Buffalo Sabres: Bold predictions for each player under 25 in 2022

The Buffalo Sabres have more than a few building blocks under 25 as one of the league’s youngest teams. Here is one bold prediction for each. 

Fans of the Buffalo Sabres have got to be excited regarding this team’s direction. And with seven players under 25 projected to be full or at least part-time members of the roster, we have plenty to cover.

Three players listed also had a projection on my Predictions for 28 Prospects article, so those respective names get a second bold prediction today. Further, you will not see any player slated to spend most of their time as a prospect this season, so names like Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Kale Clague will not be listed. With that said, let’s get started.

Player #1 – Owen Power scores at least 40 for the Buffalo Sabres

For my 28 Predictions piece, I had Power slated to score at least 35 points. However, I also admitted that, although a bold prediction, I was also being conservative. Here, let’s expand on that projection and say he hits the higher mark: 15 goals and 25 assists, good for 40 points.

Power also showed outstanding potential during his eight-game stretch, however, so it’s also realistic to go even bolder and predict a bigger leap than many expect in 2022-23. Therefore, it wouldn’t surprise me if he scored as many as 50 points – 20 goals, 30 assists.

As with all rookies, I’m also expecting growing pains from Power. So although it’s easy to see him scoring in the 40 to 50-point range, with 35 acting as the lower deviation and 55, the higher, look for the bulk of his points to come as the season progresses, mainly from January to April 2023.

Dylan Cozens logs 45 takeaways

Few on the Buffalo Sabres put in the work quite like Dylan Cozens. And while it’s true that, to enjoy a long career in the NHL, work ethic must be a primary factor in anyone’s program, Cozens takes it to another level.

While most in the NHL universe will focus on Cozens’ points output, I looked over at his number of takeaways over his first two seasons. In 2020-21, he logged 0.317 takeaways per game before that number jumped to 0.417. This year, I’m expecting the jump to 0.517 or even more, which sits at 42.

Knowing Cozens’ strong work ethic, I wanted to give him a few more over the 0.517 threshold I initially projected, but a reasonable number. I came up with 45, something that Cozens will need to work for if he hopes to reach it – he will – but not so much that you’re scoffing at this section.

Rasmus Dahlin scores five game-winning goals

I can see Dahlin scoring 70-plus points this season, given his surge not only in the first half of 2021-22, but the way he performed in March and April. His three game-winning goals last year were actually not a career high; he scored four of them in 2018-19.

This year, look for Dahlin to become one of the go-to players in the clutch. Either he will provide a game-winning assist, or if he sees an opportunity, calls his own number and finds twine to bring home the W.

Earlier in the month, I listed Dahlin as the top player on the Buffalo Sabres given his strong two-way game. While he still has a few weaknesses, scoring goals is slowly becoming a strength for the All-Star defenseman. When things matter most, opponents must account for him when he is hanging out at the blue line. If not, he will take advantage.

Henri Jokiharju scores a career high in points

Last season, Jokiharju knocked down 19 points in 60 contests. And although I believe he will play on the third pairing this season with Jacob Bryson, I can see him playing in at least 60 games again in 2022-23 and once again augmenting his offensive stat line.

Jokiharju is not the most exciting player, but he plays adequately enough for it to be realistic, yet bold, to say he hits the 25-point mark this year, sinking five goals and 20 assists. And this will all come with him seeing between 17 and 18 minutes of ice time.

Besides the career-high in points, he will also hit at least a 7% shooting percentage, a whole percentage point higher than his previous high. If Jokiharju wins the battle for the second pairing, take five more points to that stat-line and give him 30 points on the season.

Despite being a player with a lower ceiling, Jokiharju can makethe most of his limitations on the ice. And this is exactly what you may see in 2022-23 when he and the rest of the Buffalo Sabres have more scoring opportunities.

Casey Mittelstadt excels from the Don Granato Effect

This one is perhaps the boldest prediction on the list, given Mittelstadt’s struggles since he first put on a Buffalo Sabres uniform. But given head coach Don Granato’s success with Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, look for the lowly Mittelstadt to become yet another success story.

Yeah, it’s as farfetched as it is bold, but when you are a former eighth overall pick, it means you can play hockey better than most prospects in your draft class. This shows all of us that Mittelstadt has the talent and potential to become a game-changer for the Sabres.

It was something we also knew about Dahlin, who was a former first overall pick. This isn’t to say Mittlestadt will go out and represent the Sabres in the 2023 All-Star Game. But assuming he stays healthy, my bold prediction is 75 games and 0.75 points per game, good for 56 points.

No one saw Tage’s or Dahlin’s production coming last season. And that should tell us not to throw in the towel just yet regarding Casey Mittelstadt.

Jack Quinn plays on the second line by January 1st

In my 28 Predictions article, I projected Jack Quinn to eventually wind up on the second line in Buffalo. Like Power’s bold prediction, I’m going into outer orbit and saying that, by January 1st, he will have earned a full-time role on the second line, likely swapping places with Peyton Krebs, who will either play wing on the third line or even center on the fourth.

Quinn will earn this role through multiple solid offensive performances starting on opening night. Of course, this was the case last season when he saw action in two games with the Buffalo Sabres before injuries struck. Then there is the entire disappearing act he performed in the playoffs.

Good players like Quinn grow from inconsistencies and while injuries are an inevitable part of the game, sound conditioning can at least minimize them. In both instances, my concerns are few and far in between. Quinn will have a good rookie season and he will see playing time on the second line early before moving there full-time in January, if not sooner.

Mattias Samuelsson records 120 blocks, 240-plus hits

Now that he is projected to play on the first pairing alongside Rasmus Dahlin, look for Samuelsson to evolve into the Buffalo Sabres most physical defender. While he is neither the best skater nor the best puck handler, this stay-at-home defenseman has the potential to deliver at least three or more bone-crunching hits per contest.

Which makes it realistic to believe Samuelsson can, if he remains healthy, deliver at least 240 hits in 2022-23, making him the ideal complement to Dahlin. While I won’t get so bold and claim that Samuelsson will see his points total increase, I also want to predict that he will score at least three goals this season, which will be the first three of his NHL career.

Last season, the Buffalo Sabres lacked physicality. This year, expect that weakness to become a strength, in part, thanks to Samuelsson.

J.J. Peterka becomes the next great two-way player

Let me rephrase that: J.J. Peterka becomes the next great two-way player with defensemen Owen Power. Known for his physical style and ability to score goals from seemingly anywhere, expect a lot out of Peterka in 2022-23.

While it’s up for debate regarding whether he will make the Buffalo Sabres opening night roster, the fact he is not present on the Prospects Challenge roster tells me his chances of making it are pretty good. So expect the winger to at least serve as one of the extra skaters to start things out, and he will see plenty of time at winger on the third line by the time the season ends, potentially rotating in and out with Krebs.

And while he won’t score at the same rate as he did during his final season in Rochester, Peterka will nonetheless enjoy a strong rookie season. One that will establish himself as the team’s next great two-way player heading into 2023-24.

As for 2022-23, I’m looking for Peterka to put away between 35 and 40 points, while threatening the 100-hit mark. When 2023-24 roll around, himself, Dylan Cozens, and Rasmus Asplund will make for one remarkable trio of defensive forwards.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)