Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres are well stocked with young, big, right-shot defensemen in the prospect pipeline.
This includes the recent fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Daxon Rudolph, who will take his talents to the college ranks for his Freshman season this fall at the University of Denver.
Radim Mrtka was the ninth overall pick of the Sabres in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-6 19-year-old will likely play with the Rochester Americans this season.
Then there is 6-foot-6 Adam Kleber, who is staying in school for one more season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Kleber was Buffalo's second-round pick (42nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
The 20-year-old was in Buffalo for Sabres Development Camp just after the draft, and I was curious why he decided to stay in school for a third season.
"I just felt like I've got a lot yet to prove in college hockey, and that would be best for my development," said Kleber after the opening day of camp. "I've got to work on growing my offensive game even more, and we've got a lot of guys coming back. So us as a team, we believe it's going to be a really good year. That's really exciting."
Kleber, Mrtka and Rudolph all project to be good, top-four defensemen in the NHL. Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton drafted Kleber a couple years back, and the pick could wind up being a steal for the Sabres.
"He was the first sophomore ever in the NCHC to win the defensive defenseman in that league this past season, and did it as a true Sophomore," said Forton after the 2026 NHL Draft. "Two World Junior Teams [with Team USA], was leaned on heavily this year in all top matchups defensively. We've been thrilled with his development, and if he wanted to come out this year, he would've had an NHL contract waiting for him."
The Sabres' player development staff works in conjunction with all the player's coaches, and Kleber enjoys the interactions.
"We're always talking throughout the year, talking with player development guys, and a couple of times with the guys more higher up. But they're always giving feedback," Kleber said.
Kleber feels another season of college hockey will help him be more confident with the puck, which includes getting more shots through to the net.
Last year, Kleber played two games against the Sabres' 20th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Ilia Morozov. He was a Freshman at Miami University (Ohio).
Next year, Kleber will also face Rudolph at Denver.
The Sabres have Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson signed long-term. They will be the team's top-three defensemen for many years to come in Buffalo.
There will be one position open in the top-four, with three guys capable of grabbing it within the next two years. It seems like general manager Jarmo Kekalainen did a good job of acquiring Louis Crevier and Olen Zellweger to help them bridge to when the kids are ready to jump to the NHL.
With that much talent and not enough room for them all, though, any one of them could become part of a future trade.
