2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Buffalo Sabres

Let’s cut to the chase: the Buffalo Sabres have one of the best prospect pools, period.

Like, geez. Year after year, they find ways to win big on the draft floor. After not making the playoffs since 2011, and not winning a series since 2007 – the longest active drought – you’d hope for that to be the case. But even after snagging Jack Eichel with the second pick in 2015, and Rasmus Dahlin at No. 1 three years later, the fanbase still hasn’t had anything to cheer for in decades. Seriously, Zach Benson – Buffalo’s first pick from the 2023 NHL Draft – had just turned two years old when they last won a series.

The Sabres have a passionate fanbase and deserve better. And that’s finally coming, with the team already boasting a strong core with Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Dahlin, Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch, among others. A solid young team with more key pieces coming in the near future? It’s a good time to be a fan of the blue and gold (and the superior red and black).

I kept Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out of the equation here given his 46 NHL games, including 33 this past season that led all Sabres goaltenders. But even he is still someone worth keeping an eye on. The team has depth up front and in the crease, although the blueline is still a bit of a work in progress. That’ll come, but there are very few teams with a prospect pool like the Sabres right now.

So, breathe. Better days are ahead.

Biggest Strength

Holy moly, what a group of forwards. Even just from this list, Noah Östlund would be a top-two prospect on so many other teams. This makes me think they’ll flip a few to get veteran assets for a long playoff run over the next couple years. If not, they’ll have scoring depth throughout the lineup for years to come. Benson and Matthew Savoie look like top-six stars, while Jiri Kulich had a season to remember in the AHL – and he’s just getting started. That type of flexibility has to get fans excited for better days.

Biggest Weakness

After promoting Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson to full-time roles in recent years, the biggest issue is finding good defensive depth.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Devon Levi (Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)*

Grade: A

1. Zach Benson, LW, 18 (Wenatchee, WHL)

Drafted: No. 13, first round in 2023

The Sabres got a steal, simple as that. From a pure skill perspective, Benson was a top-five prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft, and the numbers support that. But at 5-foot-10 with average skating, Benson was available later than he should have been. He’ll return to the WHL this season with Wenatchee (formerly the Winnipeg Ice) and should have no issue breaking the 100-point barrier. It’ll be interesting to see what route the Sabres take with his development and whether it includes AHL seasoning once he’s eligible. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a case to stay with the Sabres out of camp for a few games.

2. Matthew Savoie, C, 19 (Wenatchee, WHL)

Drafted: No. 9, first round in 2022

Sabres fans better hope they can see Savoie and Benson together in the NHL. Savoie’s game is built on ankle-breaking skill and his explosive skating can be extremely difficult to slow down. His effort never seems to waver, as shown during his electric WHL playoff run that saw him finish second in scoring. I really think Savoie is going to play far above his 5-foot-9 frame because the skill, hockey IQ and speed trump any concerns about physicality. I fully expect Savoie to be one of Canada’s best players at the world juniors in a few months.

*Jiri Kulich (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

3. Jiri Kulich, LW/RW, 19 (Rochester, AHL)

Drafted: No. 28, first round in 2022

Kulich moved over to North America last year instead of playing in the top Czech men’s league, and it was a massive success. He had one of the best U-19 AHL seasons ever with 24 goals and 46 points in the regular season and another 11 in 12 postseason outings. Add in a tremendous showing with Czechia at the world juniors and you’ve got one of the best shooters in the game. Kulich has been on an absolute tear since the 2022 U-18 World Championship and he’s ready to take another step forward in 2023-24. For what it’s worth, I was shocked Kulich fell to Buffalo in 2022.

4. Devon Levi, G, 21 (Buffalo Sabres)

Drafted: No. 212, seventh round in 2020 (by Florida)

Is Levi finally the answer to the team’s long-term goaltending issue? He was excellent down the stretch for the Sabres, going 5-2-0 in an effort to try and keep the team in the playoff hunt. Levi is coming off one the best two-year college runs ever and his 2021 world junior effort with Canada was, statistically, one of the greatest recorded, even if it resulted in silver. So all he’s done is win, but the NHL is a whole other beast. The hype is deserved, but, at six-foot, there’s some concern. Regardless, look for him to be Buffalo’s No. 1 by around Christmas.

5. Noah Östlund, C, 19 (Vaxjo, SHL)

Drafted: No. 16, first round in 2022

Yet another high-profile pick from the 2022 draft, Östlund had a tremendous first year playing against pros in the second-tier Swedish league. Östlund put up 26 points in 37 games while playing an important offensive role with Sweden at the world juniors, albeit to mixed results. The 19-year-old center will play for Vaxjo in 2023-24, but getting a regular shift could prove to be a bit difficult, as typically is the case for U-20 talent in Europe. Still, there’s a solid chance he becomes a second- or third-liner at some point in the NHL.

*Isak Rosen (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

6. Isak Rosén, LW, 20, (Rochester, AHL)

Drafted: No. 14, first round in 2021

Rosén’s season wasn’t as prolific as Kulich’s, but it was still quite notable. He’s a goal-scoring winger that does an excellent job controlling the puck and starting plays. Rosén likes to get crafty with the puck, but he’s also highly dangerous around the crease. There’s the potential for him to be a 20-goal scorer in the NHL, but consistency is still an issue. That’ll improve over time.

7. Anton Wahlberg, C, 18 (Malmo, SHL)

Drafted: No. 39, second round in 2023

Standing tall at 6-foot-3, Wahlberg was a C-rated prospect in the NHL’s initial Central Scouting Rankings. By June, many thought he was a threat to go in the first round. He had an impressive season against men with Malmo to help the team avoid relegation. Wahlberg then closed the year out by helping Sweden win silver as one of the team’s most valuable forward threats. He’s a good skater for a prospect his size and works hard, hits hard and wins a ton of battles along the boards.

*Lukas Rousek (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

8. Lukas Rousek, RW/LW, 24 (Rochester, AHL)

Drafted: No. 160, sixth round in 2019

Rousek missed most of 2021-22 due to injuries, his first year in North America. That meant playing catch-up this previous year, and it worked as well as you’d hope with 56 points in 70 games. Rousek then put up 12 points in 14 postseason games to cap off an impressive season. At 24, there’s hope Rousek could make an impact sooner rather than later. He scored in his first shift in his first game, which is hard to beat. Let’s hope he gets a good shot to make the team out of camp.

9. Ryan Johnson, D, 22 (Rochester, AHL)

Drafted: No. 31, first round in 2019

It’s quite common for a first-rounder to have a shortened NCAA career. That wasn’t the case for Johnson, who went the distance with the University of Minnesota. This past season, Johnson registered 18 points, one below his career-best of 19 the year prior. Johnson is a good skater that plays a similar game to Alec Martinez – simple, with the odd flash of offensive ability. The Sabres have a good blueline, and Johnson could be a decent third-pairing option in a year or two.

10. Viktor Neuchev, LW, 19 (Yekaterinburg, KHL)

Drafted: No. 74, third round in 2022

Neuchev was described by scouts as more of a “project” a year ago. They loved his frame, and his shot was among the best. But the concern was he never really used his 6-foot-2 size to his advantage and as mostly all-offense, all-of-the-time. Against KHL competition, Neuchev took big strides to becoming more defensively responsible and he seems to have gained some speed. As a bottom-six scorer, Neuchev could become something noteworthy.

Other notables: Gavin McCarthy, D (18), Alexander Kisakov, LW (20), Olivier Nadeau, RW (20), Nikita Novikov, D (19), Mats Lindgren, D (19), Jake Richard, RW (19), Scott Ratzlaff, G (18), Topias Leinonen, G (19), Prokhor Poltapov, RW (20)

Previous 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool instalments

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