Buffalo Sabres Players Year In Review: Nicolas Deslauriers

The unquestioned iron man and grinder of the Buffalo Sabres has come out to be none other than Nicolas Deslauriers. The gritty winger was acquired by General Manager a few seasons ago and he has come in guns blazing and fists ready.

Related – Year In Review: Mark Pysyk

Not really known much as a scorer, Nic Deslauriers is a former defenseman turned winger. He is able to use the knowledge as a former defender to pick at the weak points of a team’s defense and put some physical pressure on them. He knows the pace that a defender needs to play at and he is able to make them cringe as he charges at them for a hit.

With that, Deslauriers was able to still put up some respectable offensive numbers for a player of his type. He posted 5 goals and 10 assists for a total of 15 points (2 more than the likes of Cody Hodgson) and he did that in 82 games.

Deslauriers was the only Buffalo Sabres player to be featured in the lineup all year round. That is not only impressive, but it is his personal stake in the team to claim his position. He now knows he can play a full season in the big league (because this was his first full NHL season). He now knows that he is trusted to play his role and do it well every night.

What stands out about Nic Deslauriers for this past season was his hit count and his willingness to back up the hits with his fists. He had a total of 261 hits last season, and he added 7 fighting majors to that mix as well.

This one against the Wild’s Mathew Dumba was my personal favorite.

IT was a perfect example of what Deslauriers was prepared to do all season long. He dropped a hit on Kyle Brodziak, and then backed up his hit with his fists to Dumba and won the fight by a landslide.

Grinders are key to the success of any team because they provide a unique energy from their physicality, and they stick up for the rest of the players on the team when they may be getting picked on. Nic Deslauriers fits that description and played his role to the letter all year.

Besides Tyler Ennis and maybe Zemgus Girgensons, I would say that Deslauriers was the most consistent and the most competitive player on the ice for the Buffalo Sabre night in and night out. He has more than earned his spot on the roster next year.

He is a solid size and has so much heart, and he leaves it all out on the ice every shift. A player like that cannot be bought, but they can be grown. If you look at former enforcers for the Buffalo Sabres, Andrew Peters, Patrick Kaleta, Adam Mair, Chris Gratton, and the likes of Rob Ray they all had the same level of compete in them and a desire to do what was necessary for their team to win games.

Deslauriers has that, and he even has a little offensive side to him as well. That deadly combination will make him a key piece for the Buffalo Sabres next season.

Next: Should Buffalo Trade With Senators For A Goalie?

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