Latest news with #USNationalDevelopmentProgram
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alex Tuch Being Targeted By Tampa Bay?
The Buffalo Sabres could be involved in something more than a rental deal before the NHL trade deadline this Friday. GM Kevyn Adams has indicated that he has interest in signing pending unrestricted free agent wingers Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway to contract extensions and has interest in making hockey deals that would bring back players currently in or ready to play in the NHL and one of the names apparently on a contender's wish list is winger Alex Tuch. Tuch scored in a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, and he is second on the Sabres with 22 goals this season. Although the 28-year-old has another year left on his contract, his name was mentioned by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman as a potential target of the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning and again on Saturday by Eduardo Encinas of the Tampa Bay Times. The Syracuse, NY native is eligible for a contract extension this July and would likely require a significant bump in pay from his $4.75 million salary. Tuch's age and relatively low cap hit for a consistent 20+ goal scorer are likely the reasons why he has been mentioned the last month, but for the Sabres to deal one of their core players, they would likely be looking for more than Conor Geekie or the Lightning's top prospect, Isaac Howard. Alex Tuch, 1-1 #Sabrehood #GoHabsGo — Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) March 2, 2025 Howard was Tampa's top pick (31st overall) in 2022 and leads the NCAA's Michigan State Spartans with 23 goals. The 20-year-old winger is teammates with Sabres prospects Maxim Strbak and Patrick Geary and is a product of the US National Development Program, which Buffalo has a lot of connection to. Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabres Prospect Update – 2024 Draftees
Here is a quick update on Buffalo Sabres prospects selected in 2024: Konsta Helenius – C – 14th overall The Sabres were fortunate to have Helenius fall to them at 14th overall after many draft analysts labeled him nearly pro-ready after he played last season in the Finnish SM-Liiga and for Finland at the Under-18, World Junior, and World Championships. The 18-year-old center has adjusted well to his first season in North America, scoring 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) in 45 games as a rookie. At the 2025 World Junior in January, he posted six assists in seven games. Konsta Helenius scores the shootout winner and Devon Levi makes 30 saves for his fifth shutout of the year as Rochester defeats Toronto 1-0. — Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) February 23, 2025 Adam Kleber – D – 42nd overall A big right-handed blueliner, the 6'5', 209 lb. Kleber played two seasons in the USHL before being selected by the Sabres in the second round. The Minnesota native in his freshman season with Minnesota-Duluth has four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 27 games, and was part of Team USA's gold medal-winning squad at the WJC in Ottawa. Brodie Ziemer – RW – 71st overall A product of the US National Development Program, Ziemer as a freshman at the University of Minnesota impressed with 11 goals in 32 games, but the 19-year-old winger made his mark at the World Juniors in Ottawa, scoring seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in seven games for the victorious US squad. Brodie Ziemer caps it off with the empty-netter to finish the night with 2+2. That's his first four-point game in the NCAA and fourth multi-point game of the season. No. 4 Minnesota defeats No. 17 Wisconsin 5-2. — Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) February 1, 2025 Luke Osburn – D – 108th overall Osburn was the second of four Sabres defensive draft picks in 2024. The 6'1', 183 lb. blueliner is committed to play for the University of Wisconsin next season and is playing his second season for Youngstown of the USHL. In 38 games, the 18-year-old blueliner has 27 points (5 goals, 22 assists). Luke Osburn (13) rotates down and buries his third goal of the season with 2:33 remaining as Youngstown begins its late charge to earn a 6-5 shootout win over Muskegon. Osburn also had two helpers in the victory for his first three-point game of the year and third of his USHL… — Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) December 29, 2024 Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
