Top 3 Buffalo Sabres players and prospects who get no respect

The Buffalo Sabres have a slew of talent at the NHL and AHL levels, but a few of them get next to no recognition for their respective A-games. 

The Buffalo Sabres are fortunate thanks to the fact they have a talented young hockey team who will make a serious playoff run in 2023-24. They have a dynamic prospects pool that can put them in position to not only achieve in the short-term, but also maintain long-term success.

But the Blue and Gold have more talent than you may realize, as there are more than a few players in their NHL and AHL lineups that are quietly among the best on their team. However, you would never know it, as they get little to no appreciation for their efforts.

It’s not always points that win games, but disrupting plays and creating opportunities for teammates also go a long way. So let’s give them their well-deserved recognition, and discuss why they receive little to no respect league-wide.

Buffalo Sabres players and prospects getting no respect

1 – Mattias Samuelsson, D

In most cases, you’re not getting the respect you deserve as a defenseman unless you are basically a forward listed with a blueliner. But as I’ve stressed several times since March, the Buffalo Sabres are a much better hockey team with Samuelsson on the ice as opposed to when he’s missing time with injuries.

But if you’re a casual hockey fan, or even a die-hard who follows a team outside the Atlantic Division, then you probably don’t know who Samuelsson is. And even if you do, you probably don’t realize that the Sabres win over 60% of the time when he’s in the lineup.

Take 164 possible points and multiply that number by 60% – you get a floor of between 98 and 99 points. That’s the kind of effect Samuelsson would most likely have on the Blue and Gold across an 82-game stretch.