As June presses on, and the 2024 NHL Entry Draft draws closer, the Sabres will face the decision of which player to choose with their 11th-overall selection. With tons of talent at both ends of the ice, and a prospect pool brimming with talent already, they will have plenty of choices to further deepen their roster for the future. One player that stands out among the forward group is Berkly Catton of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs. With a projection from our writers here at The Hockey Writers to be selected around 12th overall, and other projections and mock drafts showing him to be taken in similar positions, it is fairly realistic to see Buffalo taking him in this spot.
Assessing Catton’s Strengths
Starting right off the bat, it is easiest to see what he does best, and that is shoot the puck. Finishing the 2023-24 season with a stat line of 68 games, 54 goals, 62 assists, and 116 points, Catton is one of this draft class’s best at lighting the lamp. He has some of the best offensive skills, and the only real issue knocking him down is his size. Standing at just under six-feet, the Sabres would be drafting yet another technically undersized forward into their prospect pool, but with what he brings to the table, they would not regret it. He has slick hands, a quick release, and all of his skills come together well to balance his point scoring out to be a split-scoring type player.
Beyond his ability to put the puck in the net, he is one of the smoothest skaters and passers available in this draft . With nearly an assist per game, his ability to see a play develop and get the puck where it needs to be is incredible. On top of that, he has some of the best skating ability which would mesh very well with the rest of the Sabres’ roster. His ability to make space for himself is equal to his ability to skate and make space for his teammates, and combining those abilities with his vision and scoring ability make him one of the most lethal scorers available to pick. As many have assessed about him thus far, his talents fit more in the top 10 (possibly even the top five) of the draft pool, but because of his size, he may fall out of that range and the Sabres could find themselves in another Zach Benson/Matt Savoie situation and get a huge steal.
What Can Catton Work On?
Every prospect has something that they can work on, or they at least have some form of a weakness in their game that may need to be adapted once they make it to the NHL. The obvious thing that comes to mind for Catton is his size and need to adapt his game to account for the more physical nature of the NHL. As the league continues to favor smaller players, I do not see this as much of an issue as some others might, especially considering he is still above 5-foot-10.
As an offensively-minded player, he has a tendency to force plays through, and this is something that is more of a nit pick than anything else. Smart players sometimes hesitate to make plays, and aggressive players try to force plays, so in Catton’s case he is more of the latter. It is more of a minor flaw that can be ironed out over time than a major issue, but I personally would rather see him trying to make plays happen than not doing it at all. Try and fail, and learn the hard way: That’s how defenseman Rasmus Dahlin did it, and he looks great now, so I would not mind seeing Catton learning the same way in Buffalo.
Where Does Catton Fit?
The Sabres already have a plethora of forward prospects cluttering up their system, and he would fall in line with Savoie, Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, and Noah Ostlund for the top forward spots. Specifically on the center depth chart, he would more be competing with Kulich, Savoie, and Ostlund, but if he was moved to the wing during his development process, his competition would be expanded further. With his skill set, and the value he brings as a scoring and two-way threat, he could possibly overtake Kulich and Ostlund on the depth chart right away, and possibly even make one or both of them expendable. As a better faceoff player, and a more offensively gifted prospect comparatively, he may have an edge, but I do not see him overtaking Savoie as the top prospect right away.
He would have a few years of development in him, and the Sabres would have the ability to be patient with him, as they do not need to rush their prospects into the NHL by any means. With how he plays, he would be a likely replacement to Jeff Skinner in the long term, or Alex Tuch if he does not stay with the team after his current contract expires after 2025-26. The Sabres’ top-six forward group is still being worked on, and there is very much still potential a prospect like Catton could make his way into that position if developed the right way.
Projecting His Career in Buffalo
If things go this way and Buffalo does end up selecting Catton with the 11th overall pick, how would his career in Buffalo play out if he ended up developing in a best-case scenario? Seeing him in a top-six role, specifically at center flanked by wingers Jack Quinn and Zach Benson would be an absolute dynamite trio. Benson would serve as the pesky winger who makes space and can do what it needed, Catton would be the faceoff specialist with outstanding scoring and playmaking ability, and Quinn would be the pure goal scorer who would capitalize on every chance given to him. At maximum capacity, Catton would be the centerpiece of a similar version of the Boston Bruins’ former Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand-David Pastrnak line.
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Yes, that is a very lofty assessment of where he could bring the line, but considering the skills he has individually, and what he can do to elevate his teammates, it is fairly realistic to see him having a big impact as a first -or second-line center in the NHL. A point per game pace in the NHL is definitely not out of the question for someone like him, and putting him with teammates who complement his play style will only enhance those skills further. On top of that, with the Sabres’ development coaches like Seth Appert now being on their NHL coaching staff, Catton would get every opportunity he needs to grow at the right pace if selected. Should Buffalo be lucky enough to see him drop all the way to 11, they should not hesitate to take him.
