Sabres 2026 Draft Target: Brooks Rogowski

Rogowski is one of the biggest players in the upcoming draft, and he’s a physical center who prides himself on controlling the middle of the ice. What makes him such an intriguing prospect is the combination of his size and mobility; he skates far better than most players his size, and he uses his reach and frame to protect pucks and make it extremely difficult for opponents to force turnovers.

You can never have too much center depth, and with Rogowski heading to the college ranks, he’ll get at least one year of development before the Sabres decide whether to bring him into the organization or let him continue growing at Michigan State.

For Buffalo, this is an ideal setup. They don’t need a prospect who’s NHL‑ready right away; they can afford to be patient and let Rogowski develop into a feared power forward. Just ask Philadelphia Flyers forward Porter Martone how well Michigan State develops power forwards, he had a great end to the regular season and impressed during the Flyers playoff run.

If the Sabres Draft Rogowski, What Is the Short & Long-Term Outlook?

If the Sabres were to draft Rogowski, what would the short‑term effect be? For starters, they’d be adding a very solid prospect to their pipeline. There’s also the possibility that he becomes a valuable trade chip, the kind of asset a rebuilding team near the bottom of the standings might covet in exchange for NHL‑ready talent.

Given where the Sabres stand, and considering how aggressive general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he eventually moved Rogowski to help the player find a clearer path to an NHL roster, while also improving Buffalo’s lineup.

With Noah Ostlund and Konsta Helenius bursting onto the scene this season, it will be extremely difficult for Rogowski to crack the roster in the next few years, especially if the Sabres become a perennial playoff contender. That’s not a knock on Rogowski; he’s a strong prospect, but Buffalo’s core pieces are already identified, and he projects more as a middle-six player rather than a centerpiece.

So what’s the long‑term outlook? The Sabres would be getting a raw but promising prospect with the potential to grow into a middle‑six role. He may not fit their immediate competitive window, but that’s not why you draft him. He’s a two‑to‑three‑year investment.

Even though the Sabres were the fourth‑youngest team in the league this season (behind only the Montreal Canadiens), their core is slowly aging. Rogowski could slide into a third‑line role in a few years when he’s ready to make the jump to the NHL.

Looking ahead three years, the Sabres have only four forwards signed for the 2028–29 season. That leaves plenty of room for Rogowski to compete for a roster spot, assuming some current depth players aren’t re‑signed or are moved.

Rogowski isn’t the loudest name in this class, but his speed, compete, size, and upward trajectory make him a smart, Sabres‑style swing. If he’s on the board when Buffalo picks, he’s exactly the kind of high‑motor, high‑upside center who can help this team down the road.