The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club’s top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
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21. Matous Kucharcik – Forward (Youngstown – USHL)
Kucharcik is a lanky forward who played for Slavia Praha in the Czech junior system, and played for his country at the Under-18’s before being selected by the Sabres in the fourth round (103rd overall) at the 2025 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old forward was born in Italy, as his father (a 1991 Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick) played throughout Europe during his career.
Who will pick up the offensive slack for the Sabres next season?
The youngster is described by Elite Prospects 2025 Draft Guide as “a smart two-way center who excels at facilitating others through his strongly ingrained supporting habits. He backtracks to intercept passes in the neutral zone, pickpockets opposing defencemen on the forecheck and takes the right routes to provide his teammates with passing options. There’s also a clear defensive upside with Kucharčík. His motor is solid, but it’s how he angles and positions that really drives his defensive value.”
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Instead of remaining in Czechia, Kucharcik played for the Sabres favorite USHL club. the Youngstown Phantoms last season, and scored 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists) in 35 games. He is moving on to the NCAA to Miami (OH) University, where he will play with Sabres 2026 first rounder Ilya Morozov.
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