Hello, Die By The Blade readers! This article is the beginning of a new series titled ‘Sabres Prospects Highlights.’ Each month, we will go over some of the top-performing Sabres prospects playing in various leagues all over the world. 5 prospects will be considered the top performers based on their production levels from that month.
In this highlight, you will be able to see the prospect’s name, the league they play in and their production from that month, followed by a quick discussion of their performance. Hopefully, this will allow us to follow big-name prospects who are developing as they should, as well as uncovering some hidden gems mined out of the later rounds of the draft.
Note: statistics listed below were collected from the start of their respective seasons, which in some cases was in September, others in October.
#5 Vsevolod Komarov, QMJHL (11GP, 2G, 8A, 10PTS) & Mats Lindgren, WHL (11GP, 2G, 9A, 11PTS)
With nearly identical production in their respective junior leagues, it was impossible to leave either of these 2022 4th-round picks outside the top 5 performing prospects in the month of October. On sub .500 teams (Quebec Remparts, Komarov) and WHL (Red Deer Rebels, Lindgren), both players are the leading defensive scorers on their respective teams. It is also impressive to note that their production has jumped significantly from last year, with both players projected to double their point production from the season before. On teams that look to be out of the playoff picture early in the season, look out for both of these players to be part of potential blockbuster trades at the CHL trade deadline.
#4 Jake Richard, NCAA (8GP, 2G, 5A, 7PTS)
After a productive Draft +1 season in the USHL (62PTS in 57GP), Richard has hit the ground running as a freshman at UConn. He currently leads the team in scoring, ahead of highly touted Nashville Predators prospect Matthew Wood. With 6 NHL drafted forwards on the UConn roster, it is great to see that a 6th round pick in the 2022 draft is being given an opportunity to succeed. Should this production continue, you might start to hear the words “Richard” and “gem” paired together.
#3 Nikita Novikov, AHL (6GP, 0G, 5A, 5PTS)
With a strong performance at the Sabres rookie challenge and a quality showing during preseason, Novikov is beginning to move up the ranks on the Sabres defensive depth chart. The 2021 6th rounder has already matched his point totals from the entire previous season in the KHL, indicating that his production was related more to a lack of opportunity rather than skill. While unlikely to get a callup due to the number of fringe NHL defencemen the Sabres have in the system right now, keep an eye on his production as the season progresses.
#2 Isak Rosén, AHL (7GP, 4G, 5A, 9PTS)
After making the transition to North America last year, Rosén is producing like someone who is ready to move on from the minors. On pace to reach last year’s numbers (37PTS in 66GP) in half the time, it is clear that the 14th overall pick from the 2021 NHL draft is going to be a force in the AHL all season long. While it is unclear where he stands on the depth chart without getting a taste of the NHL last year, it will interesting to see if he gets an opportunity with the Sabres should his production continue.
#1 Jiri Kulich, AHL (7GP, 6G, 3A, 9PTS)
#1 & #2 were almost interchangeable this month. But at the end of the day, goals matter most, giving Kulich a slight edge. Starting right where he left off last year (46 PTS in 62GP), the 28th overall pick from the 2022 NHL draft is once again leading the Americans in goals. With the Sabres sitting 19th in the NHL for Goals For, who knows how long they will be able to wait before pulling the trigger and calling up someone who has scored goals at every level that he has played.
Honorable Mentions:
- Noah Östlund, SHL (13GP, 4G, 2A, 6PTS) → Champions HL (6GP, 4G, 3A, 7PTS)
- Prokhor Poltapov KHL (17GP, 4G, 3A, 7PTS)
- William von Barnekow Løfberg (15GP, 4G, 4A, 8PTS)
If there is anyone that you think we missed, let us know in the comments!