- Buffalo signs UConn forward Jake Richard to a two-year, entry-level contract
- 6’1″ forward racked up 88 points in 108 games over three NCAA seasons
- Read below for the scouting take, video highlights, and where he fits next
Buffalo’s season is over, and the front office wasted no time looking ahead.
The Sabres signed forward Jake Richard to a two-year, entry-level contract on Thursday, locking in their 2022 sixth-round pick after three seasons at the University of Connecticut.
Richard finished his college career with 32 goals and 56 assists for 88 points in 108 games as a Husky. The 21-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida went 170th overall back in 2022 and stuck with UConn through three full seasons.
His best year came as a sophomore. Richard piled up 15 goals, 43 points and a +26 rating in 34 games and helped UConn reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
He cooled off a bit as a junior, finishing with 10 goals and 27 points in 38 games. Sabres prospects writer Kris Baker, who has been tracking Richard since draft night, was still bullish on what he brings.
Baker broke down Richard’s game on X:
“Strong below the dots. Really good shooter with a strong net-front game. He steadily improved his details away from the puck while in school.”
Here’s a video from his Husky days, with Richard burying a power play goal to extend his point streak to eight games:
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward almost certainly starts 2026-27 in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, who got bounced in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs by the Marlies.
Turning a 170th overall pick into a signed pro is a quiet win for Buffalo’s amateur scouts. Richard joins a Sabres prospect group that quietly added depth over the last few drafts.
