Buffalo Sabers Top 25 Under 25: #21 Aleksandr Kisakov
The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration of members of the Die By The Blade community. It was a combination of editors and over 200 readers who rated Buffalo Sabres Players under the age of 25 (as of August 1, 2024). Each participant used their own measures of current skill and performance to rate each player. Staff votes counted as much as readers’ votes.
Alexander Kisakov
Elaborated: 2021 – 2nd round (53rd overall)
Position: Left wing/centre
Born: November 1, 2002 (21 years old)
Statistics 2023-24: Rochester Americans (AHL) – 5-8-13 + 12 PIM in 32 GP
T25U25 ranking 2023: NO
Aleksandr Kisakov’s second season in North America had its ups and downs. The Americans’ lines were often shuffled around, with Kisakov finding himself on the front line one night and the fourth line the next. He played both left and right wing, and was at times a full-time lineup player, but at other times just a blip.
When he was on the team, he made some good contributions at times:
Kisakov was ranked 24th in the Top 25 Under 25 rankings in 2022 but fell off last season, likely in part due to the sheer depth of the Sabres’ young players. The offensive production he showed in his final two seasons of Russian junior hockey with MHK Dynamo Moskva (73 and 56 points, respectively) hasn’t quite translated to the North American professional game yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t continue to grow.
Kisakov will likely spend the upcoming season in Rochester and, unless he is successful in his breakout year, is unlikely to be one of the top forwards to return to the NHL anytime soon.
However, with a new coach in Rochester, Michael Leone, the way the Amerks use Kisakov in their lineup could change. With players like Brandon Biro and Justin Richards out of the running, Michael Mersch still a UFA, and Damien Giroux also playing the same position, Kisakov may have an opportunity to make a name for himself and earn a top-six spot. But he will also be competing for that spot with newcomers like Josh Dunne, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Ty Cheveldayoff.
2024 Buffalo Sabres Top 25 under 25
25th place: Adam Kleber
24th place: Tyson Kozak
23rd place: Maxim Strbák
22nd place: Prokhor Poltapov
