Buffalo Sabres development camp Day 3 is in the books, and it was yet another action-packed, exciting day for fans to watch the organization’s prospects.
The Buffalo Sabres have concluded Day 3 of development camp and today, it was all about highlight reel plays from some high-end picks, and even an obscure, lesser-known draft pick. And while most of the prospects at this week’s camp will not grace the blue and gold any time soon, they still give us hope that the organization will, in time, promote them in-house.
And that is far better, less time-consuming, and probably cheaper on the future cap hit than going out and looking for a free agent to replace them with. So who caught our eye at Sabres development camp, Day 3? Keep reading to discover more.
What we learned at Buffalo Sabres development camp Day 3: Tyson Kozak’s ascension
There was arguably no one more impressive on the ice than the 193rd overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Tyson Kozak. Have you not met Kozak? Let me give you a short introduction with the following snippet.
Tyson Kozak (2021 7th round) with a gorgeous goal in 1-on-1’s. pic.twitter.com/a2BRrESP3B
— The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) July 15, 2022
And would you like a short scouting report on the seventh round draft pick from a season ago? Check this one out:
Peca on Sabres prospect Tyson Kozak (7th round, 2021): "Watching Kozak, you'd think he went in the top three rounds, to be honest with you. The kid's impressive. ... The development guys, when they'd come into Rochester all the time, the first guy they talked about is Kozak."
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) July 15, 2022
It is a matter of when, not if, Kozak will end up in Rochester. And while he is nowhere near the Top 15 in my prospect rankings, that ranking is subject to change once he’s eventually dressing up for the Amerks. Especially if he enjoys a repeat of last season in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks, in which he scored 69 points, 32 goals, and 37 assists in just 66 games.
If you are one to follow Buffalo Sabres prospects playing on the junior circuit, he is one you need to watch this season. Odds are, Kozak will impress you.