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Buffalo Sabres: 3 low-end AHL prospects to watch in 2022-23

By Sion Fawkes

LAVAL, QC - APRIL 08: Linus Weissbach #13 of the Rochester Americans celebrates his goal during the second period against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell on April 8, 2022 in Laval, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - APRIL 08: Linus Weissbach #13 of the Rochester Americans celebrates his goal during the second period against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell on April 8, 2022 in Laval, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Buffalo Sabres
VANCOUVER, BC – JANUARY 5: Oskari Laaksonen #2 of Finland skates with the puck in Gold Medal hockey action of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship against the United States on January, 5, 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

Oskari Laaksonen, D

If there is anyone in the Buffalo Sabres system facing a make it or break it year, it is defenseman Oskari Laaksonen. Last season, I was high on Laaksonen, so much I projected him to be a dark horse to earn a spot on the Sabres rotation in 2022-23. But, he has yet to hone his defensive game and it looks as though Laaksonen is running out of time.

He possesses outstanding offensive skills with the puck, evidenced by his 34 points (five goals) in 71 games. But his defensive ability has not reached the point the Sabres and Amerks coaching staffs would have liked, explaining why he played in just two playoff games last season.

Defensive struggles

Laaksonen has not played well in coverage, nor has he displayed much of a physical game. For the Finn to truly prove he is deserving to remain in the Sabres system, he needs to find a way to hone his defensive skill-set.

If he can, then perhaps he could work his way back up the Amerks lineup and eventually become a dark horse contender again. But he has his work cut out for him, with the returning Lawrence Pilut and the newly-signed Kale Clague, Jeremy Davies, and Chase Priskie, just to name a few, all projected to start the season ahead of him.

In short, Laaksonen saw himself on the Sabres taxi squad when injuries and COVID-19 hit the team in December. Now, he’s going to need to fight just to maintain a roster spot in Rochester. Is he up for the challenge?

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