Buffalo Sabres: Best and worst-case scenarios for each rookie in 2022
The 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres season is on the horizon and they may have three rookies suiting up for them this fall. Here are scenarios for each.
The Buffalo Sabres still have one of the youngest teams in the NHL. Evidenced at the fact they may have three rookies on the roster on the night of October 13th, when the season opens against the Ottawa Senators.
The team and fan base have high hopes for each rookie listed below. They can also realistically call themselves Calder Trophy contenders, and you can expect them to gain more prominent roles with the team as the year wears on.
However, since we are dealing with rookies, there may be some hard times as well. So how will each fare in 2022-23? Here are the best and worst-case scenarios for Owen Power, Jack Quinn, and J.J. Peterka.
The best and worst-case scenarios for each Buffalo Sabres rookie in 2022-23: Rookie #1 – Owen Power
Power’s best-case scenario will occur if he immediately builds off of last season’s success. This means bettering his 0.375 points per game totals, and defensively, continuing to win the takeaway battle and keep himself in prime position to make plays for the puck.
For Power, a best-case season entails him playing in at least 70 games, with between 28 and 35 points (0.400 to a half-point per game), seven to 10 goals, and 21 to 25 assists as he continues to show off his two-way prowess. He further logs at least one block per game, and totals 50 or more takeaways.
In a worst-case scenario, Power finds himself struggling as opponents figure out how to get around him when they are in control of the puck. This won’t be easy as Power’s elite skating allows him to put himself in situations to make a play on the puck even if he is initially out of position. But quick passing could negate this.
Offensively, Power struggles as opponents likewise catch onto his offensive tendencies quickly, preventing him from making those quick-burst plays last season. An example of which was his first NHL goal.
Jack Quinn
Quinn dominated during the regular season in Rochester and even had a two-point outing in two games with the Buffalo Sabres in a cameo appearance. In his best-case scenario, Quinn picks up where he left off from what he showed us following his first season in Rochester.
In this case, he scores often, and averages close to one point per game. He also stays healthy and remains consistent throughout the season with few, if any, pitfalls. Like Power, he would play in at least 70 contests, with between 50 and 60 points. Ideally, Quinn winds up on the second line during the latter half of the year.
During the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, Quinn struggled. And in a worst-case scenario, he continues to struggle at the NHL level. A half-point per game or less would show us that Quinn isn’t out of his slump yet, and while he wasn’t as bad as his statistics indicated, everyone expects him to come in and put up points.
Quinn also missed extended time with an injury in 2021-22. And if he continues to struggle on the health front, juxtaposed with pedestrian production, it will be a long season. But if this occurs, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves and start branding him as the next Casey Mittelstadt just yet.
J.J. Peterka
While I listed production as a big thing for Power and Quinn, Peterka’s best-case scenario is something I have drawn out differently. He may wind up as a rotational player early in his career with the Buffalo Sabres, so in this best-case scenario, he starts off on the third line and becomes a physical, two-way winger.
Creating scoring opportunities for teammates based on his physicality will suffice for Peterka in 2022-23. And while I expect some scoring output, 25-30 points this season is an acceptable number. Ideally, becoming a player who can log takeaways and aggression along the boards will make Peterka’s rookie season a success.
In a worst-case scenario, Peterka finds himself struggling to log ice time. Meaning the Sabres would go with veterans Vinnie Hinostroza, Anders Bjork (yeah, he’s still on the roster), and Zemgus Girgensons at winger before they turn to Peterka’s services.
This would indicate Peterka is not where the Sabres want him to be developmental-wise, and he plays in a maximum of 30-35 games. Not quite what you want to see from a second round pick you have high hopes for.
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As with many of my best/worst-case scenario predictions, my true expectation is that something close to the upper-middle will occur. While it would be fantastic to see Power, Quinn, and Peterka record my projected best-case scenarios, reality may have other ideas. We will see some early returns of these predictions when training camp rolls around.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)