Buffalo Sabres Prospects – #15 Jake Richard

The Buffalo Sabres are considered to have one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, not only because of their selecting high in recent drafts but also due to their eye for talent and their organizational choices of either leaving players to develop in their home countries or bringing them to North America. All are 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 40 NHL games.

15. JAKE RICHARD – RW (CONNECTICUT – NCAA)

Richard was the Sabres sixth-round pick at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal who opened some eyes last year at the club’s development camp. A native of Jacksonville, FL, the 6’1”, 194 lb. winger played his youth hockey in Florida and a year with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he scored 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) before being selected 170th overall.

The following season, Richard split time between the Lumberjacks and Tri-City and increased his goal total to 31 and compiled 62 points in 57 games. As a freshman at Connecticut, he finished fourth on the club with 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists).

The Sabres were hoping that the 20-year-old would have a larger role and show some growth as a sophomore at Connecticut this fall. Thus far, he has stepped up his production, with 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 19 games.

The Hockey Prospect Black Book says “the best thing Richard has going for him is his shot and his work near the net. He has the ability to score from mid-range….he’s a smart player who anticipates well all over the ice. His puck poise and patience in high-traffic areas, especially in the lowest layer of the offensive zone, is impressive”, but his “speed, the edge work, and a profound lack of explosivity are really tough to look past and that it needs to really improve in order for him to have a shot at the NHL.”

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