3 Sabres prospects who must be on the big club now that the season is all but over

Following their loss on Thursday night to the Edmonton Oilers, the Buffalo Sabres season is over, and that’s all there is to it. Unless they win their final 10 games and come up with some luck, there won’t be any hockey in the final week of April, so why bother still playing for 2023-24?

Instead, Buffalo needs to treat these final 10 games like a trial run for some of their big-name prospects who are either in Rochester or have recently been recalled from the smaller club. Each of the players listed could find their way into the lineup full-time next season, and two of them are likely full-timers, barring some unforeseen regression. 

Before we dive into which three players should be call-ups for the Sabres starting next week, let’s talk about one who should at least warrant serious consideration. 

Isak Rosen is one Sabres prospect who deserves an honorable mention

Like all the players on this list, Rosen is already eligible to compete in the AHL playoffs, so there is no reason why he shouldn’t spend time in Buffalo with the Amerks playing so well. He also played a few games for the Sabres this year. While he didn’t score or log solid performances, Rosen has also shown enough to warrant a few more games at the NHL level, thanks to what has been an improved season in Rochester.

We have seen Rosen nearly match his points total (36 points in 56 games) from last season in roughly 10 fewer contests. He may not have transformed into a dynamic player, but the trajectory is still trending north, something I discussed in deeper detail before the 2024 trade deadline. 

Now that the Amerks have all but locked up a playoff spot, there are three more players who deserve to stay in or get the recall back to Buffalo for the final 10 games of the season. One is currently with the club, and we will discuss them first.