BY NICK LENAHAN
With the 33rd pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Sabres selected Prokhor Poltapov out of St. Petersburg, Russia. Poltapov is a finesse winger with a high hockey IQ. I don’t know about you guys, but hearing about the Sabres drafting a shifty, offensively gifted player out of the KHL has me excited. For some reference to his hockey IQ and creativity, here’s what Eliteprospects.com had to say about Poltapov:
“He invites defenders on his back, shields the puck by extending a knee or by using his bottom arm, and transforms intense back-pressure into an escape tool; he slows down, leans against opponents, and lets their shoves propel him into open ice. He then attacks the goalie or other defenders with a combination of handling moves and deception. Poltapov has some savvy feints in his kit.” – EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide
Name someone on the Sabres right now that effectively does this (besides Eichel). Dahlin has shown flashes, and I think a big jump is coming for his comfortability with the puck and demanding open ice. As far as winger talent, I’m not sure we have that. How often have you been watching a Sabres game and yelled at the TV because Buffalo couldn’t keep the puck in the offensive zone for more than 20 seconds? The answer is too often. They don’t find open space right now and they certainly don’t give themselves an opportunity to set up and properly use their weapons (like Olofsson at the circle or Skinner in front of the net). Poltapov can change that. Anybody who says they can watch the first 3 highlights in this reel and not be impressed is a liar.
He has a hypnotizing ability to avoid poke checks and follow that move with a rocket of a wrist shot. This combination makes him an absolute nightmare for whoever is back-skating against him. Not to mention, his ability to move a goalie completely out of position whenever he is one on one is going to be refreshing to have on our roster. At 18 years old, we probably won’t see much of him any time in the near future, but he’s a rare bright spot in the Sabres future.
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