MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #15 Buffalo Sabres – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 15th (Last year - 18th)
GM: Jarmo Kekalainen Hired: December 2025
COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024

The time is now in Buffalo. Following the mid-season dismissal of long-time general manager Kevyn Adams, the Sabres have found new life under Jarmo Kekäläinen. Since the change, the club has surged up the standings to finish atop the Atlantic Division and in the postseason for the first time since 2011. Regardless of where you stand with the Sabres, most will agree that the league is better when the Buffalo Sabres are competitive. And this year, we may finally get to see what that looks like after a 14-year absence.

In support of that push, the Sabres took an aggressive approach at the trade deadline, prioritizing immediate roster upgrades over long-term assets. The organization moved several 2026 draft picks and parted with young players, including Isak Rosen, in an effort to strengthen the NHL lineup. There was even a near-deal involving top prospect and 2025 first-round selection Radim Mrtka, though a declined trade from Colton Parayko ultimately kept him in Buffalo. Combined with Noah Östlund's graduation, those moves have kept the prospect pool in a more middle-of-the-pack standing.

The system is now led by Konsta Helenius, who has already seen NHL action, with Anton Wahlberg close behind as another forward expected to contribute in the near future. Finally ready for the next step, their core is what truly defines the organization’s trajectory. With players such as Jack Quinn (24), Zach Benson (20), Tage Thompson (27), Noah Östlund (22), Jiří Kulich (21), Bowen Byram (24), Owen Power (23), and Rasmus Dahlin (25), the Sabres possess one of the youngest and most dynamic groups in the league.

For Buffalo, the focus has clearly shifted from building for the future to capitalizing on the present — and for the first time in years, that approach appears to be paying off.

1. Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) (Rochester Americans, AHL)

   After spending most of the Sabres training camp with the big club, Mrtka was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, playing in their first four games. He played mostly even strength, averaging about 17 minutes of ice time. After the four games with Rochester, Mrtka was reassigned to his WHL team, the Seattle Thunderbirds. Mrtka has been averaging about 26 minutes of ice time per game with Seattle, playing on both the power play and the penalty kill. Mrtka was also a standout for Czechia at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships, where he helped the team win a silver medal. Mrtka’s game has been trending into that of a two-way defenceman. He likes to be involved in the offensive zone and will join the rush with regularity. His passing has continued to improve and he’s averaging almost an assist per game in the WHL this season. His defensive play is also trending in the right direction. He uses positioning, awareness, and reach to defend but isn’t afraid to be physical. He projects to be a top four NHL Defenceman currently.

2. Konsta Helenius, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

   There is a lot of young talent emerging in Buffalo’s system and Konsta Helenius is solidifying himself as one of the elites. Helenius has set a career-high in points, besting last year’s total in 25 fewer games. Nothing quite stands out like his sheer determination and effort to constantly be in and around loose puck battles. For a 5-foot-11 center, Helenius is tenacious on the puck and doesn’t give it up easily. He’s not the fastest, but he has a high motor, and when other players start to fade, Helenius is still going. On offence, he uses his edges to create separation and on the defensive end, it allows him to effectively shadow puck carriers. He’s a playmaker first, although he’s not afraid to unleash shots. Even though Helenius is a two-way center, he isn’t tasked with killing penalties. If he can develop into a reliable penalty killer, there will be little excuse to keep him in Rochester any longer. A top-six center is a reasonable projection, but his versatility may see Helenius play more on the wing and in a support role for now.

3. Anton Wahlberg, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

   With all of the high-profile prospects in Rochester, Anton Wahlberg often flies under the radar. Wahlberg is having a slightly better season than last year, although he is still hovering around the 0.5 point per game mark. His offence is built on using his frame to hold possession of the puck. He leverages his weight often by applying a lot of force and then dropping off defenders to get separation quickly. Wahlberg’s skating can be kind of clunky at times, which can limit the pace he plays at. When Wahlberg really gets going, he impacts the game heavily, but there are times when he can be floating around. Wahlberg played on the wing and down the middle at times for Rochester and has had success at both positions. If Rosen and Helenius are in Buffalo next season, Wahlberg will need to step up as a primary scorer for Rochester. Establishing an offensive identity will go a long way for Wahlberg. He projects as a middle six forward.

4. Vsevolod Komarov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

   Vsevolod Komarov, in his second season, is projected to roughly equal his point totals from his rookie campaign. The increase in production hasn’t been there and a lot of that comes down to his consistency in creating offence. He’ll show flashes of joining the rush or starting it himself to enter the offensive zone. Komarov isn’t an outstanding passer, but he shows some deception in his puck movement that will make him a better one down the line. He’s a big, physical presence on the blue line and being a right-shot makes him a more valuable asset. There is a lot of blue-line depth in Buffalo right now, so there isn’t any need to rush his development to make him NHL-ready. The Sabres organization will afford him a lot of minutes in Rochester as he continues to grow his offence, so by the time they need him, he will be a seasoned pro. At the NHL level, Komarov can be a bottom four defenceman who provides secondary scoring.

5. Brodie Ziemer, RW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

   Ziemer’s offensive game has continued to grow since being selected in the third round by the Sabres in 2024. He was a very strong presence in all three zones in his draft year, who played hard and detailed at both ends of the ice. But his offence has improved over the last two seasons, and especially this season. After being under a point-per-game in the USHL in his draft year (0.89 points per game rate) to producing at 0.61 points per game in his first collegiate season. This year, however, he is up over a point per game with Minnesota. His goal-scoring has become a focal point, as his shots-on-goal rate has gone up significantly, from 2.3 shots on goal per game to 3.5 this year. But it isn’t just volumetric improvement, it’s how he is creating those shots. His shots from the slot went up from 2.19 per game in his first NCAA season to 3.08 this season. The way he generated offence was always off of his willingness to get to the dirty areas and get tips and finish rebounds. But this year, he’s been able to generate chances for himself as a shooter, while he has built on his already solid stickhandling and high-end motor to drive the net. He projects as a middle six forward option in the NHL, but his stock is absolutely rising.

6. Adam Kleber, D, University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

   Kleber has always been known as a defensively stout, stay-at-home type. Offence has never been his focal point, staying more responsible and taking the simple play to keep pucks from being in his own end. Skating and that lack of upside offensively were the biggest hurdles towards making that jump to the NHL level. He’s improved steadily as a skater since joining the University of Minnesota-Duluth. His edges, more specifically, have improved noticeably. His pivots and change of direction abilities have improved, while his straight-line skating looks a bit quicker. He has also shown more of a willingness to be involved on breakouts and entries. That improvement is arguably the most important as it pertains to his path to an NHL role. He projects as more of a bottom-pair defender still, but that projection is a bit cleaner with his notable developments in college. His style and ability in his own end will be coveted by any coach who brings him on.

7. Luke Osburn, D, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

   Osburn is a two-way defender who has been on an upward trajectory since he was drafted. In his two USHL seasons, Osburn showed off his ability to defend against the rush and play physical in doing so. He also showcased his strong instincts when it came to puck-moving. It took him a full year in the USHL before his production reached a high level, going from 23 points in 60 games in his first season to 41 points in 55 games in his second year. He then went on to join the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA, where his offence has transitioned quite well, without losing his defensive efficiency. His puck-moving ability has cleanly translated to the NCAA as well, which is arguably the biggest positive in his development since being drafted. In fact, he leads the Badgers defenders in successful zone entries and is second amongst defencemen in successful breakouts. His ability to move the puck and consistent offensive production despite moving up a level is exactly what the Buffalo Sabres could have hoped for out of their defensive prospect. He looks like a potential puck-moving middle-pair defender who can pair up with most players and play whatever role is needed.

8. Gavin McCarthy, D, University of Boston (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

   McCarthy has always been known as more of a shut-down defender, who plays a physical brand of hockey that many NHL teams would love to have on their blueline. While his offence will likely never be a strong suit, he has seen his point pace grow with each NCAA season. In his first collegiate season with Boston University, he scored five points in 38 games. He followed that up the next year with 16 points in 39 games. Now, this season, he matched his previous season's point totals in eight less games. The Terriers captain still plays with that physical edge and is still a shut-down defender, but he clearly plays with more confidence in the offensive end. His decision-making looks faster than in prior years as well, which is an important detail in his development. He still projects as more of a bottom-pair defender, as he still doesn’t have much of a high ceiling. But he should be well-liked by his future coaches and could be an important depth piece who eats up the toughest minutes for an NHL team down the line.

9. Nikita Novikov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

   In three seasons with Rochester, Nikita Novikov has not improved any aspect of his game significantly, with his production remaining largely the same since he came into the league. Coming into his third season with the Americans, you’d think Novikov would be pushing for at least a depth spot with Buffalo, but that just isn’t the case. A lot of the same issues still plague his game. He doesn’t have the speed to carry the puck effectively, he takes a lot of penalties and makes his fair share of misplays in his own end. He’s a featured penalty killer who does well in that role. It’s fair to say at this point the offensive side of his game won’t improve that much, but if Novikov can be relied upon in the defensive zone as a shutdown guy, you’re looking at a No. 6 or No. 7 NHL defenceman.

10. Maxim Strbak, D, Michigan State University (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

    While the offensive side of things hasn’t really come around at Michigan State, Strbak remains a promising stay at home defender thanks to his size, mobility, and strength down low. Strbak possesses excellent mobility and when you combine that with his physical effectiveness, you have a defender who can suffocate the top offensive players on the opposing team. He’s also a fierce competitor who blocks shots and finishes checks in puck pursuit. In his draft year, Strbak flashed offensive upside thanks to some creativity with the puck and the ability to combine that with his strong skating ability. He’s been a solid point producer for Slovakia internationally too. However, that part of his game just hasn’t blossomed at the NCAA level. He often opts to play a safer game, rarely leading the charge offensively out of his own zone, or taking liberties with the puck. A prime candidate to turn pro later this season, it will be interesting to see Strbak fit into the Sabres’ system. The hope has to be that he can become Buffalo’s version of Tampa’s Erik Cernak.

11. Jake Richard, RW, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

    Richard hasn’t been able to replicate the offensive success of his breakout last year at UConn, but he’s still a solid middle six prospect who can make plays through traffic and protect the puck.

12. Prokhor Poltapov, LW, CSKA Moscow (KHL)

    Poltapov continues to make progress in Russia, emerging as a quality offensive player in the KHL. He still has another year on his KHL deal, so don’t expect to see him in North America until 2027.

13. Ryan Rucinski, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

    A late-round pick last year, Rucinski is a competitive, but skilled forward who has been one of the USHL’s top players this year. He’ll attend Ohio State next season.

14. Melvin Novotny, LW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

    Like Rucinski, Novotny was also a late round pick last year who has been a standout in the USHL this season. The difference is that this is Novotny’s first year in North America. He’s committed to UMass for next season.

15. Noah Laberge, D, Newfoundland Regiments (QMJHL)

    Laberge has steadily improved as a two-way defender over his three seasons in the QMJHL. Now he’ll head to Northeastern in hopes of continuing to improve his projection as a possible third pairing NHL defender.