Sabres Draft Target: Adam Goljer

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is set to take place in Buffalo, New York, from June 26 – 27 at KeyBank Center. It’s the first time that the draft is being held in Buffalo since the 2016 Draft, when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews first overall.

The Sabres are coming off their best season since 2006-07. They achieved a plethora of things, including winning 50-plus games for the third time in franchise history (2005-06 & 2006-07), winning their first division title since the 2009-10 season, and their first Atlantic Division title since the new division realignment in 2012-13. To add to all of that, they were one goal away from reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2006.

With that, they are slated to select 27th overall in this year’s draft. Even though I do want them to trade the 27th overall pick, there is still a better chance than not that they do end up keeping the pick and making their draft selection.

I’m continuing on with my Sabres draft target series with my previous prospect being center Brooks Rogowski, and now the second player is defenseman Adam Goljer.

Goljer Is a Big, Physical Two-Way Defenseman

Goljer is 6-foot-3, weighs 194 pounds, and is a big, physical defenseman who also excels at moving the puck, making him a very strong two-way defenseman prospect heading into the draft. He’s a right-shot defenseman, which the Sabres desperately need, whether in the form of prospects or NHL-ready players.

He played in Slovakia’s top league and recorded the fifth-most points ever by an under-18 defenseman, tallying 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 43 games. Throughout the season, he consistently showed confidence in moving the puck up ice, demonstrated excellent puck control and skating in transition, and displayed a mature defensive game.

Defensively, he’s smart and calculated, knowing when to attack an opposing puck carrier and when to cover open space or a player without the puck. He uses his long reach effectively and excels at gap control.

Goljer’s full 200-foot game will be valuable to any team, including the Sabres. He’s productive defensively, a force in his own end, and transitions smoothly to offense, where he’s effective with the puck in the opponent’s zone.

His two-way game draws plenty of praise, and rightfully so, but one skill that’s often overlooked is his hockey IQ. He knows exactly where to be and what to do on the ice at all times. His intelligence helps him find teammates through open passing lanes and create scoring chances for everyone around him.

Sabres Could Use a Defenseman Like Goljer

The Sabres have a big need for right-shot defensemen, whether they’re bigger, more physical players or modern, skilled offensive defensemen. Goljer gives you both; he can size up opponents and play physically along the boards and in front of the net, and as mentioned above, he’s exceptional at moving the puck.

The Sabres already have a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman in Rasmus Dahlin, a big, physical presence in Mattias Samuelsson, an offensive defenseman in Bowen Byram, and a strong two-way defenseman in Owen Power.

Goljer could slide right in with that blue line, and you can even add defensive prospect Radim Mrtka to the mix, whom the Sabres drafted at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, ninth overall.

Goljer would give the Sabres another defenseman capable of playing both sides of the puck. Whether he develops right away or takes a few years, I believe he can become an NHL-caliber player. However, the Sabres are in a position where, if they do draft him (and like other potential prospects they’ll select here), they can afford to let him develop, whether in Slovakia or North America, or use him as a trade piece to help round out the roster.

Goljer’s blend of size, mobility, defensive awareness, and high-end hockey IQ makes him one of the more complete right-shot options available in this draft class. His ability to impact the game in all three zones gives him a legitimate path to becoming an NHL-caliber defenseman, and for a Sabres organization starving for right-shot depth, he fits both the present need and the long-term vision.

Whether he develops overseas or transitions to North America sooner, he’s the type of prospect who can grow into a meaningful piece of Buffalo’s blue line or become a valuable asset in shaping the roster moving forward.