It is a longshot that players who go unsigned by NHL clubs after being drafted make any impact. The Buffalo Sabres are one club that found out the hard way that sometimes players fall through the cracks. In 2016, Buffalo selected in the sixth round winger Brandon Hagel from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. After two unspectacular seasons, Hagel went unsigned and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He then scored 102 points as an overager, went to the American Hockey League, worked his way to the NHL, was traded to Tampa Bay in 2022 and three years later is a shoo in to make Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic games.
There is no way to tell whether history will repeat itself, but after allowing three draft picks rights to expire last week, the Edmonton Oilers quickly jumped on the opportunity and signed 2021 draftee Viljami Marjala to a two-year, entry-level contract.
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Marjala played for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts after being selected in the fifth round by Buffalo. After another season in Quebec, he returned to his native Finland and split time between the junior level and the Finnish SM-Liiga. In his second season, he scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games for TPS Turku, and last season, the 22-year-old had another good offensive year, tying for his club’s scoring lead with 52 points (8 goals, 44 assists) in 54 games.
🚨Big goal alert🚨Just another reason why the Sabres should be talking contract with Viljami Marjala soon. He again steps up in the loser-goes-home game to drag TPS into a 2-2 tie with SaiPa. pic.twitter.com/MPt7CEGIXc
— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) March 24, 2025
The Sabres have not done a good job in developing their prospects, as only one player selected in the third round or later in the Kevyn Adams era has played in the NHL. Czech forward Lukas Rousek signed with a SHL club last month, and there is some speculation that 2021 second-rounder Aleksandr Kisakov may return to Russia after playing only 13 games in Rochester last season and that lack of development or opportunity may be a factor in Buffalo being able to bring their prospects to North America in the future.
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