The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

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. 

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#25 - Matous Jan Kucharcik - Forward (Slavia Praha Jr. - Czech)

Kucharcik is a lanky forward who played for Slavia Praha in the Czech junior system, and played for his country at the Under-18’s before being selected by the Sabres in the fourth round (103rd overall at the 2025 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old forward was born in Italy, as his father (a 1991 Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick) played throughout Europe during his career. 

The youngster is described by Elite Prospects 2025 Draft Guide as “a smart two-way centre who excels at facilitating others through his strongly ingrained supporting habits. He backtracks to intercept passes in the neutral zone, pickpockets opposing defencemen on the forecheck and takes the right routes to provide his teammates with passing options. There’s also a clear defensive upside with Kucharčík. His motor is solid, but it’s how he angles and positions that really drives his defensive value.”

Instead of remaining in Czechia, Kucharcik will be playing for Youngstown in the USHL next season, which would indicate that he is pursuing an NCAA track before becoming a professional. 

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