Sabres Prospect Profile – Ryan Rucinski

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, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club’s top 40 prospects. These players are all 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 82 NHL games. 

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33. Ryan Rucinski – Center (Youngstown – USHL)

It often occurs that when clubs are watching over their own prospects, they see another player that intrigues them. The Sabres prospect Luke Osburn made Team USA at the 2026 World Junior and had an excellent freshman season at Wisconsin. Prior to that, he played for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, where he won the  USHL Defenseman of the Year. On that same club that was center Ryan Rucinski, who the Sabres selected with their final pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

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The 5’10”, 176 lb. forward is from Broadview Heights, OH (south of Cleveland) and has hockey bloodlines through his father, Jeff, and maternal uncle Steve Duke, who both played NCAA hockey at Western Michigan and had long minor league careers.