Takeaways from the Sabres' Class of 2022

MONTREAL - Jerry Forton was moved to tears while describing the job done by Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams in leading his third NHL Draft.
Forton, the Sabres' director of amateur scouting, has been with the organization in various capacities since 2013. While this was his third draft with Adams, it was their first in a traditional setting on the draft floor. The last two events were conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"You know what I love about Kevyn, is he's so level-headed," Forton said, then taking a long pause to gather his thoughts.
"He includes everyone. Let's everyone do their jobs. And he's done an incredible job at bringing this entire organization together. I've seen it firsthand. We've obviously been through a lot, not only the last month or so but the whole organization's been through a lot since I've been here. To see the coaches and the development staff and the Rochester staff and all our support staff, how everyone works together, to me that all starts with the Pegulas and Kevyn."

Adams stuck to the patient philosophy he has preached for two years, choosing to make all three of Buffalo's first-round picks rather than move one or more in exchange for short-term gains. Together with Forton and the rest of the amateur scouting staff, alongside vice president of hockey research and strategy Sam Ventura, the organization has drafted 22 prospects over the last two summers.
By the time Forton spoke inside Bell Center on Friday, the Sabres had built a Class of 2022 consisting of the following 11 players:
Round 1, Pick 9: Matthew Savoie - F, Winnipeg (WHL)
Round 1, Pick 16: Noah Ostlund - F, Djurgardens (Sweden J20)
Round 1, Pick 28: Jiri Kulich - F, HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia)
Round 2, Pick 41: Topias Leinonen - G, JYP (Sweden J20)
Round 3, Pick 74: Viktor Neuchev - F, Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)
Round 4, Pick 106: Mats Lindgren - D, Kamploops (WHL)
Round 5, Pick 134: Vsevolod Komarov - D, Quebec (QMJHL)
Round 6, Pick 170: Jake Richard - F, Muskegon (USHL)
Round 6, Pick 187: Gustav Karlsson - F, Orebro HK (Sweden J20)
Round 7, Pick 202: Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson - F, Frolunda (Sweden J20)
Round 7, Pick 211: Linus Sjodin - F, Rogle (Sweden J20)
Here are three takeaways on the class with insights from Adams and Forton.

1. Compete at the top

Forton echoed Adams' comments from Thursday night while describing Buffalo's three first-round forwards. Yes, they possess high-level skill and yes, they all check in under six-feet tall. But their compete levels caught the attention of the Buffalo staff.
"These guys are right now, and would be in the NHL, an absolute pain in the ass to play against," Forton said.
Forton said Savoie was one of two players the Sabres were excited to potentially draft with the ninth pick. All three of Savoie, Ostlund, and Kulich were in the top half of the first round on Buffalo's draft board.
"Maybe the number one thing for me would be second effort and puck battles and what does a guy do immediately after he's knocked off the puck and knocked off his ass?" Forton said. "The desire and the ability to play on the inside of the game. … Those are the type of things.
"And showing no fear in their game. I can't say I've ever seen one time in my viewings of each of these three players any fear in their game, even when they're playing against men."

2. Stocking the cupboard at goaltender

Adams said the Sabres planned on selecting a goaltender going into the draft. It was simply a matter of when.
Buffalo made its move during the second round, making the 6-foot-5 Leinonen the first goalie off the board. He joins a pipeline that includes Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Devon Levi, and Erik Portillo.
"We felt strongly this was the time to make it," Adams said. "Really feel that there's a huge upside with our goalie there, big kid, really showed signs of being high-level goaltender, and it's going to take time to develop. It's good to have options, and you want depth in net."
Forton said the Sabres were excited about Leinonen's size, mobility, and tendency to bounce back in difficult situations. The fact that goaltending development coach Seamus Kotyk has a relationship with Leinonen's coach in Finland provided another layer of comfort.
"The idea of having this guy and our hands on him for the next few years is really exciting for us," Forton said. "I will add there was a major gap on our list to the next goalie."

3. Sabres add two Russian players

One storyline going into the draft was how teams would evaluate Russian players given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Adams and Forton maintained that the Sabres would consider selecting players from Russia if the opportunities presented themselves.
They did, twice. The Sabres used their third-round selection on Neuchev, a forward who spent last season in Russia's junior league. Their fifth-round pick, Komarov, is a Russian native who played last season with Quebec of the QMJHL.
Forton said the Sabres' analytic staff placed a first-round grade on Neuchev, who led the MHL with 40 goals last season. The amateur scouts agreed.
"As much as he's a scorer, which he clearly is, he was also driving play by himself," Forton said. "Very competitive kid, a great stick. He's got great edges, he's got to take another step with his open-ice speed, but we really like the combination of playmaking ability, the ability to drive play by himself and having the high-end scoring element to his game."