Oskari Laaksonen
If the Sabres want another Rasmus Dahlin-like player, they may have one in Laaksonen. No, he doesn’t boast the same two-way potential as Dahlin, but his 29 points in 54 games shows he’s a tremendous puck-handler with a knack for playing the blue line well.
The only concern with Laaksonen involves his 36 penalty minutes. This is reminiscent of Casey Fitzgerald, another defenseman who has racked up time in the box. Overall, think of Laaksonen as a hybrid between Dahlin and Fitzgerald and it’s something the Sabres lack on their three defensive pairings.
With the Sabres likely to part ways with several key veteran defensemen, look for Laaksonen’s name to at least get thrown around as a potential replacement for Colin Miller and company on the third pairing. And with his ability to create opportunities for teammates, you can also expect Laaksonen to provide a little more value than the veterans currently manning the third pairing.
(All statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and Hockey Database)