NHL Insider Thinks Penguins Could Have Interest in Sabres’ NHL-Ready Prospects

Since 2021, the Buffalo Sabres have been steadily building their prospect pool, resulting in a surplus of talented players within their system. Given their current situation, the Sabres are in a position to trade some of these assets as there isn’t enough space for all of them on the NHL roster. This creates an opportunity for teams around the league, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who may be seeking either raw prospects or NHL-ready talent.

Penguins Looking at Sabres Prospects?

The Penguins currently find themselves stuck in mediocrity. However, they’ve made it clear they intend to remain competitive as long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are on the roster. Their offseason acquisition of Erik Karlsson in 2023 signaled this commitment, as did their one-for-one trade of prospect Brayden Yager for Rutger McGroarty, whom they believed to be more NHL-ready. Despite this, McGroarty is now developing in the American Hockey League (AHL), highlighting the challenges of balancing short-term competitiveness with long-term development.

Rather than committing to a full rebuild, the Penguins appear focused on trying to compete over the next few seasons, prioritizing NHL-ready prospects from other teams. This approach brings them to the Sabres, who are loaded with prospects, many of whom won’t have room to crack their NHL roster. The Sabres have identified their core group and seem willing to burn to the ground with it if they have to, leaving some of their talented prospects as trade assets for teams in need.

We’ve already seen Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams trade a top prospect, Matthew Savoie, this past offseason for proven NHL talent Ryan McLeod. That move has paid off so far, with McLeod on pace for career highs in goals, assists, and points this season. Given the team’s depth issues, it would make sense for the Sabres to pursue a few more trades of this nature, maximizing the value of their prospects by acquiring players who can contribute immediately. While some of the prospects traded away may develop into stars, the Sabres’ focus remains on improving their current roster rather than waiting two to three years for a player to develop.

Elliotte Friedman recently hinted at this in his “32 Thoughts” column. In the 11th point, he notes, “With all of the noise around the Penguins, I believe they have interest in some of Buffalo’s younger, NHL-ready prospects. It fits what they want.” Penguins GM Kyle Dubas seems poised to make things interesting as the 2025 Trade Deadline approaches, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him pursue some of Buffalo’s surplus of talent to improve his roster.

NHL-Ready Prospects the Sabres Could Trade

Given the depth of the Sabres’ prospect pool, they can afford to trade away a few players while still maintaining a strong system. Two prospects who could catch the Penguins’ attention are Isak Rosén and Lukas Rousek.

Rosén, drafted 14th overall by the Sabres in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, came highly regarded. The Elite Prospects NHL Draft Guide described him as, “collecting most pucks mid-stride. His handling and skating forms are nearly impeccable. He’ll send false signals between the blue lines to move the feet of opposing defenders, cutting east-west and using the dotted line. He’ll fake weight shifts, shoulder-shimmy, and just overpower hapless defenders.” Despite playing eight career NHL games without recording a point, Rosén has shown significant development in the AHL. This season with the Rochester Americans, he has recorded 31 points in 35 games (16 goals, 15 assists) and looks close to being NHL-ready.