Buffalo Sabres Top Prospects #6-10

For the Buffalo Sabres, a host of solid prospects makes the future of the team a potentially bright one. From guys like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart to Justin Bailey, Jake McCabe and more, the Buffalo Sabres have plenty of good prospects, as was seen in the team’s recent development camp.

But who are the top guys? It depends on who you ask, though there are guaranteed to be some names that will show up on everyone’s list, like Eichel and Reinhart.

For our purposes, we’re looking only at players who have appeared in less than 25 NHL games. With that parameter, several otherwise-worthy players like Johan Larsson and Philip Varone are off the list.

10. Sean Malone

The 20-year-old West Seneca native just finished his second season of college hockey at Harvard University, where he put up 18 points (8-10) in 21 games. He didn’t participate in on-ice activities at Buffalo Sabres development camp, possibly due to lingering unknown injuries but has the potential to grow his game in the future – provided he can stay healthy.

9. Jason Kasdorf

Kasdorf was a name that some Buffalo Sabres fans may have forgotten, but after his showing at the team’s development camp… he won’t be soon forgotten anymore. Kasdorf was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets as a piece of the trade that also brought Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian to the 716. He came into Sabres development camp and showed everyone just what he can do, leaving many quite impressed. The 23-year-old just finished his third year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

8. Cal Petersen

Petersen, 20, just finished his freshman year tending the net at Notre Dame. He’s still got a few years to play at the college level, but will eventually make the jump to the AHL and/or NHL and should prove a good contender there. Last season, he went 13-16-3 with a 2.51 GAA and .919 save percentage in his first year of college hockey after spending three seasons with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks.

7. Vaclav Karabacek

Karabacek is coming off his sophomore season in the QMJHL, which he split between Gatineau and Baie-Comeau. He started the season off on a good note, but then was cut from the Czech team after sleeping in and arriving late to a team video meeting. After that, he found himself traded on the junior level and wasn’t quite able to finish the season off on the same strong note. Nonetheless he put up 40 points in 59 regular season games, and another 11 points in 12 playoff games. The 19-year-old will return to the QMJHL for his third season there.

6. Justin Bailey

Bailey, 20, is a second-rounder with potential. The former OHL standout just finished his last year of juniors with the Kitchener Rangers and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and will make the jump to Rochester for the upcoming season. His final year in the O saw him put up 34 goals and 35 assists in 57 games split between the two clubs. His transition to the AHL should help him continue to grow his game en route to eventually playing for his hometown Buffalo Sabres.

Return back to Sabre Noise tomorrow, Thursday, July 23rd for Buffalo Sabres prospects 1-5!

Next: Sabres Year in Review: Zemgus Girgensons

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