It’s been one week since the Buffalo Sabres signed Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton. Now, the mystery surrounding this is how Don Granato will use them.
The Buffalo Sabres will have a much-improved top four in 2023-24 assuming everyone stays healthy. However, the Blue and Gold also have a good problem on their hands as Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton can both play top four minutes, yet only one will find themselves on the top two pairings alongside Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson.
So where will the newcomers land in the rotation? Below, I’ve laid out three possible scenarios.
3 scenarios for Buffalo Sabres top four
1 – Johnson pairs with Power, Clifton takes third pairing
One of the likelier scenarios, as Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson have proven they can be one of the NHL’s top pairings. Power only has 87 games of NHL experience, and he can use someone experienced like Johnson on the second pairing to alleviate the pressure we often saw him under last season.
This would leave Clifton to become a force on the third pairing, where he will line up alongside either Henri Jokiharju, Riley Stillman, or Ilya Lyubushkin, or a combo of the three.
2 – Johnson pairs with Dahlin, Samuelsson pairs with Power
Rasmus Dahlin has faced similar pressure over the past two seasons, playing for nearly half a game at various points. Being a former first overall pick, Johnson could also help Dahlin in the same way he would help Power.
However, the difference is that Dahlin is more of a workhorse than Power at this point. He is also arguably the face of the Buffalo Sabres franchise. Both instances could make Johnson more valuable to pairing with Dahlin while Samuelsson and Power could forge an incredible young pairing behind them.
3 – Clifton pairs with Power, Johnson takes third pairing
In my most recent lineup projection, I had Clifton taking the second pairing with Power while Dahlin and Samuelsson remained together on the first. This immediately gives the Buffalo Sabres a young rotation in the top four capable of sticking together for years, assuming Clifton plays well and re-signs when his contract is up.
Johnson, 35, may not have enough left in the tank to consistently play top four minutes, so it makes sense to bump him to the third pairing. As with Clifton, he would most likely pair with either Jokiharju, Lyubushkin, or Stillman.
Source: Sabres notes: Don Granato believes Erik Johnson will help Rasmus Dahlin, other defensemen by Bill Hoppe, BuffaloHockeyBeat.com