Sabres' Top Prospect Scores Hat Trick In KHL Preseason Game
- Dominic Konareski
- 26 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Buffalo Sabres are fresh off of a playoff return after over a decade hiatus, and have several prospects nearing NHL-readiness. Safe to say, we are in a new era of Sabres hockey.
Prokhor Poltapov, a 2021 second-round draft pick of the Buffalo, comes into the 2026/27 season entering the final season of his contract with the KHL's CSKA Moscow. According to Elite Prospects, Poltapov ranks inside the top-10 on the Sabres' prospect list with a No.6 ranking.
Poltapov, a Saint Petersburg, Russia, Native appears primed for a big year and is already showcasing it. Poltapov opened the preseason Monday with three goals in the team's 4-3 win over Dynamo Moscow, including the game-winning tally with just under 8 minutes remaining to complete the hat trick.
The 23-year-old Russian finished the 2025/26 season with 40 points in 68 regular season games. 16 of Poltapov’s 40 points came from goals in the regular season, which would later see him add two more for a combined 18 goals and counting playoff hockey. Although being drafted in the second round by Buffalo and being a young star in the KHL’s CSKA, the prospect still is yet to sign an entry-level contract with the Sabres organization.
If he chooses to come to New York, Poltapov will be 24-years-old for the 2027/28 NHL season with already 7 years (5 full seasons) in the KHL – Russia’s premier hockey league, making it very likely that he would go straight to the NHL rather than spending a stint at the AHL level.
Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton expressed optimism about what comes next for the 6-foot winger following the 2026 NHL Draft in late June. "We consider him almost a plug-and-play prospect the day he's ready to come over, which I think should be next year," said Forton, as Buffalo owns Poltapov’s NHL rights indefinitely. If he opts to sign an extension to stay in Russia rather than coming stateside, then the odds of him wearing a Sabres jersey will decrease dramatically.
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