Buffalo Sabres Fantasy Hockey Outlook

The NHL has released the top 275 players that fantasy general managers should be looking at.  With 275 players on the list, one stands to reason that each team would have at least nine players on the list.  The Buffalo Sabres actually have eight players that fantasy players should think about drafting.

While none crack the top 100, Buffalo players will be readily available in the third round of any fantasy draft.  Here are their positions and ratings, so if you want to add a little Buffalo Sabres flavor to your fantasy roster, you can keep your eye out for them.

Matt Moulson – LW – 137

Leading the list for the Buffalo Sabres is Matt Moulson.  Moulson pulled on three different sweaters in the 2013-2014 campaign, as he was traded for assets by two teams trying to rebuild stale franchises.  Despite finding himself on a playoff team to end the season with the Minnesota Wild – he chose to come back to the Buffalo Sabres for the upcoming season and beyond.

Stability will be the key for Matt Moulson who will emerge as a top billeted player, and not just another guy on the team.  In 44 games with the Sabres last season, he put up eleven goals and eighteen assists, adding twelve goals and 10 assists from stops in Minnesota and Long Island.

Cody Hodgson – C/RW – 154

Cody Hodgson will benefit from a lot of ice time, given the team can use him as a winger, and to fill in the pivot position.  Hodgson will be a bright spot on the Buffalo Sabres offense, although he still has some things to learn about the game.  If Hodgson is available in your league in a late round, he won’t be a bad pickup for your squad.

Chris Stewart – RW – 215

The success of Chris Stewart on the Buffalo Sabres roster will depend solely on how much ice time he sees.  He didn’t get much time on the ice once coming over from St. Louis, but an injury played a large part in that.

He wants to play, and has the passion that Ted Nolan looks for, and will likely play a large number of minutes for the team, depending on how the roster shakes out through training camp.

Jhonas Enroth – G – 224

There are a lot of goaltenders that will go before Jhonas Enroth, if he gets selected in any league at all.  Not that Enroth isn’t a suitable option for your fantasy team, the lack of veteran defense in front of him and the gap of a goal differential the team suffered last year, Buffalo Sabres goaltending will be pretty sparse in most fantasy drafts.

While ranking higher than Neuvirth in the top 275 – his position as starter for the 2014-2015 season isn’t set in stone, so be careful if you wish to add him to your goalie depth.

Sam Reinhart – C – 242

The biggest question here, will he even be in the NHL this season?  I would hate to waste a draft pick in a fantasy draft to have the kid be sent back to the minors.  Depending on the rules of your league, he might be a good addition early in the season, if you can replace him on your roster if the team does decide to send him back to juniors before his ten game tryout is up.

Tyler Ennis – 251 – LW/C

Another player that will see a lot of ice time because he can play two positions with easy transition, it actually surprises me to see Ennis so low in comparison to his teammates.   A bright spot on the Buffalo Sabres offense last season – Ennis should once again prove to be a viable option for a few points throughout the season in any league.

Tyler Myers – D – 252

Will the real Tyler Myers please stand up?  If Tyler Myers can return to anywhere close to his Calder season form, then picking him up late in your draft is going to seem like a home-run.  Uncertainty lies here though in the fact that Myers has been a bit of a headcase since his sophomore season, and not knowing who is blue line partner will be could hurt his standings in any preseason draft.

Michal Neuvirth – G – 256

Did you see my notes above on Jhonas Enroth?  Uncertainty as to who gets more ice time this season between the battling backups will pose the biggest fantasy question for either Buffalo Sabres goalie.