The Sabres drafted Costantini in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft
The Sabres drafted Costantini in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft
The Buffalo Sabres are considered one of the best deepest prospect pools in the NHL, not only because of their selecting high in recent drafts but also due to their eye for talent and their organizational choices of either leaving players to develop in their home countries or bringing them to North America. 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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28. Matteo Costantini – Center (Western Michigan - NCAA)
Costantini was the Sabres fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, held in October because of the COVID pandemic. GM Kevyn Adams had only five picks in his first year as Sabres GM, but hit the jackpot with his first two picks; first-rounder Jack Quinn and second-rounder J.J. Peterka. Costantini is a local product from nearby St. Catharines, ON, and scored 68 points (36 goals, 32 assists) in 50 games for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres. He played one season in the USHL with Sioux City before two years at the University of North Dakota.
After a successful freshman season (21 points in 35 games), his sophomore year was a disaster, with three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 25 games. After being sat out frequently during the regular season and playoffs, the 22-year-old used the NCAA transfer portal and shifted to Western Michigan. The change resulted in more opportunities to play up the middle, which was beneficial, as Costantini scored 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) and an excellent +20 plus/minus in 38 games.
Hockey Prospect’s Black Book said in 2020 that there “is a maturity to him off the puck and a high level of commitment when physically looking to engage that was noticeable during the OJHL playoffs. His effort and competitiveness give him a decent floor, and his speed and shot are threatening enough to think that with the right development, there’s an outside chance he can fit at the bottom of a line-up.”
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