The Buffalo Sabres Select a Goalie With 2nd Round Pick

Buffalo Sabres fans were mostly thrilled with the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Sabres picked three forwards, all of whom are centers who can play wing, and all three are skilled and fast.

Matthew Savoie went 9th overall, Noah Ostlund went 16th and Jiri Kulich went 28th.

Day two of the draft will be rounds 2-7 and some eyebrows were raised with the Sabres second round selection.

Get our free mobile app

With the 41st overall pick, Buffalo selected Finnish goaltender, Topias Leinonen.

Leinonen is a massive goalie at 6'5'' and 230 lbs. with a big frame that takes up space. He was the first goaltender taken off the board.

It was considered a weak class for goaltenders, but it seems Leinonen was the top regarded prospect of the class. His stats do not blow anyone away, as he played mostly with the Finland Under 18 team or his brief stint in the top Finnish league, Liiga.

His stats for the JYP Under 20 team were fairly impressive, but it feels like Leinonen is a long-term project who gives the Sabres depth at the goalie prospect pipeline.

Erik Portillo not signing with Buffalo yet might indicate he won't sign and all their eggs are in the Devon Levi basket. Leinonen likely won't be in Rochester for at least two years and not in Buffalo for at least four years.

The Sabres had the luxury to pick a goalie, since they had three first round picks and already have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL.