More than a few prospects impressed at Buffalo Sabres development camp last week. Some of those in the pipeline were late-round draft picks.
The Buffalo Sabres have a few late-round picks on their main roster, showing that even the those selected in rounds five through seven have as much of a chance of earning a spot playing in the Queen City as those drafted in the first round.
Sometimes, a prospect falls to the late rounds simply because NHL scouts lightly tackle the leagues in which they play as kids. Other times, a player could become an eventual late bloomer. This prevents organizations from spending a high pick on them in favor of another. But with some polishing, these late-round picks have a chance to flourish.
We saw it happen with Victor Olofsson, who is now threatening to become a top-line winger. Linus Ullmark, now with the Boston Bruins, is another prime example. And still, there are others who have made their mark elsewhere, like Brandon Hagel of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So, which three late-round prospects are worth your time in the 2022-23 season? Keep an eye on the following.
Late-round Buffalo Sabres prospects to watch in 2022-23: Prospect #1 – Tyson Kozak
Kozak flourished at the Buffalo Sabres developmental camp last week. Michael Peca, assistant coach of the Rochester Americans, further raved about Kozak, with The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski Tweeting the following quote from Peca:
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
Now that’s a ringing endorsement! And Kozak’s breakout performance last season with the Portland Winterhawks was exciting to watch. He scored 69 times in 66 games, with 32 goals and 37 assists. Now the question remains: What will his encore performance look like this season?
If the 19-year-old Kozak impresses again, look for him to compete for a spot in the AHL in 2023-24. As for this year, let’s see if he can mimic his level of success in Portland.