Buffalo Sabres: Ranking the 2022-23 forwards from worst to first
The Buffalo Sabres are in a much better position at forward than they were back in 2021-22. Here are the 14 projected forwards ranked from 14th to 1st.
We know who 13 of the potential 14 forwards will be for the Buffalo Sabres for the upcoming season barring some unforeseen trade. But given general manager Kevyn Adams’ conservative approach this offseason, odds are, you will not see the Sabres pull off anything drastic.
Therefore, I am ranking the 14 forwards you are most likely to see gracing the Sabres roster when October 13th rolls around, ranking them from worst to first. You may see some surprises in these rankings, so it is important to remember that they are only a starting point and by no means reflect any potential actual outcome.
Some players break out and log career seasons, like Tage Thompson. And as you can probably guess, Thompson has a high placing on this list. But this time last year, he probably would have ranked closer to the bottom-tier.
So where does each forward rank in the pecking order? Keep reading for more.
The projected Buffalo Sabres forwards ranked from worst to first: 14 – Anders Bjork
2021-22 Statistics: 58 GP, 8 points, 3 goals, 5 assists, 9.8 S%
When I drew up these rankings, I had to ask myself who I was missing. And the answer was Anders Bjork.
Bjork was perhaps the most obscure forward that made regular appearances for the Buffalo Sabres last season. He never seemed to find a niche, something a player of his caliber needs in order to excel in the NHL. Bjork arrived in Buffalo via a trade that shipped the ill-fated Taylor Hall out of town, and for a minute there, his initial returns looked promising.
To close out the 2020-21 season, Bjork recorded six points in 15 games, logging three goals and three assists. He also amassed 10 takeaways, a 15.8 shooting percentage, and 17:02 minutes of average total ice time.
So it was only natural for the Sabres to be high on Bjork, perhaps as a defensive forward, in 2021-22. But it didn’t happen, and Bjork’s six points in 15 games and high number takeaways was nothing more than a mirage. Eight points and just 16 takeaways in 58 games in 2021-22 proves that Bjork struggled while the rest of the Sabres were on the up and up.
Projection for 2022-23: I honestly don’t believe Bjork makes the roster, considering the younger talent creeping up. If he does make it, he will once again see himself in a rotational role and play in between 45 and 55 games.
13 – Jack Quinn
2021-22 Statistics (AHL): 45 games, 61 points, 26 goals, 35 assists
Quinn will most likely jump in these rankings, but two games of NHL experience will set him back to 13th before the preseason begins. The only reason he is 13th and not 14th is because he has a much better chance of making the roster than Anders Bjork, who may find himself in a different city before the season begins.
I further believe Quinn has potential to wind up on the middle-six, perhaps the top-six, by season’s end. And that’s the key phrase: By season’s end. Therefore, expect some up and down performances from Quinn in the meantime as he goes through the transition from the AHL to the NHL level.
Projection for 2022-23: Right now, I am projecting Quinn to win a spot on the third line. But once he gains experience and proves that he can produce on a regular basis, he may move up a rung or two. But that will also depend on how the likes of Peyton Krebs and Victor Olofsson perform.
If Krebs and Olofsson take the next step, Quinn may need to settle for the third line tops this season. Mittelstadt’s health is also an issue. If the hard-luck center once again misses extended time, then Quinn may be the next man up on the second if he is performing well on the third. This scenario would likely bump Peyton Krebs to center while Quinn takes over at winger.
12 – J.J. Peterka
2021-22 Statistics (AHL): 70 games, 68 points, 28 goals, 40 assists
Peterka is also one of those players whose ranking will increase as the season progresses. But since he has just two games of NHL experience, we don’t know how good he is going to be at the next level. And since he has such a small sample size, he shouldn’t rank any higher than 12th at the moment.
But that doesn’t mean Peterka will crash and burn as a rookie in the NHL. Instead, expect him to show some flashes throughout the season. But you can also look for the winger to have some rough outings.
Projection for 2022-23: Peterka will likely earn a spot on the third or fourth line. A physical player, he could be an ideal fit to man the third line with most likely Dylan Cozens and Rasmus Asplund given the latter two’s defensive mentalities. But he could also bring some energy to the Buffalo Sabres during his rookie season and play in short bursts, which would make him fit for the fourth line.
I am looking for Peterka to be a rotational piece at worst. At best, he could see time in most contests. I don’t expect him to score often, since he will likely see time on the bottom-six. But he should still snag between 25 and 35 points this season before he takes on a larger role in 2023-24.
11 – Vinnie Hinostroza
2021-22 Statistics: 62 games, 25 points, 13 goals, 12 assists, 14.1 shooting percentage
I was surprised to see Hinostroza re-sign with the Buffalo Sabres, initially believing he would look elsewhere given the growing logjam at forward and his potential, or eventual, status as the odd man out. But here he is, once again looking to show up as a team player and an elder statesman on the roster, even if he is only 28.
Of all the forwards on the roster, Hinostroza brings perhaps the most no-frills approach to the game. He isn’t going to produce any eye-popping statistics, and with so much more talent in the lineup this season, don’t expect him to be any more than someone who fills in when an injury or another healthy scratch occurs.
Projection for 2022-23: Hinostroza will play between 45 and 55 games if the Sabres remain a healthy bunch at forward. If a player is scratched for rest, he will be the next man up. Further, Hinostroza will also provide sound insurance if injuries decimate the roster, as he can play the third, fourth, or even the second line in spot duty.
Overall, he is the kind of versatile player every NHL team wants if they don’t need to end up playing him in every contest. Look for Hinostroza to be the healthy scratch when the season opens in October.
10 – Zemgus Girgensons
2021-22 Statistics: 56 games, 18 points, 10 goals, 8 assists, 10.9 shooting percentage
Girgensons is the longest-tenured player on the Buffalo Sabres, having made his debut in 2013-14. No one knows what this team has been through over the past decade more than Girgensons, but he continues to show up for work and perform admirably in a niche role.
No, he is not a scorer and he never has been, with a career-high of just 30 points. But he has logged 100-plus hits every year except last season, when he missed 26 games with an injury. Had he played in just 10 more contests, odds are he would have eclipsed the 100-hit threshold once more.
Girgensons also won a career high 49.8 percent of his face-offs, 143 total, while losing out on 144. This means he can take over the role Cody Eakin left behind. And given his career-low of 10 giveaways last season, he can also control the puck well and set up plays for his teammates.
Projection for 2022-23: Girgensons will most likely drop down to the fourth line. In earlier projections, I had him on the third line given his physicality. But he is older than the other centers and most likely in his final season with the Sabres.
This prompted me to drop him to the fourth line, where he will be one of the hard-hitting energy guys and perhaps the face-off specialist. Look for Girgensons to play in most contests unless the Sabres take a step back, in which he will likely end up as a healthy scratch in favor of younger talent looking to move up from the AHL level.
9 – Peyton Krebs
2021-22 Statistics: 48 games, 22 points, 7 goals, 15 assists, 15.2 shooting percentage
Krebs arrived in the Jack Eichel trade last November and he can definitely rise in these rankings as the 2022-23 season wears on. Many in the Buffalo Sabres faithful may even rank Krebs higher, but I’d like to see what his encore performance looks like before I catapult him over the likes of those ranked in the middle and even in the top half.
I also don’t believe Krebs has fully established his identity. Something you can’t say the same for players like Rasmus Asplund, despite the latter being less of a scorer than Krebs. So right now, I have Krebs at Number 9, but he is poised for a higher ranking in the not-so-distant future. However, he needs to earn it.
Projection for 2022-23: Barring injuries to the Sabres lineup, look for Krebs to start things off at winger, pairing with Casey Mittelstadt and Victor Olofsson. However, if Mittelstadt goes down, Krebs can easily bump inside to center.
He showed flashes of his shooting accuracy last season, but logged only 82 total shots (1.7 per game). Expect him to get more aggressive in that category and to remain highly efficient at producing assists while simultaneously cutting down on the giveaways. He had 31 last season.
8 – Casey Mittelstadt
2021-22 Statistics: 40 games, 19 points, 6 goals, 13 assists, 7.6 shooting percentage
There is perhaps no one on the Buffalo Sabres that have fans divided more than Casey Mittelstadt. He has produced over a half-point per game just once in his career, and last season, Mittelstadt struggled with injuries that forced him to miss 42 contests.
When he is healthy, however, he can be moderately productive. And while the fanbase rightfully expects more from the former eighth overall pick, he can still find a role on as high as the second line this season.
Projection for 2022-23: Mittelstadt, if he stays healthy, may finally show that he is more than just a slightly below-average center. Last season, when he finally returned to the ice for good, he made some plays, and it is something he can do consistently this year.
Mittelstadt will also be facing some serious competition for his job heading into the 2023-24 season. Therefore, look for him to do all he can to prove himself in 2022-23 as he heads into a contract year.
It shouldn’t be surprising if Mittelstadt were to produce somewhere in the 45-50-point range this year if he can play in most if not all contests. Last season, had he stayed healthy all season long, his 19 points averaged to 39 over an 82-game stretch, so the idea is not all that far-fetched.
7 – Rasmus Asplund
2021-22 Statistics: 80 games, 27 points, 8 goals, 19 assists, 6.2 shooting percentage, 19th in voting for the Selke
Like Mittelstadt, Rasmus Asplund is a curious case for many Buffalo Sabres fans. Even I criticized Asplund’s play until some in the Sabres faithful urged me to take a closer look at his defensive game, and they were absolutely right about him.
Since then, I have jumped on the Asplund bandwagon and I further believe his 19th spot for the Selke was well-earned. You won’t find many forwards in the NHL better on the forecheck. Nor will you find many who can sneak in, snatch the puck, and give his teammates a good look in the offensive zone.
Projection for 2022-23: Asplund will most likely find a spot on the third line with Dylan Cozens, and they can form a dynamic defensive duo. I personally love the idea of Asplund and Cozens playing next to one another, and I am further projecting either Jack Quinn or J.J. Peterka to complete the trio.
With stability and young talent on the third line, look for Asplund to up his game even more. Last season, he finished in 19th for the Selke. This year, expect him to threaten the top 15.
6 – Dylan Cozens
2021-22 Statistics: 79 games, 38 points, 13 goals, 25 assists, 8.1 shooting percentage
Cozens’ 11 goals in the first half of the 2021-22 season showed that he could be on the verge of stardom. Then, he found twine just two more times to close out the year. Okay, so he basically flamed out offensively, at least from a scoring standpoint.
Despite his drawbacks, Cozens showed off his leadership skills, even at the young age of 20. He stood up for teammates, and he showed an edge to his game that makes him an ideal candidate to play center on the third line.
Projection for 2022-23: At worst, Cozens is going to be a good player whose production does not reflect what you see on the stat sheet. And this makes him the type of player who is going to prevent opponents from scoring goals, or forcing them to take a different route when he is playing in the neutral or the defensive zone.
But, Cozens is arguably one of the hardest if not the hardest worker on the Buffalo Sabres. And you know as well as I that the lack of offensive productivity got to him late last season. Look for the Workhorse from Whitehorse to score at least 20 goals in 2022-23 and log a few more assists. Stagnation and regression is not an option for this kid.
5 – Kyle Okposo
74 games played, 45 points, 21 goals, 24 assists, 12.1 shooting percentage
Perhaps no other forward not named Jeff Skinner experienced a career renaissance more than Kyle Okposo. His 45 points were more than he had in the last two seasons combined, and his 21 goals were his most as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
Okposo is in a contract season and he is 34, meaning this may be his final year in the blue and gold. However, he is the oldest, most experienced skater on the team and the second oldest player next to Craig Anderson (41). His veteran presence is a godsend to a young team like the Sabres.
Projection for 2022-23: I have Okposo as the fourth-line right winger. And the only real reason the projected team captain is so low on the depth chart is because he is not going to play a significant role in this team’s future plans. Or at least not as I write this.
Okposo is in a contract season and given the direction the Sabres are headed, don’t be surprised if he ends up playing and likely finishing his NHL career somewhere else. But with the Sabres still a team in transition, he is the type of veteran you want around both on and off the ice, mainly in a mentorship role.
4 – Victor Olofsson
72 games, 49 points, 20 goals, 29 assists, 12.2 shooting percentage
It was an up, down, and up again year for Victor Olofsson, who thanks to COVID-19 dismantling the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NHL Seasons, was finally able to play a full year. Or at least 72 of a possible 82 games, given a wrist injury that sidelined him.
Following his return, Olofsson went nearly three months without a goal before he sunk two of them in a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders on February 15th. He then went on a scoring frenzy, finding twine 13 more times that season and becoming perhaps the biggest scoring threat on the team between February and April.
Projection for 2022-23: Olofsson will either start at right wing on the first or second line. But if he can stay healthy all season, expect a repeat of last year’s final two months. Before his wrist injury in 2021-22, Olofsson was also a top scorer on the Buffalo Sabres, so it shows you what he can do if he remains healthy for the entire year.
I’m not saying that Olofsson will produce eye-popping numbers. But he can definitely score between 25 and 30 goals, at minimum, in 2022-23, while tacking on between 30 and 40 assists. So expect between 55 and 70 points from a player who received First Team All-Rookie honors in 2019-20 and finished in seventh place for the Calder Trophy.
3 – Alex Tuch
2021-22 Statistics: 50 games, 38 points, 12 goals, 26 assists, 8.6 shooting percentage
Like Krebs, Alex Tuch arrived in the Jack Eichel trade and when cleared to play, he quickly established himself as a member of the Buffalo Sabres first line, though he did find action on the second line late in the year. A hometown hero, many in the Sabres faithful would love to see Tuch take on the role of team captain, something he might earn at a later date.
While he posted fantastic numbers in 2021-22, Tuch did tail off some as the season neared twilight mode. But he remained a productive player, so that shouldn’t motivate you to believe Tuch’s productivity will wane during the 2022-23 season.
Projection for 2022-23: Look for Tuch to establish himself at right wing either on the first or second line this year. Or, he could wind up seeing time in both roles, which is a nod to his versatility and ability to create chemistry with a variety of teammates.
I am further expecting Tuch to find one of the A patches sewed onto his sweater, and that he will eventually wear the C within the next season or two. Alex Tuch, a first round pick for the Minnesota Wild in 2014 who enjoyed moderate production as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, will be yet another Sabre who will log a 20-30 goal season in 2022-23.
2 – Tage Thompson
2021-22 Statistics: 78 games, 68 points, 38 goals, 30 assists, 15.0 shooting percentage
Thompson is the classic case of a draft bust who performed above one’s wildest expectations in another city, that city being Buffalo. This time last season, no one had a high opinion of Thompson, who most pundits only noticed for his lack of ability to play defense. Fast-forward one season, and he nearly topped the #1 ranking on this list.
So what kept Thompson from standing at the apex? I would like to see him not just emulate, but improve upon last season’s results. If he proves himself capable of doing so, I will gladly give him the top spot. Unless the top forward on today’s list continues their own play at a high level.
Projection for 2022-23: Late last season, many in the Buffalo Sabres faithful projected Thompson to eclipse the 40-goal mark. He will be one season late and score 41 in 2022-23, with another 35-40 assists. So when he potentially eclipses the 80-point mark, the cosmos will be the limit for the former first round pick of the St. Louis Blues.
I am also expecting Thompson to challenge for a spot on the Atlantic Division’s All-Star roster, and to steadily improve as the season wears on. He will lead the team in scoring.
1 – Jeff Skinner
80 games, 63 points, 33 goals, 30 assists, 12.6 shooting percentage
And finally, we got the 30-year-old Jeff Skinner, who like Kyle Okposo, also enjoyed a career renaissance. He finished second on the team last season with 63 points, which also matched a career high that he achieved three times, once as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
Skinner’s best game of the season came in February when the Sabres skated into Montreal on the day before Valentine’s Day, and he lit up the scoreboard with four goals. While Skinner is a little older, he is likely to be part of the Sabres plans since his contract runs through 2026-27.
Projection for 2022-23: Skinner is going to start on the first line at left wing and pick right up where he left off last season. Yeah, he had some lean years that threatened to make the trade for him infamous, but his rebound and consistency in the past shows that those lean seasons were outliers.
He will once again be among the leaders on the team in points, and will most likely finish second next to Tage Thompson. I would project Skinner to score between 35 and 40 goals this season and log another 30 to 35 assists, further helping the Sabres revolutionize their identity into a team that can score at will. Something they showed late last season.
light. Related Story. ‘Crowded’ top-six should leave fans feeling optimistic
And that does it for my ranking of the 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres forwards. These rankings are most definitely subject to change following the preseason and the regular season. So make sure you come back for some updated rankings prior to October 13th, and after the puck drops for the final time on April 13th.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)