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Updated Sabers Organizational Depth Chart

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It’s time to break down the Buffalo Sabers depth chart, position by position, to get a complete picture of the organization’s players and prospects from top to bottom.

General manager Kevyn Adams shed some light on the team’s offseason plans on Thursday, giving us a clearer picture of where players stand in the organization. There’s bound to be a flurry of deals in the coming weeks, with the NHL Draft, free agency and potential trades looming. It’s important to understand where the current roster and prospect pool stands, so we can anticipate areas that need to be addressed.

Center

NHL

  • Tage Thompson
  • Dylan Cozens
  • Peyton Krebs (RFA)

In the system

  • Matthew Savoie
  • Jiri Kulich
  • Noah Ostlund
  • Anton Wahlberg
  • Tyson Kozak

Unsigned Written

  • Matteo Costantini
  • William von Barnekow
  • Gustav Karlsson
  • Linus Sjödin

The glaring hole in the middle is a mid-six NHL center who can trade with Dylan Cozens on the second or third line. Casey Mittelstadt was gifted offensively in this role, but the Sabers will likely look for someone more defensively responsible to fill out the depth chart this offseason.

Savoie, Kulich and Ostlund are all close to being NHL ready, with the backstop option of starting next season in Rochester. Savoie or Kulich could also move to the wing, whether it’s a temporary or permanent fit.

Wahlberg is the system’s fourth center prospect with NHL upside and is much bigger than the former first-rounders ahead of him. He will continue to leverage his skills and ultimately provide the Sabers with a different dynamic.

Related: Sabers want Cates, not laughs from flyers

Left wing

NHL

  • JJ Peterka
  • Zach Benson
  • Jeff Skinner
  • Jordan Greenway

In the system

  • Alexander Kisakov
  • Victor Neuchev

Unsigned Written

  • Prokar Poltapov
  • Ethan Miedema

Peterka established himself as the team’s top left winger after last season, pushing Skinner out of Thompson’s line. With Benson showing incredible versatility and promise in his rookie season, he arguably surpassed Skinner as well.

This has led to recent speculation about an upcoming buyout of the Sabres’ highest-paid forward in order to better distribute his salary. If Skinner regains his scoring touch, he will be one of the most valuable even-strength players in the league. If he’s stuck on the third line again, given his defensive issues, there are better solutions on the open market.

Kisakov and Neuchev have shown good signs in Rochester, as they develop as NHL prospects. Poltapov, mentioned by Adams on Thursday, will remain in Russia until his contract expires. He was selected ahead of Kisakov and the Sabers are still very high on him.

Miedema is also worth mentioning, as he is a talented big forward who should earn a contract soon. In terms of quality, the Sabers are strong at left wing on the depth chart.

Must read: The Sabers could use a Matt Rempe

Right wing

NHL

In the system

  • Isaac Rosen
  • Lucas Rousek
  • Olivier Nadeau

Unsigned Written

  • Stiven Sardarian
  • Aaron Huglen
  • Jacques Richard
  • Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson

With only two right wingers on the NHL roster, there is room for additions on the right side. Rosen and Rousek (both lefties) were called up but haven’t shown enough to prove they’re ready to fill an everyday role. Savoie is a right-handed shot who could move to the wing if he proves ready in training camp.

Last season, Nadeau played primarily for Buffalo’s ECHL affiliate, Jacksonville. He will look to transition to a full-time job in the AHL and prove he still has potential. If he develops the power forward skills the Sabers saw when they drafted him, that should improve the prospects at right wing on the depth chart.

Sardarian is less like other Russian prospects drafted by the Sabers in that he plays in the NCAA. So is Hughlen, as his long road to his senior season takes shape for the 2019 fourth-round pick. Richard’s strong first season in the NCAA arguably puts him ahead of the two unsigned prospects, although he s This is a sixth round selection.

Must Read: Sabers Draft Marner, Not Eichel in 2015 Rework

Left defense

NHL

  • Rasmus Dahlin
  • Owen Power
  • Bowen Byram
  • Mattias Samuelsson
  • Ryan Johnson
  • Jacob Bryson (RFA)

In the system

  • Kale Clague (RFA)
  • Nikita Novikov
  • Sjalin Street (RFA)

Unsigned Written

  • Sean Keohane
  • Norwin Panocha

The left-handed shot overload on the Sabres’ defense is a luxury, with Dahlin, Byram and Samuelsson able to move to the right regularly. The promise Johnson displayed during his rookie season puts him ahead of Bryson, whose contract status is uncertain.

Clague’s status is also uncertain, as the Sabers could look elsewhere to fill out the organizational depth chart. Novikov is the only developing left defense prospect in the pool, which is a potential need in the upcoming draft.

With Dahlin, Power and Samuelsson locked in long term, the thinness of the prospect system on the backend isn’t too much of a concern.

Related: Why the Sabers win the Mittelstadt trade

Right defense

NHL

  • Henri Jokiharju (FRG)
  • Connor Clifton

In the system

Unsigned Written

  • Maxime Strbak
  • Gavin McCarthy

Speaking of lack of depth on the blue line, the Sabers only have five right-handed defensemen in the organization. That’s if Jokiharju re-signs, which is expected after having his best season in Buffalo. Clifton has proven that he is strictly a third-pairing defenseman, leaving room for improvement on the depth chart if Sabers management so desires.

Even though Komarov is the only other right defenseman under contract, he is coming off an incredible season in the QMJHL. He was named defenseman of the year after scoring 69 points in 60 games with the Quebec Remparts and the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He also won the Guy Lafleur Trophy awarded to the MVP of the playoffs. He will look to transfer those puck skills to the AHL while complementing his defensive game.

Strbak and McCarthy are both developing in the NCAA, but are expected to eventually sign with Buffalo as second and third round picks, respectively.

Goalie

NHL

  • Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (FRG)
  • Devon Levi

In the system

Unsigned Written

  • Scott Ratzlaff
  • Topias Leinonen

Goaltending is a huge need for the organization, but not necessarily for the big club. Luukkonen is expected to re-sign shortly and team up with Levi to form a very young but talented goaltending tandem.

Ratzlaff and Leinonen have not signed and are not expected to report to Rochester next season, leaving the Sabers looking for a third, fourth and fifth goalie to fill out the depth chart and guard the net in Rochester.

The organization’s third goaltender could prove invaluable if Adams follows recent trends in the NHL. Alex Lyon scored in Detroit after starting as the team’s third goalie. New Jersey was in desperate need of a quality guard, which caused them to be as high as fourth on their depth chart for any stuff. Injuries propelled Arturs Silovs into the playoffs for Vancouver, and he kept the net in front of backup Casey DeSmith.

Must Read: 3 Takeaways from Adams and Forton Presser

Saber Depth Chart

For a complete picture of the organization, here is a chart showing the complete depth chart of the Buffalo Sabres. Adjustments will be made once the dust settles in the offseason, as the draft and free agency get underway in the coming weeks.

Center Left wing Right wing Left defense Right defense Goalie
Tage Thompson JJ Peterka Alex Tuch Rasmus Dahlin Henri Jokiharju Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Dylan Cozens Zach Benson Jack Quinn Owen Power Connor Clifton Devon Levi
Peyton Krebs Jeff Skinner Isaac Rosen Bowen Byram Vsevolod Komarov Scott Ratzlaff
Matthew Savoie Jordan Greenway Lucas Rousek Mattias Samuelsson Maxime Strbak Topias Leinonen
Jiri Kulich Alexander Kisakov Olivier Nadeau Ryan Johnson Gavin McCarthy
Noah Ostlund Victor Neuchev Stiven Sardarian Jacob Brison
Anton Wahlberg Prokar Poltapov Aaron Huglen Kale Clague
Tyson Kozak Ethan Miedema Jacques Richard Nikita Novikov
Matteo Costantini Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson Sjalin Street
William von Barnekow Sean Keohane
Gustav Karlsson Norwin Panocha
Linus Sjödin


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