Buffalo Sabres: 2016-2017 Prospect Predictions

My predictions for the Buffalo Sabres prospects for this upcoming season and the current off-season.

Part two of my prediction series will be focused on our prospects and how will they will or won’t fare this upcoming season. There is quite a bit of talent in our prospects pool, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rochester Americans benefited from this by jumping up in the AHL standings. Please keep an open mind with these predictions and if there a prospect that I missed that you would have liked for me to touch on, let me know in the comments section.

Side note – we are toying with the idea of hosting a Sabres podcast. If this is something you would be interested in please let us know in the comments section. I will reiterate this statement again at the end of this article, thanks.

————— Prospect Predictions —————

More from Sabre Noise

[1] Alexander Nylander makes the Buffalo Sabres based on having a fantastic training camp and Jimmy Vesey not signing with the team. After a relatively successful 9 game stint, Nylander is sent back to the OHL to bulk up and not burn a year of his entry level contract.

[2] Rasmus Asplund stays in Sweden for another year. He is given increased ice time this season and improves dramatically in all statistical categories.

[3] Justin Bailey also has a very strong training camp and ends up taking an opening day position in the bottom six. He is used interchangeably between the 3rd and 4th line throughout the season. This causes Nicholas Deslauriers to be our 13th forward and sit in the press box.

[4] Hudson Fasching is assigned to the AHL to play top six minutes. He has a season similar to Nicholas Baptiste’s from this past year with a mixture of ups and downs. On a positive note he does end up putting together a streak of solid play towards the end of the season, suggesting potential for the following year.

[5] Brendan Guhle impresses once again with a solid training camp, however with the lineup being fairly set for LHD he is sent back to junior to further his development. Guhle has a strong season in the WHL creating expectations of making the Buffalo Sabres the following year.

[6] Anthony Florentino takes the next step as a solid two-way defensemen, he ends up finishing the season on the top defensive pairing for Providence College.

[7] Casey Fitzgerald has an exceptional 2016-2017 campaign which results in a top ten finish in scoring for a defensemen in Hockey East.

[8] Linus Ullmark stumbles when starting as the number one goalie in Rochester. Jason Kasdorf ends up taking the starting position from Ullmark and is able to put together a strong first year campaign with the Rochester Americans.

[9] Cal Petersen has yet another outstanding campaign in Notre Dame, by the end of the season he is viewed by many as the goalie of the future for the Buffalo Sabres.

[10] Brycen Martin takes the first 10-20 games to adjust to pro level hockey in the AHL. After the initial period of adjustment Martin comes into his own and leads the team in average time on ice in the latter half of the season, arguably as the teams best defender.

[11] Nicholas Baptiste puts together an impressive second year AHL campaign scoring 25+ goals and earning a couple of call-ups along the way.

[12] Due to an injury in the bottom six Evan Rodrigues is called up and ends up thriving as the third line center for the Buffalo Sabres. He finishes the season with 30+ points and develops stellar chemistry with Justin Bailey.

————— End predictions —————

Hopefully the majority of these predictions seem realistic, and if you can’t already tell I am very optimistic about the future of our prospects.

I want to reiterate my earlier statement that there is some consideration around hosting a Buffalo Sabres focused podcast, please let me know your thoughts on this as well as any suggestions you may have.

Next: Is Evander Kane's Fate In Jimmy Vesey's Hands?

My next post on predictions will focus on the Buffalo Sabres regulars. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, I look forward to seeing your comments and feedback!

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