The Buffalo Sabres will already be leaning heavily on young players to help offset the losses of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram next season, but the hallmark of any winning organization is a constant flow prospects making their way toward the NHL.
For Buffalo, there's plenty of reason for optimism when it comes to that next wave, which is headlined by defenseman Daxon Rudolph, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
While Rudolph is aiming to make a quick jump to the Sabres in 2027-28 after one season at the University of Denver, other members of the franchise's farm system are facing more uncertain timetables to ultimately join the Blue and Gold.
Let's take a look at some Buffalo prospects whose future outlook could shift considerably based on their performance during the upcoming campaign.
Radim Mrtka (Defenseman)
The Sabres selected Mrtka with the No. 9 overall selection in last year's draft. He was impressive initially, both at development camp and then training camp, but he failed to take a significant step forward offensively after returning to the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.
Mrtka scored just one goal across 48 appearances with Seattle, counting the playoffs. You'd expect more production from a 6-foot-6 blueliner playing against mostly smaller, less experienced opponents. On the plus side, he did compile 36 assists in those contests.
Now the 19-year-old Czechia native is expected to make a jump to the AHL's Rochester Americans. It'll be interesting to see how much Amerks head coach Michael Leone puts on his plate. Will there be any special-teams work, or will the organization focus mostly on his 5-on-5 play first?
Mrtka, whose name has occasionally popped up in trade rumors, still has a high ceiling thanks to his combination of size, skating ability and willingness to engage physically, but he's got to bring it all together. Making the move to pro hockey adds another variable as he adjusts to a much higher level of competition.
Although growing pains are a guarantee, how he's playing during the latter stages of the 2026-27 season will provide a clearer outlook about his long-term prospects.
Brodie Ziemer (Forward)
After a bit of speculation Ziemer may sign his entry-level contract with the Sabres this offseason, the decision was ultimately made to play another year at the University of Minnesota, where he'll serve as team captain and play an important two-way role for the Golden Gophers.
Ziemer, who's entering his junior season of college hockey, made steady progress across his first two years with the Gophers. He posted 36 points (23 goals and 13 assists) in 36 games last season, and he also posted a goal and five helpers during a five-game stint with Team USA at the World Juniors.
The 20-year-old winger plays a hardworking style that matches Buffalo's preferred approach, led by rising stars Zach Benson and Josh Doan, but what comes next depends on whether his skating and playmaking abilities can level up a little more.
If Ziemer does continue to progress, he'll definitely provide a boost to the Sabres' long-struggling power play, which is where he's done a lot of damage for Minnesota.
Buffalo will have to sign him next summer, or the 2024 third-round pick will have the option to become an unrestricted free agent on June 1, 2028, following the completion of his college career.
It'd be a surprise if the Sabres risk losing a player with Ziemer's upside for nothing, so an ELC is likely after the Gophers wrap up the 2026-27 season. A down year could change that perspective, though.
Jake Richard (Forward)
Richard skyrocketed up some rankings of Buffalo's farm system last year after racking up 43 points (15 goals and 28 assists) in 34 appearances during his sophomore season at UConn. His numbers dipped as a junior, however, finishing with 27 points in 38 games.
It raised questions about whether the 22-year-old winger would return to the Huskies for his senior campaign, but he instead joined the Sabres on a two-year entry-level deal. He's expected to spend the entirety of 2026-27 with the Amerks.
Now the question is which version of Richard will show up in Rochester: The one that looked like a high-upside middle-six winger in 2024-25 or the less impactful version on display last season?
For the Florida native, doing more consistent work in the most dangerous areas of the ice could help him emerge as an NHL-level performer. He possesses a decent shot and he's always been a solid play-creator, but a lot of goals in the pro game could from creating leverage around the crease. It's an area he can still improve while with the Amerks.
Richard's stock undoubtedly dipped over the past year, but there's still plenty of time for him to turn the development tide back in his favor to re-accelerate his journey toward Buffalo.
Add us as a preferred source on Google