High-end Sabres prospect Isak Rosen is headed back to the minors, the team announced. They’re back to having an open roster spot after loaning him to AHL Rochester.
Rosen, 22 in March, is in the second season of his entry-level contract. Drafted 14th overall in 2021, he’s now in his third campaign with Rochester and has seen steady offensive development. The Swedish winger led Rochester in scoring when Buffalo recalled him on Monday in the wake of an upper-body injury to Tage Thompson, posting 23-16–39 in 40 games.
Buffalo had just one game this week, a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Rosen skated 11:46 in that appearance, his second of the season after a brief recall in November, but only mustered a shot on goal with a minus-one rating.
In nine NHL appearances across the past two seasons, the No. 4 prospect in Buffalo’s pool (per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic) has struggled to make an impact despite his continued development in the AHL. He’s still looking for his first NHL point with a minus-four rating, a deserved one as his 41.1 career CF% at even strength indicates. He hasn’t seen much usage high in the lineup, averaging 8:42 per game, but he still hasn’t quite seemed able to keep pace in sheltered usage.
He’ll go back to the minors now with Thompson expected to return to action tomorrow against the Predators, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters, including Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550. It’ll only be a one-game absence for him after he was hit hard in the third period of last Sunday’s win over the Devils by Stefan Noesen.
The Sabres are also tracking to activate Tyson Kozak from injured reserve after missing two games with an illness, and starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected back between the pipes after sitting out the Columbus game for undisclosed reasons, Ruff said. Activating Kozak will require another roster move, presumably reassigning recent goalie call-up Felix Sandström to Rochester if Luukkonen is back.