The Buffalo Sabres saw two big parts of their roster depart this offseason in Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch. In both situations, it didn't seem like there was much they could do, but that doesn't change the fact that they must now figure out how to replace those two players in the lineup.
Alex Tuch finished the season third on the team in points with 66 and second in goals, while Byram was second among defensemen in points at 42. It wasn't just in 5v5 situations that they played a big role, as they played the seventh and eighth most power play minutes, and Tuch had the third most penalty-kill minutes, and Byram was sixth.
For the Sabres, they don't have one clear answer to replace either player, and it will likely be a combination of several players stepping up in specific areas. These are the five players who are going to be under the most pressure to do so.
*All stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick unless otherwise noted
Olen Zellweger
Bowen Byram spent most of the season in 5v5 situations on the second pair with Owen Power. While Olen Zellweger will need to compete with Louis Crevier, he is probably the most likely player to replace Byram.
It is going to be a big opportunity for the young player as the Sabres traded with the Ducks to add him and signed the restricted free agent to a three-year deal. In the three seasons with the Ducks, he averaged around 18 minutes of ice time per game. If he does replace Byram, he could see over 20 minutes per game most nights.
The good news is that Zellweger already has some familiarity with Owen Power, as the two played together at World Juniors and the World Championship in the past. That little familiarity can help going into training camp as he takes on a bigger role in Buffalo.
Conor Timmins
While Zellweger should handle the 5v5 situations, it will likely be Conor Timmins who will replace Bowen Byram on the Sabres' penalty kill. However, last season, Byram only played as much as he did on the penalty kill in part because Timmins missed over half the season due to injury.
In the playoffs, with everyone healthy, Timmins led the Sabres in penalty kill minutes while Byram had only eight in 13 games. This is an area that shouldn't be too hard for the coaching staff to replace Byram's production, as he really was playing as much as he was only because of Timmins absence.
Zach Benson
Alex Tuch spent the entire season in the Sabres' top six and a majority of that time on their top line with Tage Thompson. The Sabres are going to need someone to step into that role, and the most likely candidate is the one with a new seven-year contract in Zach Benson.
Benson was a breakout star in the playoffs and always seemed to provide that spark when the Sabres needed it at points in the game. He would have five goals and four assists in 13 playoff games after a career-best 43 points in the regular season.
Last season, Alex Tuch averaged 19 minutes of ice time per game, and that was due to him being a key part of the power play and penalty kill. It remains to be seen if Benson will factor in on the penalty kill, but he should get more time on the power play next season.
In 78 games combined between the regular season and playoffs, Benson averaged .67 points per game, and if he plays a full 84 games next season, he will finish with 56 points. If he is able to reach that mark, or surpass it, then that will go a long way in replacing Tuch.
Konsta Helenius
Alex Tuch last season was third on the team in power-play goals with seven, and the Sabres in training camp should be looking to shuffle their power-play units. One player that should factor into that discussion, and eventually be the replacement for Alex Tuch, is the rookie Konsta Helenius.
Helenius played in the final four playoff games for the Sabres and had two goals with an average of 13:28 minutes of ice time. While he will still need to earn a spot, the coaching staff should have seen enough in the playoffs to feel confident that he is ready to be in the NHL full-time.
In the AHL with Rochester, Helenius was one of their best players on the power play and led the team in power play goals with nine and tied for 13th in the league. If that can translate to the NHL, the Sabres' power-play should be improved over how they have done over the past few seasons.
Beck Malenstyn
The Buffalo Sabres had one of the best penalty kills in the league, and that was due in large part to Tuch. He finished third on the team in minutes during the regular season and second in the playoffs in penalty kill situations.
Among the players on the roster, Beck Malenstyn is probably the best equipped to replace Tuch on their top penalty kill unit. It was probably one of the reasons the Sabres felt comfortable re-signing him to a six-year deal this summer.
Last season, Malenstyn was primarily on the second penalty kill unit, so it isn't hard to envision him being able to make that jump compared to some of the other players on this list. He even has the speed to capitalize on the opposing team's mistakes and replace Tuch's three short-handed goals.
Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram were big parts in multiple areas for the Buffalo Sabres but these five players give the team their best shot of replacing the lost production next season.
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