Buffalo Sabres Top Prospects

A look at the Buffalo Sabres top prospects heading into the 2015-16 season. The write ups for the Sabres prospects are from mid-season, updating the progress of some of the Sabres top prospects.

Hudson Fasching: Right Wing - 6'2" / 205
Drafted: 118th overall by Los Angeles in 2013

Fasching has quietly emerged as an excellent prospect over the last couple years and could very well be the best one the Sabres have after Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and co. graduated to the NHL level.

Fasching is off to a fantastic start playing for the University of Minnesota this season as he's averaging better than a point per game (20 in 19) thus far.

What's most encouraging about Fasching's development is his ability to put the puck in the net. As a freshman at Minnesota he scored 14 times in 40 games (.35 per game). As a sophomore he scored 12 goals in 38 games (.31 per game).

This year, as a junior, Fasching has scored 11 times in just 19 games (.57 per game).

He's a very good skater with good puck skills and he already has an NHL frame. I expect he'll get at least a taste of the NHL within the next year or two.

Brendan Guhle: Defenseman - 6'2" / 185
Drafted: 51st overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2015

Guhle is a smooth skating two-way defenseman off to a pretty good start in Prince Albert.

Logging big minutes for one of the better teams in the WHL, Guhle has managed to put up six goals and 17 points in 35 games. His points per game is only marginally higher this season than last, but his goal numbers are way up as he already surpassed last year's total in half the amount of games.

Guhle is at least a couple years away but he's coming along nicely as a prospect.

Justin Bailey: Right Wing - 6'4" / 205
Drafted: 52nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013

Bailey is off to a somewhat mediocre start to his professional career having tallied just 12 points in 36 games.

Those numbers won't wow anyone, but what has stood out to me is his ability to generate shots. He's 3rd on the team with 73 and is five years younger than each player he has less than.

Bailey is a guy with a very good shot and speed to burn. As he gets more comfortable with the pro game I expect his abilities to shine through and help him find the scoresheet on a more consistent basis.

Write-up by Todd Cordell, on Twitter @ToddCordell

2015 Draft
1 2 Jack Eichel (C) - Boston University (H-East)
2 51 Brendan Guhle (D) - Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
4 92 Will Borgen (D) - Moorhead (Minn. H.S.)
5 122 Devante Stephens (D) - Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
6 152 Giorgio Estephan (C) - Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
7 182 Ivan Chukarov (D) - Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)

2014 Draft
1 2 Sam Reinhart (C) - Kootenay Ice (WHL)
2 31 Brendan Lemieux (L) - Barrie Colts (OHL)
2 44 Eric Cornel (C) - Peterborough Petes (OHL)
2 49 Vaclav Karabacek (R) - Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
3 61 Jonas Johansson (G) - Brynas (Sweden Jrs.)
3 74 Brycen Martin (D) - Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
5 121 Max Willman (L) - Williston-Northampton (Mass. H.S.)
6 151 Christopher Brown (F) - Cranbrook Kingston (Mich. H.S.)
7 181 Victor Olofsson (F) - MODO (Sweden Jrs.)

2013 Draft
1 8 Rasmus Ristolainen (D) - TPS Turku (SM-liiga)
1 16 Nikita Zadorov (D) - London Knights (OHL)
2 35 J.T. Compher (L) - U.S. National Development Team (USHL)
2 38 Connor Hurley (C) - Edina (Minn. H.S.)
2 52 Justin Bailey (R) - Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
3 69 Nick Baptiste (C) - Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
5 129 Cal Petersen (G) - Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
5 130 Gustav Possler (R) - Modo Jrs. (Sweden)
5 143 Anthony Florentino (D) - South Kent (Conn. H.S.)
6 159 Sean Malone (C) - U.S. National Development Team (USHL)
7 189 Eric Locke (C) - Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Buffalo Sabres Top Prospects
Rk	My NHL Trade Rumors	The Hockey News	Corey Pronman ESPN	Hockey Prospectus	Hockey's Future	Dobber Prospects	NHL.com
1	J. Eichel	J. Eichel	J. Eichel	J. Eichel	J. Eichel	J. Eichel	J. Eichel
2	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart	S. Reinhart
3	J. McCabe	H. Fasching	J. McCabe	J. McCabe	J. McCabe	R. Ristolainen	J. McCabe
4	N. Baptiste	J. McCabe	H. Fasching	J. Bailey	J. Bailey	J. McCabe	N. Baptiste
5	J. Baily	M. Pysyk	N. Baptiste	H. Fasvhing	N. Baptiste	H. Fasching	J. Bailey
6	H. Fasching	B. Guhle	G. Possler	B. Martin	H. Fasvhing	N. Baptiste
7	E. Cornel	N. Baptiste	V. Karabacek	N. Baptiste	B. Guhle	J. Larsson
8	B. Guhle	J. Bailey	J. Bailey	B. Guhle	W. Carrier	J. Bailey
9	A. Makarov	L. Ullmark	W. Carrier	S. Malone	Cal Petersen	A. Makarov
10	W. Carrier	W. Borgen	A. Makarov	C. Ruhwedel	C. Ruhwedel	M. Pysyk