Now that free agent frenzy and the NHL Draft have come and gone, there is nothing left but to look to the season ahead. Though we are in the dog days of summer, the start of training camp will be here before we know it.
Related: 9 NHL Teams That Missed in Free Agency
For the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL Draft and free agency provided disappointment when the fan base had been looking for an impact. The ink has dried, and we have a fair idea of what to expect out of the lineup for the coming season under new/old head coach Lindy Ruff. There are three players who need to step up and have a great campaign if the Sabres are going to exceed their expectations.
Alex Tuch (75 GP, 22 G, 37 A, 59 PTS)
In this writer’s opinion, Tuch may have been the biggest disappointment in a completely disappointing 2023-24 season. He had a breakout 2022-23 (as did many of the Sabres), becoming a top line scorer many had hoped for with 36 goals and 79 points in 74 games.
Tuch took a major step back in 2023-24. He played one more game but managed just 22 goals and 59 points. His shooting percentage didn’t even take a huge hit (16.5% to 11.5%). What could be seen, however, was a disappearing act akin to former Sabre Drew Stafford.
Like Stafford, Tuch is a power forward with the ability to drive to the net and make an impact on the scoresheet. Though Tuch’s peak is much higher, those stretches where he isn’t impactful are equally as frustrating. He was either visible in his impact or could have been missed entirely.
Tuch needs to find his form again, play at 100% every single night, and get back to being the best right winger the team has. When he’s on, Tuch is physical, skilled, and the kind of player Buffalo can love. The team needs that Tuch in 2024.
Dylan Cozens (79 GP, 18 G, 29 A, 47 PTS)
The entire hockey world was high on Cozens after a breakout 2022-23 season saw him tally 31 goals and 68 points while playing strong defensive hockey. Stop me if you heard this before: he regressed in 2023-24.
The huge drop in goals and points was concerning enough. But what really jumps out is a visibly-frustrated Cozens saying that the team plays ‘way too soft.’ He was right and the team made several moves in an effort to get better for 2024-25, but they need Cozens to drive change.
Getting better, however, will have largely to do with whether Cozens can step up and be the legitimate two-way second line center the team thought it had. Cozens had an outstanding 2024 IIHF World Championship, and the hope is that he can parlay it into a successful coming season.
Mattias Samuelsson (41 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 7 PTS, 20:30 TOI)
With all the love the Sabres defensive core of Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Bowen Byram get, Samuelsson can easily be forgotten about. If the Sabres are going to be better defensively, they need Samuelsson there providing quiet reliability on the blueline.
The problem with Samuelsson is that he can’t stay on the ice. Even during a very solid 2022-23 season, he played just 55 games (averaging 22:11 per night). He missed time on several occasions last season before ultimately being shut down for season-ending surgery in February, limiting him to just 41 games.
Samuelsson absolutely needs to be on the ice this season. Not only will it have an impact on the Sabres returning to the playoffs, but it may spell the end of his tenure if he can’t stay healthy. He can eat minutes, provides sound defensive play, and gives the team’s strong skaters the ability to roam with freedom. Samuelsson should be vital to the top four if he can remain healthy.
A Make-or-Break Year
Of all the storylines happening in the NHL, the Sabres quest to reach the playoffs for the first time in nearly 15 years will be up there. There is little doubt general manager Kevyn Adams is on the hot seat and another season without the playoffs likely means beginning the rebuilding process all over again.
If the Sabres are going to make that leap, they need Tuch, Cozens, and Samuelsson to be key contributors. All three took a step back last season, contributing to the disappointment of another spring without playoff hockey. Other things will need to come to fruition, too, but the Sabres need their key contributors to be a driving factor.
