SABRES CLOSE OUT 2022 NHL DRAFT WITH EIGHT PICKS ON DAY 2

Jul 8, 2022

By Chris Ryndak for Sabres.com

The Buffalo Sabres made eight more selections on Day 2 of the 2022 NHL Draft. Check out the full details below.

In Round 1, the Sabres selected three centers: Matt Savoie (9th overall), Noah Ostlund (16th overall) and Jiri Kulich (28th overall). The Sabres made 11 picks total, including eight forwards, two defensemen and a goaltender.

Round 2

• Topias Leinonen (41st overall) - G - JYP U20 (Finland)

The Sabres used their second-round pick to select NHL Central Scouting's top-rated European-based goaltender. The 6-foot-5, 233-pound netminder backstopped Finland to a bronze medal at the 2022 Under-18 World Championship with a 3-2-0 record, a 2.61 goals-against average, and a .897 save percentage.

He spent the majority of the 2021-22 season with JYP's junior team, posting a 9-10-0 record with two shutouts while ranking fifth in the league with a .916 save percentage.

Round 3

• Viktor Neuchev (74th overall) - F -  Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)

With the 74th-overall pick, the Sabres took Russian winger Viktor Neuchev, who scored 40 goals for Avto Yekaterinburg of the MHL in Russia last season. 

He finished the year with 67 points in 61 games.

Round 4

• Mats Lindgren (106th overall) - D - Kamloops (WHL)

Buffalo picked their first defenseman of the draft at 106. They selected Mats Lindgren of the Kamloops Balzers. 

Lindgren, whose father - also named Mats Lindgren - played 387 NHL seasons with Edmonton, the New York Islanders and Vancouver, recorded 44 points (5+39) in 68 WHL games last year. He recorded seven assists in the 2022 WHL Playoffs to help Kamloops advance to the Western Conference Championship.

Round 5

• Vsevolod Komarov (134th overall) - D - Quebec (QMJHL)

The Sabres selected defenseman Vsevolod Komarov in the fifth round (134 th overall). The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Russian produced 19 points (2+17) in 60 games for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL last year. 

He also posted four points (2+2) in 12 playoff games.

Round 6

• Jake Richard (170th overall) - F - Muskegon (USHL)

Buffalo selected forward Jake Richard of the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. He recorded 48 points in 56 games and finished second among all USHL rookies with 30 assists. 

He is committed to attend the University of Connecticut.  
 

• Gustav Karlsson (187th overall) - F - Orebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)

Buffalo took Swedish forward Gustav Karlsson with their second selection of the sixth round. Karlsson scored 31 goals in 41 games for Orebro HK of the J20 league, which tied for second among all skaters.

He ended up with 48 points in the regular season and six points (4+2) in five playoff games.

Round 7

• Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson (202nd overall) - F - Frolunda J20 (J20 Nationell)

Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson was Buffalo's first pick of the seventh round.

He posted 49 points (22+27) in 47 games for Frolunda's junior team. He also scored twice in three playoff games. 

• Linus Sjodin (211th overall) - F - Rogle (SHL)

Buffalo used their final pick of the 2022 NHL Draft to select forward Linus Sjodin. He played 49 games in the SHL, recording 11 points (5+6) in 49 games.

He also posted seven points (5+2) in eight games with Rogle's junior team. He'll turn 20 in October.