Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - The most important part of the NHL Scouting Combine is happening right now here in Buffalo. Teams get a chance to sit down and interview prospects this week, and it really gives them a sense of what a player is all about.
General managers and scouts have told me that what is said in these interviews can sway their draft boards. The actual testing that goes on later in the week means very little when it comes to evaluating these players. Many GMs don't even stay on Saturday to watch it as the strength and conditioning coaches throughout the league are there watching.
What the testing does is give training staffs an idea of what they might have to do with a player once he is drafted.
Kaapo Kakko is likely to go either first or second in the NHL Draft, and he has decided not to attend. It would be astounding if either the New Jersey Devils or New York Rangers didn't take him. Kakko was on the gold medal winning Finland team at the World Championship, but he could still have come. The guy many feel that will go No. 1, Jack Hughes, is here in Buffalo and going through the process.
Unless Jason Botterill has a plan to try to move up to one or two, I doubt he'll waste his time interviewing Hughes.
Players, I'm sure, the Sabres would like to interview include Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, Alex Turcotte and Peyton Krebs.
I'm sure Buffalo would also like to speak with Victor Söderström. NHL.com reports that the Swedish defenseman is recovered from a concussion and will fully participate this week.
They, of course, will talk to many more players, especially since they have two first round picks. Buffalo doesn't have a second round selection as that was traded to Carolina in the Jeff Skinner deal.
