Should the Sabres make some changes to their top lines?
With the Buffalo Sabres currently on a pause, it gives us a lot of time to think. Obviously, head coach Ralph Krueger’s line combinations have not worked out for the Sabres to start the season. Buffalo is not generating nearly enough scoring chances to compete on a consistent level. But there could be some changes that could work out for the team.
As much as we expected it to work, the Taylor Hall and Jack Eichel pairing has been severely underwhelming. Taylor Hall has recorded only one goal and currently has a +/- of -6. Eichel has not faired much better in terms of producing goals. He has only two so far, and just like Hall, Eichel has a +/- of -6.
It could be time to stop consistently pairing these two together on the top line. I am starting to feel that Hall might perform at a higher level if he is the main goal-scoring option on the ice. If the Sabres were to split up Eichel and Hall and let them both run their lines as the top guy, it could be beneficial.
We have heard coach Krueger say that it has been challenging to find people to pair with Eichel “because of his level and speed and how he thinks and sees the game.”
We have seen that Jeff Skinner pairs very nicely with Eichel. In the 2018-2019 season, Eichel and Skinner were on the ice together for 53 even-strength goals. Eichel, Hall, and Skinner have combined for a total of just one 5-on-5 goal through the first ten games of this season.
We could see some instant improvements in chemistry if Skinner was moved up to the top line and was paired with Eichel and Sam Reinhart. These three have all shown that they play very well when on the ice together, and there is really no reason why they shouldn’t make up the top line.
Hall would make the Sabres second line just as dangerous as the first line. A second line featuring Hall, Eric Staal, and Victor Olofsson could produce their fair share of scoring chances.
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It is time to stop experimenting with lines so much and make some stable groupings and let players gain chemistry together. Changing the lines around every game isn’t going to fix anything.