The Buffalo Sabres will have eight defensemen at the 2022 Prospects Challenge. What will their respective 2022-23 seasons look like?
The 2022 Prospects Challenge kicks off what will be an exciting 2022-23 campaign for the Buffalo Sabres. And while you won’t see any of the names below donning the blue and gold this year, it is always fun to project where they will end up for the respective campaign.
Below, you will see a lot of unknowns, names that many fans are saying, where did this player come from? However, the first three names should be familiar enough with the Sabres faithful, as they include two prospects the team drafted this past July plus a regular face on the Rochester Americans.
Where will they end up playing in 2022-23 and will some of those more obscure names secure a contract with someone in the Buffalo Sabres system? Let’s meet them and make some projections.
Predictions for each defenseman at Buffalo Sabres Prospects Challenge
Vsevolod Komarov may only be 18, but the 6’3, 183lb defenseman possesses a good frame to fill, something you will see occur this season when he returns to the QMJHL’s Quebec Ramparts. He doesn’t excel under pressure like he does when he has time to make a play. And when he returns to Quebec this season, I’m projecting Komarov fixes that flaw in his game and by 2023-24, will draw serious attention in the organization.
Oskari Laaksonen went from potentially seeing ice time with the Sabres in 2021-22 to becoming an afterthought when the Calder Cup Playoffs rolled around. While I can see him dominating in the Prospects Challenge, he will spend 2022-23 buried in the defensive rotation with better, more NHL-ready talent in front of him.
Mats Lindgren is one player who I can see rising quickly after putting on what I believe will be a dominating performance at the Prospects Challenge. His 44 points in 68 games with the Kamloops Blazers last season shows how talented he is offensively. But his defensive game must improve – something that will occur this season with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.
When that happens, Lindgren will dominate the league the following season and set up to debut in the AHL in 2024-25.
Lesser-known names and faces for the 2022 Prospects Challenge
Zach Berzolla
Berzolla displays phenomenal size at 6’2, 196lb. He also showed he’s capable of playing a two-way game, knocking down 20 points in 51 contests with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen. He also saw time with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack last season, who, along with the Icemen were part of the New York Rangers system. Given the influx of defensemen likely to play in Rochester, Berzolla will most likely spend 2022-23 with the Cincinnati Cyclones.
Francois-James Buteau
Buteau is another defenseman that displays good size, standing at 6’4. While he can stand to gain a few pounds, look for Buteau to perform at a higher level for the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Eagles. While he is definitely a hitter, Buteau also possesses sound puck-handling skills, something that you will see on display this year along with setting scoring opportunities in motion.
Ethan Ritchie
Richie scored 38 times in 65 games for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs and Sarnia Swarm last season. Having stepped up his offensive game in Sarnia, look for even more offensive output in what will be his final season in the OHL. If he produces enough, he may wind up in the Buffalo Sabres system, likely with the Amerks.
Chas Sharpe
At 6’3 and still 18 years old, Sharpe is another one not finished growing into his frame and he can transform into a hard-hitting, stay-at-home type of defensemen. However, he also enjoyed solid offensive productivity in 2021-22 with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. Entering his fourth season with the team, look for Sharpe to emerge as one of the team’s most productive players. For his efforts, he is another that could very well end up with the Amerks.
Spencer Sova
I listed Sova as one of my players to watch for the upcoming week. Like many young players on this list, he possesses a two-way game. However, he needs to operate better under pressure when on offense, though his tenacity when playing in the defensive zone is bar-none.
While the forwards for the 2022 Prospects Challenge boast more familiar names, we have a mixed bag on defense outside of Komarov, Lindgren, and Laaksonen. And even Komarov and Lindgren are new to this. Overall, you will see most of these guys in their respective junior or minor leagues, and they may become familiar faces if they end up signing within the organization.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)