Prokhor Poltapov is essentially a Buffalo Sabres folk hero despite the fact he may never play an NHL game for the franchise.
The Sabres selected Poltapov, a Russian winger currently playing for CSKA Moscow, with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. He's since opted to remain in the KHL, most recently signing a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2026-27 season.
Although Buffalo will retain his NHL signing rights indefinitely, the 23-year-old forward is running out of time to realistically make the jump to North America before the allure of his potential fades.
Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic reported Monday the Sabres front office hasn't given up hope Poltapov will eventually land in Western New York.
"He plays a hard, heavy game and is willing to get to the tough areas of the ice, so I imagine he'll be a player Jarmo Kekalainen likes," Fairburn wrote. "The Sabres have remained in contact with him and show interest. But it's hard to know what he will decide to do."
Signing another contract to remain in the KHL before next summer would strongly signal making a move to the NHL isn't a career priority for the 6-foot, 176-pound winger.
That'd be a disappointing turn of events for a lot of Sabres fans who've followed Poltapov's development in Russia closely over the past handful of years with hope he'd ultimately decide to join Buffalo's roster, likely as a middle-six contributor.
Prokhor Poltapov has a narrow pathway to NHL success with the Buffalo Sabres
Poltapov is evolving away from prospect status at this point. Most analysts begin phasing players out of their prospect lists once they hit age 24, which the winger will next February. Some do give them a little more leeway until they surpass age 25.
His play with CSKA Moscow also suggests there's little in the way of recent development. His KHL stat lines from the past two seasons are nearly identical:
- 2024-25: 40 points (17 goals and 23 assists) in 68 games
- 2025-26: 40 points (16 goals and 24 assists) in 68 games
That doesn't mean Poltapov couldn't take another step forward offensively, especially if he joined a talented, offensive-rich Sabres roster, but there's little left for him to prove in Russia's top hockey league if he does carry NHL aspirations.
HockeyStats.com, which most recently published a card on the Sabres prospect last summer, gave him just a 2% chance to become a full-time NHL player.
Although that number may be a tad low since Poltapov preferred development in his home country rather than the AHL, it's still a reflection of the reality. If a player will be 24 before potentially skating in their first NHL game, the odds are low they'll emerge as a viable long-term roster piece.
A more definitive answer about his future may come in the next handful of months.
Poltapov signed his most recent extension with CSKA Moscow in November 2021, so during the early stages of the 2021-22 season. If he wants to stay in Russia, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a new contract arrive either this summer or early in the new campaign.
If the winger decides to hold off, the chances increase of him becoming a free agent during the 2027 offseason to sign a long-awaited deal with the Sabres.
It'd make sense from a timing standpoint for Buffalo, too. It's scheduled to have seven forwards become free agents next summer: four UFAs (Jason Zucker, Jordan Greenway, Sam Carrick and Justin Danforth) as well as three RFAs (Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich).
So, there will probably be at least a modest shake up to the forward group ahead of the 2027-28 season, giving Poltapov a chance to make a serious bid to immediately join the Blue and Gold.
He may want assurances about NHL opportunities, however, and may prefer to remain in Russia if the Sabres see him more as a depth option between Buffalo and the AHL's Rochester Americans.
All told, a more concrete outlook on Poltapov's future should be available by this time next year at the latest.
