The Buffalo Sabres are expected to enter training camp with likely 15 forwards competing for 13 spots on their NHL roster. It is going to create a lot of competition during camp and into the preseason, but it also gives head coach Lindy Ruff a chance to be creative with the lines he puts together.
One of the changes this year is that the number of preseason games drops from six games to four to accommodate the extended regular season schedule, which increases by two to 84. The Sabres won't have as many chances to test out some of these lines, but it is also a longer regular season. There are going to be injuries, and it would make sense now for the coaching staff to look at how some of these lines work together when the games might not matter.
With that in mind, these are three lines that the Buffalo Sabres need to get a look at in the preseason in case there is a point in the season they need to go to it.
Zach Benson - Tage Thompson - Josh Doan
Last season, Tage Thompson spent most of the season at center, but that was due in part to the injuries the Sabres were dealing with at the position. They had lost Jiri Kulich for the season, Josh Norris was in and out of the lineup, and Konsta Helenius really hadn't made it to the NHL yet.
This season, the Sabres should be planning for Thompson to play on the wing because of the depth they have with those three players, along with Sam Carrick, Ryan McLeod, Noah Ostlund and Peyton Krebs all being able to play the position.
While they may want to move Thompson to the wing, it is always an option to move him to center. If they do, then a line with Zach Benson and Josh Doan on either side of him could be a nightmare for opponents.
Benson and Doan are very similar, as they do the little things that make a team successful. Benson is one of the forecheckers on the Sabres and does a great job getting in front of the net, while Doan is probably the best defensive forward they have currently on the roster.
Those two, along with Tage Thompson's shot, could put a lot of pressure on opposing teams and do a great job of keeping the puck in their end of the ice. It may not be a long-term option, but if the Sabres ever need a spark, these three could likely provide it for them.
Noah Ostlund - Jiri Kulich - Konsta Helenius
The Buffalo Sabres, at some point, might want to deploy what is essentially a rookie line of Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, and Konsta Helenius. The best part about this line is that all three can take faceoffs, depending on the matchup, with Ostlund and Kulich being left-handed and Helenius right-handed.
These three are entering this season with big expectations, as a combination of them is expected to replace the lost production of Alex Tuch. At times over the past two years, all three have shown they can be a difference-maker for the Sabres, but they now have to do so on a consistent basis.
During the season, the Sabres are going to probably want to split them up and have these younger players playing alongside veterans. However, similar to the first line mentioned above, this line could give the Sabres a spark or be used in certain moments in a game.
Justin Danforth - Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn
The Buffalo Sabres signed Justin Danforth as a free agent last summer, but he didn't get a chance to play much after suffering a knee injury early in the season. He finished the season playing in only four games, and with how the roster currently sits, he is going to have to earn his spot during training camp and the preseason.
However, if Danforth can play as he did prior to joining the Sabres with the Columbus Blue Jackets, then the Sabres could put a really fast, forechecking line out there of Danforth, Sam Carrick, and Beck Malenstyn. These three players could complement each other well and be a dynamic fourth line for the Sabres that puts pressure on the top line of the other team.
The Buffalo Sabres are going to have a lot to sort out during training camp and the preseason. However, as they test out different line combinations these are three they need to get a look at as they might be great options during the season.
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