Sabres 2026-27 Prospect List

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

Looks like Rudolph and goalie Sam Meloche have been invited to the World Junior Summer Showcase.

 

If he can't beat out the other rhd on that list, I'd be mildly concerned. Lin, Liske, and Huang I like just fine but he's a level above. The interesting thing is hopefully him v. Verhoeff. Which gets top billing? Verhoeff is more direct and Rudolph is more deceptive. 

[SabreFinn]

On 7/26/2026 at 3:46 PM, LGR4GM said:

If he can't beat out the other rhd on that list, I'd be mildly concerned. Lin, Liske, and Huang I like just fine but he's a level above. The interesting thing is hopefully him v. Verhoeff. Which gets top billing? Verhoeff is more direct and Rudolph is more deceptive. 

Has Rudolph been playing yet? 

[LGR4GM]

6 hours ago, SabreFinn said:

Has Rudolph been playing yet? 

Yea, played in their 2nd game. Had an assist but I didn't watch it. 

https://chl.ca/whl/video/daxon-rudolph-2026-world-juniors-summer-showcase/

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/32-in-32/buffalo-sabres-top-prospects-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32

[Flashsabre]

I was just thinking about Sabres prospects over the years I was wrong about. Guys I thought would be good NHLers that totally fizzled out. For me the biggest 2 both happened to be Sudbury Wolves:

Nick Baptiste and Norm Milley. Both were scoring wingers in junior that I had high hopes for and neither one could transfer that to the pro game.

Anyone else have prospects over the years they were wrong about?

(Yes it is the dog days of summer) 😁

[shrader]

43 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

I was just thinking about Sabres prospects over the years I was wrong about. Guys I thought would be good NHLers that totally fizzled out. For me the biggest 2 both happened to be Sudbury Wolves:

Nick Baptiste and Norm Milley. Both were scoring wingers in junior that I had high hopes for and neither one could transfer that to the pro game.

Anyone else have prospects over the years they were wrong about?

(Yes it is the dog days of summer) 😁

Didn't we have an entire thread on that topic recently?

And I wanted Norm Milley to make it solely based on his awesome name.  

[FrenchConnection44]

13 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/32-in-32/buffalo-sabres-top-prospects-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32

Nice list. I like all these players. If somehow we can get thru this season successfully and make the playoffs, maybe pick up a player or two without giving up Mrtka and the other 4 I think we could be in excellent shape as a team. Really enthused about Morozov. I also really like Ziemer. One thing I didn’t agree with was Ziemer not being ready to compete for an NHL spot until 29-30. I’m sure some would disagree but the way he played last year, if he keeps improving and doesn’t plateau, I could see him challenging in 28-29 easy. Kind of interesting that they had the younger Morozov in that time frame. 
 

 

[LGR4GM]

19 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/32-in-32/buffalo-sabres-top-prospects-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32

Sorry but Radim Mrtka is not a better prospect than Daxon Rudolph. 

That said, Morozov getting some love here, nice. He probably is the 4th-ish best prospect and idk what to expect from a guy who technically hasn't played at his age level in 2 years. Did the USHL at 16 and the NCAA at 17. This is the first year sorta-kinda where we get to see him at the right age for the league he is in. As always though, Morozov's physical, smart, and moves extremely well for a 6'3" kid. He turned 18 last week. That's right, last week he finally turned 18 and yet he already dropped 20pts in 36 NCAA games. 

Ziemer is like if Doan and Benson had a baby. Another year of NCAA hockey and then they should sign him. He probably ends up as a really good 3rd line guy who also gets on your PK but there is some 2nd line upside in there. He's the same size as Helenius and is going to make life miserable for opposing teams when he is checking them.  

6 hours ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Nice list. I like all these players. If somehow we can get thru this season successfully and make the playoffs, maybe pick up a player or two without giving up Mrtka and the other 4 I think we could be in excellent shape as a team. Really enthused about Morozov. I also really like Ziemer. One thing I didn’t agree with was Ziemer not being ready to compete for an NHL spot until 29-30. I’m sure some would disagree but the way he played last year, if he keeps improving and doesn’t plateau, I could see him challenging in 28-29 easy. Kind of interesting that they had the younger Morozov in that time frame. 

Morozov is better than Ziemer. 

[FrenchConnection44]

13 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Sorry but Radim Mrtka is not a better prospect than Daxon Rudolph. 

That said, Morozov getting some love here, nice. He probably is the 4th-ish best prospect and idk what to expect from a guy who technically hasn't played at his age level in 2 years. Did the USHL at 16 and the NCAA at 17. This is the first year sorta-kinda where we get to see him at the right age for the league he is in. As always though, Morozov's physical, smart, and moves extremely well for a 6'3" kid. He turned 18 last week. That's right, last week he finally turned 18 and yet he already dropped 20pts in 36 NCAA games. 

Ziemer is like if Doan and Benson had a baby. Another year of NCAA hockey and then they should sign him. He probably ends up as a really good 3rd line guy who also gets on your PK but there is some 2nd line upside in there. He's the same size as Helenius and is going to make life miserable for opposing teams when he is checking them.  

Morozov is better than Ziemer. 

Nothing whatsoever in my post argued that he wasn’t. 

[LGR4GM]

Pronman "ranks" all the Sabres who are under 23 from prospects to nhl regulars. 

1. Daxon Rudolph
2. Jiri Kulich
3. Radim Mrtka
4. Noah Östlund
5. Konsta Helenius
6. Zach Benson
7. Ilia Morozov
8. Gavin McCarthy
9. Adam Kleber
10. Oliver Mūrnieks
11. Luke Osburn
12. Maxim Strbak
13. Brodie Ziemer
14. Samuel Maloche
15. Topias Leinonen

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459145/2026/08/18/buffalo-sabres-nhl-prospects-rankings-pipeline-2026/

[tom webster]

15 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Pronman "ranks" all the Sabres who are under 23 from prospects to nhl regulars. 

1. Daxon Rudolph
2. Jiri Kulich
3. Radim Mrtka
4. Noah Östlund
5. Konsta Helenius
6. Zach Benson
7. Ilia Morozov
8. Gavin McCarthy
9. Adam Kleber
10. Oliver Mūrnieks
11. Luke Osburn
12. Maxim Strbak
13. Brodie Ziemer
14. Samuel Maloche
15. Topias Leinonen

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459145/2026/08/18/buffalo-sabres-nhl-prospects-rankings-pipeline-2026/

The more I read his lists, the less confidence I have in anything he says.

[LGR4GM]

Pronman ranked Benson 17th in this 2023 final rankings: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4538998/2023/05/30/nhl-draft-rankings-2023-bedard-pronman/

Quote

Analysis

Benson has a ton of creativity and offense in his game. He makes high-end skill plays routinely, he's one of the better passers in junior and projects to be a major asset on an NHL power play. Benson lacks ideal size at 5-foot-9, but he's relentless in puck battles often coming out with the puck despite his frame. He's a responsible, detailed defensive player who is an asset without the puck. His frame, combined with a lack of separation speed, is a concern, though, for his NHL projection even though he's got good quickness in tight. There is a fair amount of risk on his projection, but his strong compete and tremendous skill plus track record of scoring, makes you think there is still a very good chance he can become a quality top-six wing in the NHL.

The hilarious part to me is in 2023 he said Benson had a good chance of becoming a top 6 winger at the NHL level, yet in this recent "ranking" he calls him "despite his production this season, I don’t view him as an elite brain or scoring type. He projects as a quality middle-six winger"

Crazy that a guy projected by the same analyst as a top 6 winger is now only a middle 6 winger after... checking notes... playing a top line role on a playoff team and putting up 9pts in 13playoff games. I am nitpicking but Pronman seems to have decided way back in 2023 what Benson was and oddly thinks less of him now. 

[#freejame]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Pronman "ranks" all the Sabres who are under 23 from prospects to nhl regulars. 

1. Daxon Rudolph
2. Jiri Kulich
3. Radim Mrtka
4. Noah Östlund
5. Konsta Helenius
6. Zach Benson
7. Ilia Morozov
8. Gavin McCarthy
9. Adam Kleber
10. Oliver Mūrnieks
11. Luke Osburn
12. Maxim Strbak
13. Brodie Ziemer
14. Samuel Maloche
15. Topias Leinonen

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459145/2026/08/18/buffalo-sabres-nhl-prospects-rankings-pipeline-2026/

I thought about linking this earlier but then realized that’s what he wants from his *****-ass content and thought better of it. Too many people out there making money off of engagement bait. 

[French Collection]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Pronman "ranks" all the Sabres who are under 23 from prospects to nhl regulars. 

1. Daxon Rudolph
2. Jiri Kulich
3. Radim Mrtka
4. Noah Östlund
5. Konsta Helenius
6. Zach Benson
7. Ilia Morozov
8. Gavin McCarthy
9. Adam Kleber
10. Oliver Mūrnieks
11. Luke Osburn
12. Maxim Strbak
13. Brodie Ziemer
14. Samuel Maloche
15. Topias Leinonen

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459145/2026/08/18/buffalo-sabres-nhl-prospects-rankings-pipeline-2026/

Benson barely beats out Morozov and McCarthy.

[dudacek]

33 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Pronman ranked Benson 17th in this 2023 final rankings: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4538998/2023/05/30/nhl-draft-rankings-2023-bedard-pronman/

The hilarious part to me is in 2023 he said Benson had a good chance of becoming a top 6 winger at the NHL level, yet in this recent "ranking" he calls him "despite his production this season, I don’t view him as an elite brain or scoring type. He projects as a quality middle-six winger"

Crazy that a guy projected by the same analyst as a top 6 winger is now only a middle 6 winger after... checking notes... playing a top line role on a playoff team and putting up 9pts in 13playoff games. I am nitpicking but Pronman seems to have decided way back in 2023 what Benson was and oddly thinks less of him now. 

I don't know about you, but I'm really excited we have five young players who are going to be better than Benson 😜

[Flashsabre]

I’ve questioned Pronman from day 1. What qualifications does he have for this position he has been given? 
 

I mean Benson at sixth is one of the most embarrassing takes I have seen and destroys any credibility he may have had.

[steveoath]

If you really want to yell at an inanimate object listen to the podcast where they discuss it. Prawnman is hopeless. 

[tom webster]

13 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I don't know about you, but I'm really excited we have five young players who are going to be better than Benson 😜

When you put it that way, yeah how great would that be to win multiple Cups in a row!