Breaking down the Sabres’ season-opening roster

Matchup capability was one influence on Buffalo’s offseason. Others were adding specialists to reinforce special teams and acquiring depth that will be crucial during a condensed 56-game schedule. 

The Sabres’ season-opening roster consists of 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies for a total of 22 players. They will start the season carrying the full six players on their taxi squad, a new addition for the pandemic-shortened campaign. 

Here is a breakdown of the personnel and the roles they are expected to play. 

Forwards (13)  

Krueger’s philosophy when it comes to his forward lines is to strike balance through the lineup, with each line containing a mix of offensive and defensive strengths. 

Let’s go line by line based on Thursday’s morning skate to see how they were constructed. (Keep in mind that Kyle Okposo is day-to-day and will miss Thursday’s opener.) 

4 Taylor Hall – 9 Jack Eichel – 72 Tage Thompson

Krueger said upon acquiring Hall in the offseason that he envisioned the 2018 Hart Trophy winner skating alongside Eichel. True to his word, we’ve seen the duo play as linemates ever since Eichel joined his first practice last Wednesday. 

Eichel, having averaged over a point per game the past two seasons, will be the most productive centerman Hall has skated with regularly. None of Hall’s previous primary centermen – Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Travis Zajac, Nico Hischier, and Christian Dvorak – had averaged a point per game in a season during their careers. Hall did spend 2015-16 on a line with Leon Draisaitl, but it was years before Draisaitl developed into the Hart Trophy winner he is today. 

Video: Coming This Season: Taylor Hall

Thompson earned the first shot on the duo’s right wing thanks to an excellent camp, including standout performances in both scrimmages. Read about his ascension here. 

68 Victor Olofsson – 12 Eric Staal – 23 Sam Reinhart

The addition of the veteran Staal gives the Sabres a bonafide No. 2 center who was an All-Star just last season with the Minnesota Wild. He has skated alongside Reinhart since the start of camp, with the duo showing some immediate signs of chemistry. Olofsson joined them during the latter half of camp. 

“We feel there’s been a real synergy there,” Krueger said. “They find each other. Sam being on the right side and Eric being a lefty, they just seem to be really feeding off each other and continually finding each other all over the ice.

“We like that look with Olie there with his finishing ability. We know now Olie can play the right or left side, so that versatility helps us. Sam and Eric have synched right from day one here. I feel there’s definitely a tandem in the making for us.”

Video: Coming This Season: Eric Staal

53 Jeff Skinner – 27 Curtis Lazar – 15 Riley Sheahan

Skinner is looking to rebound from a season in which he scored 14 goals in 59 games despite generating 5-on-5 scoring chances at a rate that placed him alongside some of the game’s premier forwards. 

Krueger spoke highly of his offseason conversations with Skinner and said the forward has worked hard to find his game within the team’s principles away from the puck. Once he does, his presence gives any line a natural scoring threat around the net.

“He’s worked hard in the offseason,” Krueger said. “He’s coming in here and for us, what’s important no matter your role, no matter your skill level is that in general you play within the principles. He’s continuing to work on that together with the coaching staff. 

“I think once he lets that go and relaxes and trusts his instincts, he’s going to give us what we need, which is we need scoring right through the lineup, and the present setup will give that line opportunity to add to our offense. And it’ll be important for Jeff to just keep working hard.”

Lazar carved out a consistent role with the Sabres after beginning last season in Rochester, establishing himself as a physical checking presence at 5-on-5 who also killed penalties and took high-pressure faceoffs, including at the start of overtime. 

The Sabres had a positive share of shot attempts (51.06) in 82:46 with Skinner and Lazar on the ice together at 5-on-5 last season, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Rounding out the line on Thursday was Sheahan, who arrived at camp on a professional tryout but earned a one-year contract following an injury to Zemgus Girgensons. Read more about his “specialist role” here. 

13 Tobias Rieder – 20 Cody Eakin – 24 Dylan Cozens 

This line was originally constructed to have a similar personality to the trio of Girgensons, Johan Larsson, and Okposo last season. That group grinded out long shifts in the offensive zone, often setting the table for Buffalo’s scoring lines. 

“Our job will be to provide energy, to be safe, to be reliable,” Eakin said. “Chip in and just be steady.”

Eakin replaces Larsson, who signed with Arizona during the offseason. The Sabres like Eakin for his physical style along with his potential for offense, just one season removed from a 22-goal, 41-point campaign with Vegas in 2018-19. 

Injuries have changed the makeup of the line, which began with Eakin centering Girgensons and Okposo. Girgensons is expected to miss six months after having surgery to repair a groin injury. Okposo is day-to-day entering the regular season.

Replacing Girgensons is Rieder, another newcomer who the Sabres value for his ability on the penalty kill and his defensively responsible game at 5-on-5. Krueger has also expressed belief that Rieder can contribute offensively in the right situation. (The precedent is Girgensons, who scored his highest goal and point totals since 2014-15 in his first year under Krueger.) 

In Okposo’s place, it appears the nod willgo to the 19-year-old Cozens in what will be his NHL debut. Cozens was a late entrant to camp after dominating the World Junior Championship with 16 points (8+8) in seven games. 

“We definitely trust him,” Krueger said. “I mean, he’s a very responsible player, extremely smart and coachable. … We think he’s ready for a pretty big load off the hop, but only time will tell for all of us.”

Defensemen (7)

19 Jake McCabe – 55 Rasmus Ristolainen 26 Rasmus Dahlin – 62 Brandon Montour33 Colin Miller – 10 Henri Jokiharju 

The top six largely resembles the group from last season, with one caveat: Dahlin has undergone a physical transformation during the long offseason, going from 193 pounds at the start of last season to 207 now. Krueger said a continued evolution for the 20-year-old will be essential to the team’s growth. 

 “He is extremely competitive and wants to be a big part of us taking another step,” Krueger said. “I certainly see, with the game pace that we’re gonna be on, sharing the minutes through the lineup whether it’s rolling your D or rolling your forward lines. You’re going to see more of that from all teams just as we try to get ourselves up to speed.

“So, yeah, I definitely see his minutes growing. I also see his hunger to learn the game away from the puck and to take that responsibility defensively that [players] don’t usually have as they grow up when they have so much skill. … In many ways, we need him to grow for us to be able to reach our goals.”

Video: Coming This Season: Rasmus Dahlin

Alternate: 44 Matt Irwin

The Sabres added Irwin as another presence who can step in on the bottom two pairs, provide on-ice leadership, and play the penalty kill. He outlined his team-first mentality after signing a one-year deal during the offseason. 

Goalies (2)

35 Linus Ullmark40 Carter Hutton

Ullmark returns having set career highs in wins (17) and save percentage (.915) in 2019-20. He took over the net in the process, starting 18 of 20 games before sustaining a lower-body injury that ultimately ended his season on Jan. 28. 

Video: Coming This Season: Linus Ullmark

Hutton revealed during the offseason that he had repaired sight issues mid-season and felt he finished strong as a result. Together, the two goaltenders will navigate a condensed schedule of 56 games in 113 days. 

Taxi squad (6)

Forwards: 22 Jack Quinn, 37 Casey Mittelstadt, 74 Rasmus Asplund

Defensemen: 3 William Borgen, 88 Brandon Davidson

Goalies: 34 Jonas Johansson 

Five of the six players on this list can move in and out of the taxi squad without having to clear waivers. The exception is the veteran Davidson, who cleared waivers over the weekend. 

Asplund and Borgen both started camp with the secondary practice group but earned callups based on their play in practice and in scrimmages. Both are young players with multiple pro seasons and NHL games already under their belt. 

Mittelstadt split last season between Buffalo and Rochester, impressing Sabres brass with how he handled his assignment to the AHL. Krueger has referred to him as an option who can step in on any line. 

Quinn, the team’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, can play six games before burning a year of his entry-level contract.