CHL Prospect Pipeline: Buffalo Sabres
CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2023-24, who were born in 2004 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club. Players who played NHL games in 2023-24 and were not returned to their CHL club are not considered.
Simon-Pier Brunet (D) — Drummondville Voltigeurs
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (100th overall)
CHL career stats: 104GP | 5G | 14A | 19PTS
Signed: No
Brunet’s second full QMJHL season saw him crowned a champion as the Volts secured their second Gilles-Courteau Trophy. The blueliner had a career high 14 points in the regular season while he tallied two goals and four assists in 19 postseason tilts.
Vsevolod Komarov (D) — Drummondville Voltigeurs
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (134th overall)
CHL career stats: 182GP | 28G | 99A | 127PTS
Signed: Yes
It was a sensational 2023-24 for Komarov who for the second straight year was crowned a QMJHL champion. After 22 games with Quebec, Komarov was traded to Drummondville where in 38 regular season games he recorded 50 points (11 goals). In the playoffs, he added 15 points as the Volts claimed a second QMJHL title.
The Russian d-man took home not just the Emile Bouchard Trophy as QMJHL Defenceman of the Year but also the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the league’s playoff MVP. Named to the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team and the CHL Third All-Star Team, Komarov led Q blueliners with 69 points in 2023-24. The 20-year-old was the 31st overall pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.
Ryerson Leenders (G) — Brampton Steelheads
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (219th overall)
CHL career stats: 81GP | | 36-32-7 | 3.27 | .898 save percentage
Signed: No
In his second season, Leenders led all OHL goaltenders in 2023-24 with a .909 save percentage across 46 contests. Furthermore, his 24 wins ranked 10th while he also recorded three shutouts. With Canada, Leenders won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and at the 2024 U18 World Championships.
Ethan Miedema (F) — Kingston Frontenacs
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (109th overall)
CHL career stats: 201GP | 52G | 79A | 131PTS
Signed: No
Miedema’s first full season in Kingston saw him register 18 goals and 41 points in 68 games. Acquired from Windsor at the 2022-23 OHL Trade Deadline, Miedema also had a goal in five playoff games as the Fronts returned to the postseason.
Norwin Panocha (F) — Prince Albert Raiders
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (205th overall)
CHL career stats: 52GP | 0G | 15A | 15PTS
Signed: No
After he was the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, Panocha spent his debut CHL season in Chicoutimi where he recorded 15 assists in 52 games. However, he will play the 2024-25 season in Prince Albert after they drafted him 26th overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft. Additionally, the 19-year-old represented Germany at the 2024 World Juniors where he scored one goal in a run to the quarterfinals.
Scott Ratzlaff (G) — Seattle Thunderbirds
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (141st overall)
CHL career stats: 59GP | 43-10-1 | 2.29 GAA | .912 save percentage
Signed: No
Ratzlaff appeared in a career high 52 games in 2023-24 where he went 21-26-2 with a .905 save percentage. His 1,575 saves were the fourth most among WHL goaltenders while he recorded his lone shutout on Nov. 22 against Kelowna. A WHL champion in 2023 with the T-Birds, the Irma, AB., native was named to the WHL’s US Second All-Star Team.
