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Buffalo Sabres wingers snubbed from NHL’s Top 20 ranking

By Sion Fawkes

Feb 21, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) skates into left wing Jeff Skinner (53) as he takes a shot during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) skates into left wing Jeff Skinner (53) as he takes a shot during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch were key components for the Buffalo Sabres 296-goal run this past season, but they were both snubbed in the NHL’s ranking.

Last night, the NHL Network unveiled their Top 20 wingers in the league. Listed among them were familiar faces like Patrick Kane (seriously), Matthew Tkachuk, and his brother, Brady Tkachuk. Of course, a pair of Buffalo Sabres wingers who scored 82 and 79 points respectively would be on there too, right? Right?

Wrong. Somehow, a pair of wingers who flanked center Tage Thompson in what was one of the NHL’s best lines were not ranked, and somehow, Kane made the list. Yeah, I’m not sure how these rankings were concocted, but they reflected better from results in the 2021-22 season as opposed to the more recent 2022-23 season. To a degree, anyway…

Buffalo Sabres wingers Tuch, Skinner snubbed from Top 20

Anyway as you know, Kane played in 73 contests last season for the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers, scoring just 57 points, 21 goals, and 36 assists in those games. Kane also gave the puck away a whopping 61 times, and it’s a far cry from the number of takeaways (64) that Alex Tuch had.

Tuch also developed a sound two-way game in his first full and second season overall with the Buffalo Sabres. He showed outstanding leadership ability and he is a surefire team or alternate captain once Kyle Okposo calls it quits and if Zemgus Girgensons ultimately walks following the 2023-24 season.

Skinner just came off of his best career season at age 30 (turned 31 in May) with 35 goals and a career high 47 assists. He is also one of the team’s oldest skaters this season, and he still appears to be getting better with each passing year.

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This isn’t to say that the NHL Network’s list is a poor ranking – for the most part, I agree with it. But to rank an aging Patrick Kane coming off of a mediocre season above the likes of Skinner and Tuch is nothing short of an atrocity.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)

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