This new Buffalo Sabres prospect could blossom into a solid player for the club later down the road.
Earlier this offseason, the Buffalo Sabres made a big move, trading former top prospect Matthew Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio.
McLeod is understandably the more prominent name of the players the Sabres added in the trade. He will provide them with the boost they needed at the third-line center position and also still has the potential to take another step forward in his development. However, that does not mean that Tullio should be ignored.
Tullio, 22, is an intriguing prospect who has the potential to blossom into an NHL talent later down the road. While he may need a bit more time before becoming NHL-ready, he has shown positive signs with his development over the last few seasons.
In his final season at the OHL level with the Oshawa Generals in 2021-22, Tullio was dominant, posting 42 goals and 86 points in 65 contests. He then followed that up by recording 13 goals and 26 points in 63 games with the Bakersfield Condors in 2022-23 - his first season at the AHL level.
Tyler Tullio
© Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
During this past season with the Condors, Tullio was once again a decent offensive contributor, recording nine goals and 21 points in 54 games. While he did not necessarily take that next big step forward, the 22-year-old undoubtedly has the potential in 2023-24 with the Rochester Americans. This is especially so if he challenges for a prominent role in their lineup.
It will be very interesting to see what kind of season Tullio can put together in 2024-25 with the Amerks. If he translates more of his offensive game from the junior level to the AHL, he could significantly raise his value as a prospect. Perhaps it could even be enough for him to start making a case for himself to receive a call-up to Buffalo's lineup.
