Draft Day Drama and Hidden Gems

Buffalo Sabres shock with fourth-overall pick Daxon Rudolph, a right-shot offensive defenseman they traded for just days before — scouts rave about his junior numbers and comparisons to top-tier players. New Jersey Devils lean into analytics with twelfth pick Alexander Command, a two-way center built for tough minutes and penalty kill. Ottawa Senators defy rankings by selecting Jonas Lagerberg Hoen at twenty-fifth — a high-scoring threat despite an ACL injury, seen as too much potential to pass up. Montreal Canadiens trade up to grab Russian forward Gleb Pugachyov at twenty-sixth, signaling a continued Russian focus with his size and physicality drawing Tom Wilson comparisons. Philadelphia Flyers take Maksim Sokolovskii at twenty-seventh — not a scorer, but a mobile, tough-as-nails physical presence they trust to develop. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e247bc9749654528