Buffalo Sabres 2023-24 Lineup Projection 7.0: The Final Prediction
The Buffalo Sabres still need to make a few roster moves by Monday, so let’s make one final lineup projection before the deadline.
The Buffalo Sabres threw us plenty of curveballs throughout training camp and the preseason, as we knew they would. And hey, you see it with a lot of teams, right? For a brewing contender in the Queen City, that lineup will shuffle until further the Blue and Gold forge a perfect blend of high-octane scoring and sound defense.
The scoring part is something that they already have down, but the defense and goaltending remain a work in progress. I already concocted a lineup last week reflecting that, but the one shown below will reflect what the group has a better chance of looking like heading into Opening Night.
So what are we waiting for? Let’s make some not-so-bold predictions on what you can expect from this Sabres lineup heading into their season-opener vs. the New York Rangers.
What will the Buffalo Sabres lineup look like next week?
Forwards
- Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Zach Benson
- JJ Peterka – Dylan Cozens – Alex Tuch
- Jordan Greenway – Casey Mittelstadt – Victor Olofsson
- Zemgus Girgensons – Peyton Krebs – Kyle Okposo
- Tyson Jost – Brandon Biro
Three months ago, nobody would have broken apart Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch, but Zach Benson proved his worth. Whether this remains set in stone beyond a nine-game trial is up to Benson, but if he shows signs that he can handle the NHL when the games count, this lineup may be the norm.
The second line remains unchanged at left wing and center from last season, with JJ Peterka and Dylan Cozens returning. Alex Tuch drops in and “fills in” for the injured Jack Quinn.
Jordan Greenway, Casey Mittelstadt, and Victor Olofsson are three players with three unique skill-sets, so this may be the most interesting line of the bunch. Greenway is your physical presence while Mittelstadt is an excellent passer. Then there is Olofsson, who can score at will when he wants to.
You can’t change that fourth line, as they were one of the league’s finest in 2022-23, but you will see Tyson Jost rotating in and out. I’ve kept Brandon Biro in the lineup for now, and if Olofsson doesn’t perform to standard, perhaps Granato makes the switch. And further, Biro is not waivers-exempt, and he may have proven himself too valuable to waive for the time being.
Defensemen
- Rasmus Dahlin – Connor Clifton
- Owen Power – Mattias Samuelsson
- Erik Johnson – Henri Jokiharju
- Riley Stillman
Connor Clifton noticeably struggled in his Buffalo Sabres debut, but I’m not too worried about it. It was his first game in a blue and gold uniform, and it’s nothing more than an adjustment period at this point. Dahlin will pair with him and the duo will be fine.
I’ve seen a lot of Power-Jokiharju pairings, but I’m not buying it. Jokiharju has looked good in the preseason, but he was awful when lining up next to Power last season. Further, Mattias Samuelsson provides a better complement for the 20-year-old, so he gets the nod.
Erik Johnson will instead pair with the two-way Jokiharju on the bottom pairing, giving the Sabres three levels of complementary blueliners. Riley Stillman factors in as the extra, and he will be a physical presence when Johnson inevitably sits out a few games, or if the Blue and Gold want a hard-nosed pairing, in which he will replace Jokiharju.
Goaltenders
- Devon Levi
- Eric Comrie
With winning games claimed to be at the forefront, Eric Comrie gets the nod over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who is waived and hopefully claimed. With Devin Cooley’s solid performance last night in Rochester, it’s not like the Buffalo Sabres don’t have a potential upgrade in the system.
Levi gets the obvious nod as the 1A, and if he performs the way he has so far in the preseason (he’s supposed to get the start tonight vs. Pittsburgh), he should stabilize the Sabres goaltending relatively early.
Overall, this lineup, like all lineups, is not set in stone, and yeah, I went off the beaten path in making a few of these projections. But “expect the unexpected” is the name of the game, so I’m not one to follow just because others paired Jokiharju with Power, or dropped Alex Tuch to the third line, or whatever.
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Anyway, it won’t be long until we see what the lineup ultimately looks like come October 12th. I don’t know about you, but I’m curious to see how this Sabres team fares when the puck drops and the games count next week.