The Buffalo Sabres have had one of the better scouting departments in the league, which has led to Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams drafting well since being hired in 2020. When the rebuild first started in 2021, that was great—loading up the prospect pool with J.J. Peterka, Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn, plus others. Being able to select defenseman Owen Power first overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, things were looking up.
The team reached a point where players were developing and becoming full-time NHL players, but the team continued to receive early to mid-first-round picks. Eventually drafting Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen, Zach Benson, and the list goes on. Benson was able to make the NHL roster right away, but Ostlund and Rosen are stuck in the logjam that is the Sabres’ prospect pool. Now adding Konsta Helenius to the mix, who they drafted in the 2024 Draft, it just keeps getting more and more crowded.
With not a lot of room on the NHL roster for the prospects, the Sabres are in a tough spot. They can’t afford to wait for them to develop for two-plus seasons; there’s pressure on the organization to make the playoffs by any means necessary. The Sabres’ roster can use some improvement, but given the organization’s current state, it has to come from trading prospects for NHL-ready talent.
Sabres Have to Use Surplus of Prospects to Their Advantage
The Sabres have had a very strong prospect pool for the last few seasons, and added to that by drafting defenseman Radim Mrtka in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. They appear to have most of their roster set for this season, with limited opportunities for many of their prospects to see NHL ice during the regular season. However, Helenius, Ostlund, and Rosen are expected to make a push for a roster spot during training camp.
With Helenius expected to eventually be on the Sabres roster, using Rosen and Ostlund as trade bait for NHL-ready talent would be the smartest thing Adams could do. With two excellent forward prospects that some teams around the league can use, it would be a mistake to hold onto them. After trading Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, there is now a massive hole in the top six. I feel fine with Benson, Jiri Kulich, and Tage Thompson on the top line, but after that, it gets bleak.
Related: Which Sabres Players Could Put the NHL on Notice This Season?
Alex Tuch is a great second-line winger, but Josh Norris, who is the projected second-line center, cannot stay on the ice and is very injury prone. Then, Jason Zucker, who is the projected second-line left winger, is a solid forward but is much better on the third line than the second line.
Use Prospects As Trade Pieces
This is where the Sabres can use their prospects as trade chips. Let’s take the Pittsburgh Penguins, for example. There were a few rumors that the Sabres and Penguins were talking about a potential trade involving Penguins winger Bryan Rust. Whether it was the Sabres giving up the ninth-overall pick from the 2025 Draft or any prospects, they failed to secure a 65-point player. The Penguins need young players/prospects badly, as most expect them to head towards a rebuild very soon. Rosen and/or Ostlund would help them add to their depleted prospect pool.
Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts:
“There’s been a lot of interest in Bryan Rust, for good reason. Someone told me Buffalo was one of the teams around Rust.” pic.twitter.com/PyUE7EHCp7
— The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) June 27, 2025
Whether it’s the Penguins or a different team looking to add young talent to their organization, the Sabres should have capitalized on the opportunity to trade one of their prospects. Now, I don’t see a world where the Sabres trade Ostlund, Rosen, or any other of their top prospects before the start of the season.
The time to stop waiting on prospects is now. Three years ago, yes, they were able to afford to wait on their prospects to develop into NHL-caliber players. However, now that some of those prospects are in the NHL full-time, it’s time to move on from a few of them to help add to a roster that needs some help and to create a playoff-caliber roster.
I will give credit where credit is due, though. Last offseason, the Sabres were looking for a third-line center. They went out and traded one of their top prospects, Matthew Savoie, to the Edmonton Oilers for Ryan McLeod, who posted career highs last season with the Sabres in goals (20), assists (33), and points (53).
Did Adams make a mistake in not trading a few prospects for NHL-ready players?
