Buffalo Sabres: Who are the fastest-rising AHL prospects for 2022-23?
The Buffalo Sabres have a plethora of AHL prospects raring to find a permanent spot in the NHL when October 2022 rolls around
The Buffalo Sabres are poised to take over the NHL’s Atlantic Division. Laugh all you want, but the Sabres got hot when they were healthy last year and their late-season success is a sign of things to come.
Especially when you consider J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn are most likely joining Peyton Krebs, Casey Fitzgerald, and Mattias Samuelsson at the NHL level full-time. If the Sabres stay healthy, expect them to become a top-ten team in the NHL – they were 12th in points in March and April 2022, so a top-ten expectation isn’t necessarily far-fetched.
Anyway, as all great hockey teams do, they also keep sound prospects on hand. Injuries still occur, and prospects will outplay some of their NHL counterparts. And at the AHL level, they will provide thrilling moments, just as Peterka and Quinn did this season.
Who will be the fastest-rising AHL prospects in the organization next season? Here are three names to watch out for.
Prospect #1: Lukas Rousek
Rousek took a back seat to the likes of Peterka, Quinn, and just about every other forward earlier this season. That has since changed, and his game has been on an upward trend after he spent his first 17 regular season games going scoreless.
Since then, Rousek scored two playoff goals, including a first period goal in the Amerks overtime victory against the Utica Comets. He had a definite learning curve in his path to becoming a serviceable AHL player, but that curve has definitely flattened.
Amerks coach Seth Appert credited Rousek’s creativity and hockey IQ has the primary reasons for his recent improvement when things matter the most. A sixth-round pick in 2019, Rousek was behind the eight-ball to begin his NHL career. That has since subsided, and he has a chance to make a jump statistically at the AHL level next season.
Brandon Biro
Another former longshot to earn their way onto an NHL roster, Brandon Biro has done everything right since arriving in Rochester. He played so well for the Amerks, he even made a cameo appearance with the Buffalo Sabres for a game when injuries struck the team.
Through 48 regular season games in Rochester this season, Biro scored 41 points, logging 12 goals and 29 assists. He has also enjoyed a stellar presence in the playoffs, with three points through five games.
An undrafted free agent out of Penn State, guys like Biro rarely even stick around an AHL roster. But here he is, two seasons in and looking like a legitimate threat to at least encroach the fourth line of the Sabres roster in time, assuming he re-signs with the organization this summer.
Biro has played well enough to warrant a new contract. And when he gets it, expect him to evolve into a team leader at the AHL level next season.
Brett Murray
Murray is another prospect with NHL experience, having appeared in 21 career games with the Buffalo Sabres. His play wasn’t the cleanest, but he managed six points in 19 appearances playing at the NHL level.
He has an outside chance to win a spot on the main roster this October, but with so much competition heading into 2022-23, he has a better chance of remaining in Rochester. At least to start off the season.
Murray recorded 32 points and 15 goals in 52 games in 2021-22. And combined with his 19 games with the Sabres, he had 38 points and 17 goals overall, within 71 contests.
Murray has shown durability this year, and if he can cut down on the penalty minutes (58 in the NHL and AHL combined), look for him to become a dynamic puzzle piece on the Amerks top scoring line.
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Like Biro, Murray will need to re-sign. But given his ability to float between the NHL and AHL, he makes for a versatile player with sound productivity.
(Statistics provided by Hockey DB)