The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 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. Other Sabres Stories Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Bryan Rust [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/projecting-sabres-trade-cost---bryan-rust] Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/six-former-sabres-who-signed-elsewhere] #31 - Patrick Geary - Defense (Michigan State - NCAA) The Sabres selected Geary in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas and is another example of the club relying on familiarity and investing in players from Western New York. The Hamburg, NY native played his amateur hockey for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and two seasons for Waterloo of the USHL before heading to Michigan State. The 21-year-old was drafted after not being selected in two drafts and is a teammate of 2023 second-round pick Maxim Strbak. In his freshman year for the Spartans, Geary played mostly a shutdown defensive role and had 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games. Last season, his offensive numbers declined to just seven points (1 goal, six assists) in 37 games. According to the Elite Prospects Draft Guide, “the defining dimension of Geary’s game remains on the defensive side of the puck…..In the neutral zone, he closes on opponents early, sets up a tight gap, surfs inside-out, takes away the center lane with his stick, and then closes on the puck carrier with force.” The Sabres have the luxury of time with Geary, as he has two more years in the NCAA before they will have to determine whether they want to sign him to a pro contract. Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo [https://twitter.com/MikeInBuffalo]
