Buffalo Sabres: Ranking the 2022-23 Defensemen

7 – Casey Fitzgerald

2021-22 Statistics: 36 games, 6 points, 0 goals, 6 assists, 35 blocks, 86 hits, 13 takeaways

Fitzgerald plays bigger than his 5’11, 178lb size indicates. And for that, I love the fact that he morphed into one of the hardest hitters on the Buffalo Sabres. He spent most of his time in the AHL last season, but he did make a name for himself at the highest level along with Mattias Samuelsson.

Some may rank Pilut above Fitzgerald, but the latter’s aggressive nature and ability to bring energy into the building is the main reason he ranks higher. I do see Jacob Bryson and either Ilya Lyubushkin or Henri Jokiharju taking precedence over Fitzgerald, since I see him more as a player you insert into the lineup when you need an extra physical presence.

Projection for 2022-23: Last season, Fitzgerald played in 36 contests, splitting time between the AHL’s Rochester Americans and the NHL. This year, I am looking for him to play most of his games in the NHL, between 35 and 45.

He will keep up his role player mentality as a hard-hitting presence on the third pairing, where he is best suited to play at the moment. Look for him to evolve more into that agitator or even into a fully-fledged enforcer role when he receives ice time. Fitzgerald is a fearless player with a hitter’s mentality, and he will show it often.

6 – Jacob Bryson

2021-22 Statistics: 73 games, 10 points, 1 goal, 9 assists, 75 blocks, 55 hits, 24 takeaways

While Bryson’s 2021-22 statistics look bland on paper, let’s check out his 2020-21 numbers, which will paint a more accurate picture of just how well he improved. In 2020-21, Bryson accumulated 38 games, 9 points, 1 goal, 8 assists, 43 blocks, 32 hits, and 2 takeaways.

The Buffalo Sabres entrusted Bryson with 35 more games in 2021-22, and he rewarded them with steady and in some cases, more production. Let’s take his 2 takeaways from 2020-21 and average them out to the 73-game outing he had in 2022-23: You get just 4 total takeaways.

So for Bryson to log 24 total last season, it shows you just what kind of player he is developing into. And while his average number of hits and blocks decreased slightly, it wasn’t so much of a drop-off that we need to push the panic button. Overall, Bryson had a good season with more ice time and the steady performance to match.

Projection for 2022-23: Look for Bryson to continue producing at a steady rate, but I would also expect his ability to win puck battles to increase even more. So if he had 24 takeaways last season, it is the one number I expect to see a higher average of per game in 2022-23.

I also see Bryson as rotating in and out of the lineup with the likes of either Fitzgerald or Pilut. Therefore, I am expecting between 40 and 50 games out of Bryson. Last season, he averaged 0.328 takeaways per game, so this season, it is a number I expect to see encroach the 0.400 mark or even higher when he is on the ice.

5 – Owen Power

2021-22 Statistics: 8 games, 3 points, 2 goals, 1 assist, 9 blocks, 1 hit, 6 takeaways

Power stepped into the lineup after a two-year career at the University of Michigan and played much less like a rookie than I anticipated. While he made an error here and there, you cannot deny the two-way prowess he showed amidst a small sample size.

He displayed his offensive game with three points and two goals. But he also constantly found himself in position to make plays on the puck, evidenced with his nine blocks and six takeaways. Power also displayed plenty of speed, looking out of position at times before reverting back into position in the defensive zone, forcing opposing scorers into making contingency plans with the puck.

Projection for 2022-23: Power will evolve into one of the better defensemen in the rotation, if not in the league. His 2022-23 campaign will not come without flaws, but look for steady improvement and less stagnation as the season wears on.

Power will contend for the Calder Trophy and he could easily eclipse the 40-point mark. I also expect him to be known more for his defense in 2022-23, constantly forcing takeaways and positioning himself perfectly in front of the net to make life tough for would-be scorers. Power’s current rating is a testament to his lack of NHL experience.

4 – Mattias Samuelsson

2021-22 Statistics: 42 games, 10 points, 0 goals, 10 assists, 60 blocks, 100 hits, 8 takeaways

Samuelsson isn’t going to score many points but for one good reason: He doesn’t need to. This is a young skater whose game is almost purely defensive, and you will see that on display in 2022-23.

Last year, Samuelsson started just over half of a possible 82 games, and he still logged triple-digits in hits. If you take those 60 blocks and 100 hits in 42 contests and average them out to an 82-game season, you get 117 blocks and 195 hits. For a player with just 54 games of NHL experience, that’s saying a lot.

Projection for 2022-23: Samuelsson is the favorite, and my personal favorite, to land a spot on the first pairing with Rasmus Dahlin. Like Power, his Number 4 ranking is more because of his lack of NHL experience, but if he can emulate his success from last season, Samuelsson may find himself moving up a couple of rungs.

I don’t expect him to score often. But now that he will likely play most if not all of a full 82-game season, I do expect Samuelsson to record his first NHL goal. However, it is far-fetched to expect too much of an offensive game. Look for him to score between 15 and 20 points.

3 – Ilya Lyubushkin

2021-22 Statistics: 77 games, 15 points, 2 goals, 13 assists, 92 blocks, 187 hits, 15 takeaways

If there was ever a perfect addition to the defensive rotation, Lyubushkin is it. I have him ranked third on this list because of his overall experience, having played nine seasons combined in the NHL and KHL. Lyubushkin has also forged an identity for himself, which is another plus.

Overall, the Buffalo Sabres added one of the NHL’s most punishing players who is versatile enough to pair with the likes of Owen Power on the second pairing, or even someone like Jacob Bryson on the third.

Projection for 2022-23: Look for Lyubushkin to once again land punishing blows on opponents and remain a supplement on the offensive front. Like Samuelsson, he won’t score often, but he has shown willingness to sacrifice the body on numerous occasions given his high number of blocks. Something that also shows he often finds himself in a good position on defense.

Right now, I am leaning toward Lyubushkin pairing with Power because he displays over two times the amount of professional hockey experience over Henri Jokiharju when you factor in KHL seasons. But given Jokiharju’s chemistry with Power, Lyubushkin may become a staple on the third pairing.

2 – Henri Jokiharju

2021-22 Statistics: 60 games, 19 points, 3 goals, 16 assists, 60 blocks 73 hits, 12 takeaways

Jokiharju’s statistics will never wow you, but he is one of those players that doesn’t need to post eye-popping numbers. He has instead proven his worth with a team-first mentality, seamlessly settling into a role on the second pairing with Owen Power during the final eight games of the 2021-22 season.

Before that, Jokiharju built a decent tandem with Rasmus Dahlin. And whether he paired with Dahlin or Power, Jokiharju will step into his role and play a steady game. He may never evolve into one of the league’s best defensemen, but he still carries a lot of value on the Buffalo Sabres.

Projection for 2022-23: I do expect Jokiharju to drop as low as fifth in these rankings and his current high ranking reflects his experience playing for the Sabres juxtaposed by his steady production. But, I also believe he is nowhere near the most talented defensemen in the lineup and Lyubushkin, Samuelsson, and Power will all make more contributions to the team than Jokiharju.

While I love his team-first mentality and ability to create chemistry with anyone he pairs with, I can’t see him playing any higher than the third pairing unless the Sabres like what he did so much with Power last season that they again pair him with the rookie.

But right now, Jokiharju appears to be heading for the third pairing. Though ironically enough, he does have an outside chance to return to the first with Dahlin. Some fans do like the idea.

1 – Rasmus Dahlin

2021-22 Statistics: 80 games, 53 points, 13 goals, 40 assists, 91 blocks, 121 hits, 27 takeaways, All-Star Game

Dahlin proved last season just how capable he is of transforming into one of the best defensemen in the NHL. He earned his first trip to the NHL All-Star Game in 2021-22, and given his breakout season and renewed mentality on the ice under head coach Don Granato, it is safe to say he is not done growing as a player.

When the Buffalo Sabres put on their best front during March and April 2022, Dahlin’s statistics began to hover between great and elite. Now that he knows what he is capable of producing, 2022-23 is going to be a fun season.

Projection for 2022-23: Dahlin is going find himself in consideration for the Norris Trophy, no doubt. Not saying he will finish in the top 10 for the voting, but he will find himself in the running. NHL All-Star Team consideration is also not out of the question, and he may also earn a trip to his second All-Star Game.

I am also looking for Dahlin to build upon his 53-point outing and threaten 60-65 points. It is also realistic to see him encroach 100 blocks and threaten 150 hits as he evolves into one of the game’s best defensemen. What you will witness from Dahlin is something you can expect to see Owen Power accomplish at an even faster rate.

As you can probably figure out, these rankings are nowhere near set in stone. Dahlin is the undisputed Number One and it will probably stay that way unless Power plays like a five-year veteran, though that is not likely to happen. I will go on record to say Power and Samuelsson will most likely move up in these rankings, given their age and potential.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)