Buffalo Sabres: Breaking down the 2022 offseason
Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams stuck to his initial plan and spent conservatively in the 2022 offseason. What should we expect next?
While the Buffalo Sabres 2022 offseason is by no means even close to being over with opening night slated for October 13th, and of course, preseason and training camp preceding it, Kevyn Adams has done enough for me to provide a breakdown. And while he didn’t go crazy with spending and making huge splashes, there is still much to talk about.
I know some in the Sabres faithful wanted to see the blockbuster trade or the big-name free agent. But first and foremost, Adams played the smart route, knowing that within the next season or two, franchise cornerstones like Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Mattias Samuelsson, and Rasmus Dahlin will all be due for extensions.
And Adams would do well to sign as many as his cap space allows. That said, he went the smart route by keeping his draft picks, signing supplementary players, and even bringing back a few of his own. Let’s break it down.
Breaking down the Buffalo Sabres 2022 offseason: The NHL Draft
The Buffalo Sabres hit a slam dunk with Matthew Savoie. Though undersized, the ultra-productive Savoie could threaten to earn a roster spot as early as next season. With veterans like Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons seeing their respective contracts expire, it may open the door for Savoie.
But you also cannot forget about Jiri Kulich. The 28th overall pick is slated, per Elite Prospects, to return to Czechia’s Extraliga. But there is an outside chance he joins the Rochester Americans, since he already signed his contract with the Sabres.
Noah Ostlund, the 16th overall pick, is a shoo-in to return to Sweden this season and most likely, for 2022-23. Ditto for 41st overall pick, Topias Leinonen, except he will be playing in Liiga, Finland’s professional league. At development camp, Ostlund impressed me, despite my criticizing the Sabres of reaching for him at 16th overall. Leinonen showed he needs more polishing before an injury ended his camp early.
Round 3 and beyond…
Winger Viktor Neuchev dominated in the MHL last season, scoring 40 goals and 67 points. Mats Lindgren is an intriguing selection. A defenseman, he displays an offensive mind, but he needs to work on his defensive game before he is ready for a stint in the AHL.
Vsevolod Komarov showed in his first season in the QMJHL that he needs seasoning, though he has shown flashes of creativity. Jake Richard is one to watch. He had a good developmental camp and performed exceptionally well in the USHL, scoring 48 points in 56 contests.
Gustav Karlsson had an outstanding 2021-22 campaign in J20 Nationell, with 48 points and 31 goals in 41 games. You can also say the same for Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson, who put up 49 points in 47 contests in the same league.
Linus Sjodin is an older prospect who fared well at the SHL level in 2021-22. Look for him to make a leap this season and find himself on the outside and looking in on signing an entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
2022 NHL Free Agency
The Buffalo Sabres did things the right way in free agency by supplementing the young core that they built. NHL.com labeled it the Youth Movement, which is an appropriate term considering that at goaltender, Kevyn Adams brought in 27-year-old Eric Comrie. Comrie posted good numbers last season in Winnipeg, but he has an NHL sample size of just 16 games.
However, Comrie isn’t the only goaltender in Sabres history to potentially land the starting job with a small sample size. Dominik Hasek and Martin Biron are two other goaltenders the Sabres put their faith in and succeeded in the net. Especially Hasek, who is one of the best goalies in NHL history.
Adams vowed to find an experienced defenseman to pair with rookie Owen Power and he may have found one in Ilya Lyubushkin. Lyubushkin only has four years of NHL experience, but he also played five seasons in the KHL. A hard-hitter with a punishing playing style, Lyubushkin serves as an excellent complement to Power.
While Henri Jokiharju could potentially remain on the second line with Power, NHL.com projected Lyubushkin will get the nod. We will see who wins the battle when training camp and the preseason rolls around.
The Sabres also signed a trio in Kale Clague, Jeremy Davies, and Chase Priskie. Expect none of them to sneak their way onto the main roster. However, they will make excellent AHL insurance policies.
Keeping Their Own
The Buffalo Sabres saw a good number of unrestricted free agents head off to other pastures, but Kevyn Adams did a remarkable job in holding onto some key reserves. He brought back 41-year-old Craig Anderson to play the mentor and spot starter role.
Adams also re-signed two young staples in Jacob Bryson and Victor Olofsson. Bryson will slide back in on the third pairing, but he showed immense improvement last season. Olofsson became a force in the scoring department from mid-February-onward.
One of the best re-signings of the Buffalo Sabres 2022 offseason was none other than Lawrence Pilut. The Swede spent two seasons in Russia’s KHL before reverting back into the Sabres organization. He could sneak his way back onto the third pairing, but at worst, he is a high-end AHL talent.
Other AHL insurance staples include goaltender Malcolm Subban and forwards Brett Murray and Brandon Biro. Biro may see his role increase even more this season while Murray could potentially fill a role on the Sabres that John Hayden left behind.
And of course, we cannot forget about Vinnie Hinostroza. With the Sabres in much better shape this season, Hinostroza is probably getting nothing more than a rotational role. However, he is a hard worker and a reliable team player, which may grant him a bit more ice time if the injury bug hits the Sabres. In other words, Hino is the next man up.
Players to Watch
It should go without saying that Owen Power, J.J. Peterka, and Jack Quinn played on another level at development camp. Power and Quinn were especially lethal during the French Connection Tournament, with Quinn showing off immense puck awareness better than any other prospect.
Look for Owen Power to threaten to win the Calder Trophy this season. And while he will have his ups and downs, expect linear progression from the 19-year-old. Expect Quinn to put his forgettable playoff run behind him and return to the player he was when he made his own NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres.
J.J. Peterka paced all AHL rookies with 68 points and he remained consistent in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He too will most likely take the next step and join Power and Quinn on the main roster.
With one season under their belts on the top scoring line, it will be interesting to see what Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch will do for an encore performance. I am also interested in seeing what Dylan Cozens did to hone his shot this offseason and how much more aggressive Peyton Krebs is intending to be with the puck.
Further, my eye will also be on Mattias Samuelsson. He was a sledgehammer in 42 contests last season. So what will he bring to the table for an 82-game slate? I am also looking forward to seeing if Casey Fitzgerald can emulate his hard-hitting, hard-nosed style of play from 2021-22.
Projections
While the Buffalo Sabres can still add to their roster via free agency, they won’t make a huge splash for the likes of, say, Nazem Kadri. That being said, here is how I am projecting the depth chart to shape out, which differs slightly from what the great Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com projected.
Lineup
First Line/Pairing: Skinner – Thompson – Tuch (A) – Dahlin (A)/Samuelsson
Second Line/Pairing: Krebs – Mittelstadt – Olofsson – Power/Lyubushkin
Third Line/Pairing: Asplund – Cozens – Quinn – Jokiharju/Bryson
Fourth Line: Peterka – Girgensons – Okposo (C)
Goaltenders: Comrie – Anderson
Rotation: Hinostroza, Fitzgerald, Luukkonen
As you can see, I tweaked my projected lineup a smidge, adding Mittelstadt as the second-line center. I also dropped Cozens to the third line and Girgensons to the fourth. This has less to do with Mittelstadt’s scoring potential and more to do with Cozens’ tenacity and the energy Girgensons can bring.
The more I thought about it, the more I also wanted experience next to Peterka and Quinn, and Girgensons brings that experience. He can also win face-offs and put the top scoring line in prime position to make something happen. Ditto for the experience Cozens and Asplund have pertaining to Quinn. Given the chemistry between Okposo and Girgensons, I also wanted them on the same line.
It would also make sense if, in time, Cozens lined up with Peterka and Quinn while Girgensons teamed with Asplund and Okposo. So, now that I have my updated roster projections and full breakdown of the Buffalo Sabres 2022 offseason, I’d like to know what you think.
Related Story. Sabres: Junior hockey prospects to watch. light
What was your favorite offseason move? Is the Sabres roster set? Let me know in the comments section of your roster projections.
(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects and Hockey-Reference)