The Buffalo Sabres added another blue-line prospect in the 2025 Draft, and Noah Laberge is now set for a different kind of development path.
Buffalo took the 6’1”, 187 lb. defenseman from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL in the fifth round after already using three picks on defensemen in the class, including first-rounder Radim Mrtka and third-rounder David Bedkowski. Laberge, who was 19, boosted his offense in his draft year by tripling his goal total from four to 12 and finishing with 35 points for Acadie-Bathurst, which relocated to St. John's, Newfoundland last season.
He took another step in his third and final QMJHL season, posting a career-best 56 points with seven goals and 49 assists. He also added 13 points in 12 playoff games.
Elite Prospects describes Laberge as “an intelligent and mobile blueliner who specializes in suppressing opposing rushes. He plays a patient defensive game based mostly on his stick work.
He funnels puck carriers to the outside, anticipates their movement and matches them, and cuts passes as they’re fired, limiting the opposition’s ability to orchestrate chances. When he regains possession, he immediately looks to the inside for an outlet, connecting with teammates as they rush up the ice, before following their movement.”
Normally, Buffalo would be facing a deadline decision on whether to sign a CHL-drafted player, but the NCAA option has changed that timeline and given NHL teams more runway. Laberge is headed to Northeastern University this fall.
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