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.
Topias Leinonen
Drafted: 2022 – 2nd Round (41st Overall)
Position: Goalie
Born: January 25th, 2004 – 21 Years Old
2024-2025 stats: HockeyAllsvenskan – 13-10-0, 2.31 GAA, .910 Save Percentage
2024 T25U25 Ranking: Not Ranked
The two seasons after being the first goaltender drafted in the 2022 NHL draft did not go well for Topias Leinonen. He struggled to make the jump from the Finish junior league to the pro leagues and delt with numerous injuries along the way. In limited action between the 2021-2022 and 2023-2024 seasons, Leinonen failed to produce a GAA under 3 or a save percentage over .900 in either of Finland’s top two pro leagues.
After an injury plagued 2023-2024 season, Leinonen moved from the Finish leagues to Sweden’s 2nd best pro league. The fresh start proved to be a smart choice as he posted his best stat line as a pro and a career best 4 shutouts. He also posted an impressive 2.18 GAA and .929 save percentage in Mora IK’s 6 game Quarterfinal playoff loss. When he’s on his game, Leinonen uses his large frame and athleticism to shut down opposing scorers. That athleticism can lead to some highlight reel saves:
The Sabres liked the improvement they saw in his game and rewarded him with an entry level contract on March 28th, 2025. This gives them the option of bringing him to North America and being more active in his development. If they do bring him over, he would likely need to beat out fellow prospect Scott Ratzlaff for the backup role in Rochester. If not, he would likely spend time in the ECHL with Jacksonville.