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Buffalo Sabres: Who will be the team’s alternate captains in 2022-23?

By Sion Fawkes |
BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 29: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres during the game against the Seattle Kraken at KeyBank Center on November 29, 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 29: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres during the game against the Seattle Kraken at KeyBank Center on November 29, 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
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Barring something unforeseen, fan favorite Kyle Okposo appears to be the shoo-in team captain for the Buffalo Sabres in 2022-23.

There are two popular candidates to wear the C patch for the Buffalo Sabres next season: Kyle Okposo and Alex Tuch. Okposo is the older, more experienced of the two players while Tuch is the hometown hero who has bled blue and gold since, well, forever.

My guess is that Okposo will wear the C while Tuch will be one of two players to snag the A. With Tuch’s popularity in the locker room and in the city of Buffalo, it’s almost a given that he will wear one. So for the purposes of this article, let’s go ahead and assume Tuch gets the A patch.

That leaves one more A. Below, we will talk about three players who are most deserving to wear it next season. In many slideshows, I like to list players in no particular order. But in this one, I will be listing players in descending order. So the one most likely to earn the A will be placed atop the list. Let’s meet that player.

MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 13: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Centre Bell on February 13, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 13: Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Centre Bell on February 13, 2022 in Montreal, Canada. The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

The most likely alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres behind Alex Tuch: Rasmus Dahlin

Dahlin enjoyed a breakout campaign for the Buffalo Sabres, scoring 53 times (13 goals) and notching a career-high 7.6 shooting percentage. He also logged an astounding 24:01 of ice time and earned his first trip to the NHL All-Star Game.

While Dahlin is not the oldest player on the defensive rotation and following free agency, he won’t be the most experienced, he has grown into a leadership role over the past season. Dahlin became more vocal under head coach Don Granato, and was a constant energizing force on a Sabres team that lit up the league in March and April.

Say what you will about Dahlin’s age. But after Granato brought out the best in him and the way he displayed leadership qualities, he is the clear-cut favorite to land that second A. But there are two other candidates that may give him a run.

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 12: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 12, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Sabres defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 12: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on April 12, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Sabres defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Jeff Skinner

If there is another player on the Buffalo Sabres like Okposo, it’s Skinner. At least from a statistical standpoint. He turned 30 this season, making him the second-oldest Sabre under contract at the time of this writing, so not only is Skinner’s redemption season one reason to give him an A, but so is his overall experience.

He scored 33 goals last season, his highest output since 2018-19. Skinner also tied a career-high of 63 points, and his performance, especially a four-goal outing in a win over Montreal, turned heads in NHL spheres.

If Skinner were playing for a team that had recently tore everything to the bare bones, he would be a shoo-in for a C. But on an up-and-coming team playing in the Queen City, he may be the odd man out to a player who epitomizes what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre, a hometown hero, and the franchise’s fastest-rising chess piece.

ELMONT, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 30: Tage Thompson #72 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on December 30, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 30: Tage Thompson #72 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on December 30, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Tage Thompson

Here is a bold prediction: Tage Thompson will be at least an alternate captain at some point during his career. And it could happen in 2022-23, but right now, he would be a distant third to Dahlin for the reasons mentioned in the last two slides and Skinner since the latter holds the edge in experience.

But perseverance and overcoming odds have also defined Thompson‘s career even before he stepped onto an NHL rink. That said, it would be foolish not to at least consider Thompson here. And while the odds are not in his favor to snag an A this season, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he does get it.

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Thompson, Skinner, and Dahlin are the three clear-cut front runners to get that second A patch. Each are among the most productive players on the Buffalo Sabres and they are all good bets not just to wear the A next season, but perhaps for a few seasons.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)

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