Vasily Zelenov is making a strong early statement at Wisconsin, and the Buffalo Sabres prospect knows exactly what still has to come next.
Since the Sabres took him in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, Zelenov has already carved out a reputation as one of the best pure passers in the organization’s prospect pool. Now in his sophomore season with the Badgers, he’s turning that trait into production with a goal and six assists in Wisconsin’s first four games.
The 20-year-old winger is still driving offense as a playmaker first, but he told Jane McNally of Sabres.com that he understands the next step in his development has to come with the puck on his stick more often.
“It almost has been a problem growing up. ... I've always been a pass-first guy, and it's a kind of a mindset that could be both beneficial and not.
I see the ice really well, I know it's one of my strengths. However, I am working on being a threat with the puck, and obviously my shot.
I think that when I see a play, I can make it. So I just need to be more versatile on offense.”
That kind of self-awareness matters because Zelenov’s long-term ceiling will depend heavily on whether he can become a more reliable goal scorer. If defenders have to respect his shot, it opens more room for the passing touch that already stands out.
Wisconsin head coach Mike Hastings suggested to McNally that Zelenov won’t be around college for very long. “It's not going to be four years.”
That feels like a real possibility if the hot start keeps rolling. There’s even a world where the Sabres try to get him signed to an entry-level deal in the spring.
The arrival timeline in Buffalo is still fuzzy, though. Zelenov’s first season in Madison showed a useful player, but not one who looked close to the NHL yet. At 6-foot-0 and 195 pounds, he had moments where older, stronger competition made life difficult.
The sophomore version looks different. He’s more assertive in the offensive zone and has taken on a key role on Wisconsin’s power play, which is notable given how much the Sabres have struggled there early in the 2026-27 NHL season.
Even with the progress, there’s still a lot left on the checklist. His skating needs work, and while his defensive play has been solid for the Badgers, that part of his game still has room to grow if he’s projecting toward a middle- or bottom-six NHL role.
Because of that, even if Zelenov reaches the Sabres organization before the season ends, he’d likely spend time with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. A meaningful role there would give him the reps he needs, along with more special-teams work.
Still, he’s clearly moving faster now than he was a year ago, and if this breakout at Wisconsin keeps building, the schedule could get pushed up. The bigger question is how much of a future he ultimately has in Buffalo, and that probably won’t become clear until closer to 2030.
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