With the regular season just around the corner, fantasy hockey owners will be completing their fantasy drafts soon. With so much more information in the hockey world and so many more world-class talents emerging by the year, there is plenty of potential to go around. For the Sabres, they have shown that they have some big names to consider in the fantasy world and that they have a few more with some big upside potential in the coming seasons. As one of the resident fantasy hockey experts, I wanted to have a look at some of the Sabres’ top fantasy players and a few others that could provide some big value down the draft board.
My qualifications for fantasy value in players are fairly straightforward. Players who offer coverage across major categories such as goals, assists, hits, shots, blocked shots, and plus/minus will be ranked higher based on the volume that they provide in that category. Meanwhile, players who are more spread out across the board while unfocused in one specific category can be ranked similarly, but they may be lower based on the lower numbers in a specific area.
10. JJ Peterka, Left Wing
I have talked about JJ Peterka before being a big breakout candidate for this season, and it serves to put him at the first spot on this list based on how he is projected to produce. As a second-year winger with good balanced scoring potential, along with some power-play opportunity, Peterka could be a very serviceable winger to a lot of fantasy owners. He will likely continue to play in his top-six role alongside Dylan Cozens, so he will have every opportunity to produce more than last season (12g, 20a, 32p).
For fantasy, he does not provide much more value beyond his scoring ability, so there is still something to be desired from his peripheral categories. But ultimately, it is his scoring combined with his chemistry with his linemates that will bring his value up for this season.
9. Connor Clifton, Defense
Clifton mostly provides value in hitting and blocked shots categories. He does have some more offensive touch than someone like Mattias Samuelsson, so he earns a ranking because of this. Last season, while playing for the Boston Bruins, Clifton threw a career-high 208 hits, which would have led the Sabres by a long shot, while also adding 120 blocked shots.
In Boston, he played a predominately third-pairing role. But in Buffalo, Clifton may have more chances in the top-four, which would only allow for increases in every category across the board. His general lack of offensive numbers keeps him lower on this board, but in a deep draft, he would be a major pickup for any fantasy owner looking to up their grit numbers.
8. Casey Mittelstadt, Center/Left Wing
Mittelstadt showed towards the end of last season that he has some incredible playmaking skills. He might not put the puck in the back of the net himself nearly as often as some might hope, but his assist totals, coupled with his dual positioning, make him a solid offensive threat. Due to his success last season, he will likely get a shot to play alongside Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka to start the year, and that top-six role would only add more to his value. Taking Mittelstadt high in a draft would not be the best idea, but for a team needing some assists or scoring depth, he is the perfect forward from the Sabres to fit the bill.
7. Owen Power
Redraft leagues may see Owen Power dropping to some lower tiers in their drafts, but for keeper and dynasty leagues, Power is a big young player to bet on. Right now, he has shown that he has some good blocking and playmaking ability but is hesitant to throw hits or shoot the puck to score more. As he matures and grows in the NHL, he may add those two missing pieces to his repertoire. But for now, his value lies in his playmaking ability and his solid defense. Power is more of a future play than anything else, but that should not make fantasy owners stray away from selecting him with a mid-round pick. He still has a lot to give.
6. Devon Levi, Goaltender
The hype surrounding Devon Levi is off the charts these days, as Sabres fans cherish the fact that they may have found a steady goaltender for their team. As Levi is a first-year goaltender, his starting role will be fickle, barring him putting up some insane numbers. As far as fantasy is concerned, his numbers may not be as staggering as the hype would suggest, but that does not mean he will be a bad option at all.
A starting goalie on a good team in the NHL is worth about the same as an elite goalie on a mid-ranged team. If Levi plays up to a basic starting goalie level, his stats will make him one of the better fantasy assets from the Sabres’ roster.
5. Jeff Skinner, Left Wing
Since being let out of the Ralph Krueger dog house, Jeff Skinner has been a fantastic scoring player for the Sabres and thus has become a fantasy threat for every major scoring category as well. Last season, he hit the 30-plus goal mark again and was over a point per game.
Skinner’s value typically lies in his goal-scoring ability, and while he continues to be a top player on the Sabres’ roster, he will only provide more value. His playmaking has evolved tremendously over the last couple of seasons, and he could easily slot in as a primary scoring forward in category or points leagues. For those who have a salary cap in their leagues, his $9 million cap hit is a little high, but he is still well worth it in relation to the value he provides in goals, assists, and power-play points.
4. Dylan Cozens, Center
As a young budding center, Cozens has the makings of being a huge versatile threat for any fantasy team. He provides value in both the major scoring categories and the peripheral ones. Cozens had a solid 30-goal season in 2022-23, and he added some great value on the power play. Of the Sabres forwards that can score in bunches, he is the most physical as he throws a decent amount of hits (55), and he is willing to step up and get into scrums, so he can get some penalty minutes mixed in there too.
On top of all that, he was the Sabres’ best faceoff man with just under a 50 percent win rate, so he will build on that as well. All in all, Cozens covers the most categories without blowing away one single category so far. He is the perfect second center for any fantasy team.
3. Alex Tuch, Right Wing
Tuch’s chemistry with linemates Jeff Skinner and Tage Thompson is something that makes him a huge fantasy asset when paired with one or the other. He is a speedy power forward with reliable scoring and playmaking abilities. While he has had some short setbacks from injuries, he should not be left on the draft board for very long as his benefits far outweigh his risks.
Tuch has the potential to be a 40-goal scoring, 90-point player if he gets everything going right for him, but on an average season, he can be counted on for at least 30 goals and 75 points. He provides good value on the hitting and plus/minus side of things, and those kinds of categories can put a team over the top in most leagues. He is easily one of the top 10 right wingers as far as fantasy hockey is concerned and should get selected as such in most leagues.
2. Rasmus Dahlin, Defense
Dahlin is one of the best fantasy defensemen in the entire NHL, and he earned that in spades last season. As a premier two-way defender, he gets coverage in every possible valuable fantasy category. While his point-scoring is skewed towards his assists, he still is good to be around or over the 15-goal mark for the foreseeable future. His blocking ability and hitting ability are consistent enough but not overwhelming, so he provides a ton of extra value in that regard.
As an all-around defender as far as fantasy is concerned, Dahlin will likely get selected in most drafts by the 25-30 mark at the latest and could go as high as the 15 mark in some leagues. He fills the top defender role perfectly for every team, so picking him a little early to fill that role is 100% worth doing.
1. Tage Thompson, Center
Thompson is a scorer through and through. He splits his scoring stats very much down the middle, as his goals and assists have been very close to each other over the past two seasons when he burst onto the scene as a top-scoring forward in the NHL. He was just short of the 50-goal and 100-point marks last season, so he will be looking to hit those milestones in 2023-24, and that means a lot of extra points for fantasy owners.
Thompson not only scores consistently, but he also scores in bunches a lot. Leagues that place value on power-play points and give extra points towards hat tricks will be jumping at the chance to pick Thompson high in their draft. He may not go in the top 10 of most drafts, but he is a lock to go before the 20th pick, so shoot for him sooner rather than later if you intend on building your team around him.
Honorable Mentions and Future Watch
The Sabres have a lot of skill currently on their roster, and they will look to eventually pair that with future talents who are waiting to get their shot. Former 13th overall pick Zach Benson has been making a strong case for himself to be in the NHL this season, while former first-round picks in 2022 Matt Savoie and Jiri Kulich also have a good chance to join the big club soon. With Jack Quinn likely out until December with his injury, there’s possibly an open spot on the roster for one of these players to step in and provide some solid fantasy value.
Quinn would be a valuable asset to many teams once he returns, as he is a very good secondary scoring threat. Once he steps back into the Sabres lineup, he will be pushing for his spot beside Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, and the goal-scoring Quinn has shown he is capable of will be something any fantasy owner will want; they’ll just have to pay close attention to his return timetable.
Related – Predicting the Sabres’ Major Stat Category Leaders for 2023-24
The Sabres have a lot of fantasy value compared to previous years, and it is about time that they get the recognition they have earned. As the season progresses, their values will continue to be reassessed and compared to the rest of the league, so always keep a close eye on the young fringe players looking to make a name for themself. Fantasy hockey is all about projections, and these Sabres have some of the best options for top and middle-ranked teams. Don’t be afraid to combine or pair a few of these players together on a line, or in your lineup in general, to maximize that potential and get some extra wins this season.
