Buffalo Sabres: Grading each defenseman’s 2022-23 season
The Buffalo Sabres were weak at defense this past season, but it doesn’t mean they didn’t have some stars in the rotation.
The Buffalo Sabres defensive unit was, to be generous, moderately effective at times in 2022-23. One reason for that came because when paired, Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson were one of the better pairings in hockey, while Owen Power held his own on the second.
Besides the Big Three, only Ilya Lyubushkin played anywhere near his expectations, though Kale Clague didn’t look too bad considering he’s nothing more than an AHL prospect/extra skater at the pro level. That said, it’s safe to say many of our defensemen didn’t receive the best grades.
Like the previous posts outlining grades for the goaltenders and forwards, I used the same criteria:
- How each player performed in their respective role
- Overall play compared to expected play
- Likelihood of remaining part of the rotation moving forward
Grading each Buffalo Sabres defenseman from 2022-23 – Permanent Fixtures
Rasmus Dahlin
Rasmus Dahlin wasn’t just the best defenseman statistically on the Buffalo Sabres; he is a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate. He started the season off with a goal in five straight games, and he wound up with 15 of them, 58 assists, and 73 points. With 132 blocks and 105 hits, his defensive play was also top notch. Grade: A
Mattias Samuelsson
The Sabres finished 33-18-4 in the 55 games Mattias Samuelsson dressed for, and just 9-15-3 without him. Purely a defenseman who provides little offense, Samuelsson’s positioning and physical play in the defensive zone was a breath of fresh relief for the Blue and Gold’s struggling defensive rotation. He may not score much, but that didn’t stop me from labeling him the Team MVP for 2022-23. Grade: A
Owen Power
With 86 blocks in 79 games, Owen Power often knew where the puck was going and he also had a knack for locating and taking it up ice. He was so effective in the defensive zone (despite more than a few unlucky bounces going in for goals), Buffalo’s on-ice save percentage was a stellar 91.5% at 5-on-5. He also pitched in a respectable 35 points. Grade: A-
Henri Jokiharju
Henri Jokiharju had his moments, and he displayed great recovery speed at times. But he was often caught out of position and never found consistency this season. He wasn’t terrible, but his pedestrian play caught the attention of many in Buffalo Sabres circles. Grade: C-
Ilya Lyubushkin
Ilya Lyubushkin was quietly one of the Sabres most effective blueliners when he was 100%. But the injury-prone defenseman struggled at times. Despite this, he still logged 104 blocks in 68 games and 99 hits. Even more impressive? He committed just 20 giveaways and Buffalo’s on-ice save percentage sat at 91.6% at 5-on-5. Grade: B
Riley Stillman
Riley Stillman arrived in a trade, so his sample size is rather small. He had 29 hits in 18 games, and quickly established himself as a physical presence for a team that lacked one. Stillman’s Corsi and Fenwick For% stuck out more than anything else, sitting at 58.0% and 57.0%, respectively, at 5-on-5. Despite this, he wasn’t much help in the defensive zone, and he was responsible for more than a few goals, as the team’s on-ice save percentage was a meager 85.9% with him on the ice. Grade: C+
Jacob Bryson
Few Buffalo Sabres regressed like Jacob Bryson, and even the most casual fans noticed his poor play on the ice. Finally, head coach Don Granato put him in the press box, and Bryson ended up seeing ice time in just 59 games, averaging 14:35 in that stretch. He was, however, on pace to shatter his career-high in blocks, but that’s about all Bryson did in 2022-23. Grade: D-
Kale Clague
Kale Clague is one of those players best suited for the AHL, but injuries and ineffective play in the defensive zone gave him the call up and he did not relinquish it. He logged an average 24 hits and blocks in 33 games, and the Sabres were able to create opportunities when he was on the ice more often than not. For a guy who played in the NHL far more than he was supposed to, Clague wasn’t bad. Grade: C
More. Fun Sabres team proved end of playoff drought is near. light
As a unit, the Buffalo Sabres struggled defensively. But they did have a few players who exceeded expectations in one way or another. You can expect a few names on this list to be playing elsewhere, or in the AHL next season, though at least three names listed (you know who they are) will climb another rung sooner than later.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)