3 European Buffalo Sabres prospects to watch in 2022-23

With perhaps the best prospect pool in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres have a plethora of players to watch. Here are three from Europe.

It should go without saying that Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich are the most popular European prospects in the Buffalo Sabres system. But there is an outside chance Kulich joins the Rochester Americans while many will tune in for Ostlund’s SHL campaign. Even if Kulich remains in Czechia, fans will follow him too.

So a more appropriate title for this article should be something like: 3 European Buffalo Sabres prospects to watch not named Noah Ostlund or Jiri Kulich. Instead of stating the obvious about our two first round picks who have played overseas, let’s focus on a few more obscure, yet intriguing names.

Another of which I will not talk about is Arttu Ruotsalainen. Given his production last season in Rochester, many will also keep tabs on him since the Sabres still own his rights.

Three European Buffalo Sabres prospects you need to keep an eye on: Prospect #1 – Linus Sjodin

Sjodin’s stat line for Rogle BK impressed me. In 49 games, he scored 11 times, with five goals and six assists. For a young player seeing hardly any ice time in the SHL, Sjodin posted respectable numbers that will only grow in 2022-23.

I am also a fan of his versatility, as he can play both right wing and center if called upon. He may have some of the fastest hands in the SHL; so much that if you blink, you will miss what he is going to do with the puck.

He is also deceptive when in possession of the puck. He will lure defenders in and wait for them to make a move before zipping by or passing to a teammate.

Of course, as a seventh round pick, Sjodin’s game is still raw. He also saw little ice time at the 2022 World Juniors, though he managed to sink the game-sealing goal to guarantee Team Sweden the Bronze. He must also grow into his frame, which will take a few seasons.

Overall, expect Sjodin to see an uptick in production in 2022-23. It wouldn’t surprise me if he signed with the Buffalo Sabres down the road and eventually makes a trip to Rochester.

Nikita Novikov

Selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres may have gotten a gem in Nikita Novikov. Talk about a towering player who is still a little slim, but nonetheless possesses ideal size.

Think of him as a thinner version of Mattias Samuelsson, or at least that’s something Novikov can grow into with time. If you see the kid hit, it’s one of many reasons that he can eventually grow into a stay-at-home defenseman at the NHL level.

While he needs to pack on a few more pounds of muscle, it also hasn’t stopped Novikov from becoming a road block and a rangy one at that. He constantly forces opponents to change direction and improvise, but there is also enough reach for him to disrupt plays with a poke check if he can’t use his body to his advantage.

Overall, these are three lower-end European prospects in the Buffalo Sabres system that have impressed in some way, shape, or form. Keep tabs on them this season and most likely 2023-24, and don’t be surprised if they eventually make their way to North America.

(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)