NHL Prospect Watch: Buffalo Sabres

In the lead-up to the 2026-27 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for every NHL team. To be included in this list, a player must be recently drafted, signed to an NHL contract, or meet the NHL’s criteria for rookie status.

Today, we check in on the Buffalo Sabres and the WHL’s top active player selected in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Riley Fiddler-Schultz

The 2020 WHL Humanitarian of the Year continued to show growth in his third season of professional hockey. After earning his first NHL contact as a free agent in the summer of 2025, Schultz popped off for his first 20-goal AHL season, netting 37 points (21G-16A), including his first AHL hat trick, in 62 games with the Rochester Americans. The Sherwood Park, Alta. product tied for second on the team in goals and third in points. The 24-year-old was also named the Amerk’s winner of the AHL Man of the Year award for his community contributions for the 2025-26 season. Fiddler Schultz, who clocks in at 6-foot, 200 pounds, spent five seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, including one as captain, putting up 189 career points (77G-112A) in 246 games. He was named to the WHL Central Division First All-Star Team in 2023 and made the Second All-Star Team in 2022, while leaving a strong legacy of volunteerism.

Zac Funk

The WHL hat trick merchant will rock a new uniform in 2026-27! Buffalo acquired Funk in a trade with the Washington Capitals on July 13. The 6-foot, 201-pound winger split the season between the AHL’s Hershey Bears and the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. He posted 19 points (9G-10A) in 23 appearances with the Stingrays and two helpers in 10 outings with the Bears. The Coldstream, B.C. product is entering the final year of a three-year, entry-level contract, which he earned as an undrafted free agent. Funk, 22, split his WHL career between the Hitmen (where he skated alongside Fiddler-Schultz) and Prince George, where he burst out of the gates as a goal-scoring machine. Over parts of six seasons, he logged 227 points (119G-108A) in 228 regular-season games- highlighted by a 67-goal romp and 123-point campaign in 2023-24.

Radim Mrtka

The 6-foot-6, 216-pound rearguard continued to be a punishing presence for the Seattle Thunderbirds in his sophomore WHL season. Mrtka scored once and tacked on 33 assists for 34 points in 43 games in 2025-26, in addition to a trio of assists in five playoff games. The 19-year-old also made his debut for Czechia at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he played five games and earned a +4 rating while helping his country to a silvert medal. Mrtka, who was selected ninth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, made his professional debut with the Americans in the spring and garnered an assist in eight games, plus another apple in three postseason tilts. The Thunderbirds selected Mrtka with the 71st overall pick in the second round of the 2024 CHL Import Draft.

Daxon Rudolph

A banner season for Lacome, Alta.’s Daxon Rudolph saw the 6-foot-2, 202-pound defender become the first active WHLer to go off the board at the 2026 NHL Draft at fourth overall. The former WHL first-overall pick lit up the league with 28 goals (including six game-winners) and 50 assists for 78 points in 68 games, tying franchise legend Josh Morrissey for single-season goals by a defenceman and helping the Raiders post a 52-win season. The 18-year-old went on a tear in the postseason, tying for the league lead with 27 points (9G-18A) in 19 games while reaching the WHL Championship Series. Outside of his play with Prince Albert, Rudolph notched four points (2G-2A) and the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, suited up for the CHL USA Prospects Challenge (2A) and scored the overtime winner for Team East and the 2026 WHL Prospects Game. He was named to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team, the CHL Third All-Star Team, and capped off the year by being drafted by the hosts of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Scott Ratzlaff

In his first season in the pro ranks, former Thunderbirds alternate captain Scott Ratzlaff divvied up his time between Rochester and the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen. The 6-foot-1, 188-pound puckstopper started the campaign in the ECHL, going 5-7-2 with a 3.10 goals-against average and .913 save percentage, before spending the bulk of the second half of the year in the AHL. Ratzlaff logged the second-most minutes of any Amerks goalie, going 4-6-1-1 with a 3.44 GAA, .878 save percentage and one shutout- a 25-save performance against the Springfield Thunderbirds on February 6. He was named ECHL Rookie of the Month for October after his stellar start. The Irma, Alta. product was sensational in his five WHL seasons, amassing a career 87-55-5-3 record, a 2.90 GAA, .909 save percentage and eight shutouts. He iced three consecutive 20-plus win seasons, backed the team up to the 2023 WHL Championship, was named a finalist for WHL Goaltender of the Year in 2025, and made the 2025 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. Buffalo called his name with the 141st overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.