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Buffalo Sabres Top Prospects – #35: Jakub Konecny

Published

9 months ago

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The Buffalo Sabres have drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL (Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Dylan Cozens), and the club under former GM Jason Botterill and current GM Kevyn Adams have been able to replenish the organization with young prospects. Throughout the month of August and leading into training camp next month, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the upcoming weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Sabres roster and make a contribution in the future. Players are eligible for the list if they have not played more than 40 NHL games and are 25 years old or younger:

#35 Jakub Konecny

One of the advantages of having a number of top prospects selected at higher levels of recent NHL Drafts is that allows the Sabres the advantage of giving long-term prospects the time to gain experience and develop. With their last pick in the 2020 Draft, Buffalo selected Czech center Jakub Konecny 216th overall out of the Sparta Praha juniors. Following a brief stint at the junior level in 2020-21, Konecny was loaned to two other clubs in the second-level pro league in Czechia to give the youngster playing time. That prepped him for the following season, where he played four games in junior, five games for two second-level clubs, and 28 games for Sparta Praha, where he scored seven points (four goals, three assists).

Last season, Konecny played primarily at the highest level, and his point totals (11 points) and game usage (45 games) increased, but on a veteran-laden Praha squad, he was limited to a depth forward and defensive role. Once again, the Sabres have the luxury of time when it comes to their long-range developmental prospects. The 21-year-old may spend the next two years playing in Europe, but at 5’10”, 150 lbs, Konecny will have to get stronger and build muscle to have a chance at a successful professional career in North America.

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