Buffalo Sabres: Predicting the final 23-man roster for 2022-23

After several projections and live looks into the lineup combos for the Buffalo Sabres in the preseason the time has come for a prediction. 

Yesterday, I wrote about what looked like the final preseason lineup at forward for the Buffalo Sabres in 2022-23. That lineup closely resembles what we saw last season, with the additions of Jack Quinn on the second line and J.J. Peterka on the third.

It also contained five lines instead of four, since the Sabres are still well above the 23-man roster limit with 29 men remaining. So who will snag the final roster spots and who will go to Rochester? Here is my final lineup prediction for the 2022-23 NHL Season.

Before I unveil it, remember that although this is the lineup I see heading into the season, it won’t be set in stone. Injuries and misfortune will occur, so you may see some guys who didn’t make the cut find time in the blue and gold, like those high-end prospects in Rochester.

Final roster projection for the Buffalo Sabres: The Forwards

Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Victor Olofsson will man the first line, with Thompson and Skinner serving as the playmakers while Olofsson continues his specialty of scoring one-timers from the circle.

Jack Quinn joins Casey Mittelstadt and Alex Tuch on the second line. With good chemistry from Tuch, look for a healthy Mittelstadt to up his game while Quinn acclimates to the NHL faster than normal.

Dylan Cozens will lead a line comprising J.J. Peterka and Peyton Krebs as wingers. A younger line, Krebs and Peterka will benefit from Cozens’ leadership as the duo head into their respective first full seasons in the NHL.

Rasmus Asplund will likely center the fourth line with Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons flanking him. I’m seeing two extra skaters here, with one being Vinnie Hinostroza and the other, Riley Sheahan. Each are serviceable enough to fill in as needed.

 Defensive Rotation

It should go without saying that Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson will head up the first pairing, with Dahlin lining up on the right. I’m giving Henri Jokiharju the edge to man the second with rookie Owen Power while Ilya Lyubushkin lines up alongside Lawrence Pilut or Jacob Bryson, giving the Buffalo Sabres seven total defensemen.

I am more confident in this group than I was last season, and you should see our fifth pairing comprising Kale Clague and Case Priskie receive the first call-ups should something go awry. This takes Casey Fitzgerald back a notch.

Goaltending

Craig Anderson sits atop the depth chart, so after an entire summer thinking it would be Eric Comrie, the 41-year-old looks as though he’s winning this battle. Comrie looked good when he debuted for the Buffalo Sabres last Wednesday, but Anderson’s experience and strong performances themselves give him a leg up.

I contemplated on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen possibly sticking around as the third goaltender. And while it could be the case, realistically, it doesn’t make as much sense to keep an additional goalie around at the expense of a skater. Expect to see him in Rochester to start off the season.

The Projected Lineups Going into October 13th

Here is a visual look at the Buffalo Sabres projected lineup for Opening Night:

Line One: Skinner – Thompson – Olofsson

Line Two: Quinn – Mittelstadt – Tuch

Line Three: Krebs – Cozens – Peterka

Line Four: Okposo – Asplund – Girgensons

Extras: Hinostroza – Sheahan

My next men up from Rochester include Linus Weissbach, Tyson Kozak, and Brett Murray. Weissbach’s feisty play caught my attention while Kozak’s overall productivity is a major plus. Murray could wind up as an eventual fourth liner in Buffalo thanks to his physical play.

Pairing 1 – Samuelsson – Dahlin

Pairing 2 – Power – Jokiharju

Pairing 3 – Pilut – Lyubushkin

Extra – Bryson

Clague and Priskie are shoo-ins as the next men up. Priskie has had an outstanding preseason, but he loses out given his lack of experience. But don’t be surprised to see him suit up in the blue and gold a few times when the inevitable injury strikes. Clague is the most experienced of the bunch I have projected for Rochester. Fitzgerald could also eventually get a look.

Goaltenders

Anderson – Comrie

Expect to see Luukkonen in Buffalo multiple times this season. It just won’t happen immediately. I doubt we see Subban unless a similar injury bug that we saw last season hits the Buffalo Sabres goaltenders.

Overall, I’m far more confident in this season’s lineup. Skinner and Thompson had monster years that they will build on while Tuch and Olofsson will continue to produce. Dahlin’s game will soar to another level, and look for Power’s game to improve weekly. Neither Anderson nor Comrie are the greatest goaltenders, but they have potential to be adequate enough to generate wins in the net.

Article: Sabres aim to develop consistent lines, pairings in final preseason games by Chris Ryndak