The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. 117 readers ranked Buffalo Sabres players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2025. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player.
Tyson Kozak
Drafted: 2021 – 7th Round (193th Overall)
Position: Forward
Born: December 29th, 2002 – 22 Years Old
2024-2025 stats: NHL – 21 GP – 3-2-5 / AHL – 68 GP – 6-17-20 / Playoffs: 8 GP – 0-2-2
2024 T25U25 Ranking: 24
Tyson Kozak earns the title of highest riser on our list by jumping an impressive 10 spots to number 14 this year. He had a very successful 3rd pro season and earned his first call-up to Buffalo on December 5th. Not wasting any time, he secured his first career NHL goal in his second career game two nights later against Winnipeg.
Kozak proved he could compete at the NHL level when his number was called. He consistently finishes checks and plays with a constant motor. While his stats won’t jump out at you, he showed a willingness to battle his way in the dirty areas of the ice to make an impact. A theme can be discovered by looking through his highlights: he is always around the net. All his NHL goals were plays in front, and one of his best defensive plays was there as well.
Sabres management liked what they saw and rewarded Kozak with a 3-year, two-way contract. He’ll have a chance to battle for a 4th line role on Buffalo during training camp, but his contract gives the Sabres flexibility to have him continue to develop in Rochester if needed. Kozak has already surpassed the expectations of a 7th-rounder. If he continues to exceed expectations, he could garner significant consideration for a full-time NHL roster spot as early as this season.