The top 10 best players on the Buffalo Sabres roster in 2022
The Buffalo Sabres may not exactly be a playoff team in 2022-23. But you cannot deny that they have talent. Let’s talk about their top 10 players.
The Buffalo Sabres remain among the league’s youngest teams. But they have more talent than many give them credit for. Below, you will find where the top ten players on the team stand as of September 2022.
This list is based on productivity from last year, plus how well each player served the team in their given role. Therefore, you may see a few surprises in the rankings. As with all of my rankings, they are not set in stone, and they will change at certain points throughout the 2022-23 NHL Season. So you can refer to these as my pre-camp rankings.
The 10 best players on the Buffalo Sabres: Player #10 – Owen Power, D
Power played in just eight games for the Buffalo Sabres last season, so some may feel it is premature to add him to the Top 10 so early. But I digress. He showed that he belongs on NHL ice, and this came after one of the busiest seasons in recent memory that saw him, from May 2021 to April 2022, play hockey in Riga, Beijing, the University of Michigan, and finally, the Queen City.
While Power predictably had his struggles, he also showed more than a few flashes of brilliance, including three points in those eight games. Again, we are looking at a small sample size, but Power’s Corsi For% (CF%) clocked in at 56.8% at even strength, with a 57.2% Fenwick For% (FF%).
That said, things are looking up for Power and he just edges out a few players on the main roster to snag the #10 spot on this list. He will move up in 2022-23.
Player #9 – Dylan Cozens, C
If Cozens’ goal-scoring production did not drop during the latter portion of 2021-22, he would be ranked higher on this list. But if there is one player you can expect to potentially skyrocket in these rankings this season, it’s Cozens.
There is no denying the Workhorse from Whitehorse’s work ethic, and he brings that hardcore approach onto the ice game after game. So my guess is that Cozens will figure things out from a scoring standpoint at some point this season, if he hasn’t already done so.
When you look at the possession metrics, Cozens did become a better asset for the Buffalo Sabres than his numbers indicate. In 2020-21, his even strength Corsi For% and Fenwick For% rested below 46%. Fast-forward to 2021-22, and both possession metrics saw a respectable increase – a 50.1% CF%, up from 45.8%, and an FF% of 49.2%, up from 44.0%.
Also at even strength, his offensive zone starting percentage (oZS%) increased by 11.3%, from 46.3% to 57.6%. Looking at these metrics, it shows how much more effective the Sabres were with Cozens on the ice. Expect that trend to continue in 2022-23.
Player #8 – Peyton Krebs, C/LW
Krebs was a revelation for the Buffalo Sabres in 2021-22. He received little to no chances with the Vegas Golden Knights, who drafted him in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. In Buffalo, he enjoyed a 48-game stint with 22 points. Nothing flashy, or even remotely fantastic, but a definite leap for a player who, before coming to Buffalo, saw time in just 13 NHL games.
Expect Krebs to take another leap in 2022-23. He scored just seven goals in 2021-22, but his 15.2% shooting percentage tells me that he is capable of finding twine more often. Expect him to double if not triple that total this season. Especially as he becomes more comfortable shooting the puck.
Another positive attribute regarding Krebs is that you can put him anywhere on the middle or lower lines. A high-energy player, he could even be a strong staple on the fourth line and still put up sound production. Or, given his ability to grow offensively last year, the Sabres may opt to place him onto the second line.
Krebs is a versatile player with a lot of upside. And it also wouldn’t surprise me if he floated between lines this season.
Player #7 – Kyle Okposo, RW
Okposo is the one player who will drop on this list. However, since I am ranking players based on last season’s production, he deserves a spot in the Top 10. He will most likely serve as the captain for this young Buffalo Sabres team, and in doing so, should see his ice time decline as the season progresses.
Because of his age and the fact his playing time will diminish, many wouldn’t rank Okposo so high. But he still enjoyed a rebound season in 2021-22, scoring 45 points and 21 goals. It was Okposo’s first 20-plus goal season since he came to Buffalo, and his 45-point outing was his highest since 2016-17.
Is it possible Okposo keeps his ranking or even moves up? Anything is possible. But only expect it to happen if he performs better in 2022-23 and if he sticks around for another few seasons. Other than that, I can see Krebs, Cozens, and Power passing him, along with players who just missed the cut.
Player #6 – Victor Olofsson, RW
I debated on placing Olofsson higher on this list, but it’s hard to justify doing so for a player who, despite seeing time on the Buffalo Sabres first line late last season, didn’t get hot until February. Okay, Olofsson had a good October, but his three-month drought without a goal remains staggering, regardless of his eventual improvement.
There are a few players listed both above and below Olofsson who I have said can move up in time, and he is no different. But to move into the Top Five, Olofsson must remain consistent in the scoring arena this season at even strength.
Until last year, the power play, preferably from the circle, was his niche. That changed somewhat in 2021-22. But after just one season of seeing a strong scoring output at even strength, Olofsson has to prove he can do this consistently. If he can, then look for him to creep up a spot or two.
Player #5 – Rasmus Asplund, C/W
I’m sure this ranking will come as a shock to many. But Asplund finished the season with some Selke votes, telling me that he’s a much better player than most give him credit for. No, Asplund doesn’t score, but he is the best defensive forward on the Buffalo Sabres entering the 2022-23 season.
He is the type of player you only notice on the ice if you are specifically watching him play in most cases. Great along the boards and on the forecheck, Asplund is the Sabres go-to when they need to count on someone to force the puck back into their possession.
At which point, he often passes the puck off to an open teammate and lets them go to work and take credit for scoring. So don’t be surprised if even players like Casey Mittelstadt put up better numbers than Asplund offensively – it’s not in the latter’s game.
Asplund’s defensive prowess is what has given him this high ranking. And while it may not stick as the Sabres become a more experienced hockey team, he will find himself in the Top 10 for as long as he remains a productive defensive forward in Buffalo.
Player #4 – Alex Tuch, RW
Every top scoring line, either at the elite level or at the level that is starting to make waves, has its odd man out. For the Buffalo Sabres, that odd man out is Alex Tuch. But it’s not a bad thing, considering the way Tuch became a productive winger the second his skates graced the ice in the Queen City.
He ranks fourth, however, because of his smaller sample size in Buffalo. Now that he has become acclimated with the likes of Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Olofsson, and others, you will see him hold the #4 ranking, at worst, for a long time. And he may even evolve into the best forward on the roster with a highly-productive season.
Not that his 38 points in 50 games wasn’t productive. But now that he gets a full camp and a full season, Tuch may be on the verge of going all-out here. If that occurs, don’t be surprised if he moves up a spot or two.
Player #3 – Tage Thompson, C
When you sign a seven-year extension, you get a top-end placing. And the only factors keeping Thompson from the #1 spot on the 2022-23 Buffalo Sabres is that he is not the most complete player on the roster and the fact he has just one great season to his name.
However, he arguably morphed into the best scorer on the team last season and for that, he deserves the third spot. If you remember correctly, I also listed Thompson one slot behind Jeff Skinner in my forward rankings given the former’s one-year wonder status.
Despite a new contract, I am standing pat with Thompson as I want to see him repeat those results. But with a lucrative deal in hand, it should be all the incentive he needs to not just emulate what he did last year, but to augment his production.
We won’t know for sure what kind of Tage Thompson will show in 2022-23. But given the sheer chemistry he built with Tuch, Jeff Skinner, and Olofsson, among others, the odds are in Thompson’s favor that we will see a better version of him this season.
Player #2 – Jeff Skinner, LW
I spent the entire offseason flip-flopping of whether I should rank Skinner or Tage as the top forward on the Buffalo Sabres. Ultimately, Skinner won out since he has shown us time and again, back to his days in Carolina, that he is an accomplished player who can get hot at any time.
Yeah, he had two dreadful seasons between 2019-20 and 2020-21. But I’m not holding that against him because let’s be honest: Who didn’t have an abysmal season under the infamous Ralph Krueger?
Under Phil Housley, Skinner scored 63 points and 40 goals. Under Don Granato, Skinner also scored 63 points, 33 goals, and 30 assists. Critics love to knock on Skinner, claiming his contract was one of the worst in not just franchise, but NHL history.
My take? Hiring Ralph Krueger was the real mistake here. Not necessarily Skinner’s contract. My evidence? Skinner’s production when playing for coaches not named Ralph Krueger. No, Skinner hasn’t lived to his contract. But given his redemption last season and production during the pre-Krueger Era, it’s safe to say he remains arguably the best forward in Buffalo.
Player #1 – Rasmus Dahlin, D
It should come as no surprise that Rasmus Dahlin is the top player on the Buffalo Sabres roster. Dahlin’s breakout season in 2021-22 ended up with his first All-Star Game appearance and before the 2022-23 season, a Top 20 ranking among NHL defensemen.
He scored 53 times in 2021-22, but he also displayed an ironman mentality, logging 24:01 of average total ice time. Dahlin’s two-way game was also on full display with 121 hits and 91 blocks, and much of his production came following the 2022 All-Star Game, with 25 points occurring between February 10th and April 29th.
His production included a point in five straight games (February 10th to February 19th), and eight games where he scored at least twice. Dahlin also had three straight multiple-point games between April 16th and April 21st.
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In 2022-23, look for Dahlin to take over games either in the defensive or offensive zone. When the Sabres are looking to score a quick point, it is likely they turn to Dahlin to take those scoring chances. Either through a shot on goal or an assist to one of the forwards.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)