Buffalo Sabres Draft: Updated prospect rankings after 2022 NHL Draft

With the 2022 NHL Draft in the books, the time has come to update the Buffalo Sabres 2022 prospect rankings. Who rose and who fell?

The Buffalo Sabres definitely picked enough viable prospects during the 2022 NHL Draft that I knew a re-ranking would be in order. And likewise, the rankings you see following the 2022 Draft will not be set in stone, so someone who is unranked can have a phenomenal season somewhere else in the system and skyrocket up these rankings.

Further, high-end prospects like Jack Quinn could continue to struggle following his not so good performance in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs and tumble downward. And still others, like Owen Power and J.J. Peterka probably won’t even see their names on this list come July 2023.

Like the previous rankings, you will not see the likes of Peyton Krebs, Mattias Samuelsson, or Casey Fitzgerald listed since they saw ample time with the Sabres last season. So without further ado, let’s get cracking with some honorable mentions in the prospect pool.

Buffalo Sabres updated prospect rankings: Honorable Mentions

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

I flip-flopped regarding whether I would even add Luukkonen. While UPL has had his moments in the NHL and AHL, he is running out of chances to prove he is something more than an inconsistent and injury-prone talent. The Sabres haven’t given up on him, but you would think it’s just a matter of time before another goaltender surpasses him.

Isak Rosen

Rosen proved in the SHL that he was nowhere near ready for the big time. With just five points in 51 games, he was mainly an afterthought on Leksands IF. He remains rail-thin at 5’10, 165lb, so there is a lot to do before he is ready to step onto the NHL ice. Look for Rosen to earn a spot on the Rochester Americans, where he will finally be able to develop his game.

Aaron Huglen

Huglen didn’t put up the gaudiest numbers at the University of Minnesota in 2021-22. However, he should receive more playing time this season and that may catapult him through the rankings if his statistics improve. Huglen did dominate at the USHL level, so perhaps he will pull off the same feats with the Golden Gophers.

Topias Leinonen

Leinonen was the 41st overall pick this season and he was a good player on a bad team. He struggled when he had a chance to play with JYP in Liiga, but that was to be expected from such a young player. Expect Leinonen to play better hockey this season and he will most likely crack the top ten.

Viktor Neuchev

Neuchev is in one of those interesting situations. He has received no real playing time in the KHL and VHL, evidenced by his handful of games. And he is slated to play in the MHL, a league in which he is showing signs of dominating given his 40 goals in 61 games last season. If Neuchev‘s game improves, he will move up in the rankings, but until there is a better sample size in at least the VHL, he will likely remain in the honorable mention section.

Prokhor Poltapov

Like many Russian prospects, Poltapov does not have KHL production simply from lack of opportunity. He did, however, score seven times in 23 outings in the VHL. Odds are, if he can improve in the VHL and give us more of a sample in the KHL, he will most likely return to the top ten.

Erik Portillo

Regarding the current goaltending situation with the Buffalo Sabres, Erik Portillo has a golden opportunity, but remains unsigned. That said, had Portillo signed his entry-level deal with the Sabres, he would be higher on this list. But unless he signs, there is no way I can justify ranking him any higher, along with Ryan Johnson (see next slide).

Therefore, I did not rank Johnson nor Portillo in any particular order. The goaltender’s name just came first, so he gets the eighth spot. His numbers remain stellar, and if he continues to perform well for the Michigan Wolverines, then the Sabres need to use everything they got to try and sign him.

We will ultimately see if Portillo wants to be here come early 2023. If he does, then the Buffalo Sabres may have a goaltender of the future. If not, then they will need to put their resources into signing Devon Levi or Topias Leinonen if the latter has some good outings in Finland. Portillo will be at development camp, however, but it is pretty much a done deal that he will return to Michigan.

Ryan Johnson

The Ryan Johnson saga continues, but at the time of this writing, word is that he will attend developmental camp, so that may be a sign in the right direction. Johnson has also shown every indication he wants to return to the University of Minnesota, but recently, the narrative has been that he is “leaning” toward returning.

Adams does want to wait until after development camp is over before he embarks in another discussion with Johnson’s representatives. Right now, the signs point to Johnson returning to school. But if he turns pro, he will become an exciting prospect in the pipeline.

However, it is easier to see Johnson’s hesitancy over Portillo’s. While Portillo has a thinner pool of goaltenders to contend with in the system, Johnson does not, especially with a strong defensive rotation in on the Buffalo Sabres in which Adams intends to add a veteran to the main roster. Throw in Casey Fitzgerald and potentially Jacob Bryson, and Johnson is, for the moment, buried on the depth chart.

Aleksandr Kisakov

Kisakov is the one player who I like a lot and one reason for his lower ranking from many others pertains to his curious situation in the KHL, In which, like many Russian prospects, are stuck beneath already-established talent on their KHL squads.

That said, Kisakov has dominated on MHK Dynamo Moskva over the last two seasons, making a massive jump between his 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns. The good news is, like Isak Rosen, Kisakov has signed his entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres so he could also find himself on the fast-track in Rochester.

I projected in my previous rankings that Kisakov could threaten to land a spot on the top scoring line after he becomes acclimated to the AHL, should he come to North America. It is something I stand by, given his dominance at the MHL level. And his MHL production is why I have him ranked so much higher on my prospect board than others.

Jiri Kulich

Kulich’s pro production in Czechia Extraliga was nothing more than ordinary, but he showed that he belonged with older, more established players. So in 2022-23, look for him to continue to evolve his game with Karlovy Vary and eventually make the trip to North America once he signs with the Buffalo Sabres.

It is only a matter of when, not if, Kulich will sign. And when he does, it will be refreshing to know that he has some professional hockey experience to bring with him to North America. I’m not going to go as far as to say he will make the immediate jump to the NHL, but it is very likely he spends another season or two in Czechia, has a stint in the AHL, most likely a season, then makes the jump.

While there is talent galore building on the Buffalo Sabres roster, there still may be a spot on the lower lines for Kulich. Plus, we also need to account for the aging Jeff Skinner, Kyle Okposo, and Zemgus Girgensons. So three or four years from today, Kulich will be ready to go.

Devon Levi

Between the beginning of the 2019 season and July 9th, 2022, Devon Levi‘s numbers have just gone through the roof. Just how good has Levin been? He played in 37 games for the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL in 2019-20, logging a 1.47 GAA and 0.941 save percentage, with a 34-2-1 record.

He played in just seven games in 2020-21 with the Canadian U20 team and posted a GAA of 0.75 and a save percentage of 0.964. He finished 6-1 that season. And finally last season at Northeastern, he logged a 0.952 save percentage, a 1.54 GAA, and a 21-10-1 record.

In short, Levi’s statistics have just been wild, and he will most definitely move up in these rankings next season if he signs, and all signs (no pun intended) show that is going to do just that. Expect Levi to make a smooth transition from college hockey to the AHL, and it is not so far fetched as to say the NHL will be on his radar.

Matthew Savoie

Production-wise, Matthew Savoie was right up there with the best of them. However, his slight build tumbled him to the ninth selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Kevyn Adams rightfully scooped him up, and the rest might just be history. But let’s not get too excited about Savoie so quickly – he won’t just make the leap to the NHL.

Look for Savoie to return to the WHL for another season or two before he winds up with the Buffalo Sabres in a specific capacity. He is going to be on the fast track to reach the NHL level, so barring something like an unexpected drop in play, look for him to be in the lineup within a three to four-year timeframe.

Savoie will probably grow another inch or two, and I expect him to fill out his frame before he makes the leap to the NHL. Once he puts on some ideal size and continues to hone his game, the Buffalo Sabres will have landed a potential star player. Just as the top three prospects on today’s list will also most likely evolve into.

Jack Quinn

Quinn had a monster season with the Buffalo Sabres affiliate Rochester Americans, with 61 points, 26 goals, and 35 assists in just 45 games. He won the the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award for the AHL’s best rookie, juxtaposed by a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team. As for an encore, he fell flat on his face in the playoffs with just two points in 10 games.

Yeah, that’s definitely why Jack Quinn is third on this list. But as of right now, his poor performance in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs is an outlier, so let’s give him the benefit of the doubt: Quinn will be in the Buffalo Sabres lineup in 2022-23. 

Personally, I think he will return to form and slowly work his way onto the second line by the end of the 2022-23 season. But he will, at worst, give the Sabres modest production if he is on the roster next year. If Quinn starts things off in the AHL, it is only a matter of time before he showcases his skills at the next level.

J.J. Peterka

John-Jason Peterka is one of the most physical forwards in the Buffalo Sabres organization, but he also plays a sensational two-way game. Peterka, like Quinn, saw time in the NHL last season, so he knows a thing or two about what it is like to play in the big leagues. But he will still face an intense learning curve if he has a good camp and makes the full transition to the NHL.

In the regular season and in the playoffs combined, Peterka scored 80 points in 80 games, 35 of which went for goals and 45, for assists. While he won’t keep up that tempo in the NHL, you can expect Peterka to maintain his rugged style of play.

My projection is that he will start off on the fourth line if he earns a spot on the roster, serving in a rotational role before he moves up to the checking line. While there is a outside chance looking in, I do expect Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons, and Rasmus Asplund to man that line early on.

Owen Power

Power burst onto the scene in the final eight games of the season and he showed off an incredible two-way game. Well, incredible for a 19-year-old literally fresh out of the college ranks. You can expect Power to make a good jump during his first full season in the NHL, but he will also experience some growing pains.

Therefore, expect Power to build upon his strong sample size, but don’t be surprised if he makes a few mistakes in the process. Overall, Power will likely contend for the Calder Trophy, though I don’t foresee him putting up the same type of season as Moritz Seider, who looked absolutely phenomenal during his rookie campaign.

Nonetheless, Power will have some incredible outings in 2022-23, and you can also expect his development to embark on the fast track given the fact Kevyn Adams will probably sign a veteran mentor. He may even end up becoming the face of the Buffalo Sabres five seasons from today. But that is for another article.

(Statistics provided by Elite-Prospects)