The Sabres recently re-signed defenseman Jacob Bryson to a one-year deal. No. 78 has been a quiet on-ice presence for almost five full seasons, with 2021-22 his best hockey year to date, where he enjoyed 73 blocks, 55 hits, 24 takeaways, 1 goal and 9 assists over 73 games.
Other Sabres’ D-men including Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram and Owen Power normally overshadow Bryson, who usually plays on Buffalo’s third or sometimes second defensive pairing. It’s actually a little surprising the Sabres re-signed Bryson and let Henri Jokiharju go. Buffalo could have received something comparable in return for a Bryson trade, but GM Kevyn Adams’ recent moves cost the team in cap space.
Nevertheless, bringing back the 27-year-old defenseman for another season isn’t the worst decision Adams made. Bryson hasn’t grabbed the spotlight with any big plays but hasn’t blown any big games, either. Instead, he’s the kind of player that doesn’t draw much attention to himself, which can’t be all bad on a sinking Sabres ship.
Not an offensive-minded D-man like Dahlin, Bryson is usually good for a goal a season but has yet to find the back of the net as March heads toward April. Bryson made one of his seven assists so far this year against the Montreal Canadiens on Mar. 1, setting up Alex Tuch to tie the score during the second period.
Head coach Lindy Ruff complimented Bryson’s effort versus the Habs, saying “that is the most involved” he’d seen Bryson and added “there’s no reason he can’t be involved offensively.”
Despite little hints of the kind of athlete Bryson could be, he’s had five years to prove himself in Buffalo and failed to make any major impact. Re-signing him for another year looks like a typical Kevyn Adams decision, something a guy with no sense of urgency makes running a team that lacks enough fire to go on a playoff run.
Maybe Bryson will contribute more over the following season. However, it’s more likely 2025-26 will be No. 78’s last year in Buffalo and he’ll either leave town as part of a trade or become a UFL that in all probability doesn’t get any better offers.