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, 2023. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production to rank each player. Staff votes counted equally with reader votes.
Matteo Costantini
Drafted: 2020, 5th round, 131st overall
Position: Center
Born: August 16, 2002
2022-2023 stats: UND – 25 GP – 2-1-3, -5, 4 PIM
2022 T25U25 Ranking: Not Ranked In Top 25
After two seasons at University of North Dakota, Costantini entered the transfer portal and made the switch to Western Michigan University, which will put the prospect closer home to St. Catharines in Ontario. There was a bit of a mass exodus of talent this spring for the Fighting Hawks, but hopefully this is the right move for the forward who had a down year last season. While he shoots left, he’s bounced around all the forward positions and transitioned to left wing from center in his rookie year.
His first year in Grand Forks was full of potential with Costantini getting named to the 2021-22 NCHC All-Rookie Team after he logged 8 goals and 13 assists en route to a +12 in a 35-game season. When he was in Buffalo for the 2022 Summer Development Camp, the center was being hailed as one of the Sabres’ strongest forward prospects, but a lot of that dissipated in a difficult campaign that saw him feature in only 25 games, scoring 2G and 1A.
The 21-year-old was afforded plenty of opportunities at North Dakota even starting the season on the top line so it was puzzling to see him leave. His move to the Broncos might not end up well either with little talent around him Alex Bump and Sam Colangelo the only other prospects of note in Kalamazoo.
Still, Costantini was able to put that aside and had a decent-to-good development camp this summer in Buffalo, returning to where he first made an impression for three years with the Junior Sabres. It does feel like this is a make-or-break season for the young forward to show that he belongs.
Contract-wise, the Sabres have until August 15, 2025 to sign him, per CapFriendly.
2023 Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25 –
#25 – Viljami Marjala
Enjoying yourself? Check out our merch!