The Buffalo Sabres farm system hasn't received glowing reviews this offseason but the franchise can take solace in the fact many of its top prospects are getting close to NHL ready.
Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com released his latest top-five rankings from the Sabres' prospect pool ahead of the 2025-26 season, and two-way forward Konsta Helenius topped the list. Here's a look at the complete group along with Zeisberger's projected Buffalo arrival for every player:
1. Konsta Helenius (Forward; 2026-27)
2. Radim Mrtka (Defenseman; 2027-28)
3. Noah Ostlund (Forward; 2026-27)
4. Isak Rosen (Forward; 2025-26)
5. Anton Wahlberg (Forward; 2026-27)
Notably absent from the list is goalie Devon Levi, whose stock has dropped because of struggles at the NHL level despite his success with the AHL's Rochester Americans. He'll start this season with the Amerks once again, and he's still a key piece of the Sabres' future puzzle.
Helenius could make an early NHL arrival
Although Zeisberger doesn't project Helenius to fully arrive until next season, don't be surprised if the 19-year-old Finland native receives his first cup of NHL coffee in 2025-26. A handful of prospects come up each season as injuries arise, and he should be near the top of the list for a call up.
Helenius put together a strong first North American season with 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists) across 65 appearances for Rochester. He was even more impressive during the Amerks' playoff run, posting three goals and three assists in six postseason games.
"Smaller ice, you have less time, so you have to play much faster," Helenius told Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis in January. "The guys are so strong [in the AHL]. I try to improve the physical part of my game because it's very important if you want to play in the NHL."
The center, who switched to wing at times for Rochester last season, is defensively sound with a high hockey IQ. The key question is whether he can develop into a more consistent offensive force, which would give him top-line upside. Becoming more physical in front of net would help his cause.
Mrtka holds key to Buffalo's defense
The left side of the Sabres defense should be set for the foreseeable future with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. The front office's inability to find capable right-shot defenders has caused an endless shuffle in recent seasons, though.
Bowen Byram, another left-shot blueliner, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in March 2024. He's often played on the top pair, with Dahlin shifting to the right side. Meanwhile, the Sabres hope this summer's acquisition of Michael Kesselring as part of the JJ Peterka trade can solve the longstanding void next to Power.
Mrtka could eventually become the long-term partner for Dahlin on the right side. Rarely is drafting for fit the right move in the NHL given the extended development timelines — best player available is the way to go — but in this case his upside as a No. 1 RHD was too much to pass up for Buffalo with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 draft.
The 2027-28 projected arrival date feels accurate, and that lines up with the end of Byram's contract, which could see him hit unrestricted free agency in 2027. If the Czech rising star lives up to his potential, a top four of Dahlin-Mrtka and Power-Kesselring could be among the league's best.
What NHL.com list says about Sabres' system
Buffalo finished eighth in the NHL with 269 goals scored last season despite the league's 24th-ranked power play. Most of the team's key offensive contributors, led by Tage Thompson, are either under contract for the long haul or remain under team control via restricted free agency. The only exception is Alex Tuch, who could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
So, if you combine that current depth up front with the Sabres' forward-heavy top of their prospect pool, they should be in good shape for the next handful of seasons.
The outlook isn't as solid defensively, however, and that may be the main takeaway here.
Beyond Mrtka, who still has his own fair share of uncertainty as a newly drafted prospect, the Sabres don't have much brewing at the upper levels of the minor leagues. Ryan Johnson, a 2019 first-rounder, is the only prospect with pedigree who's possibly close to a full-time NHL role. His offensive game remains severely limited, though.
Buffalo does have some secondary defensive prospects taken in the early rounds of the past few drafts — Maxim Strbak, Gavin McCarthy, Adam Kleber and David Bedkowski — but none of them are knocking on the door of the NHL quite yet.
In turn, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Sabres opt for defense-rich draft classes in the coming years in an effort to balance out their prospect pool.