Sabres World Junior Prospects Update – Semi-Finals

The Buffalo Sabres had four players playing in the final four of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships on Saturday. The Sabres' top three picks from the 2024 Draft in Las Vegas advanced to the gold medal game on Sunday evening between Finland and the United States.

In Team USA’s 4-1 victory over Czechia, Sabres 2024 draftees Adam Kleber and Brodie Ziemer were held pointless. Ziemer had one shot on goal in just under 15 minutes of ice time, while Kleber had a pair of shots in 11:42.

In Finland’s 4-3 overtime win over Sweden, Sabres top pick Konsta Helenius had his best game of the tournament, with three assists, including Benjamin Rautiainen’s game-winner at 9:22 of the extra frame.

2023 second-round pick Anton Wahlberg had four shots on goal in 23:13. Sweden will face Czechia in the bronze medal game on Sunday afternoon.

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The 13 game winless streak has taken them completely out of the playoff race. They, you know, I believe Money Puck has them at 3% chance of making the playoff. So I, you know, if they can have an eight game winning streak and they're still not going to be within five or six points, any realistic person looking at this team sees that there's talent there, but is there enough talent in the right places to make them a winner? Obviously they know they're going to be a team that will miss the playoffs for 14 straight years. I don't think there's a chance in hell. If they do, I will be the first person to say, Oh my God, what a great comeback. They could do what St. Louis did in 2019. That's happened once in my lifetime when a team was 30, 30, it was last place in the league and came back, made the playoffs and made them win the Stanley cup. I don't think this team has what it takes to do the same thing. So all I can say is what changes are going to be made between now and March the 7th when it comes to the Sabres. And I think the ownership where, you know, Corinne was making the point about Terry Pagoola, this is where the ownership needs to make up their mind. Is Kevin Adams the guy to make these changes?