The common season is creeping ever nearer for the Buffalo Sabres, and with preseason and prospect camps drawing even nearer, there might be loads of hockey motion on the best way very quickly. With all of that on the close to horizon, it’s time to take a look at which gamers will possible be main this crew on the stats sheet by the top of the season. Some decisions will really feel extra apparent than others, however with a lineup that options numerous returning gamers, the range is pretty restricted. That’s not to say that the thrill surrounding what number of objectives might be scored, what number of wins might be had, or what number of hits might be thrown might be diminished in any means; if something, having re-hired coach Lindy Ruff again behind the bench will solely improve a few of these stats. Now, let’s take a look to see how issues stack up in comparison with final season’s expectations.
Sabres’ Offensive Leaders
Final season, the Sabres took a step again from the dominance that they had been displaying within the prior 2022-23 season scoring tempo, as they had been plagued with some key accidents to Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn for prolonged intervals of time. On high of that, they by no means actually discovered the precise rhythm to be the identical sort of offensive menace that they was, and it induced a big decline of their manufacturing as an entire. This led to Thompson being the main purpose scorer with 29, Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin being tied for the factors lead with 59, and Dahlin having the assists lead with 39. All of them can do higher, and different younger weapons are ready to push the envelope on the offensive aspect too.
Going into this season, the expectations are for all of them to develop and bump these numbers up by an excellent quantity; not by something astronomical, however definitely by a noticeable quantity that may have them within the playoff hunt with different high groups within the league. JJ Peterka is a participant to look at as he continues to develop in his position within the high six and he might problem as one of many top-scoring gamers. Quinn can also be wholesome and is poised for a breakout season in numerous methods. Quinn being a top-tier goal-scoring expertise has all the precise instruments to push for the title on the crew, and it might not shock me to see him racing with Thompson all season for it.
Sabres’ Defensive Leaders
The Sabres’ defensive core is de facto the identical because it was final season. Excluding the late-season acquisition of Bowen Byram from the Colorado Avalanche, the core nonetheless consists of Dahlin, Owen Energy, Mattias Samuelsson, Henri Jokiharju, and Connor Clifton together with Jacob Bryson rotated in because the seventh defender. Jokiharju solely obtained a one-year contract extension over the summer time, so he will not be a long-term choice, however for this season, he’s again and might be a key a part of their protection once more. The Sabres have an excellent steadiness on their blue line for what is required to be achieved, but it surely has at all times been execution and expertise that has plagued them. Construction and a correct system ought to see them produce some higher numbers this season.
Having Byram with them for the total season will add a pleasant dynamic for certain, as they now have three top-end defensive abilities to run round on their blue line. All of them are offensively inclined however they nonetheless have respectable defensive talents. Of the three, I can see Energy rising as one of many higher defensive stat leaders if he buys into Ruff’s system, and I can see Byram getting extra bodily and offensive boosts from it. Dahlin is an all-around bundle, so he’ll get good numbers no matter who his defensive companion finally ends up being. As top-of-the-line general gamers on the crew, he might be a serious stat chief on some defensive and offensive fronts.
Sabres’ Goaltending Leaders
I’ve to confess that it does really feel relatively good going right into a season with full data and confidence about who the beginning goaltender is for the Sabres. After years upon years of goalie rotations and accidents that gave us the goalie carousel, it’s past refreshing to know that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is the starter proper out of the gate. He earned it after an enormous 2023-24 season the place he took over the crease and owned it; some nights dragging the Sabres to wins that they had no enterprise being in. Backing him up will possible be younger sensation Devon Levi, who spent the vast majority of final season with the Rochester People and earned his means again as much as the NHL. Between the 2 of them, the Sabres have a stable tandem to work with.
Luukkonen will carry the majority of the begins, and which means he’ll carry the majority of the stats as properly. Because the beginning goaltender, he would be the one going through probably the most rubber, and due to this fact find yourself with the extra inflated stats between the 2 goaltenders. This isn’t to say that Levi couldn’t take over a few of them because the backup by any means, as he has proven to be a stellar goalie in his quick NHL stints. Because the season progresses, don’t be shocked to see Levi get on some sizzling streaks the place he even outperforms Luukkonen.
Sabres’ Stat Chief Predictions
With all of those gamers in thoughts, the next are those that I predict will lead the Sabres within the main stat classes for the 2024-25 NHL season:
- Objectives – Tage Thompson – 43
- Assists – Rasmus Dahlin – 58
- Factors – Tage Thompson – 85
- Pictures – Tage Thompson – 288
- Energy-Play Objectives – JJ Peterka – 10
- Energy-Play Assists – Rasmus Dahlin – 17
- Shorthanded objectives – Dylan Cozens – 5
- Faceoff Proportion – Dylan Cozens – 53%
- Hits – Connor Clifton – 235
- Blocked Pictures – Owen Energy – 160
- Plus/Minus – Owen Energy – plus-28
- Objectives Towards Common – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – 2.59
- Save Proportion – Devon Levi – .914
- Goalie Video games Performed – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – 65
- Wins – Ukko-Pekka Luukonen – 34
- Shutouts – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – 3
The Sabres are principally going to have the identical lineup as an entire barring their new fourth line, and newcomer Ryan McLeod who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers for former prospect Matt Savoie, so they don’t precisely have a lot room for any rookies to interrupt into their lineup this season, but when one does, it might possible both be Konsta Helenius or Jiri Kulich so both of them would find yourself main rookie scoring with comparable numbers; possible round 12 objectives and 15 assists in the event that they performed the total season. Kulich might possibly rating 15 if he noticed any power-play time.
Associated – Sabres’ 3 Largest Weaknesses for 2024-25 Season
Many of the stat classes might be pretty shut between just a few of the gamers. Dahlin might be a transparent favourite for offense among the many defensive gamers, however Energy might take a step ahead to shut that hole on him this season together with Byram. For the offense, Tuch, Thompson, and Peterka will all possible hover across the similar factors mark with Thompson being barely above them if he’s wholesome, then Cozens, and Quinn might be intently behind them. With so many components needing to return collectively for enchancment, the itch to see how issues play out on the ice is getting tougher to not scratch. Sufficient ready round, let’s lastly get to some hockey.
