For a while, former Buffalo Sabres defense prospect Nikita Novikov looked like a steal as he quickly adapted to North American hockey.
Not only did the Russian generate offense without the benefit of power-play time, he led the Rochester Americans in plus-minus – gaudy ratings of 20 and 28, respectively – in each of his first two seasons.
Novikov, a sixth-round pick in 2021, 188th overall, appeared to be on track to at least earn a look in the NHL.
But by March, the Sabres had soured on him so much they jettisoned him to California, loaning him to the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’, AHL affiliate. Following the season, they did not give him a qualifying offer, making him a free agent.
These days, Novikov, 23, plays for Dynamo Moscow, a team in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Updates on where some other former Sabres prospects and farmhands will be playing in the upcoming season are below.
– Winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who played 19 games for the Sabres in 2024-25 before being waived and briefly joining the Amerks, inked a contract with Dynamo Minsk, a KHL team, according to EliteProspects.com.
Aube-Kubel, 30, spent last season in the Wild organization, playing six games for Minnesota and 62 contests with Iowa, its AHL affiliate.
– Defenseman Isaac Belliveau, who played 36 games for Rochester last season, signed a one-year AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks, Vancouver’s affiliate.
The Sabres did not give Belliveau, 23, a qualifying offer following the season.
– Goalie Michael Houser, who played six games for the Sabres during his seven-year stint in the organization, has retired and joined his hometown Youngstown Phantoms as their director of goaltender development.
He will work under new coach Nathan Paetsch, who recently took over the junior United States Hockey League team. Paetsch served as an assistant coach during some of Houser’s tenure with the Amerks.
Houser, 33, spent last season with HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas, a team in the Slovak Extraliga.
– Winger Jagger Joshua, who spent all of last season with Rochester, signed a two-year, two-way deal with Minnesota.
Joshua, 27, played last season on an AHL contract.
– Jake Leschyshyn, who spent last season with the Amerks, signed with HFIK Liiga, a team in Finland.
Leschyshyn, 27, compiled 13 goals, 22 points and a team-worst minus-18 rating in 66 games in 2025-26.
– Winger Ethan Miedema, who did not earn a contract after the Sabres drafted him in the fourth round in 2023, has committed to play NCAA hockey at Bemidji State University.
Miedema, 21, spent the last five years in the Ontario Hockey League.
– Winger Brett Murray, who played 26 games for the Sabres over his six-year stint in the organization, signed with the Shanghai Dragons, a KHL team, according to EliteProspects.com.
Murray, 28, spent last season with the Nurnberg Ice Tigers, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.