Sabres hold 11 picks heading into tonight's 2021 NHL Draft

The Buffalo Sabres are on the clock. General manager Kevyn Adams is set to make the first pick of the 2021 NHL Draft tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
Thursday morning, Adams, associate general manger Jason Karmanos and director of amateur scouting Jerry Forton met with the media to discuss the current state of the Sabres and what they could do with their 10 selections.
Buffalo currently holds six picks in the Top 100, including the first-overall pick and two picks in the second round (33rd and 52nd overall).
UPDATE (2:15 p.m.) - Buffalo has acquired a first-round pick (14th overall) in 2021, a second-round pick in 2023, and defensemen Robert Hagg in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Buffalo now holds 11 picks in the 2021 NHL Draft, including seven in the Top 100.

University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is NHL Central Scouting's top-ranked North American skater. Swedish forward William Eklund is the top-ranked European skater. Center Mason McTavish, who spent the 2020-21 season in Switzerland, is Central Scouting's top-ranked North American forward while Simon Edvinsson is their top-rated European defensemen.
Click here for Central Scouting's full draft rankings.

Adams wouldn't tip his hand on who Buffalo will take first.
"We're excited about the player we're going to get at No. 1," Adams said. "So, that's all I'll give you."
A few notable draft experts chatted about some of their favorite prospects with Brian Duff and Martin Biron in our 2021 NHL Draft Preview Show.
NHL.com's Mike Morreale on the draft's top defensemen:

Hockey Sense's Chris Peters on the draft's top forwards:

The Athletic's Corey Pronman on a handful of great players who could be available in Round 2:

Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino on some of his deeper sleepers:

For the Sabres, they'll be looking to take more than the best players available now; they're hoping to select the players who project to become the best NHLers possible over the next few years.
"This isn't about who comes out of the gate and Day 1 is the best player," Adams said. "This is about where they go in their career. Development is never a straight line. You want to put these players in a position to continue to get better, continue to grow, continue to be ready when they step into the NHL.
"This is a tough league. So, I think one mistake we don't want to make is putting someone in a position that they're just treading water. We want them to be ready to play."
After Buffalo's first pick is made, join Duffer and Marty live on the team's official social media channels for their instant reaction.
Stay tuned this weekend to Sabres.com and social media for draft coverage presented by Seneca Resorts and Casinos.