, teams and players will turn their attention to the 2023 NHL Draft on June 28-29 in Nashville.
After that, NHL Free Agency starts on July 1, which is also the date Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power are allowed to sign contract extensions with the Buffalo Sabres.
Meanwhile, Sabres Development Camp gets started on July 2 at Harborcenter, and is open to the public.
