Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Buffalo Sabres’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.
2024 Draft Grade: B-
Buffalo’s first two picks are players I think will have NHL careers. Konsta Helenius is a well-rounded forward with top-six potential, and Adam Kleber could be a fourth or fifth defenseman in the league. Brodie Ziemer is an easy player to like, even if the pure talent level in his game doesn’t overly stand out. The draft class in itself is fine, but as I’ve stated before with Helenius, I do wonder how he fits in with all the other average to smaller-sized forwards Buffalo has drafted high.
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Draft Class
14. Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (Liiga)
May 11, 2006 | 5′ 11″ | 190 pounds
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Player comparable: Max Domi
Analysis: Helenius was very good at the Liiga level and was a top player for Finland’s U20 team. He had a strong playoffs for Jukurit, leading to an invite to Finland’s national team. He is a highly skilled playmaker who can make a lot of difficult passes consistently. He shows the vision to run a pro power play effectively. He skates well and creates a lot of offense with pace for himself and others. Helenius isn’t a big center, but he gives strong efforts off the puck, doesn’t shy from going to the net and has an edge to his game. Inside the NHL, the debate is whether he’s a good or a special 5-11 forward. I’ve seen enough flashes to think the latter, but his so-so U18 worlds and world juniors give some pause. I think he can be a top-line center or a No. 2 on a top team.
Thoughts on the pick: Helenius is a very good and well-rounded player. He’s very intelligent and scored versus men this season. He fits here on talent and projects as a top-six forward, but, yet again, Buffalo takes a sub-6-foot forward with a premium pick. I get the best-player-available angle, but there are only so many power-play jobs in the NHL, and it feels like the Sabres are backing themselves into a corner on the trade market.
42. Adam Kleber, RHD, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
March 24, 2006 | 6′ 5″ | 214 pounds
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Player comparable: Ryan Graves
Analysis: Kleber’s game has developed well as the season has progressed. He is a very athletic defenseman who projects to be a strong pro defender. He’s 6-5, skates well for a big man and competes hard enough. He will be quite difficult for even NHL forwards to get by or try to gain footing around the net. Kleber’s offensive play is what has sold me on him. I didn’t originally think he was a true puck-mover, and still don’t, but he’s shown enough sense with the puck this season for me to think he can have an NHL career.
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71. Brodie Ziemer, RW, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
February 22, 2006 | 5′ 11″ | 196 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Analysis: Ziemer was the captain of the U.S. NTDP U18s this season — a consistent top-six forward who played in every important situation. He’s not a spectacular talent, but he’s a consistent player. Ziemer is a hard-working winger who plays with good pace. He isn’t that big but wins battles. He was asked to be the net-front player for the U.S. on PP1 and did so effectively. He has good hands and can make tough skilled plays in tight areas. For a smaller player is his offensive touch truly high-end? Probably not. If he makes it to the NHL as a bottom-six type, it’s because he willed his way into the league, which he has a chance to do.
108. Luke Osburn, LHD, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
September 9, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 172 pounds
Analysis: Osburn is a smooth-skating defenseman. He gets up ice quickly and has a technically refined stride that should build power as he develops strength. He’s an average-sized defenseman with an average puck game. He doesn’t have zero offense, but he doesn’t see the ice at a high level.
123. Simon-Pier Brunet, RHD, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
October 24, 2005 | 6′ 2″ | 196 pounds
172. Patrick Geary, LHD, Michigan State Univ. (NCAA)
February 18, 2004 | 6′ 1″ | 185 pounds
Analysis: Geary is a decent-sized defenseman who skates and competes well. He was invited to USA’s world junior camp in December. His puck moving is questionable, though.
204. Vasily Zelenov, F, RB Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL)
February 2, 2006 | 5’11” | 170 pounds
219. Ryerson Leenders, G, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
June 1, 2006 | 6′ 2″ | 179 pounds
Analysis: Leenders got off to a scorching start to the season as one of the top goalies in the CHL early on but slowed down as the year progressed. He is an athletic goaltender with good sense and technique. The problem with his projection is there is no aspect of his game that is truly high-end and that is concerning for a goalie barely pushing 6-foot-1.
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Beat writer’s analysis
The Sabres came into this draft with nine picks and ended up drafting eight players. In the past four drafts, the Sabres have now taken 38 players, which gives them one of the most crowded prospect pools in the NHL. Adding Helenius, a potential impact center, was a solid value in the first round. The Sabres also traded a second-round pick to Washington in exchange for Beck Malenstyn, a bottom-six left wing who led the Capitals in hits last season. General manager Kevyn Adams said he wanted to make the Sabres tougher to play against, and adding Malenstyn is a step toward that goal.
“That was a big need we came into this offseason looking for,” Adams said.
But the draft also had that flavor with the picks of the defenseman Kleber in the second round and winger Ziemer in the third round.
“I think the thing we value the most is the high compete level,” Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton said. “Obviously size is important and you hope that in time those two things will end up morphing into even more toughness and aggressiveness than you see when you’re watching them in their draft year.”
(Photo of Konsta Helenius: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Corey Pronman is the senior NHL prospects writer for The Athletic. Previously, Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman
