Buffalo Sabres: Who will end up as the second-line center in 2022-23?
The Buffalo Sabres have three young centers that will compete for a spot on the second scoring line in training camp toward the end of summer
Barring some catastrophic meltdown in training camp, Tage Thompson will open the 2022-23 NHL season as the Buffalo Sabres first-line center. Thompson had a breakout campaign last year and led the team in points.
He played so well that at one point he was the team’s nominee for Last Man In at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. But there is a potential battle going on as to who will take the spot at second-line center.
While there are a few forwards who can fulfill the void, three of them jump out more than the others. These three players have seen time at both center and winger, but Hockey-Reference lists them at center for their natural position.
Who will be the Buffalo Sabres second-line center?
All three players are former first-round draft picks and they each had their moments with the Buffalo Sabres. One of which has spent the last six seasons in the organization while another just completed his second full season in the NHL.
One center listed in particular was buried on another team’s depth chart, but they may very well become the team’s breakout player in 2022-23. At least at forward. However, there are a few caveats that might make them a better option at winger than at center.
There are strengths and weaknesses to each candidate. And even if they win the job coming out of training camp, nothing in the NHL is set in stone. So who are these three players, and what are their cases for becoming a staple on the Buffalo Sabres second scoring line? Keep reading to find out more.
Peyton Krebs
Krebs is easily the top candidate to land a job on the second line, even if it may not be at center. While he doesn’t display ideal size for the position, he is fantastic at passing the puck around and creating scoring opportunities, as shown by his 15 assists in 48 games. This stat alone gives him a huge advantage over the other two names on this list.
While Krebs looked like a rookie at times, as seen by his 31 giveaways, he steadily improved throughout the season and showed immense versatility. Overall, for a player buried on the depth chart over in Vegas, he played well despite being a 21-year-old thrown onto the middle lines for what was a seemingly bad hockey team.
But the question is this: Is Peyton Krebs better at left wing for the Buffalo Sabres? If the answer is yes, don’t expect him to play much center next season, but winger. But if head coach Don Granato thinks Krebs can make the big jump next season, expect him to play center right behind Tage Thompson.
Dylan Cozens
No, an international hockey tournament isn’t the smartest way to gauge a player’s performance. But why spoil the fun? Dylan Cozens was arguably the best player at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, leading Team Canada to a silver medal.
Cozens played in his second full season with the Buffalo Sabres last year, and he looked good at times. However, you could also tell he still had some areas to improve, especially in scoring. But he did some great things:
- He cut down on the turnovers to 0.379 per game, down from 0.487 per game.
- Cozens created more turnovers, at 0.417 per game, higher than his 0.317 per game the previous season.
- His shooting accuracy and overall points total also increased.
Versus Krebs, Cozens has an advantage in size and defense, which may ultimately give him the edge. If he becomes the second-line center, look for Krebs to play left wing on the same line. However, if Krebs takes it, Cozens may bump back to the third line at center.
Casey Mittelstadt
Mittelstadt has more upside than Krebs or Cozens. We know this given his performance in training camp last season and his ability to continually work through adversity. And no one on the Buffalo Sabres has suffered through more than Casey Mittelstadt.
Yes, it is true that Mittelstadt is nearly out of chances. But if he comes into training camp healthy and takes advantage of his natural ability, look for him to win the job. Right now, he is a distant third behind Cozens and Krebs. But he can also close the gap quickly.
Mittelstadt won the job on the top scoring line last season before injuries and inconsistency struck, giving way to Tage Thompson. But just this time last season, Thompson was in Mittelstadt’s shoes. So let’s not write him off just yet.
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Yes, it is an uphill climb. But it should surprise no one if Mittelstadt comes out of training camp with the job secured.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)