Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres

Team Depth Chart of NHL Prospects
Strengths
  • Depth at defense
  • Multiple prospects are NHL-ready
Weaknesses
  • Goaltending quality
  • Lack of size at center
  • Top-end forwards

About Prospect Scores and Probability

Prospect Criteria

Legend of Players' Leagues
Pro
Playing in N.A. Pro (NHL, AHL, ECHL, etc.)
CHL
Playing in CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL)
NCAA
Playing in NCAA
Europe
Playing in Europe
Junior
Playing in Junior 'A' (USHL, BCHL, AJHL, etc.)
N/A
Not Categorized Yet

Goaltenders

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Matt Hackett Pro 7.5 C
2. Andrey Makarov CHL 7.0 D
3. Connor Knapp Pro 6.5 D
4. Linus Ullmark Europe 6.0 C
5. Nathan Lieuwen Pro 5.5 C

Right Wing

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Joel Armia Europe 7.0 B
2. Corey Tropp Pro 6.5 C
3. Christian Isackson NCAA 6.5 D
4. Jonathan Parker Pro 5.5 D
5. Shawn Szydlowski Pro 5.5 D

Left Wing

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Marcus Foligno Pro 6.5 A
2. Jacob Lagace Pro 6.0 C
3. Riley Boychuk Pro 5.5 D

Centers

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Mikhail Grigorenko CHL 7.5 C
2. Johan Larsson Pro 7.0 B
3. Logan Nelson CHL 7.0 D
4. Daniel Catenacci CHL 7.0 D
5. Zemgus Girgensons Pro 6.5 B
6. Justin Kea CHL 6.5 C
7. Brian Flynn Pro 6.5 C
8. Philip Varone Pro 6.5 D
9. Kevin Sundher Pro 6.5 D
10. Tim Schaller Pro 6.0 C
11. Judd Peterson Junior 6.0 D
12. Brad Navin NCAA 5.5 D
13. Frederick Roy Pro 5.0 C
14. Colin Jacobs CHL 5.0 D

Defensemen

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Jake McCabe NCAA 7.5 C
2. Brayden McNabb Pro 7.5 C
3. Mark Pysyk Pro 7.0 C
4. Chad Ruhwedel Pro 7.0 C
5. Jerome Gauthier-Leduc Pro 6.5 C
6. Nick Crawford Pro 6.5 C
7. Alex Biega Pro 6.0 C
8. Mark Adams NCAA 6.0 D
9. Matt MacKenzie Pro 6.0 D
10. Drew Schiestel Pro 5.5 C
11. Brady Austin CHL 5.5 C
12. Corey Fienhage Pro 5.0 D

Several Buffalo Sabres prospects experienced extended post-seasons in 2012-13

by Jason Chen
on

Alex Lepkowski - Buffalo Sabres

Photo: Defenseman Alex Lepkowski had a strong playoff run with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. The 20-year-old was a defensive mainstay for the Colts, who finished one win away from a berth in the 2013 Memorial Cup. (courtesy of Terry Wilson/OHL images)

After finishing last in the Northeast Division for the first time since 2004 and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Buffalo Sabres are hitting the reset button. The first move was saying goodbye to head coach Lindy Ruff after 1,165 games behind the bench, then shipping captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild for two prospects and two picks.

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Defense prominently featured in Buffalo Sabres HF Prospect Awards

by Jason Chen
on

Brian Flynn - Buffalo Sabres

Photo: Brian Flynn has been one of the few pleasant surprises for the Buffalo Sabres this season. An undrafted free agent, Flynn managed six goals and five assists in 26 NHL games this season. (courtesy of Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)

It is an ongoing process for the Buffalo Sabres as they patiently wait for their prospects to develop. Most of their young players are already playing for the Sabres or their AHL affiliate in Rochester, and the ones still in college have improved by leaps and bounds. Below are the winners of the Buffalo Sabres Prospect Awards.

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Team Rankings: Talented, well-balanced prospect pool gives Florida Panthers top spot

by HF Staff
on

Jonathan Huberdeau - Florida Panthers

Photo: Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau finished the 2012-13 season tied for the lead among NHL rookies with 31 points (courtesy of Rich Kane/Icon SMI)

Hockey's Future presents the top grouping of the Spring NHL Team Rankings, the staff's ranking of each NHL team's system based on the strength of the entire prospect pool. For reference, just the top five prospects are listed. To be eligible, a prospect must meet HF's prospect criteria. The ranking is done twice a year, with this edition being an update to the Fall ranking.

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2013 Frozen Four: Ruhwedel’s long hockey path leads to Lowell, then Buffalo

by DJ Powers
on

Chad Ruhwedel - UMass-Lowell

Photo: Chad Ruhwedel, who led the UMass-Lowell defense in scoring during the 2012-13 season, signed a pro contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel didn’t take a short path to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. In fact, the junior rearguard’s path was a rather winding one since he first started to play hockey in his hometown of San Diego, CA.

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Buffalo Sabres represented by small but talented group of NCAA and European prospects

by Jason Chen
on

Jake McCabe - Buffalo Sabres

Photo: Defenseman Jake McCabe had a breakout sophomore season with the Wisconsin Badgers. McCabe was drafted 44th overall in 2012. (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

The Buffalo Sabres tend to draft players out of the CHL, and as a result have fewer high-end prospects in Europe and the collegiate levels. Even when the Sabres elected to drafted European-born players with their first round picks, as they did twice in 2012 by taking Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons, both players were playing in North American leagues at the time.

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Top Prospects

  1. Mikhail Grigorenko
  2. Brayden McNabb
  3. Jake McCabe
  4. Joel Armia
  5. Mark Pysyk
  6. Marcus Foligno
  7. Zemgus Girgensons
  8. Daniel Catenacci
  9. Jerome Gauthier-Leduc
  1. Corey Tropp
  2. Nick Crawford
  3. Andrey Makarov
  4. Brian Flynn
  5. Logan Nelson
  6. Justin Kea
  7. Christian Isackson
  8. Philip Varone
  9. Kevin Sundher
  10. Connor Knapp

Notable Prospects

  1. Mark Adams
  2. Brady Austin
  3. Alex Biega
  4. Riley Boychuk
  5. Corey Fienhage
  6. Matt Hackett
  7. Colin Jacobs
  8. Jacob Lagace
  9. Johan Larsson
  10. Nathan Lieuwen
  1. Matt MacKenzie
  2. Brad Navin
  3. Jonathan Parker
  4. Judd Peterson
  5. Frederick Roy
  6. Chad Ruhwedel
  7. Tim Schaller
  8. Drew Schiestel
  9. Shawn Szydlowski
  10. Linus Ullmark
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