Do the Sabres Have Too Many Centers on Their Roster?

Of the problems a team could have, too much depth at a position is certainly one that comes up very little. In the Sabres’ case however, they case the predicament of having too many players that are positionally capable at the center spot. Running down the full list of players expected to make the roster or be close to it: Tage Thompson, Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius, Sam Carrick, Tyson Kozak, and Peyton Krebs all have experience or proficiency at the center position. There are only 4 spots open, so how will this play out for them?

The Fourth Line Itself Is Crowded

The fourth line is important to sort out, as many of the players vying for the spot have good numbers in different areas. With performances from last season being very good, and some players being better in certain scenarios than others, it is not as simple as looking at point production. Looking at who is there, the Sabres have Carrick, Krebs, and Kozak. All three have shown that they can be valuable on the fourth line, but they all cannot be in that spot. The easiest choice for me would be to put Carrick there as he was one of their best face-off men once he was acquired around the trade deadline last season.

This leaves Krebs and Kozak on the outside looking in. Krebs is the more likely of the two to still find a way into the lineup, since he plays well on the wing, but having Kozak as an extra forward will be big for them if they need some grit and faceoff ability. With Juston Danforth, Beck Malenstyn, and even Connor Sheary vying for the last winger positions on line 4, it is unlikely that Kozak stays in unless there is injuries.

The Middle Six is Clogged Up

The second and third line are mostly filled up as the wing spots are occupied by Josh Doan, Jason Zucker, and Jack Quinn. This leaves only three remaining slots for Norris, McLeod, Ostlund, Kulich, and Helenius to fight for. Five players and only three spots. Someone will be left out or moved around. Norris is expected to be healthy, and with how much he is capable of, he likely slots into the second line position. Then due to experience and chemistry with Zucker and Quinn, McLeod assumes to slot in to the third line spot. This leaves the predicament of having only one space in the middle six, and one of the kids playing up a little higher than expected on the first line.

Kulich may have been out with a blood clot issue last season, but prior to his unfortunate events, he was slotted up top with Thompson as his center. He showed a lot of promise, and if he is ready to go, he will certainly get another shot when the season starts. This leaves us with Ostlund and Helenius fighting for the last spot alongside Doan and Norris. It truly is a toss up as to which of them could play the position better. Ostlund has some amazing moments on the wing, but Helenius reads the ice better, and has shown he can be clutch in all situations. You could throw up a coin and it would land on its side trying to pic between which of these two deserves it, but I give the mild edge to Ostlund based on chemistry and established NHL experience.

What To Do With The Odd Men Out?

After figuring which players will slot in where, the outside players for the center role end up being Kozak and Helenius. Having Kozak sit in the press box and wait for his name to be called is something that makes sense. He is a great role player a fill in, and if he has to step in to the fourth line role full time, he can do so seamlessly. The issue here more lies with Helenius.

Yes, the Sabres could send him back to Rochester, and if he doesn’t make a good enough case during training camp early and definitively, then the best course of action would be to send him back down. While not ideal for his personal growth or ego, it would shield him from the issue of being stuck watching games rather than playing more and getting better. Depth at the center position has never been a problem for the Sabres in this capacity. They have too many players fit to play the same role, and it has the potential to cause problems if everyone is healthy. However, with a handful of these player having an injury history, the depth problem may be a blessing after all is said and done.