3 depth centers the Sabres must target in NHL free agency
The Buffalo Sabres could finally be one of the more active teams in NHL free agency this summer, and a depth center would be a good place to begin.
The rumor mill has already shown us what Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams may decide to do this summer, and the forward group could see not one but two new names. Today, we’re talking more about a potential depth forward joining the team, most likely a center, and luckily for the Sabres, there will be quite a few of them available in NHL free agency.
One name they could go after is Adam Henrique, who was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in March as a stopgap depth scorer. Signing the experienced, productive Henrique would make a ton of sense for Buffalo, but if the 34-year-old is looking to either stay in Edmonton or sign with a surefire contender next season, he will be tough to land.
But that’s okay since there are also younger, solid depth centers out there who could factor in as potential long-term solutions, something that wouldn’t be as feasible with Henrique. Let’s explore three more centers and why they would make a good fit in Buffalo for the 2024-25 season and beyond.
Elias Lindholm’s complete game would be more than valuable
Elias Lindholm initially didn’t look like a good fit with the Vancouver Canucks, or at least to the same extent that he looked like a great fit with his former team, the Calgary Flames. But in six playoff games as of May 8th, Lindholm put up two goals and an assist. He’s been physical, and the 29-year-old has been getting in front of shots.
It’s getting safer to say Lindholm has been coming on stronger as of late. Even if it may take him a while to get used to the system with his next team should he not stay in Vancouver, he will reward whoever signs him next. Plus, even if his overall points total, 12 in 26 regular season games with the Canucks, didn’t look good, Lindholm was still playing like a true defensive forward.
And we know it’s something he could wind up doing more of in Buffalo if he was cool with playing most of his minutes on the third line. Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens should get back on track and enter the season as the No. 1 and No. 2 centers, so with fewer minutes on the ice, it would help Lindholm’s game thrive.
Putting him onto a line with wingers Jordan Greenway and Zach Benson would also make for a gritty, defense-first unit. And if he starts scoring again the way he did with the Flames, Buffalo will also gain some edge offensively on that line.
Sabres fans may like to see Sean Monahan in town
Sean Monahan has been more than productive for the Montreal Canadiens and later Winnipeg Jets since the Habs traded him back in February. This past year was a throwback of what we’d seen during his days in Calgary, where he played until 2021-22, as he totaled 59 points, 26 goals, and a solid 15.2 shooting percentage.
While this is a piece talking about depth centers, Monahan has played top-six minutes for most of his career, averaging 17:52 total ice time per game. But he could drop to the third line in his age-30 season and beyond, or if Dylan Cozens struggles to produce in the top-six, the Sabres could also flip the two players around, and Monahan can let presumably Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka flank him.
As a bonus, Monahan can also win faceoffs, finishing with a win percentage of 54.9 at the dot this year. But last year, he encroached the 55 percent mark of his draws, and as Sabres fans are well aware these days, the Blue and Gold haven’t won faceoffs consistently in years.
Monahan’s defensive play has also sparkled since he entered the league, and it garnered him some Selke votes in the past. He’s good at separating opponents from the puck and if he can’t snag the takeaway, Monahan will at least get his stick in their way and try to disrupt the play.
Alexander Wennberg would bring a defense-first mindset
The downsides regarding Alexander Wennberg is that he isn’t a scorer nor will he win faceoffs the same way as Sean Monahan. So he most likely wouldn’t be a player to adequately swap roles with Dylan Cozens should the latter’s inconsistencies continue into 2024-25.
But he’s also incredible defensively, and nothing drives that fact home than his 84 takeaways in 2022-23, his last full season with the Seattle Kraken. Wennberg’s ice time dropped substantially following his trade to the New York Rangers, but he was on pace to snag another 54 or 55 takeaways this season had he stayed in Seattle and continued to log 18:49 of average total ice time.
His efficacy in the offensive zone also waned when he went to the Rangers, but Wennberg’s on-ice shooting percentage at even strength hit the double-digits at 10.5, and he helped the Kraken put up 40 goals in the same situation despite an xGF of 31.7.
The above shows us that Wennberg’s contributions offensively may not show up in the statistics, but the way he plays defensively - including an on-ice save percentage at even strength of 91.3 while in Seattle - would make him an ultra-valuable depth center in Buffalo.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)