Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has got to be happy with the progress the Rochester Americans have shown this past week.
The Rochester Americans look like a team to beat down in the AHL. Sitting at 3-1-0-0, they currently lead the North Division, and thanks to a slew of talented youngsters, they may, barring injury, hold that lead for quite some time.
So what jumped out at me during Rochester’s first week back on the ice? Here are three major takeaways.
1 – Recent draft picks are stealing the show
Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, and Tyson Kozak have been putting on some remarkable performances, with Rosen leading the trio, having scored four points in four games. Kulich has yet to score a goal, but he has three assists on the season, including a remarkable one to Tyson Kozak just last night:
FIRST PRO GOAL FOR TYSON KOZAK 🚨 pic.twitter.com/e4StVUaCWK
— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) October 21, 2022
Rosen, Kulich, and Kozak were all drafted in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Each have looked good during various portions of the offseason and the Prospects Challenge. They are now taking that next step early in the 2022-23 season.
2 – Luukkonen proving his worth to the Buffalo Sabres
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has saved just 0.906 of the shots on goal that he’s faced. However, his 2.49 GAA is so far 0.79 under last season’s total, signifying dramatic improvement. He showed flashes during the preseason, and he’s kept the Amerks in every game this year.
If his remarkable effort in the net continues, Luukkonen may eventually work his way up to the Buffalo Sabres roster and see a few games of action. He was inconsistent last season, so consistency is something he needs to show as the season wears on.
3 – Late-round picks dominating
Linus Weissbach was one of my favorite players to watch during the Prospects Challenge in September. And he has continued to look as though he belongs on the NHL ice. On Friday, Weissbach took the First Star Award, with three points (2 + 1).
He leads the Amerks in points right now with five, and you can expect a potential recall if injuries hit the Sabres forwards, assuming he keeps up this pace. Lukas Rousek is also looking good with four points (2+2). And let’s not forget about the undrafted Brandon Biro, who has also scored four (1 + 3) this season.
(Statistics provided by theAHL.com)