Buffalo Sabres Young Guns Are Succeeding In Their Roles

Some high hopes and expectations were placed on some of the younger Buffalo Sabres players this season. With top end talent like Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart in the pro lineup, the rebuild talk ended and the winning talk commenced. With that kind talk came the high expectations, and a push for success. We all had seen the likes of what a hard working player like Zemgus Girgensons could do at a young age, so the expectations for these younger, more talented prospects got even higher. Young defenders that were supposed to be budding stars were expected to start stepping up more (meaning Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake McCabe) and so far this year, all of them are succeeding in their current roles.

Related – Is Jack Eichel Meeting His Excpetations?

Rasmus Ristolainen had a rough year last season, and had been looking to rebound well enough this year to prove that he still has elite potential. So far this season, Ristolainen has been manning the top defensive pair and is succeeding in his new role. Last season he was rolled in and out of the bottom two pairs, and is now undoubtedly the Sabres most solid defender.

So far this season, Ristolainen has 10 points (4G, 6A) and sits tied for second place on the Sabres scoring list with that number. His four goals are also tied for second best on the Sabres (alongside Matt Moulson and Ryan O’Reilly) and as a defenseman, it makes it even more impressive. Ristolainen is not just one of the Buffalo Sabres top young players, but one of their best players on the ice every single night.

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Jake McCabe has been proving himself as well, not as much to the extent that Ristolainen has, but he still is doing very well in his role. McCabe started the season as a rotational defender in the bottom six, but recently has risen to the top four. His defensive play has been fantastic, and his offensive contribution has been an added bonus as well.

McCabe currently has two goals in the fourteen games he has played, but its his possession game that is a strong suit. He currently sits at a measly -2 through that, and thats while babysitting goals against magnet Mike Weber, so it is a real accomplishment.

Sam Reinhart has been shuffled around the lineup a bit since the start of the year, but he recently has been proving how valuable he truly is. Reinhart is one of the smartest players on the Sabres roster, and is also one of the hardest working. He fights for pucks in corners, makes his way to the front of the net, and skates hard in the defensive zone. All of these are qualities that a top six forward needs to have.

Reinhart has found himself playing on the top two lines as of late, and not only is he benefitting offensively from that promotion, but he is reciprocating his own benefits to those lines. He fills the hole that was left by Evander Kane when he went down with an injury, and plays exceptionally well in those spots. His 3 goals and 3 assists are nothing huge, but the fact that Reinhart is +1 for his +/- is the real treat. He is tied with Johan Larsson for the team lead in that statistic.

Last but certainly not least is Jack Eichel. Since his drafting, Eichel has carried the weight of being the eventual offensive solution that the Buffalo Sabres have been looking for. So far this season, he has more than succeeded in that role. Jack Eichel has been manning the second line for the Buffalo Sabres all season, and has been one of the top offensive threats every time he steps on the ice.

Using his creativity, his slick hands, and his elite scoring ability, Jack Eichel has put on a highlight reel display of goals. He currently sits at the top of the Buffalo Sabres goal scoring list with six goals, and he sits tied for third on the team in points with nine. There isn’t a single moment where Jack Eichel gives up on a play. He pushes the pace of the game, and at many times makes defenders look silly.

Next: Five Sabres Players That Need To Step Up

It’s quite the spectacle to watch every single one of these young guns show their skills at the highest level. With all the expectations that have been placed on them since the start of the year, it’s refreshing to see them all rise to the task. None of them have fallen through the cracks yet, and its an amazing feeling as a Sabres fan to witness this kind of skill.