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Isak Rosen, Rochester Americans (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/ Rochester Americans)

3 Sabres Prospects To Watch During Preseason

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jacob D. Strozyk | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 10:15 AM ET

The preseason is finally here, and the time has come to see what the fruits of the summer’s labor will bring. The Buffalo Sabres have plenty of interesting storylines to follow as they begin their first set of games this week, but in particular, it will be very fun to see what their young players will do. As a team that has not made the playoffs in almost 15 seasons, there cannot be a set group of players with guaranteed roster spots at this point. There has to be competition, and there needs to be opportunity for prospects and young players to step up and prove that they can be the better player. As the preseason presses on, there are a few players that people should keep a close eye on.

Isak Rosen Is in Make-Or-Break Mode

It is not often that a prospect really makes it to this point in the Sabres’ organization, as most of their top prospects either play their way into an open roster spot fairly easily or fizzle out because they cannot perform at any level. Isak Rosen, on the other hand, has performed well at the minor league level and finds himself in year four of development, while others like Jiri Kulich and Zach Benson have surpassed him despite being younger. In his short time in the NHL, he has not been given many opportunities, but while he has been up in the NHL he has not made much happen with his limited chances. Compared to other prospects of similar ilk, he is falling behind.

That makes this preseason a make-or-break scenario for him. He has to show that he is more than just capable of being a call-up when things go wrong. He has to show general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff that he deserves a roster spot on this team. He has to put up points, and he really has to put pucks in the back of the net. He is a point producer and a fairly one-dimensional player, but he is good at what he does. Is the likelihood of him making the team outright high? Not particularly, but the time is now for him to play himself into a spot. Otherwise, he risks being left behind on the depth chart or moved to another team to be their project instead.

Tyson Kozak Could Be a Perfect Bottom-Six Forward

Tyson Kozak is the perfect example of a bubble player. He has all the right skills to be on the NHL roster for the spot he is meant to play, but it is just too crowded in that area to guarantee him a spot there. Right now, the Sabres’ bottom six forwards are fairly set, and Kozak’s skill set compared to the others is too similar at times that Ruff may opt for his trusted, typical NHLers over a kid still learning his way.

Kozak mainly has to compete with the likes of Peyton Krebs for the fourth-line center position. Both are good at winning draws, passing the puck, bothering the opposition, and being defensively sound. The only issue is that Krebs has the edge of having been in the NHL for longer, so he is more up to speed on what is needed and expected of him. He has the confidence of his coach, compared to Kozak who would need to earn it to play the same exact role. The thing is, Kozak could win this spot and either dethrone or move Krebs to a secondary role. The preseason will offer him every chance to prove he can play hard and be relied on in pressure situations, and he absolutely could pull off the roster upset he needs.

Radim Mrtka Needs to Shine

Recently drafted prospect Radim Mrtka will have all eyes on him as the preseason goes on. As a high-profile prospect and potentially big part of the Sabres’ blue line going forward, it is important for him to get as much time in as he can. Whether he is used on special teams, the top line or bottom pair scenarios, he needs to find his groove and understand what it is he needs to work towards. While he may not be fully ready for the NHL just yet, the kid is very close.

Giving Mrtka the confidence he needs through simply giving him the opportunity to play will deepen his drive to make this team in the future. Is it possible he pulls a Zach Benson and makes the team right out of training camp? I suppose nothing is impossible, but considering where the defensive depth chart is at right now, it is better for his development to give him playing time now, send him down, and then see where his progress is in a year or so. He will absolutely be the most fun of these three to watch as his skating and physicality both are difficult to dislike.

Honorable Mentions

There will be plenty of other young players that will be vying for roster spots that may be up for grabs, but most of them will need to fit into their niche better than that roster player, or they will need to jump someone on the depth chart with outstanding performances. Players like Ryan Johnson and Nikita Novikov are right on the cusp of NHL readiness, but are simply outclassed by the current depth defenders in experience. Either one of them could potentially outcompete Zac Jones and Jacob Bryson for the seventh defenseman spot, but it would not serve their development to be there yet.

For the forward group, players like Noah Ostlund and Konsta Helenius have a lot to compete for. Ostlund had some great games when he was called up at the end of last season, and Helenius has shown that he can be a reliable performer in the American Hockey League (AHL). They too would be competing for spots on the bottom lines and have the tools to do it. The question is, will they perform well enough to get the coach’s attention to keep them there for an extended period of time? There is plenty of preseason left to find out.