The Buffalo Sabres are only heading into their second preseason game, but we have a few clues regarding their opening night lineup.
As training camp wears on, we gain more insight from hearing coaches and players talk, and head coach Don Granato laid out a few clues for what the Buffalo Sabres lineup may look like. And while we could have predicted some of what we will see before facing the Ottawa Senators on October 13th, getting something close to confirmation is always a plus.
So who has been paired with who over the early stages of camp, and which line combos did Don Granato tell us to expect more of? Here are a few confirmations and near-confirmations.
What to expect for the Buffalo Sabres opening day lineup
Granato pretty much confirmed a given, and it’s Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner lining up alongside one another on the first line at center and left wing. The right wing side is still up for grabs, and it’s possible there will be no one player snagging the role. However, Alex Tuch and Victor Olofsson are the two likeliest candidates.
Tuch said his built-in chemistry with a multitude of teammates will let him shuffle up and down the lineup, so expect the right winger to shift at least between the top two lines. Also on Day 5 of training camp, the Sabres had a defensive rotation that could be set in stone:
Pairing One: Samuelsson – Dahlin
Pairing Two: Power – Jokiharju
Pairing Three: Bryson – Lyubushkin
While myself and many others saw Lyubushkin with Power, this rotation also makes sense for opening night. Jokiharju and Power paired well on the second over the final eight games of 2021-22, so Granato could be using a “not broke, don’t fix it” mentality.
Finally, there is Casey Mittelstadt, who once again is having a phenomenal camp. I say once again, because he ended camp as the top center last year before the injury bug struck again. If Mittelstadt manages to stay healthy, don’t just look for him to play second line center; it is likely that he may dominate at the position.
Article Source: Camp Notebook | Mittelstadt’s mentality and more takeaways from Day 5 by Jourdon LaBarber