The Buffalo Sabres may have a hard time finding twine this season. But their first line is shaping up to become one of the NHL’s best.
The Buffalo Sabres have built one of the league’s most exciting scoring lines in the NHL. Sure, things have been rough, like their blowout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights or their heartbreaker against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But their first line has eased the pain. Jeff Skinner, especially, is coming off of a phenomenal showing against the Montreal Canadiens, scoring four goals and tacking an assist for a total of five points. Skinner, who signed an eight-year deal to stay in Buffalo is older: He will be 30 before the season concludes, but he’s the one player they need to keep around for the rebuild.
Jeff Skinner leads a dynamic Buffalo Sabres first line
Skinner can lead this franchise, especially if the Sabres part ways with experienced puzzle pieces like Craig Anderson or Colin Miller, to name a couple. Skinner also has a no-movement clause, meaning he’s likely to remain around long-term.
He leads a first line that also includes Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. Thompson was in the running for the Last Man In voting for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. Tuch came over in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights and has since returned from injury and solidified himself as a right-winger.
The Sabres will continue to struggle, as their lower lines remain a work in progress. But fans can at least rest assured that the organization’s first line, barring injury, can be a long-term fixture as the team continues to build and develop young talent.
It all starts with Skinner, who now has 35 points on the season in 45 games. Tuch now has 16 points in 15 appearances with the Sabres. And Thompson has 34 in 43 games. The needle is pointing north, and we’ll see if the first line puts up an encore performance on Tuesday when they return to the KeyBank Center to face the New York Islanders.
(All statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)