Overview
- Buffalo used the No. 20 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to select 17-year-old center Ilia Morozov from Miami University.
- Morozov is one of the youngest players in the class and finished his freshman NCAA season with eight goals and 12 assists in 36 games while averaging about 19:35 of ice time.
- Scouts and analysts describe him as a 6-foot-3, 200-plus-pound power center with mature off-puck play and a realistic NHL projection as a middle-six or reliable third-line pivot.
- He posted strong results at the NHL Draft Combine and impressed teams in interviews, helping offset limited international exposure because of IIHF restrictions on Russian players.
- The pick adds size down the middle to Buffalo’s prospect pool while Morozov is expected to continue his development in college and attend the Sabres’ prospect development camp this summer.