2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Buffalo Sabres’ Top 10
Welcome back.
It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.
Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season, or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.
Today, we’re breaking down the Buffalo Sabres.
What a difference a year makes.
The Sabres finally ended their brutal playoff drought. They’re a true contender for the first time in about 20 years. They also moved on from a handful of prospects, including Devon Levi, Anton Wahlberg and Isak Rosen, to bring in immediate help.
And, yet, the pipeline is still quite fascinating. Konsta Helenius got his first taste of NHL action this year and impressed enough that he’ll likely be a key part of the core group moving forward. The Sabres also moved up at the NHL Draft, trading Bowen Byram to bring in the pick that landed them Daxon Rudolph at No. 4.
Buffalo sports fans have been through a lot. The Bandits have been quite successful in the lacrosse world. But anyone who has followed the hockey team closely knows how painful the past 20-plus years have been. There’s finally some optimism that this group has what it takes to continue pushing forward. And while there were some key departures this summer, the pipeline still remains quite solid for a team that appears to be in full contention mode now. They might lack a true game-changing star, but it probably won’t matter, as some of the higher-end prospects in the system should be able to contribute sooner rather than later.
Biggest Strength
Buffalo has a bit of everything on the back end. A puck-moving, offensive play-driver? Rudolph. Mobility + size? Radim Mrtka. Toughness? Adam Kleber and David Bedkowski. There’s a legit chance the Sabres will have a backlog of potential third-pairing defenders down the line (Maxim Strbák and Luke Osburn will definitely contribute there), but it’s hard to ignore the legit NHL potential some of these blueliners have. That’s never a bad thing in trade discussions, either. For now, Rudolph and Mrtka feel like legit top-four options, which is excellent to hear after selecting them in back-to-back drafts.
Biggest Weakness
With Levi now out of the picture, the Sabres don’t have a young goalie in waiting with a real shot at the NHL. Scott Ratzlaff and Topias Leinonen have some promise, but both look like long shots. Samuel Meloche and Yevgeni Prokhorov are nowhere near ready, either. Ryerson Leenders wasn’t signed and was left undrafted this past June, further shrinking their pipeline. Buffalo already has a three-headed monster set up with the big club, so they might not need anyone in waiting anytime soon. But that’s something Buffalo will want to address in the long run.
Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Jarmo Kekäläinen
Assistant Dir. Amateur Scouting: Jason Nightingale
Dir. of Player Development: Tim Kennedy
AHL Affiliate: Rochester Americans
ECHL Affiliate: N/A
Recent Graduates: Noah Östlund, LW
Top 10 Prospects
1. Konsta Helenius, C, 20 (Buffalo Sabres)
Acquired: Drafted 14th overall, first round in 2024
I was a big fan during his draft year, and I still am today. Helenius appeared in nine regular-season games with the Sabres last year, scoring a goal and four points. He returned to the team in the postseason, scoring twice in four games and giving the team much-needed energy. Helenius was excellent throughout the AHL season, and he has nothing left to prove in Rochester. It looks like Helenius is set for third-line center duties this year in Buffalo, where he’ll use his physical strength and hockey IQ to create openings for him and his teammates. Plus, he has to be riding a monumental high after helping Finland win the World Championship (he was outstanding, by the way). I’m happy the Sabres didn’t trade him away after all the rumors suggesting it was a possibility.
2. Daxon Rudolph, RHD, 18 (University of Denver, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted fourth overall, first round in 2026
Rudolph was maybe a surprise pick at No. 4, but scouts love how dominant he is with the puck. His hockey sense is so impressive. Rudolph doesn’t try to do more than he’s capable of, and he doesn’t force plays for the sake of making them. Instead, he plays to his strengths, which are quite a few. He has a booming shot, makes great breakout passes and can knock guys down. Rudolph finished the WHL playoffs with some fantastic numbers, although scouts are still a bit worried that he’s too passive in his own zone. I think we’re likely talking about a guy who can quarterback the power play, and he’s the best puck-mover the Sabres have in the system.
3. Radim Mrtka, RHD, 19 (Rochester Americans, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted ninth overall, first round in 2025
Mrtka had an interesting season. A strong preseason resulted in the big Czech defender starting the year in Rochester. He was sent back to the WHL after eight games, where he put up one goal and 34 points in 43 games. He also joined Czechia at the World Juniors but failed to register a point and was generally quiet after recovering from an injury. Still, there’s a lot to love about the mobile, 6-foot-6 blueliner. While Mrtka is strong physically, he uses his size more to win battles and fend off attackers than to knock someone over. Mrtka didn’t score much this past season, but he does a good job of rushing the puck into the offensive zone. I like him as a top-four blueliner.
4. Ilia Morozov, C/LW (Miami University, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 20th overall, first round in 2026)
Despite being the youngest player in college hockey, Morozov played with a maturity that made him very valuable to Miami this season. Standing tall at 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, he is an imposing pivot who commands the center of the ice. He managed to post highly respectable numbers while operating on a roster lacking high-end offensive firepower. He frequently threads confident passes through heavy traffic. Morozov’s mature off-puck habits and projectable power-center profile make him a compelling prospect, especially for a Sabres team that doesn’t have many centers at its disposal.
5. Brodie Ziemer, RW, 20 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 71st overall, third round in 2024
Ziemer is one of my favorite prospects in hockey. No matter the opponent or level, Ziemer has proven he’s capable of big moments. He was a standout with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, and just had a point-per-game sophomore campaign with the University of Minnesota. We know teammates love him – he’s been a captain at multiple international events. Ziemer is a heart-and-soul winger who puts everything on the line every shift, and he has an excellent shot. I like him as a potential bottom-six forward who teams can rely on on the penalty kill and who can also climb up the lineup in a scoring role.
6. Adam Kleber, RHD, 20 (University of Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 42nd overall, second round in 2024
Kleber showed some offensive promise in the second half of his 2024 draft year but not much since. And that’s fine – Kleber has always been better in his own zone anyway. Kleber is at his best when he keeps things simple, often forcing opponents to the perimeter while shutting them down with his long reach. He can hit hard and does a nice job of taking space away with solid mobility. Without advanced puck-moving elements, I think Kleber maxes out as a third-pair defenseman, but he’s strong enough in the D-zone to be a fair bet to make it, at least.
7. Maxim Strbák, RHD, 21 (Rochester Americans)
Acquired: Drafted 45th overall, second round in 2023
I’ve had a soft spot for Strbák’s game since watching him for the first time at the 2022 World Juniors. The 21-year-old never really broke out offensively at Michigan State, but he was a strong support weapon throughout his three years there. He’s a decent puckmover who skates well and hits hard, and he doesn’t get too frazzled under pressure. Strbák looked solid in his two-game stint with Rochester – we’ll see if he can really come alive in his first year of pro hockey.
8. Luke Osburn, LHD, 19 (University of Wisconsin, NCAA)
Osburn has been one of the most impressive freshmen defenders in college this year. He had a productive Draft +1 season with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms last year and followed that up by registering 12 points in 31 games with Wisconsin. He played 23 minutes a night and recently scored a huge goal to help Wisconsin eliminate Michigan State in the regionals. It was a huge moment for a defender who had found himself on a bit of a cold streak (offensively) for close to two months. Osburn is smart, moves the puck well and is reliable in his own zone. It already feels like the Sabres got a steal with him in the fourth round two years ago.
9. David Bedkowski, RHD, 19 (Rochester Americans, AHL)
Acquired: Drafted 134th overall, fifth round in 2022
Bedkowski had quite the junior hockey journey. He bounced around to three teams but had a deep playoff run with the Oshawa Generals as a sophomore in 2024 before making his mark as one of the most feared defenders during the 2025 draft campaign. He’s 6-foot-6 and was one of the best physical defenders in the 2025 draft class, making it his mission to hit anyone in sight. He’s also smart with the puck and is good at reading plays off the rush. But beyond that, he’s just an OK skater with next to no offensive ability in the attacking zone. I think he’ll make it to the NHL as a pure bruiser, at the very least, but it was also nice to see improved puckhandling this past year.
10. Melvin Novotny, LW, 19 (UMass, NCAA)
Acquired: Drafted 195th overall, seventh round in 2025
Novotny could end up becoming one heck of a sneaky good pickup for the Sabres. He moved to North America this past year and put up an impressive 22 goals and 57 points in the regular season before posting nearly a point per game in the playoffs. I always thought he was exceptionally smart, despite never being a top prospect. Novotny is a strong playmaker who creates high-quality chances on the rush, and he works hard, too. I think we’re talking about a fourth-line player at best – but one who I think will continue to improve his stock once he heads to college.
Other Prospects: Tyler Kopff, C (23), Tyson Kozak, LW (23), Olivers Murnieks, C (17), Doman Szongoth, C (18), Matous Kucharcik, C (19), Ashton Schultz, C (19), Ryan Rucinski, C (19), Melvin Novotny, LW (19), Prokhor Poltapov, LW (23), Jake Richard, RW (21), Olivier Nadeau, RW (23), Dylan Dumont, RW (17), Vasily Zelenov, RW (20), Isaac Belliveau, LHD (23), Patrick Geary, LHD (22), Sean Keohane, LHD (21), Norwin Panocha, LHD (21), Gavin McCarthy, RHD (21), Vsevolod Komarov, RHD, 22 (Rochester Americans),Noah Laberge, LHD (19), Scott Ratzlaff, G (21), Topias Leinonen, G (22), Samuel Meloche, G (18), Yevgeni Prokhorov, G (19)
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