Ranking the Buffalo Sabres CHL Prospects for 2022
The Buffalo Sabres have plenty of CHL prospects that will serve the organization later. Here is a ranking of each that will grace the ice in 2022-23.
The Buffalo Sabres have an incredible prospect pool and at the absolute worst, they are in the top ten. Most have ranked them higher, and one reason stems from their incredible batch of players in the CHL. Six of whom will see extended playing time in one of the CHL’s three leagues – OHL, QMJHL, and WHL, while one will play the 2022-23 season in Europe.
Below, and in the following slides I have ranked each player and have given each a brief breakdown. So who clinched the top spot and who do I think will find themselves contending for a place with the Sabres within the next few seasons? Keep reading for more.
Breaking down and ranking each CHL prospect in the Buffalo Sabres organization: Prospect #1 – Matthew Savoie, C
Selected at ninth overall in 2022, he is easily the top prospect here. Unfortunately, Savoie had a shoulder issue, which kept him from taking part in on-ice drills during development camp, but he will be ready for the season.
Savoie is an undersized player, standing at just 5’9, but when you score 90 points and 35 goals in 65 contests, you are a highly effective player regardless of your size. He attacks the offensive zone well, rarely makes mistakes with the puck, and each time he is in possession, opponents need to account for him. If they don’t, someone’s scoring. Either Savoie himself or a teammate.
Best yet, Savoie has already signed his rookie contract with the Buffalo Sabres. So if he has a repeat experience this season, expect him to make a case to earn a spot on the main roster in 2023-24.
Tyson Kozak, C
Some may scoff at my ranking of a former seventh round pick as the second Buffalo Sabres prospect in the CHL. But Kozak has done nothing but impress over the past season. He totaled 69 goals in 66 contests in 2021-2, his first as a team captain for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, and he also turned heads at development camp.
While Kozak can make plays with the puck, he is also dangerous without it, indicating that he is one of the most complete players in the CHL system. He has impressive stick-handling skills, and phenomenal passing and shooting mechanics, regardless of what type of shot he’s using.
Kozak clocks in as a physical player who can also read opposing plays well. This approach gives him a two-way flair that will only get better with time. I can easily see him in Rochester next season and perhaps even on the Sabres roster three years from today.
Josh Bloom, LW
One of the better skaters in the CHL system, and one of the few bright spots on the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. Bloom has more size than either Savoie or Kozak, standing at 6’2 and weighing roughly 185lb.
He scored 61 points, 30 goals, and 31 assists in 67 games last season, but given the futility around him, Bloom may have scored more points if he played for a better team. This year, if the Spirit can get their act together, expect Bloom to play at an even higher level. And if that’s the case, he is a shoo-in for Rochester in 2023-24.
Will he earn a spot on the Buffalo Sabres roster next season? It’s one of those things you can’t rule out, but I wouldn’t count on it. He would need an epic training camp for that to happen, but let’s never say never. Bloom did practice with Rochester last season, so at worst, he will play and be an effective player for the Amerks.
Mats Lindgren, D
You will find few better offensive-minded defensemen in the CHL, if any. He is agile in transition, and travels through the zones with ease. But it’s more than just transition that makes Lindgren a great player – he is quick to find an open teammate and even find twine a few times himself.
He has played for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers since 2019-20, but Lindgren did not see extended playing time until 2021-22 when he appeared in 68 contests, scoring 44 points, five goals, and 39 assists. In 2020-21, he split time between the USPHL Premier and WHL, appearing in a combined 32 games and knocking down 21 points, three goals, and 18 assists.
Lindgren turns 18 on August 26th, and he will spend another two seasons with Kamloops before he advances to the AHL. For the Buffalo Sabres, this is okay, as it will give him time to develop his spotty defensive game. If he improves it, Lindgren will be in the blue and gold about four years from now.
Olivier Nadeau, F
When you talk about CHL prospects who possess scary size, Olivier Nadeau comes to mind. At 6’2, 200lb, Nadeau’s prototypical size is already NHL-caliber. Now, he just needs to hone his skill-set while continuing to enhance his productivity – 78 points in 65 contests for the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes in 2021-22.
Unfortunately, he will miss between four and six months after having undergone shoulder surgery, so he won’t return to the ice until between November and January. This is one reason I ranked him so low: How long will it take to regain his form?
Nadeau will also play for the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques this season. So not only does he face the tough test of returning from shoulder surgery, he is also playing for a new team. However, if he responds to both tests well, the Buffalo Sabres will have yet another top talent with a knack for finding open teammates in Rochester in 2023-24.
Viljami Marjala, LW
While the winger spent the previous two seasons in Canada’s QMJHL for the Quebec Ramparts, he will actually be returning to Finland to play for TPS in Liiga, the country’s top professional league. But since he spent time in the CHL last season and the fact he remains in the Buffalo Sabres system, I wanted to include him.
His productivity isn’t the greatest, but it’s also nothing to scoff at, as he put up 46 points, 13 goals, and 33 assists in 68 games last season. Playing against men in Finland may help benefit Marjala’s development, so he will be an interesting one to watch moving forward in 2022-23 – another reason I included him.
Deception is the one word that comes up regarding Marjala’s play, and you won’t find a more calculated forward on the ice. He has a knack for disguising where is going with the puck, and who he is passing to. He can pass while looking the other way, and even keep his body language from revealing his intentions offensively.
So no, his production isn’t the greatest. But Marjala’s playing style strikes me as a player who doesn’t need to score often. He does his job by creating scoring opportunities for his team and I am excited to see what he makes of his time in Liiga.
Vsevolod Komarov
I like his size – 6’2, 185lb, and he will only keep growing for the foreseeable future. And just because Komarov is seventh on this list, don’t make the mistake of thinking he is no good. Quite the contrary. If you are good enough to get drafted, first round, seventh round, or in Komarov’s case, fifth round, you are a good hockey player.
His game is just incomplete for now, though he will make plays on both ends of the ice that will make your jaw drop. That said, if there is one player I can see rising through the CHL rankings over the next two seasons, it’s Komarov. Just like with Marjala above him, I am excited to see what he can do in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Related Story. What does Tyson Kozak bring to the organization?. light
Overall, the Buffalo Sabres have an incredible crop of CHL prospects. So if they aren’t playing on a certain evening, or if the Amerks are off, check in on these seven players and see how they progress in 2022-23. Get to know them, because they are your next batch of Amerks while a few will be donning the blue and gold.
Article Source: CHL Prospect Pipeline: Buffalo Sabres by CHL.ca.