The Buffalo Sabres, like all NHL teams, have several position battles going on during the early stages of training camp in 2022.
Earlier in September, I wrote about the three hottest position battles to keep an eye on in Buffalo Sabres training camp. That particular article listed key battles between two players going head-to-head. Today, I’m expanding on that article and outline the biggest battle going on at the moment: Which 12 skaters will comprise the four lines at forward?
Of course, you can expect two extra skaters to rotate in at forward, primarily on the fourth line. But there seems to be quite the logjam on the fourth. You won’t however, find as much competition on the top three lines, which I’m currently expecting to go something like this:
Line 1: Skinner-Thompson-Tuch
Line 2: Krebs-Mittelstadt-Olofsson
Line 3: Asplund-Cozens-Quinn
And the wild fourth line plus projected extra skaters…
Line 4: Okposo-Sheahan-Girgensons
Extras: Peterka, Hinostroza
As you can see, there is a little variation in my latest projection from previous articles. However, you can also see that the top three lines remain nearly identical to past projections. My only major differences are that I have Quinn on the third line, with Girgensons kicking out to winger while Sheahan takes the fourth line center, and Peterka becoming an extra skater.
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Who will win the Buffalo Sabres position battle at forward?
Per my projection, I’m going with the seasoned veterans on the fourth line. I also have omitted Brett Murray, who I believe has an outside chance of making the roster as an extra skater. But in this projection, there is no room, unless Peterka shows he needs more time in the AHL.
Keep in mind that the above projection is still not set in stone. I will be making changes pertaining to how the Sabres perform in the preseason, before coming up with what I think will be the opening day lineup. But as it stands, the top two lines remain relatively the same while the third will comprise two tenacious players with defensive forward tendencies plus a potential game-changer in Quinn.
Peterka, although I project him to start as an extra skater, will eventually work his way into the starting lineup full-time at some point in the season. The Sabres are also working in various different lineup combos in training camp both at forward and defense.
You may see such lineups take fold, but it is highly unlikely they occur early in the season. They are, however, worth mentioning, and you can read more on them by clicking the image below.
So what do you think? Is forward the biggest position battle in camp this season, or do you have the defensive rotation or goaltending as the most heated? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Article Source: Sabres Training Camp Battles to Keep an Eye On by Zach Rohde