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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20. Gavin McCarthy – Defense (Boston University – NCAA)
McCarthy was the Sabres third-round pick at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. The Western New York native is well known to former GM Kevyn Adams and the club’s scouting staff because he played three seasons with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.
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The 6’2″, 185 lb. blueliner scored 27 points (8 goals, 19 assists) and 88 penalty minutes with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL in his draft year, and moved on to play with 2024 top overall pick Macklin Celebrini at Boston University. The 20-year-old had five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 38 games in his freshman year and was invited to Team USA’s summer camp for the 2025 IIHF World Junior squad, but did not make the WJC gold medal-winning squad last December.
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In his sophomore year at BU, McCarthy showed some offensive growth, tripling his freshman point total with 16 (3 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games. Last season, he eclipsed that as a junior with 21 points (4 goals, 17 assists) in 36 games and after the Terriers season signed a three-year ELC with the Sabres. He finished up the season with the AHL Amerks, going scoreless in five games.
The Sabres will be looking for the young defender to fit into a young blueline group in Rochester, headed by 2025 top pick Radim Mrtka, and 2023 second-rounder Maxim Strbak.
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