Rookie blueliner aces the Sabres Top 24 and under players and prospects in Tier V

The Buffalo Sabres young players and prospects pool is so deep that it was tough to find just 24 of them aged 24 and under to create a ranking system. That said, it would have been easy to make this into a top 30 or even a top 35 list. But even the Sabres pool would have youngsters ranked closer to the bottom of the list - between 30 and 35 especially - who may not play more than a handful of NHL games years down the road, if that.

So that brought us down to the Top 24 players who we know could very well end up seeing ice time in a blue and gold uniform. Or if general manager Kevyn Adams decides to make some serious transactions this summer, then they will play elsewhere for one of the other 31 - perhaps 32 or 33 in five years - franchises. 

Today, we’re covering Tier V, or players ranked between 20th and 17th in the system. If you missed the Tier VI rankings, they contain a few players who will be worth watching in either the CHL, NCAA, or, in one case, the AHL for the 2024-25 season. As for Tier V, they could have all four prospects in Rochester next year, two of whom played a full year there in 2023-24. 

Buffalo Sabres Tier V players 24 and under loaded with AHL potential

In many prospect pools throughout NHL organizations, you won’t see so many young players getting a look at pro hockey’s second level often, and it shows how deep the Sabres system goes. But the following names are also some whom you may not want to get overly attached to since they could be perfect trade bait for Kevyn Adams. 

So what makes these four names so special and potentially ideal trade candidates either this summer or at some point during the season if head coach Lindy Ruff returns this team to contention? Let’s find out, starting with a sensational two-way defenseman in the QMJHL.

20: Vsevolod Komarov, D/Drummondville Voltigeurs

It would be surprising if Vsevolod Komarov doesn’t ultimately translate the game he’s developed over to Rochester. In 52 games with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Komarov recorded 61 points and 15 goals, and that doesn’t count his 19 points and three goals in 22 games with the Quebec Remparts, giving him a total of 80 points and 18 goals in 74 matchups. 

This shows us that he should contribute offensively in Rochester, and it won’t surprise any of us if he becomes a fixture on the man advantage. Whether the former fifth-round pick ultimately plays in front of the KeyBank Center crowd, it’s irrelevant, because if he can’t beat out anyone currently in the rotation once NHL-ready, he’s that prime trade asset mentioned previously. 

This makes Komarov a steal for the Sabres as he will ultimately become a major contributor in the rotation should there be room, or he will help the Blue and Gold bring in an established piece to the big club via trade. Komarov wouldn’t be the only prospect moving in such a trade, but if someone gives Buffalo a sound role player, the 20-year-old would reward a new team well. 

We know how far Komarov has come throughout his junior hockey career, and he will give us a progress report as the summer progresses in development camp and in the preseason - assuming there’s no offseason trade. 

19: Anton Wahlberg, F/Malmo/Rochester

Someone like Vsevolod Komarov would make a great puzzle piece in a trade, and Anton Wahlberg is in that same category. But wow, he would be a massive loss. At 6’3, 194 lbs, Wahlberg still has a few years to grow into his frame. And while there are no guarantees, he’s someone who could wind up as a power forward, and it’s something the Sabres can use. 

Some of their top forwards, whom we’ll talk about in later posts, don’t have that same potential, and the only real reason Wahlberg isn’t listed higher stems from his overall lack of experience in the North American game. Plus, there’s the fact he didn’t make much of an impact in the SHL with Malmo this past year - 10 points and five goals in 43 games. 

But Wahlberg played well during his first nine regular season games with the Rochester Americans, logging one goal and four points, and he also has a playoff goal through two contests through May 1st. 

With the Sabres sitting with a higher sense of urgency in Act II of the Lindy Ruff Era, there will be some transactions, and it would be tough for a team looking to move talent to overlook him if they need more assets in their prospects pool. But this isn’t March 2023, so it’s far more acceptable to part ways with prospects if the right trading partner comes along. 

17: Nikita Novikov, D/Rochester

Nikita Novikov is someone I recently made a few comments about regarding a brewing two-way game. And while he won’t clock in as highly as players like Ryan Johnson and Bowen Byram in the Top 24 and Under rankings, he’s not a player to be underestimated following a successful first season with the Amerks. 

Novikov registered just three goals, but his 20 assists and plus-20 rating showed us he knows how to create when the Amerks need to score. And in case you’re wondering, no, Novikov wasn’t quarterbacking power plays, so it makes what he’s accomplished even more impressive. 

We already knew what the 6’4, 200-pound Novikov gives the Sabres system defensively, and he displayed that aggressive approach that forces opponents into making mistakes while in the Amerks zone. But if he keeps developing offensively and sticks around in the prospects pool, Novikov will skyrocket in these rankings when they’re revisited. 

This list comprised three players who either played part-time or started their respective North American careers, and Novikov was the best of the trio this season. He’s also just 20 years old, so the former sixth-round pick will keep getting better when he hits the ice next season. The only remaining question is: How far can he take his game in Year 2 of his stint in Rochester?

(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)