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Our friends at Expected Buffalo ran their annual “Sabres Top 25 Under 24” prospects fan vote last week, and the rankings include a mixture of returning studs, a shiny new draft class, and one trade acquisition. To be considered, according to site founder Chad DeDominicis, a player must not have played more than 41 NHL games. This loophole disqualified 19-year-old Zach Benson, allowing 22-year-old goaltender Devon Levi to knab the top spot. However, a few prospects that did not make the list are much more deserving of a top 25 ranking.
After Levi, Jiri Kulich, Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, and Isak Rosen round out the top five. The four forwards are no surprise as former first-round selections. If recent draft history is any indication, Benson, Jack Quinn, and Dylan Cozens are other recent first-round forwards selected who are now key contributors to the Buffalo Sabres.
Big second-round forward Anton Wahlberg ranked sixth, followed by 23-year-old defenseman Ryan Johnson, who just made the cut with 41 games played. A run on defensemen rounded out the top 10, with Vsevolod Komarov, Nikita Novikov, and Maxim Strbak.
Related: Don’t Forget About Sabres Second Year Defenseman
Here are the complete rankings:
We had 140 fan submissions in the @ExpectedBuffalo top 25 under 24 Sabres prospects ranking.
Here is how the total fan vote finalized: pic.twitter.com/ANZdxq107K
— Chad DeDominicis (@CMDeDominicis) August 5, 2024
Overrated Prospects
Olivier Nadeau
Some surprising Sabres prospects that made the top 25 rankings are Olivier Nadeau, Tyler Tullio, and Vasili Zelenov. Nadeau played 41 games in ECHL Jacksonville last season while managing to appear in only five AHL games for the Rochester Americans.
Tyler Tullio
The 22-year-old Tullio comes over from the Edmonton Oilers organization after two mediocre seasons in AHL Bakersfield. He was selected in the fifth round four years ago.
Vasily Zelenov
The most baffling is the 25th-ranked Zelenov, who the Sabres drafted in the seventh round this offseason. There are lots of unknowns surrounding the Russian-born forward playing in Austria Juniors. The first post-draft look at Sabres Development Camp showed a very raw, skilled player, but his talent has yet to be tested on the same level as nearly every other prospect in Buffalo’s pipeline.
Instead of these three, let’s review three prospects that are more deserving of being on Expected Buffalo’s fan vote rankings.
Sabres Prospects Fans Left Out
Stiven Sardarian
There were some clear dominant players at Sabres Development Camp, many of whom the 140 fans participating in Expected Buffalo’s ballot voted into the top 25 rankings. Helenius is the obvious one, along with fellow 2024 draftee Brody Ziemer. In the three-on-three tournament, Helenius’ clear running mate to finish his crafty playmaking was Stiven Sardarian.
Sardarian is the Sabres former third-round selection who’s flown under the radar by taking the unconventional route of Russia’s MHL to NCAA college hockey. The 21-year-old is poised for a breakout season in a transfer year after posting 14 points in 32 games for the University of New Hampshire last season.
Ethan Miedema
Another standout in the three-on-three tournament at Sabres Development Camp was forward prospect Ethan Miedema. At 6’4″ and over 200 pounds, Miedema is much more offensively gifted than his stature may elude to. He showed that over and over against his peers in the tournament, barreling down the left wing and beating goalies clean with his shot.
Matteo Costantini
Of all of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres products in Buffalo’s prospect pool, Matteo Costantini has the most upside. He registered 31 points in 38 games last season for Western Michigan University, bouncing back from a disappointing 2022-2023 season.
Costantini’s not very big but has the speed and puck skills reminiscent of former Sabres and Amerks forward Daniel Catenacci. Catenacci may not be the most flattering comparison, going scoreless in 12 NHL games, but for a fifth-round selection to reach the NHL is a feat in itself.
Costantini has an outside chance at reaching the highest level still, which is more than a handful of players voted into the Expected Buffalo Top 25 Under 24 can realistically say.
More Prospect Rankings: Sorting Sabres Prospects into Tiers
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TODAY'S BEST
Three best fits for Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Connor if he hits free agency in 2026
The Winnipeg Jets have done an excellent job of locking up their top talent to long-term extensions over the years. Superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, star center Mark Scheifele and defenseman Josh Morrissey have all recently extended their stays in Winnipeg, keeping their core intact. However, one key member of that nucleus, Kyle Connor, is entering the final year of his contract and doesn't appear to be in any rush to re-sign with the Jets, according to insider Frank Seravalli. The 28-year-old is set to play out the final season of his seven-year, $50 million deal signed back in 2019. Connor will surely receive a substantial pay raise on his next contract. Given that his camp wants to evaluate their options, let's examine three teams that would be the best fits to pry the two-time All-Star out of Winnipeg next summer. Detroit Red Wings A team that's already been linked to Connor, and for good reason, is the Red Wings. The Shelby Township, Michigan, native would likely be interested in a potential homecoming, and it makes sense for both sides. Detroit is looking to put an end to a lengthy nine-year playoff drought, and the addition of one of the game's best wingers would certainly help the cause. The Red Wings have their core of center Dylan Larkin, wingers Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Moritz Seider locked in, with some top prospects soon to join the big club. The time to strike is now. They are poised to have over $44 million in cap space next offseason, per PuckPedia, allowing them to throw a massive offer that could be hard for Connor to resist. Washington Capitals Another great fit for Connor would be the Capitals. Washington came down to the wire in the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes this summer but was narrowly edged out by the Carolina Hurricanes. Given their strong interest in Ehlers, there's a good chance Caps general manager Chris Patrick would push even harder for a player of the caliber of Connor. Placing a seven-time 30-goal scorer on the reigning top seed in the Eastern Conference could be dangerous for the rest of the league. They are set up well to compete against anyone in a bidding war, with $36.5 million in projected cap space following the 2025-26 season, according to PuckPedia. Columbus Blue Jackets Lastly, how about the Blue Jackets? Not many teams' futures look brighter than Columbus's, and it sounds like general manager Don Waddell wants to be active in aiding them along. The Blue Jackets almost landed star defenseman Noah Dobson via trade before the 2025 draft, demonstrating their newfound aggressive approach as their young core continues to show improvements. While they appear to be on the rise, it remains evident that they're lacking a true star up front, a problem that Connor could solve. Currently slated to have over $46 million in available cap space, via PuckPedia, money will not be an issue for Columbus in its pursuit of Connor.
NFL under fire for decision on Chiefs WR Rashee Rice
The Kansas City Chiefs appeared to receive an early gift from the NFL regarding wide receiver Rashee Rice's looming suspension. The third-year receiver is set to have a disciplinary hearing on Sept. 30 after he pleaded guilty to collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation. The timing of Rice's hearing is curious because he pleaded guilty to his charges on the same day Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge connected to his arrest for alleged DUI. The league has already suspended Addison for the first three games of the upcoming season. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, a league source told him that the NFL doesn't typically delay hearings as it has in the case of Rice, preferring to finalize a punishment before Week 1. “Maybe I’m a conspiracy theorist, but this is odd," said the unnamed source, via Florio. “You hardly ever see players get suspended in season unless they did something in season like a drug test or something.” The suspicion from the source and Florio is that the league is keeping Rice available for marquee matchups in the early season. The Chiefs begin their season in Sao Paulo, Brazil, playing the Los Angeles Chargers. Kansas City then plays the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants ("Sunday Night Football") and Baltimore Ravens. Florio suggested that with a hearing date of Sept. 30, Rice would likely start any suspension the Chiefs' Week 5 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars on "Monday Night Football." "At a time when many think the league favors the Chiefs, situations like this will not become evidence to the contrary," Florio said. While the early slate of games is impressive for the Chiefs, their schedule is jam-packed with heavyweight matchups. The next four games after Week 5 include the Detroit Lions ("Sunday Night Football"), Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders ("Monday Night Football" and Buffalo Bills. While the league has some explaining to do as to why it chose Sept. 30 as the date, it's hard to see why the Chiefs would have an advantage by losing Rice for those games.
Steelers Offense Learned Harsh Truth About Themselves During Joint Practice With Buccaneers
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently finished up a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium prior to their Preseason Week 2 matchup against each other. It's always nice to go against someone other than your own defense for a change, and the idea is that there is a lot for both teams to benefit from in seeing someone else on the other side of the line of scrimmage. It also helps that the two teams won't play each other in the 2025 regular season, so they can practice everything that they want to without necessarily giving plans away. Sometimes, the good thing about joint practices is understanding where your team still might be limited. After practice concluded and interviews were finished, the conclusion seemed to be that the Steelers still have a long way to go before being ready for the regular season, as reported by ESPN's Brooke Pryor. Outside of a dominant seven shots drill, it seemed like the Steelers had a rough practice. While filming most of practice was banned, there were some photos of wide receiver Mike Evans beating new defensive back Jalen Ramsey clean to the corner of the end zone for an easy score. Of course, there is still a little bit of time for the Steelers to clean up everything and put on a good show for Week 1. Resting most of their starters for Preseason Week 2 may not the greatest idea for that, however. After this game, there will be one more week of preseason before a week with no games. After that, it's put up or shut up time for this revamped team. Obviously, when you have a brand new starting quarterback and top wide receiver, it can take some time for the whole offense to click as a collective unit, although that's not an excuse for the pass that DK Metcalf reportedly dropped during the two-minute drill. Now is not the time for the team to take things easy. With a short week of practice between Preseason Week 2 and 3, the cleanup phase could come during the upcoming week without NFL football. Steelers Hopefully React To Wake-Up Call Like Young Receiver Did During training camp, wide receiver Roman Wilson was a bit underwhelming to start, and his spot on the roster was suddenly questionable. That was exactly what he needed to realize that he had to work nonstop if he wanted to reach his potential. Since then, he has performed well and has made a case for a spot in the starting lineup, let alone the 53-man roster. That's exactly how the whole team needs to respond. Even Aaron Rodgers, the starting quarterback, needs to work like his job is on the line if he wants to gain chemistry with his new receivers, even though there is likely zero chance that he gets cut, or even benched. If they try to coast through the season, the infamous non-losing season streak may finally come to an end, and massive changes will have to be made.
Steelers Experience Nightmare Scenario As Buccaneers' Mike Evans Dominates Jalen Ramsey In Joint Practice
The Pittsburgh Steelers invest on the defensive side of the ball year after year. The team has had the highest-paid unit for several seasons, but fans have become frustrated because the group doesn't always live up to expectations. Inconsistencies have haunted Teryl Austin's group, but that should change in 2025, especially because the secondary has one of the best cornerback situations in all of football. Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay should all play a part in dominating opposing receivers, but the franchise had to have gotten a little bit nervous during a joint practice on Thursday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers and Buccaneers will face off in a preseason battle on Saturday, but not all starters will be on the field for the contest, which is why Thursday's practice was an important one for both coaching staffs to evaluate their players. Due to NFL rules, reporters weren't able to capture a lot of the occurrences during the session, but some facts came out afterwards. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has consistently been saying that Ramsey will be in charge of lining up versus each opponent's best wide receiver. The cornerback was given the opportunity to do so with Tampa Bay in town on Thursday, but that allegedly went very poorly for the veteran defender, according to Rick Stroud, who is a journalist for the Tampa Bay Times. Mike Evans is one of the most underrated pass-catchers of his generation, but Ramsey was acquired so he could shut down top wideouts. It may have just been a joint practice in August, but the reporting coming out of the Steel City is rather concerning. Evans was apparently so prominent that he isn't even going to play on Saturday, which says a lot about how good he must have looked against the Steelers' defense and Ramsey. Pittsburgh's offense is expected to be better in 2025, but Tomlin's goal will always be to win games on the defensive side of the ball. If Thursday was any indication of what's to come, the Steelers could be in a more difficult situation than originally thought. To be the best, one has to beat the best, and the observation coming from a reporter like Stroud sheds a negative light on Ramsey. Competition brings out the best in players, but on Thursday, there is evidently no doubt that the heart of the Buccaneers' offense got the better of the newly-acquired member of Pittsburgh's defense. It's important to note that players don't always go all out in August due to the possibility of getting injured, but it's apparent that Evans had no issues beating Ramsey more than once over the course of the joint practice. It will be interesting to keep an eye on Ramsey as he continues to get his feet wet in Austin's defense. Week 1 of the 2025 season is just around the corner, so it is imperative that the team's top cornerback is ready to go to battle week in and week out. Steelers Can't Afford To Have Ramsey Play Poorly Throughout 2025 Season While a duo of Porter and Slay is great to have alongside Ramsey, the team isn't paying the former Miami Dolphins cornerback a ton of money to get beat by opposing wide receivers. It's not fair to completely overreact in mid-August, but a few red flags should be raised after the reporting from Stroud. Ramsey has to be playing at the highest level possible come September.
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