The Sabres drafted Zelenov in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft
The Sabres drafted Zelenov in the seventh round of the 2024 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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30. Vasili Zelenov – Right Wing ( RB Hockey Juniors – Austria)
Zelenov was the first of the Sabres two seventh-round picks at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. The Moscow-born winger has been playing at various lower-level youth leagues in Austria since 2021 and posted an impressive 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 40 games for the Salzburg RB Hockey Juniors last season.
The 6’0”, 181 lb. winger is clearly a long-range project. The 18-year-old was selected by the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in their Phase II draft in May while Rochester Americans head coach Michael Leone was their GM. There are no indications that Zelenov is heading to North America this year and is expected to play in Salzburg, but being selected by a USHL club is normally a gateway to heading to a US college down the line.
With a long window to track his development, Buffalo will likely keep a watchful eye on the young forward and see how he progresses this season.
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