Many Buffalo Sabres fans have closely followed the development of forward prospect Prokhor Poltapov, a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft, as he climbed the ranks of Russian hockey.
After a few years of minimal progress, Poltapov appeared to break through in 2024-25 with 40 points (17 goals and 23 assists) in 68 appearances for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. It represented terrific production for a 21-year-old winger in the world's second-best hockey league.
Poltapov, who also compiled a plus-16 rating last season, hasn't been able to build off that success in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, though.