The Sabres signed Metsa to a two-year AHL contract in 2023
The Buffalo Sabres are considered one of the best deepest prospect pools in the NHL, not only because of their selecting high in recent drafts but also due to their eye for talent and their organizational choices of either leaving players to develop in their home countries or bringing them to North America. Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club’s top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals and have played less than 40 NHL games.
READ ABOUT OTHER SABRES PROSPECTS
40. LINUS SJODIN
39. RILEY FIDDLER-SCHULTZ
38. SEAN KEOHANE
37. TYSON KOZAK
36. JOEL RATKOVIC-BERNDTSSON
35. NORWIN PANOCHA
34. Zach Metsa - Defense (Rochester - AHL)
Unlike most of the Sabres prospects, Metsa was not a draft pick but was signed as a college free agent to an AHL deal after playing for Quinnipiac University for five years, serving as their team captain as a senior, and winning a NCAA Championship in 2023.
Metsa stepped right into the Rochester Americans lineup during the Calder Cup Playoffs and played 13 games on their run to the Eastern Conference Final, which was a testament to the confidence that head coach Seth Appert had in the 5’9”, 190 lb. blueliner.
“(Metsa’s) potential is strong. One-hundred percent if he was 5-11 there’s teams, including us, where he’d be on an NHL deal. That’s the reality. Guys that have something against them, in his case it’s size, they just have to keep proving it and proving it. Eventually, they’ve proven it so much at so many different levels that they earn the opportunity they’re looking for.” Appert said to The Athletic last May. “There’s a reason we gave him a two-year deal. We think there’s a window of his development that can grow and we wanted him to know that we’re invested in his development and helping him become a great pro.”
In his first AHL regular season, the 25-year-old missed four weeks in December with a lower-body injury but had 24 points (7 goals, 17 assists) in 54 games. Being a right-handed shot and his defensive dependability may be Metsa’s path to an NHL deal at some point this season and could result in a shot with the Sabres down the road.
