Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#21: Buffalo Sabres

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 36

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 1

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 1

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 108th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Konsta Helenius (9th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Adam Kleber (49th)

System Score: 3

The Buffalo Sabres' prospect system can be a complicated tangle to unwind. On one hand, the prospects in the group take a step up in the rankings in quality and quantity. On the other hand, the Sabres as an NHL team have leaned heavily on their recent draft picks and, as such, most of the true top talent has already graduated from the prospect ranks. Last year's first-round select, Zachary Benson, played nearly the entirety of the 2023-2024 season. Buffalo's first-overall selection in 2021--Owen Power--has played in 163 NHL games and is one of the best young defensemen in the game. The 2020 draft saw the Sabres bring in Jack Quinn at eighth overall (104 games, 24 goals, 34 assists) and JJ Peterka at 34th overall (161 games, 40 goals, 42 assists). Dylan Cousins (2019 draft pick, 280 games) and another first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin (2018 draft, 436 games, 66 goals, 226 assists, NHL All-Rookie team and 3-time All Star) round out an admirable list of draft pick contributors over recent years. 

So the main question when looking at the Sabres' prospects becomes one of reviewing who is left in the pool. Despite the unqualified success of Buffalo's draft picks, the prospect pool still has some top-notch pieces that should be soon helping their draft mates on NHL ice.

The Top of The Pool:

The Sabres top forward prospect is a player they selected 14th overall in last summer's draft, Finnish center Konsta Helenius (9th overall in Hockey Prophets' top forward prospects rankings). Helenius is a fluid and effortless skater with and without the puck. His speed and agility while controlling the puck gives him a clear advantage in most situations. If he gets outnumbered and pressured, he can avoid getting locked into board battles with a fake step and change of direction. His eyes are always scanning the ice for opportunities, and his passing vision and quick hands gives him the tools he needs to generate chances all over the offensive zone. Helenius tends to play along the perimeter, however, where he can use his maneuverability to move defenders out of position. His possession skills rely on shifty skittering around the edges of play, so his best attributes tend to get diminished in the high danger areas of the ice when play gets more crowded. He can still be effective in the slot because he has a quick-release shot, but he does not look nearly as comfortable in the greasy areas. 

Adam Kleber is the top defender in the Buffalo pipeline (ranked 49th). Kleber was drafted 42nd overall from the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, for whom he scored 5 goals and 21 assists in 56 games. Kleber is a huge blueliner at 6'6, 214 pounds, but he plays with some good lateral mobility and sound positioning in his end. He will need time to develop his overall game, but he should get plenty of polishing and ice time at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. 

Swedish center Noah Ostlund (ranked 86th) plays with speed and creativity on every shift. The 16th-overall pick from the 2022 draft played for Vaxjo in the top Swedish men's league last year, scoring 12 goals and 11 assists in 38 games. He was also an alternate captain for Sweden's World Junior Championship squad, and he led the team in tournament scoring with 10 points in 7 games. Ostlund is the kind of player that always gets involved in the play when he is on the ice, and often drives offensive attacks. Although he is likely a year away from making an NHL impact, he could see some ice time in Buffalo this season.

Jiri Kulich has dropped down the Hockey Prophets' forward rankings due mostly to the influx of newly drafted players taking spots above him. However, Kulich should be considered a quality NHL prospect. He plays from his feet up, using quickness and agility in combination with highly attuned spatial awareness to evade pressure and find open space. He has a high scoring drive, and is the type of player who wants to constantly attack the net. 

Another quality defender in the Buffalo pipeline is Maxim Strbak, a Slovakian stay-at-home blueliner with good size at 6'2, 190 pounds, a calm and methodical style, and an eagerness to use physical strength to take away attacking lanes from opposing forwards. He has limited offensive upside, but he will guard his zone, kill penalties, and make life difficult for all those who face him. 

Return to the Team System Rankings

Below is the full list of the Buffalo Sabres' ranked prospects.

Top Forwards 

Top Defensemen