Buffalo Sabres: Where does Jacob Bryson fit into the lineup?

The Buffalo Sabres re-signed Jacob Bryson to a two-year deal going for an AAV of $1.85 million. It definitely has the fan base debating, so let’s settle it. 

On Sunday, the Buffalo Sabres inked RFA Jacob Bryson to a two-year contract and he will provide instant depth on a defensive rotation that already includes Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, and Henri Jokiharju. Bryson, at most, will be the fifth man in the lineup unless the Sabres sign a veteran to pair with Power.

There is also the likelihood Casey Fitzgerald returns to the third pairing to pick up where he left off, so Bryson could be the seventh man by the time it is all said and done. However, he played more than Fitzgerald last season and is, as of right now, the more versatile of the two.

Where Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson fits in the lineup

Jacob Bryson’s ceiling is, barring some crazy transformation to his game, a spot on the Sabres third pairing. He may have the talent to fit onto the second pairing of other NHL teams, but the Sabres have a stacked house with Dahlin and Samuelsson leading the charge and soon-to-be rookie sensation Power not far behind.

Jokiharju is the weakest of the top four and he will drop to the third pairing if general manager Kevyn Adams signs a defenseman in free agency. And all signs point to the possibility that he will do just that when free agency opens on Wednesday.

Bryson will battle Fitzgerald for the sixth spot in the rotation. And given recent news that Lawrence Pilut might be returning, Bryson may be battling more than just Fitzgerald. But Pilut will need to earn his way back into the lineup and that can take time after a two-year stint away from the team.

Fitzgerald is a big hitter and an enforcer, but he has so far played a one-dimensional game. However, he has shown two-way ability in the AHL, considering his performance in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Bryson’s numbers, defensively, increased across the board. He appeared in 73 games last season, and he also logged one block per game. But his real improvement came in creating turnovers, recording 24 takeaways, an increase of 22 from just a season ago.

If Bryson can show even further improvement in training camp and the preseason, he may become the sixth man in the rotation. This will see him take precedent over Fitzgerald and potentially Pilut. If that’s the case, expect 40 to 50 games out of Bryson and even better numbers.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)