The Buffalo Sabres have 17 forwards on their roster for the 2022 Prospects Challenge. Where will they end up this season and how will they fare?
The 2022 Prospects Challenge will give you a chance to see some of your favorite forwards in action. Of course, with the European leagues and NCAA hockey in action, we won’t see all the prospects here. But the roster has certainly given us enough to generate interest, including first round picks Matthew Savoie, Isak Rosen, and Jiri Kulich.
You will find an influx of future Sabres here, plus plenty of players looking to make a name for themselves and perhaps to earn a contract with either them or the Rochester Americans. So how will each player end up spending their respective 2022-23 campaigns following the event? Keep reading for my projections.
Future for each forward at Buffalo Sabres Prospects Challenge
Jiri Kulich is one of those players who will find himself in Rochester after showing remarkable performances in development camp and the 2022 World Junior Championships. He was also a key player for Czechia in the U-18 games. Look for Kulich to slow down a little early in Rochester, but you will see him find his groove as the season progresses.
Matthew Savoie is a future cornerstone for the Buffalo Sabres. In 2022-23, however he will return to the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice. Don’t expect him to be there much longer, and he will likely debut in 2023-24.
Isak Rosen was a revelation at the U-20 Worlds, sinking four goals and five points in seven contests. He has a chance to shine at the 2022 Prospects Challenge and will most likely see himself playing the 2022-23 season in Rochester. Like Kulich, expect growing pains, but steady progress.
Other former draft picks at the 2022 Prospects Challenge
Josh Bloom sunk 30 goals and 61 total points last year. Even more impressive is the fact he scored seven shorthanded. Look for Bloom to show some dominance at the Prospects Challenge and for it to translate when he returns to the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit this year.
Filip Cederqvist is one of the most intriguing prospects to watch in 2022-23. Playing for Djurgardens IF, he scored 32 times, including 14 goals. At 22, he will debut in North America for Rochester and given his experience, it wouldn’t surprise me if he made a one-off in a Buffalo Sabres uniform.
Aleksandr Kisakov was a force in the MHL over the past two seasons, knocking down 129 points in 112 games. He will get his first taste of the North American game at the Prospects Challenge and will also end up playing in Rochester this year.
Tyson Kozak is a former seventh round pick, but you will never know it if you see his numbers and playing style. Look for Kozak to be one of the brighter stars for the Buffalo Sabres prospects both at the Prospects Challenge, and for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Olivier Nadeau is on the roster, but he will not see any action for a few months following a shoulder surgery. Expect him to return to the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques between November and January. We will see if he can bounce back to form fast enough and resemble the 78-point player he was in 2021-22.
Matej Pekar is one of those prospects on the hot seat. Double shoulder surgery limited him to 47 games, but in those contests, he scored just six points. With another influx of talent heading into Rochester, there is a chance Pekar gets buried on the depth chart.
Lukas Rousek may be the most intriguing prospect who will play in Rochester this season. He saw action in just 19 games last year and scored an unremarkable four points. But that changed in the playoffs when he scored six in ten games. Expect Rousek to impress at the Prospects Challenge, much like he did at development camp. And don’t be surprised if he dominates in Rochester.
Linus Weissbach is another intriguing name to watch as the undersized seventh round pick produced 37 points in 67 contests in 2021-22. It was his first rodeo of professional hockey and he showed he deserved a spot in Rochester. I am also expecting a solid performance both in the Prospects Challenge, and for the Amerks.
Who is looking to impress the Buffalo Sabres/Amerks front offices?
Nolan Burke is just 19 and he possesses some decent size for his age. He also produced well for the OHL’s Sarnia Sting with 59 points (34 goals) in 64 games. If there is one prospect I can see catching management’s eye, it’s Burke because of his size and production. Especially given his jump from 2019-20 to 2021-22.
Atlee Calvert scored 25 goals in 65 contests last season and also tacked on 15 assists. Like Burke, he also possesses decent size. His overall production remains spotty but improved dramatically in 2021-22. He will return to Moose Jaw this season, and given his steady improvements, expect the Sabres to at least keep an eye on him.
Declan McDonnell is a smallish player who was the 217th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (Tampa Bay Lightning). He also spent some of his youth playing for the Jr. Sabres, where he excelled with 108 points in 2017-18. He knocked down 39 points in 36 games for the OHL’s Barrie Colts last year and before that, 23 in 27 games for the Kitchener Rangers. Expect a strong performance at the Prospects Challenge for Barrie in 2022-23.
Kohen Olischefski saw time with the Rochester Americans last season, appearing in just three games. This year, expect a full season in Rochester on a one-year prove-it deal with the Amerks. Impressing in the Prospects Challenge is one thing. But impressing for an entire season in Rochester may land Olischefski a contract with the Buffalo Sabres. It will be a tough road, however, with younger and established talent in the system.
Josh Passolt will be one of the oldest prospects present. He spent most of last season with Western Michigan, where he scored 28 points in 38 games before signing with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, logging one point in six regular season and four post-season contests. I’m expecting him to return to Cincinnati for a full season and perhaps seeing spot duty with the Amerks.
Emmett Sproule is the final forward prospect on this list. He enjoyed a breakout performance last year with the Peterborough Petes, snagging 86 points in 65 games. It was his only good year in the OHL, but Sproule could definitely win a contract with the Amerks if he plays like he did last season.
Overall, there are plenty of intriguing prospects to keep an eye on for the Buffalo Sabres 2022 Prospects Challenge. And they aren’t all just former draft picks. Look for a few of the invitees to the event perhaps sign on with Rochester either now or in the near-future.
Article Source: BREAKING DOWN THE SABRES ROSTER FOR THE 2022 PROSPECTS CHALLENGE: FORWARDS by Suzie Cool