Sabres' 5th-round pick in Newfoundland earns huge praise toward NHL future

It's hard to hit on late-round draft picks in the NHL.

There's a chance the Buffalo Sabres found a good one with Noah Laberge, though.

Laberge is a left-shot defenseman who is currently playing in the CHL for the Newfoundland Regiment. The Sabres took him No. 135 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.

And this season on the ice, Laberge has caught the attention of Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis. Ellis, who analyzes prospects throughout the hockey ranks, listed Laberge first on his list of already-drafted late-rounders who have caught his attention this season in the CHL.

"Laberge is one tough customer," Ellis writes. "The offensive defender recently broke past the 50-point mark for the first time in his three-year junior career while looking much more engaged with and without the puck than we saw in the past. Laberge is a well-rounded blueliner who isn’t spectacular in any specific category but has often proven himself capable of being one of the best players on the ice during any given shift."

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Laberge may have a ways to go to reach the NHL. But as things stand, he has made the right strides.

"He sometimes gets caught trying to hit guys when he should focus on just taking up space, but some pro coaching work will help fix that," Ellis writes. "I’ve considered myself a Laberge fan for about two years now, and I’m happy he played as well as he did this season."

It's also likely been fun for Laberge to watch from afar as his parent organization, the Sabres, have put together an immense turnaround to be on the verge of ending a 14-season playoff drought.

Things are going well in Buffalo for the Sabres. Things are going well in Newfoundland for Laberge. Maybe eventually, the Sabres will get Laberge on their own ice.

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