The Buffalo Sabres’ 2024 draft class is starting to look like a group that could change the way people talk about the organization’s prospect pipeline. Konsta Helenius, the first-round pick, already flashed real progress in his second pro season in North America, scoring almost a point per game with AHL Rochester, getting into the Sabres’ playoff lineup, producing at a high level for Finland at the IIHF World Championships in Switzerland, and cracking Buffalo’s roster out of training camp.
But Helenius is just the headliner. The rest of that draft class is building out in ways that make the group look awfully strong.
Adam Kleber, taken 42nd overall, is one of several young right-shot defensemen in the system. The Minnesota native helped Team USA win gold at the 2025 WJC, then followed that up with a steady year at Minnesota-Duluth.
As a freshman in 2024-25, the 20-year-old had five points, including two goals and three assists, in 33 games. Last season, his offense ticked up a bit with three goals and nine assists in 40 games.
At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Kleber brings size, strong skating, and a dependable two-way game, though he is not projected to be a big offensive force at the pro level.
Brodie Ziemer, the 71st overall pick, may be the most intriguing forward prospect in the organization who has not yet landed in the NHL, with perhaps Prokhor Poltalpov as the only real challenger to that label. A US National Development Program product, the 20-year-old made noise at the 2025 World Juniors, putting up seven points - three goals and four assists - in seven games for the gold-medal-winning Americans. He also had a strong first year at the University of Minnesota, scoring 12 goals in 38 games as a freshman.
He kept rolling as a sophomore. Ziemer was again among Team USA’s top scorers at the World Juniors, with six points in five games, and then took a major step for the Golden Gophers by finishing with 36 points, including 23 goals and 13 assists, in 36 games. Buffalo could not get him signed to an entry-level contract, so he returned to Minnesota for his junior season, where he has yet to score in two games.
Luke Osburn, selected 108th overall, has also put himself on the radar. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound defenseman was the USHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 2025 and drew attention at the World Junior Summer Showcase that summer, which helped earn him a spot on Team USA’s roster last December. Osburn impressed as a freshman at Wisconsin, posting 21 points with six goals and 15 assists in 33 games, and he has opened his sophomore year with two points - one goal and one assist - in four games.
With Helenius already showing up at the pro level and players like Kleber, Ziemer, and Osburn continuing to build momentum, the Sabres’ 2024 draft class is looking more and more like a foundation group.
In Other News...
Sabres Crease Suddenly Sits At Center Of A Bigger Trade Watch
Igor Shesterkins season-ending injury has sent the Rangers into the goalie market, and Buffalo has suddenly found its crease drawn into the conversation. New York general manager Chris Drury is taking a hard look at available options, while Rangers goalie scout Scott Clemmensen has been out identifying potential trade targets, with Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen among the names drawing attention.
The bigger intrigue is where that search could lead if New York decides to get aggressive. There is speculation about a larger trade structure that would involve the Sabres and Jets, with Luukkonen potentially part of the return headed to Manhattan and Connor Hellebuyck emerging as a possible fit for Buffalo, though nothing has been completed or announced. For the Sabres, it is the sort of rumor that puts their own goalie situation squarely in the middle of a much wider market. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Goaltending Trouble Puts A Familiar Trade Rumor Back In Play
Connor Hellebuycks situation in Winnipeg has lingered long enough to feel less like a hot rumor and more like an ongoing test of patience for everyone involved. The former Jets starter remains suspended after requesting a trade and not reporting to training camp, and while there has been plenty of outside speculation about where he might land, nothing has been completed.
For Buffalo, the timing keeps this possibility in view because the Sabres goaltending picture is unsettled, which naturally pulls attention back toward any established name who could alter it. Winnipeg, meanwhile, has opened the season well without Hellebuyck, adding another layer to a stalemate that has no easy answer and still leaves the door open to more chatter as the situation develops. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Still Waiting As Buffalo's Injury Picture Gets More Complicated
The Sabres injury picture got a little clearer, but not necessarily better, as Lindy Ruff laid out where several key players stand. Alex Lyon was unavailable for his season debut, so Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got the start in goal, while captain Rasmus Dahlin remains day to day with an upper-body injury and winger Jason Zucker is continuing his return from surgery. Conor Timmins and Matt Grzelcyk are also working their way back, leaving Buffalo to manage yet another stretch with pieces missing from the lineup.
For a team trying to settle in early, the uncertainty around Dahlin looms largest because Buffalo has leaned so heavily on its top defenseman when healthy. The encouraging part is that Ruffs update suggested some progress across the board, but the Sabres are still waiting for those returns to translate into actual lineup stability, especially with the blue line and crease both in flux. [Read more 🡒]