BREAKING DOWN THE SABRES ROSTER FOR THE 2022 PROSPECTS CHALLENGE: FORWARDS
Sep 12, 2022By Suzie Cool
Hockey season is so close.
By the time you turn the calendar page to next Thursday, Sept. 14, the Rochester Americans will be officially one month out from their 67th in the American Hockey League. Coincidentally, it’ll be the day before the Buffalo Sabres kick-off the seventh edition of the Prospects Challenge at LECOM Harborcenter.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BUFFALO SABRES ROSTER FOR 2022 PROSPECTS CHALLENGE
For the first time in the history of the event, the Sabres will be joined by five other teams to compete in a round-robin challenge featuring prospects from each team. The participating teams this season are the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins.
A total of 27 players comprise this year’s roster for Buffalo, including 17 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. With the event being so forward heavy, let’s get to know a little bit about the 17 offensive players we’ll see in action this week which includes three first-round picks.
FORWARDS
Josh Bloom – Left Wing
Bloom was a third-round selection (95th overall) by Buffalo in the 2021 NHL draft. After signing his entry-level contract with the Sabres on Apr. 18, 2021, Bloom joined the Amerks to conclude their 2021-22 campaign, not appearing in any games with the Sabres AHL affiliate but gaining valuable experience along the way.
In the last three seasons with the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) and Oakville Blades (OJHL), Bloom has appeared in a combined 121 games while racking up 75 points. In 2021-22 with Saginaw, Bloom topped all skaters with a career-high 30 goals, seven were shorthanded and five were on the power-play, and finished second on the team with 61 points.
Going into the 2022-23 campaign, Bloom will return to Saginaw to wrap up his junior career.
Nolan Burke – Center
Burke is an invitee to this year’s Prospects Challenge, having spent the last three seasons in the OHL with the Sarnia Sting.
From 2018-22 with Sarnia, Burke has gone on to appear in 121 games while racking up 72 points. Burke’s best season with the Sting came last year when he totaled career-highs with his 64 games played, 34 goals, 25 assists and 59 points.
Prior to his jump to the OHL, Burke spent one full season in the OJHL in 2018-19 with the Pickering Panthers.
Atley Calvert – Center
Calvert is another invitee to this year’s Prospects Challenge, spending the last three seasons in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
With the Warriors, Calvert has appeared in 102 career games while tallying 52 points over his tenure. In 2021-22, Calvert posted a career-best 15 goals, 25 assists and 40 points in a season-high 40 games.
Filip Cederqvist – Left Wing
Cederqvist was a fifth-round selection (143rd overall) by the Sabres in the 2019 NHL draft, signing his two-year, entry level contract with Buffalo on June 13, 2021.
In the 2021-22 campaign with Djugårdens IF (SHL), Cederqvist appeared in 49 games while tallying career-highs with 14 goals, 18 assists and 49 points. Professionally in Sweden, Cederqvist has played three full seasons at the highest level (SHL), appearing in 115 games and combining for 42 points. Cederqvist made his professional debut in 2018-19 with the Växjö Lakers HC when he was just 17 years old.
Alexsandr Kisakov – Left Wing
Kisakov was a second-round selection (53rd overall) by Buffalo in the 2021 NHL Draft, and signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the Sabres on May 11, 2022.
After making his MHL debut with the Dynamo Moskva in 2018-19, Kisakov has went on to play for the Dynamo for the last four seasons. In total, Kisakov has appeared in 151 games in the MHL, combining for 149 points on 64 goals and 85 assists.
In 2021-22 with Dynamo, Kisakov recorded a team-leading 56 points in 51 games while tallying seven assists in six playoff contests. During the season prior, Kisakov established career-highs with Dynamo with 36 goals and 73 points, which topped all Moskva skaters.
Tyson Kozak – Center
Kozak was a seventh-round selection (193rd overall) by the Sabres in the 2021 NHL Draft and recently inked his three-year, entry-level contract with the club on August 19, 2022.
In 2021-22, Kozak completed his third full season with the Portland Winterhawks (WHL), tallying 69 points on 32 goals and 37 assists. Kozak spent much of the 2021-22 campaign playing the role as a top-line center while appearing in 66 games.
Jiri Kulich – Center
Kulich was a first-round selection (28th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft by Buffalo, signing his three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres almost immediately after the draft on July 15, 2022.
In his first year in the pro ranks in the Czech league with Karlovy Vary HC, Kulich appeared in 49 games while recording nine goals and five assists. Kulich’s 14 points were more than any other junior-aged player in the league.
Most notably, Kulich dominated at both this year’s U-20 and U-18 World Junior Championships. In the U-20 event, Kulich appeared in seven games, totaling eight points. While serving as the captain for Czechia at the U-18 World Junior Championships, Kulich was named the tournament MVP after notching a tournament-high nine goals in six games.
Declan McDonnell – Right Wing
McDonnell was originally drafted in the seventh round (217th overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 NHL Draft, the team’s final selection that year. After opting not to sign his contract with Tampa, McDonnell is now a free agent in the NHL and an invitee to this year’s Prospects Challenge.
During the condensed 2020-21 campaign, McDonnell played 16 games with the Syracuse Crunch, totaling two points on two assists.
After that short stint, McDonnell returned to the OHL last season, splitting time between the Kitchener Rangers and Barrie Colts. Appearing in 63 games between the two teams, McDonnell posted career highs with his 28 goals, 36 assists and 62 points.
Being no stranger to the Buffalo area, McDonnell played for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in 2018-19 where he saw time in 54 games and totaled 49 points, making him feel right at home during this year’s Development Camp back in July.
Olivier Nadeau – Right Wing
Nadeau was a fourth-round selection (95th overall) by Buffalo in the 2021 NHL Draft and signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the club on May, 22, 2022.
The right wing has spent the last three seasons playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL), having his best season just last year. During the 2021-22 campaign with Shawinigan, Nadeau posted 78 points on 35 goals and 43 assists in 65 games in the regular season. Nadeau went on to add another 16 points in 16 games in the postseason with the Cataractes on their way to the championship.
Kohen Olischefski – Right Wing
Last season, Olischefski was signed to an amateur tryout with Rochester on March 22, 2022, after wrapping up his fifth collegiate season at Providence College (H-East) thanks to an extra year of availability due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his one year with Providence, Olischefski totaled 18 points while appearing in 38 games. Prior to Providence, Olischefski spent four seasons at the University of Denver from 2017-21 where he appeared in 134 career games and combined for 54 points.
Olischefski spent four seasons in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs, tallying 125 points on 38 goals and 97 assists in 125 games.
Olischefski was signed to a one-year, AHL contract with Rochester on July 21, 2022, after appearing in three games with the club last season.
Josh Passolt – Left Wing
Last year, Passolt was signed to a professional tryout with Cincinnati on April 6, 2021, finishing up the 2021-22 campaign with the Cyclones and joining them on their playoff run. Passolt signed a one-year AHL contract with Rochester on April 8, 2022.
Prior to turning pro this past year, Passolt spent five seasons at Western Michigan University from 2017-22. Passolt appeared in a total of 166 games with Western Michigan, combining for 198 points over his five-year tenure thanks to an extra year of availability due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021-22 with Western Michigan, Passolt established career-highs with 38 games played and 20 assists while helping lead the Broncos to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship game and No. 1 in the NCAA tournament.
With Passolt appearing in six games with Cincinnati to finish up the 2021-22 regular season, he went on to catch action in four postseason matchups with the Cylcones as well. Passolt will more than likely spend ample time in Cincinnati for the 2022-23 campaign, while getting the opportunity to possibly make his AHL debut with the Amerks.
Matej Pekar – Center
Pekar was a fourth-round selection (94th overall) by Buffalo in the 2018 NHL Draft and signed his three-year, entry-level with the Sabres on Oct. 17, 2018.
After signing his entry-level, deal Pekar went on to play two seasons in the OHL, splitting his final season in the league in 2019-20 between the Barrie Colts and Sudbury Wolves. During the 2019-20 campaign, Pekar totaled 63 points in 51 one games, which included four hat tricks.
He’s appeared in 72 games with the club over the past two seasons, suffering a season-ending injury in 2021-22 followed by a condensed rookie campaign in 2020-21.
Pekar has produced 12 points in the AHL, six which came last season before double shoulder surgery prematurely ended his season.
Additionally, Pekar represented the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2019 and 2020.
More than likely Pekar will spend the season in Rochester, hoping to get a full campaign under his belt.
Isak Rosen – Right Wing
Rosen was a first-round selection (21st overall) for the Sabres in the 2021 NHL draft, signing his three-year, entry-level contract with Buffalo on May 31, 2022.
In 2021-22 with the Leksands IF (SweHL), Rosen scored his first two professional goals, registering four points in 28 games. Rosen went on to appear in eight games with Leksands U-20 team as well, recording nine points on four goals and five assists.
While Rosen made Sweden’s roster for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, the right wing played in the team’s first two games before the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the 2021 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship, Rosen earned a bronze medal with Sweden and led the team with nine points in seven games throughout the tournament.
If Rosen opts to play in North America this season, the young forward will most likely spend all of the 2022-23 campaign with Rochester.
Lukas Rousek – Left Wing
Rousek was a sixth-round selection (160th overall) by Buffalo in the 2019 NHL Draft and signed his two-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres on April 20, 2021.
Heading into the 2021-22 campaign, Rousek was injured prior to last year’s Prospects Challenge, subsequently missing the first 57 games of the Amerks regular season with a lower-body injury before finally making his AHL debut on March 18 against the Cleveland Monsters. In 19 games during the regular season, Rousek combined for four points with the Amerks before appearing in all 10 postseason matchups with the club, tacking on two goals and four assists.
Prior to playing in North America last season, Rousek completed a four-year career with Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga. In his final season with Sparta Praha in 2020-21, Rousek posted career-highs with his 38 points and 24 assists.
Internationally, Rousek has represented the Czech Republic at the 2019, 2020 and 2021 World Championships.
After spending much of the 2021-22 season sidelined, Rousek will look to get a full season in Rochester heading into the 2022-23 campaign.
Matthew Savoie – Center
Savoie was a first-round selection (9th overall) by the Sabres in the 2022 NHL Draft, signing his three-year, entry-level contract with the club shortly after on July 15, 2022.
This past season with the Winnipeg Ice (WHL), Savoie led all WHL rookies with 90 points in 65 games. Additionally, Savoie added 12 points on six goals and six assists in 10 playoff games with the Ice.
In 2020-21, Savoie played for the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL), where he was named to the USHL All-Rookie team. Savoie finished fifth in rookie scoring with 38 points on 21 goals and 17 assists in 34 games with Dubuque.
The center skated for Canada White at the 2019 U-17 World Hockey Challenge while tying for the team lead in scoring with six points in six games.
Emmett Sproule – Center
Sproule is another invitee to this year’s Prospect Challenge, the final on the list of forwards, whose spent the last four seasons in the OHL between two different teams.
From 2017-2020, Sproule played for the Erie Otters, playing in 187 games and combining for 75 points. After taking a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, Sproule was back in the OHL last season with the Peterborough Petes, posting a career-year with his 86 points on 30 goals and 56 assists in 65 games.
Linus Weissbach – Left Wing
Weissbach was a seventh-round selection (192nd overall) by Buffalo in the 2017 NHL Draft, signing his two-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres on April 6, 2021.
Last year was Weissbach’s first professional season, spending the entirety with the Amerks and appearing in 67 games while accumulating 37 points. While Weissbach played in one postseason game with Rochester against the Belleville Senators, he unfortunately suffered an upper-body injury and was out for the remainder of the team’s playoff run.
Prior to turning pro, Weissbach spent four years at the University of Wisconsin from 2017-2021. Over 127 games with the Badgers Weissbach produced 114 points on 34 goals and 84 assists. Weissbach finished up his collegiate career in 2020-21 ranking in the top 10 in the NCAA with his 41 points and 1.32 points per game during his senior season.
Weissbach has represented Sweden twice internationally, once at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in 2015 where he won a bronze medal and at the 2016 Hlinka Memorial Tournament where he won a silver medal and racked up two assists in seven games.
More than likely, we’ll continue to see Weissbach develop with Rochester heading into the 2022-23 season.