3 roster issues the Buffalo Sabres must sort out in training camp
The Buffalo Sabres are on the verge of training camp, and while they are more stable in 2023-24, there are still a few issues to work out.
We have finally made it after the Buffalo Sabres 2022-23 season ended with so much hope. Last year, we entered camp expecting to see the NHL’s youngest team develop, and they kind of…just kind of…overachieved.
Entering the 2023-24 season, everyone from the fans to the NHL universe itself (it’s remarkable to see how much of a difference a single year makes) are expecting one thing: Playoffs! It’s been 13 years – 13 years since we’ve last seen this team take the ice in the postseason. Or, at least it will be 13 years when April 2024 rolls around.
So, will 13 times be the lucky charm for the Blue and Gold? Even if the Sabres weren’t my main focus, I’d say they’re in if I were to make a logical prediction on the topic. However, there are still a few issues they must address in camp, and they are listed below.
Roster issues the Buffalo Sabres must sort out in camp
1 – Goaltender
While Devon Levi is the presumed starter or at least the 1A here, there’s no guarantee who will take up the 1B spot behind him. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen enters camp as the favorite, but Eric Comrie is also looking to prove he’s better than what he showed us last season.
It would take a monumental meltdown for Levi to lose the 1A spot. And given the young goaltender’s calm demeanor, the entire fanbase would be shocked if he ended up as the 1B or in Rochester. If Luukkonen shows growth, then he has the 1B job wrapped up, but if he’s still inconsistent, then Comrie will do all he can to take advantage.
2 – Second line winger
This is a position I’ve talked about a few times over the summer since we found out Jack Quinn will miss at least a month, but presumably longer in the regular season. Back in June, four-to-six months was his initial recovery time, slating November 2023 as the earliest he would return.
However, it’s likelier that he will be out until January 2024, so the Sabres must find someone to fill in through the season’s first half. Casey Mittelstadt has long been my top candidate, but if the Blue and Gold want him to stick around as a center, then it’s open competition.
Victor Olofsson could line up there, but he’s more likely a third-liner. Don’t be surprised if Jordan Greenway gets a look, though he’s also a likely third-liner. One of the Sabres many prospects could make an impression and build on their strong performances in either the 2023-24 Calder Cup Playoffs or in the Prospects Challenge.
3 – Defensive rotation
The Buffalo Sabres defensive rotation contains much more sound depth than it had in the past, with blueliners Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton in the lineup. Their presence could allow the Blue and Gold to take up several different possible lineups, ranging from a presumed rotation featuring Clifton alongside Power and Johnson taking a spot on the bottom pairing.
But that is one of several scenarios. Earlier in the summer, I laid out three of them, and I even made a case for Mattias Samuelsson to drop down and play on the second line while either Johnson or Clifton paired with Dahlin. This is a problem the Sabres must figure out, but I cannot stress enough that this is also a “good problem” to have.
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Who will play where, and who is taking over for Jack Quinn in the season’s early going? With opening night now just three weeks away, we won’t need to wait long to see how the Sabres sort out the above issues.