Buffalo Sabres prospect Sean Malone is by far the organization’s most curious case. On one hand, he’s arguably the best player on the Amerks, but his setbacks are mounting.
The Buffalo Sabres have a sound prospect at the AHL level named Sean Malone. An older prospect, the soon-to-be 27-year-old Malone has just two NHL games on his resume, one with the Sabres, and another with the Nashville Predators.
This season, the Harvard alum has looked like a late-bloomer, with 26 points in 26 games. However, with so much young talent on the Amerks slated to join the NHL ranks sooner than later, it’s premature to believe Malone will find himself on the top scoring lines.
While his production shows he can play at the NHL level, his setbacks and lack of success in sustaining a spot on an NHL roster indicate he may not serve as anything more than a taxi squad prospect. So, should the Sabres seriously consider adding Malone to the roster over other prospects?
Sean Malone’s struggles are a red flag for the Buffalo Sabres
While it’s true that it took Malone 26 games to tie his career-high in goals scored, a lower-body injury kept him out for a significant amount of time. Then there was a bout with COVID-19.
And when the virus and injuries hit the Sabres between the end of December to the end of January, Malone was unavailable for the team’s taxi squad that instead saw the likes of Brandon Biro and J.J. Peterka.
To further compound things, Malone has appeared in just three contests since December 2019. And this isn’t the first time the forward has dealt with injuries in the past.
The 2018-19 season has mimicked what we’re seeing from Malone today. However, he responded in 2019-20 with 30 points in 58 games and his play drew interest from the Predators, who signed him to a two-way contract.
Yet upon returning to the Sabres organization this season, Malone’s play has, when healthy, been among the best for the Amerks. But his mounting injuries have left the forward’s future shrouded in mystery. And Malone hasn’t been shy to voice his frustrations.
"“This one stung a little bit this year because I thought we were doing really well in the beginning of the year,” he said, “and then to be away from the team for as long as I was, was tough mentally.” – via Buffalo Hockey Beat."
Malone also faces a plethora of competition to earn a spot at the next level. Not just with his peers on the Amerks, but with a Buffalo Sabres team growing increasingly younger.
We will wait and see whether Malone can put his latest rash of injuries behind him. If that’s the case and if he continues to produce well, expect him to compete for a spot at the next level. But if his struggles continue, Malone may never be more than a high-end AHL prospect.
(Statistics provided by Hockey Database)