The Buffalo Sabres joined the free agent frenzy this year, signing a pair of blueliners while bringing back a fan favorite.
Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams made a lot of fans happy when he signed the experienced former first overall pick Erik Johnson and former Boston Bruin Connor Clifton to bolster the Blue and Gold’s blue line on Saturday. But, that also means we’re going to see even more roster moves in the not-so-distant future, because at this time, the Sabres depth at the blue line looks like this:
- Dahlin – Samuelsson
- Power – Clifton
- Stillman – Johnson
- Bryson – Lyubushkin
- Clague (Roc)- Jokiharju
- Davies (Roc)
These are the defensemen that either played at least one game in a Sabres uniform last season, re-signed with the Sabres, or just signed. Three of these players will end up elsewhere in 2023-24, or shortly thereafter. But the question is, who? Keep reading for a rundown on who I feel will never suit up for the Sabres again.
3 players done with Buffalo Sabres after free agent signings
1 – Jacob Bryson
I think we can all agree that Jacob Bryson is finished in Buffalo, and we can also breathe a sigh of relief. For numerous reasons, Bryson only saw action in 59 games last season, and he was often relegated to the third pairing, averaging just 14:35 of average total ice time.
In 2021-22, he put up encouraging numbers, with the Sabres, averaging a 90% and 90.3% on-ice save percentage at even strength and 5-on-5, respectively. He was also a more aggressive player overall, logging 24 takeaways that season, plus 55 hits.
But that went to waste in 2022-23, when Bryson’s possession metrics tanked to just an 87.7% on-ice save percentage at even strength, and 88.0 at 5-on-5. Last season, he was becoming the odd man out, and now, it’s no question.
2 – Henri Jokiharju
Just two seasons ago, Henri Jokiharju was regularly paired with Rasmus Dahlin, and now, he’s a fringe third pairing blueliner. While he still logged top four minutes, I’m having a tough time remembering the last decent game Jokiharju had.
And like Bryson, the Buffalo Sabres on-ice save percentage dipped rather substantially when Jokiharju was on the ice, from 90.7% to 89.2% at even strength, and from 91.3% to 89.2% at 5-on-5. While you can argue this, to a degree, was the case among the Sabres blue line, the difference is, Jokiharju offers marginal value offensively.
He doesn’t kill plays like Mattias Samuelsson, and he’s not the same physical player that Ilya Lyubushkin and Riley Stillman are capable of being. In short, Jokiharju is, as it stands, the eighth-best defenseman in the system.
3 – Jeremy Davies
I included Jeremy Davies for two reasons: For one, he appeared in a game for the Buffalo Sabres last season, and two, his performance in the Calder Cup Playoffs undoubtedly turned some heads. But as you probably guessed, he’s buried in the Sabres system, despite re-signing for another season.
This isn’t to say Davies is going anywhere this season. But he will continue to play a great game in Rochester and he will likely draw interest from other clubs, spelling the ultimate end of his time in the Sabres organization.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)