Buffalo Sabres: Players looking to have a turnaround season

As the Buffalo Sabres head into training camp with a group of new acquisitions and a system full of talented prospects, here are 4 players that are looking to have a bounce back season.

Not counting shortened seasons, last year was the fourth worst season in Buffalo Sabres franchise history, as the team only managed 25 wins and 62 points. There is however, a lot of optimism this season with the additions of Jeff Skinner, Carter Hutton, and first overal pick Rasmus Dahlin.

As the team looks to move the needle in the positive direction, there are several players on the roster that are looking to do the same thing. Whether due to poor performance or injury, the Sabres roster is riddled with players that did not live up to their expectations in the 2017-18 season.

In no particular order, here are 4 Buffalo Sabres that need to improve on their 2017-18 campaign in order for the Sabres to have a chance at a strong improvement in 2018-19. Let us know which Buffalo Sabres that you are hoping to bounce back in the 2018-19 season in the comment section below.

Kyle Okposo

The Buffalo Sabres signed Kyle Okposo to a massive contract on the first day of free agency in the summer of 2016. Coming off of his third 20 goal season with the New York Islanders, Okposo signed a 7 year, $42 million contract. Here are similar free agent signees from Summer 2016 and how they have performed in the previous two seasons.

All statistics are from hockey-reference.com

The good news is that Okposo has been better than the other $6 million AAV from the 2016 free agent class. The bad news is that those other contracts are all widely considered bad contracts. With the second biggest contract on the team, the Sabres need more than the two sub-50 point seasons Okposo has had in Buffalo.

Other than the concussion issue at the end of his first season in Buffalo, Okposo has been relatively healthy in Buffalo. Okposo’s style of play is going to cause him to miss a game here and there however he played 76 games last season, fifth most on the team.

Kyle Okposo remains a key piece to the offense for the 2018-19 season. Going into training camp, Okposo is projected to play at right wing on the second line with Casey Mittelstadt and either Conor Sheary or Jeff Skinner. There is also going to be young guys in training camp looking to take some of the 17 minutes per game he played last season. Okposo’s contract is not moveable so he will need to return to the 60 point form he showed on Long Island.

Conor Sheary

After a career year in 2016-17, Conor Sheary regressed significantly last season. All of his traditional statistics dropped, including an almost fifty percent drop in points, and he saw reduced ice time at both even-strength and on the power play. His playing time was diminished even more in the postseason, playing less than 10 minutes in 3 games.

“When people were saying he couldn’t do it, he found a way. That sort of determination and compete and work ethic something we’re looking to bring to our group.” – Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill

The undrafted left wing will be filling a different role in Buffalo than he did during his 3 seasons in Pittsburgh. Sheary brings playoff experience to Buffalo after playing in 57 postseason games in 3 seasons with the Penguins including scoring the game winning overtime goal in game 2 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final against the Sharks. Kyle Okposo is the only other Sabre amongst the top 6 forwards that have played in the postseason.

The good news for the Sabres is that this season is the proverbial contract year for Sheary. The longstanding hope for players in their contract year, the last year of the current contract, is that they will explode with big numbers as they yearn for the elusive big number, big term deal. If not, Sheary’s contract will be easily tradable if the season goes sideways for the Sabres.

Jason Pominville

Another big contract on the books for the Buffalo Sabres is Jason Pominville’s contract. This season will be the final year of Pominville’s 5 year, $28 million deal. The 35 year old forward is coming off a season with the worst offensive output of his career since his first full season in 2005-06.

Pominville returned to Buffalo last season after a 4+ season stint in Minnesota. Although he is clearly nearing the end of his career, Jason Pominville is still one of the most durable players in the NHL. Last year, Pominville played in every game of the year for the 8th time in his career. If he starts the season healthy, Pominville will enter the Buffalo Sabres’ top 10 in career games played in October and he is only 15 goals and 7 points shy of entering the top 10 in those respective categories.

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Jason Pominville’s 30 goal, 60 point campaign in 2013-14 feels like ages ago. This year’s Buffalo Sabres squad does not need that big of an offensive year from Pominville though.  Pominville played just under 15 minutes per game last season and the expectations are less for next season. Whereas last season the Buffalo Sabres had Jason Pominville and Jack Eichel on the ice at the same time over 7% of the time, this season Pominville will spend most of his time on the third line. As long as Jason Pominville can fill in throughout the lineup as necessary and provide veteran leadership to Buffalo’s young core, next season will be a success.