The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. 92 readers ranked Buffalo Sabres players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2026. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player.
Prokhor Poltapov
Drafted: 2021, BUF (33rd overall), 2nd round, 1st pick
Position: Left wing/Right wing (shoots right)
Born: 2/1/2003 (Age: 23) St. Petersburg, RUS
2025-2026 stats: GP 68 G 16 A 24 PTS 40 +5, CSKA Moskva
2025 T25U25 Ranking: 21st last year
This one has been a long time coming, with one more year of patience required.
Prokhor Poltapov, drafted way back in 2021 (Kevyn Adams’ second draft as Sabres general manager) is finally starting to look like the player Buffalo hoped it was getting with the 33rd overall pick. I nearly wrote him off myself a few years ago, but Poltapov has steadily developed and has now put together back-to-back 40-point seasons with CSKA Moscow.
The bad news? We still have to wait on this polarizing player. Poltapov has one season remaining on his KHL contract, running through 2026-27.
The good news? He shouldn’t need much, if any, AHL seasoning when he finally shows up. Poltapov has been playing against men for years now, and that experience should have him well prepared for the transition to North American hockey.
Buffalo’s brass views him as a versatile, middle-six “plug-and-play” forward. A spot could be ready and waiting for him when Jason Zucker’s contract expires next year. He should be able to step right in and contribute, especially with the ability to play either wing. After such a long and mostly forgotten wait, it almost feels like the Sabres will be getting an unexpected freebie player when it happens.
Prokhor was drafted at 6-foot-0 and 176 pounds, and those are still the only listed measurements I can find today. I have to believe he’s filled out physically over the past five years, but there doesn’t appear to be an update available. At 23, however, he should be much more physically mature than the teenager Buffalo drafted back in 2021.
Poltapov is a high-energy forward who does a lot of things right. He is highly competitive, has explosive acceleration and brings a physical, net-driving presence to his game. He can score goals, set them up and isn’t afraid to throw the occasional hit. He is also effective on the penalty kill. There is a lot to like about this resourceful player.
At this point, his arrival feels less like a possibility and more like a foregone conclusion. The wait is almost over, and Buffalo should finally get to see what Poltapov can bring to the organization next year.
2026 Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25
#25 Simon-Pier Brunet
#24 Topias Leinonen
#23 Gavin McCarthy
#22 Luke Osburn
#21 David Bedkowski
#20 Maxim Strbak
#19 Brodie Ziemer
#18 Vsevolod Komarov
#17 Ashton Schultz
# 16 Riley Fiddler-Schultz
#15 Prokhor Poltapov