Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) – Hockey is back, as the Buffalo Sabres' prospects took the ice on Wednesday at Harborcenter to get ready for the Sabres Prospects Challenge this weekend.
Rochester Americans head coach Mike Leone will be coaching the group this weekend. He coached many of these players last season including Isak Rosen. This is the season that the 21-year-old has to make a push to make the NHL team after scoring 28 goals and 27 assists for 55 points in 61 games. Rosen has spent three full seasons with Rochester mixing in 15 NHL games with the Sabres. Leone said there was one part of Rosen’s game that needed fine tuning,
“With most young players it’s finding consistency. I think if you ask ‘Rosey’ there’s still more to give. As a player coming in for his fourth year you want to see him blow the doors off of this tournament similar to what Jiri (Kulich) did last year, so he’s put on some weight, in his upper body I think he gained close to 10 pounds, so I’m excited to see the hard work he put in this summer pay off to start camp.”
In last year’s tournament Kulich had five goals and 7 points in three games while Rosen had no goals and five assists in three games.
If Rosen is going to be an NHL player, this has to be the season for him. The 2021 Draft hasn’t been great for many of the first rounders taken after Rosen. The one you’d really like to have would be Wyatt Johnson who was taken 23rd overall by the Dallas Stars. You could also make a case for Zach Bolduc taken 17th by the St. Louis Blues. Rosen knows this tournament has to be the start for him,
“It’s important for me to showcase myself and work really hard every minute I’m on the ice and show that every day.”
Kevyn Adams has failed for the last two seasons to trade for a top-six forward leaving young Zach Benson playing out of position up there picking up just 28 points in 75 games. You need at least double that out of a true top six forward. Jack Quinn was taken eighth overall in 2020, but at 23, he hasn’t even come close to living up to being a first round pick. I think if Rosen has any chance of succeeding in the NHL, he’d have to grab a spot in the top six. Rosen said,
“It’s my fourth year and it’s time to show that I want a jersey in Buffalo.”
Rosen said he worked on his mindset over the summer to be the best that he can be every day. Rosen has had seasons of scoring 28, 20 and 14 goals in the AHL. In 15 NHL games he has no goals and one assist, but has rarely played in the top six. Buffalo has two open spots in its top six and I think Lindy Ruff should give this kid every chance to earn that spot, or he'll likely just get lost in the shuffle as another blown first round pick. The time is now and Rosen knows it.