The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. It was a combination of staff writers and over 200 readers that ranked Buffalo Sabres players under the age of 25 as of August 1, 2024. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player. Staff votes counted equally with reader votes.
Aleksandr Kisakov
Drafted: 2021 – 2nd Round (53rd Overall)
Position: Left Wing/Center
Born: November 1, 2002 (21 years old)
2023-24 Stats: Rochester Americans (AHL) – 5-8-13 + 12 PIM in 32 GP
2023 T25U25 Ranking: NR
Aleksandr Kisakov’s second season in North America had its ups and downs. The Amerks’ lines were often thrown in a blender, with Kisakov finding himself on the top line some nights and the fourth line the next. He played both left and right wing and was all over the lineup at times, and a scratch at other times.
When he was in the lineup, he did contribute well at times:
Kisakov was ranked #24 in the Top 25 Under 25 rankings in 2022, but fell off last season, likely in part due to the Sabres’ sheer depth in prospects. The offensive production he fired off in his last two seasons in Russian junior hockey with MHK Dynamo Moskva (73 and 56 points, respectively) hasn’t quite translated to the North American pro game just yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t continue to grow.
Kisakov will likely spend this coming season in Rochester and, pending a breakout year, isn’t likely one of the top forwards primed for an NHL recall anytime soon.
That said, with a new bench boss in Rochester in Michael Leone, how the Amerks utilize Kisakov in their lineup may change. With guys like Brandon Biro & Justin Richards out of the picture, Michael Mersch still a UFA and Damien Giroux also in the same position, perhaps there’s room for Kisakov to make a name for himself and solidify a spot in the top six, but he’ll also be competing for that spot alongside newcomers like Josh Dunne, Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Ty Cheveldayoff.
2024 Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25
#25: Adam Kleber
#24: Tyson Kozak
#23: Maxim Štrbák
#22: Prokhor Poltapov