There are not many teams in the league right now with a deeper or more well-rounded prospect pool than the Buffalo Sabres. And they broke their fourteen-year playoff drought at the end of last season. It’s rare that a team is able to do both; whether they can keep it up is another matter entirely, as one of the functions of prospects is as bargaining chips for pieces of a Stanley Cup run. But at the moment there’s a treasure trove of potential, and Sabres fans should enjoy it.
Names that drove the grade up include recently drafted defenseman Daxon Rudolph, who does nothing extraordinarily but everything very well (minus being a touch too nonchalant), and forward Konsta Helenius, who, despite being recently scratched for “not enough compete,” is in a good position to become a full-time NHLer this season. Defenseman Radim Mrtka, too, is waiting in the wings to become a valuable part of the NHL lineup, though he’ll likely require more seasoning in the AHL first.
Outside of these players, there’s significant depth at nearly every position. Keep an eye on guys like Ilia Morozov and Adam Kleber.