3 hottest Buffalo Sabres AHL prospects to watch in 2022
The Buffalo Sabres are struggling to gain momentum in what has become yet another long season.
While the Buffalo Sabres have struggled on the ice in every facet, they also have plenty of enticing AHL prospects vying to enter the NHL ranks. Their affiliate, the Rochester Americans, are giving Sabre fans plenty of hope as they remain in contention for a North Division title.
Almost halfway through the season, the Americans sit in second place in the North at 21-12-2, with some of hockey’s fastest-rising names leading the charge. There are numerous prospects to get excited over, and they will lead fans to believe the franchise’s record-playoff drought will soon be in the rearview mirror.
Fans who follow the Amerks may already be familiar with a few of the names on this list. While you can add a few players to the list of following prospects, here are the three most enticing Rochester Americans of the bunch who have stood out throughout the 2021-22 AHL Season.
JJ Peterka
The 34th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Peterka has put on a clinic during his first full season in the AHL. He has also seen playing time with the Sabres in two games this season, giving him some NHL experience and a taste of big-time hockey. He didn’t record a point in those games, though his limited NHL experience would serve him well when he returned to Rochester.
He currently sits third on the team in points with 30, behind only the well-traveled Michael Mersch and former first-round pick, Jack Quinn, the latter of whom is currently on assignment with the Sabres. Peterka has more than impressed the Sabres during the first half of the AHL season and is gearing for an encore performance as the season nears its midpoint.
Peterka is leading the team in assists with 22, ranking second in the league among rookie skaters and ninth overall. His game only improved following his short stint in the NHL, and 10 points in the six games since returning to Rochester shows that the AHL game is slowing down. Look for Peterka to take a more prominent role with the Sabres as early as 2022-23.
Brandon Biro
Biro’s path has not been an easy one. The Penn State product signed with the Sabres as an undrafted free agent in March 2020 and he appeared in just 15 games with the Americans during the 2020-21 AHL Season before suffering a lower-body injury against Cleveland that kept him out the rest of the way.
He had five points and two goals in those 15 games, and it was a sign of things to come in 2021-22. Biro is now fourth on the team with 25 points in 30 games, and has served just eight penalty minutes. Overall, he may be a late bloomer, but he has shown offensive prowess during the first half of the season and will only improve.
The Sabres are also weak at left-wing, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he received a call-up sooner than later. But given Biro’s limited experience at the AHL level with just 45 games, odds are he won’t see extensive playing time at the next level until next season. He did receive a “taxi” squad designation back in December, so he’s catching the Sabres’ eye.
Oskari Laaksonen
Laaksonen is part of a budding young group of Buffalo Sabres defensemen that are either rising or have risen through the rankings. Rasmus Dahlin has already proven his worth in the NHL, and Laaksonen may not be far behind as he continues to impress with the Americans.
The Finnish product drafted 89th overall in 2017 is fifth on Rochester with 23 points and second with 20 assists in 32 appearances, having already improved his numbers from the previous season. A two-way defenseman, Laaksonen’s puck control and quick decision-making defines his game. And when he ultimately receives a call-up, he will force opponents to account for his savvy offensive skills.
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In December 2021, the Sabres assigned him, Biro, and Ryan MacInnis to the “taxi squad” when COVID and injuries hit the team’s roster hard. It’s only a matter of time before Laaksonen becomes a familiar name among fans at the KeyBank Center. And if injuries and COVID-19 continue to affect the Sabres, Laaksonen may burst onto the scene sooner than later.