Buffalo Sabres Powerhouse Line: Reinhart, Eichel, Larsson

The Buffalo Sabres currently have two second-overall draft picks in their lineup, and there’s a good chance we could see the pair on a line together very soon.

Sam Reinhart, Jack Eichel and Johan Larsson were the three components of the Buffalo Sabres’ second line in practice on October 26. This line has the potential to be a very strong one, even though it isn’t currently the top line for the team. It’s important for a team to have depth like that, and to allow young players like Reinhart and Eichel to grow without the seemingly unnecessary pressure of being on the top line right away.

Eichel and Reinhart are both developing centers, though it seems likely that Eichel will slide into the center spot on this line, with Reinhart playing the right wing slot. Larsson fits in nicely as the left winger, though he’s also played center lately, including in the October 23rd game against the Montreal Canadiens, when he centered the fourth line with Nicolas Deslauriers and Jamie McGinn.

Between the three of them, they’ve got exactly 100 games of experience in the NHL, and 28 points registered in that time. Looking at them on an individual basis (statistics accurate as of October 27, 2015):

Eichel is, obviously, the most inexperienced of the trio — but his lack of NHL experience says absolutely nothing about how good he is, and how good he could be in the future for the Buffalo Sabres. After just eight games with the Buffalo Sabres, Eichel has already registered three goals and 24 shots on goal, averaging three shots per game. He’s shooting at 12.5 percent — and he’s just 18 years old.

Reinhart has only slightly more NHL experience than Eichel, with 17 games under his belt. He finally registered his first NHL goal in October 2015, and has added four assists for five career points. The 19-year-old has registered 13 shots (compare this to Eichel’s 24 in much fewer games) and shoots at 7.7 percent.

Larsson, at 23, is the most experienced of the trio. He’s got some 75 games of NHL experience and has registered 20 points in that time. His 80 shots give him a shooting percentage of 7.5 percent.

So why would this line work well together?

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Up until this point, things just have not been working well for the Buffalo Sabres. Head coach Dan Bylsma has spoken out about not being afraid to juggle lines on a night-in, night-out basis in order to try and find the chemistry that seemingly isn’t there right now.

Larsson and Eichel played together on the second line on October 24 along with Tyler Ennis; Larsson had spent the previous two games on the fourth line. Reinhart has spent the past three games playing on the top line, but the fact is, if a coach sees that something isn’t generating enough offensive pressure and effort, it’s time to change things up.

Eichel’s got the beautiful moves that makes fans go “oooh” and “ahhhh” and “OH MY GOODNESS, HOW DID HE DO THAT?!” His skating ability is perhaps his most dangerous weapon, and his puck control and strength allow him to battle other players for the puck.

Reinhart has the offensive tools and discipline to stay in position and play solid two-way hockey. He makes his linemates better, though he’s still working his way up to the physical aspects of the NHL game.

Like Reinhart, Larsson can also fill in that two-way forward position. Though his skating or puck skills may not be up to par with the likes of Eich and Reinhart, he’s strong and can play both defensively on the penalty kill and offensively otherwise. He’s got the energy and the checking ability to take on that physical role that Reinhart perhaps might be lacking.

Could Eichel be pulled up to the first line? Absolutely. The same can be said of Reinhart, whose already played in that capacity this season. But the fact is that the Sabres want to let both of those players develop at their own pace, rather than rushing them too heavily into a first-line pressure situation. Keeping them on the second line, and stringing together a line with Larsson, has the potential to really help all three of them grow and work on the respective parts of their games that they aren’t as strong in.

Next: Ristolainen Emerging Among Sabres D

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