Buffalo could have as many as four prospects in the 2026 World Junior Championships in Minnesota
A trio of Buffalo Sabres prospects from the 2024 NHL Draft class were selected by USA Hockey for the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships in Minnesota that begin on Friday, Team USA shaved their roster down to 27 players, cutting winger Trevor Connelly and defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, and need to cut down to 25 players by Wednesday. Forward Brodie Ziemer, and defensemen Adam Kleber and Luke Osburn are still on the roster and there appears to be a good chance that all three will make the squad.
Kleber, the Sabres second round pick (42nd overall) in 2024, and Ziemer, the club’s third rounder (71st overall) were members of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad that defeated the Finns 4-3 in overtime in Ottawa last January. Osburn, Buffalo’s fourth-round pick (102nd overall) had 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 55 games for the Youngstown Phantoms last season and was named the USHL’s Defenseman of the Year.
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Kleber is a big righty is being relied on more for his defensive abilities and large wingspan, while Ziemer is likely to be on the Americans top line for the tournament, and had a goal and two assists in a pre-tournament win over Germany on Sunday. Osburn, who was a standout at the Summer Showcase and has continued to impress as a freshman at Wisconsin, was quarterbacking the US power play against Germany and set up Ryker Lee for the Americans second goal.
Depending on the final cutdown, the Sabres could have as many as four players at the World Juniors. In a surprising turn, the club will not be releasing 19-year-old Konsta Helenius to play in his third tournament with Finland, but 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka will be going as a member of Team Czechia.
Helenius is averaging nearly a point per game (9 goals, 17 assists) in 27 games for the Rochester Americans this season. Mrtka, selected ninth overall last June, played for Czechia in the Under-18’s last year and after a brief stint in Rochester, returned to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, where he has 16 points (1 goal, 11 assists) in 14 games.
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