BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres haven’t had this much positive energy heading into a season in more than a decade. As the TNT panelists were making their final predictions before the start of games on Wednesday, three of the four picked the Sabres as their breakout team. Two picked a Sabre as their breakout player, with Henrik Lundqvist picking Devon Levi and Anson Carter selecting Owen Power.
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Then last night, the Sabres agreed to a seven-year contract extension with Power just two days after signing defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to an eight-year deal. Buffalo’s top two defensemen are locked in at a combined $19.35 million per year, and the Sabres core is coming together.
GO DEEPER
Sabres sign Owen Power to 7-year extension
Now they have to play the games, starting Thursday night at home against the New York Rangers.
Before the action gets going, we’ve got to get some bold predictions on record. Last season, I hit on six of the 10 predictions. That makes me think I didn’t go bold enough, so here are 10 bolder ones for 2023-24. And be sure to give me your boldest predictions in the comments so we can all revisit this in six months and see how smart we are.
Zach Benson gets Calder votes
The Sabres are trying not to put too much pressure on Zach Benson. The 18-year-old surprised them by ripping through the preseason with seven points in six games. He did it while playing against varying levels of competition and on multiple different lines. The Sabres kept him on the initial roster because coach Don Granato and GM Kevyn Adams believe he can help them win. I don’t envision that changing after nine games. He’s handled the pressure of fighting for a roster spot with an ease that is uncharacteristic for an 18-year-old. It feels like it’s best for Benson and the Sabres that he sticks around as long as possible.
Initially, I was going to predict Benson to get more than nine games. But that didn’t feel bold enough. So I’ll take it a step further and say he’ll get Calder votes. He’s currently deep on the odds board. Connor Bedard will more than likely win the award, but Benson will find his way onto some ballots.
Tage Thompson scores 50 goals
Tage Thompson had 47 goals and 47 assists last year, building on the breakout season that earned him a $50 million contract. I think he could score even more this season. Around the All-Star break, Thompson got banged up and was playing hurt down the stretch. His numbers suffered as a result. If he can stay healthy, he should be able to get to 50 goals and 100 points.
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Eric Comrie will emerge as Buffalo’s backup
Buffalo’s goalie situation is a mystery. There are questions abound about how Devon Levi will look in his first rookie season, how long the Sabres will keep three goalies and whether one of Eric Comrie or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will step up as a legitimate backup option to Levi.
I’m betting on Comrie to be the one to take that gig. This feels bold because his salary and age would make him the easier player to get through waivers. But he was so strong in the preseason and seems reenergized after an injury-plagued season last year. His years of backing up Connor Hellebuyck make him a valuable guy to have sharing the net with Levi.
Devon Levi has a goals-against average below 2.8
Levi has a lot on his shoulders coming into the season. He’s making an unprecedented jump from the NCAA straight to the NHL. The Sabres could count on him for at least 50 starts as long as he handles the adjustment well. And he’s doing all that during a season in which playoffs are the expectation for Buffalo. I think he can handle it. In seven games last season, his goals-against average was 2.94. Stuart Skinner was a standout rookie for Edmonton last season and has a goals-against average of 2.75. I think Levi can land in that range, and that would be a big improvement for Buffalo. He’s not going to do it alone, though. The Sabres need to be a more focused team on defense for Levi to pull this off.
Casey Mittelstadt doesn’t set a career high in points but hits 50 again
Casey Mittelstadt is a tough player to project. He looked like someone who could be a point-a-game player when he was playing between Jeff Skinner and Alex Tuch at the end of last season. But he’s starting the season on a line with Jordan Greenway and Benson. Without those top linemates, it might be tough for Mittelstadt to best his 59-point output from last season. I think Mittelstadt can still hit 50-plus points and be a valuable, two-way center for the Sabres, even if the offense doesn’t jump to the next level.
Ryan Johnson plays NHL games
Injuries are an unavoidable part of an NHL season, so the Sabres will need their depth. During the preseason, Ryan Johnson climbed the organizational depth chart with his steady play. The Sabres’ top six on defense is locked in but it feels like the competition for that seventh spot will be ongoing during the season. So, too, will the competition to be the first defenseman called up when the Sabres need one. Johnson, Riley Stillman and Kale Clague are all worthy. But my prediction is that Johnson will earn one of those call-ups at some point.
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Victor Olofsson doesn’t finish the season in Buffalo
A Victor Olofsson trade never materialized in the offseason because the flat cap made his salary a tough one for another team to absorb. Jack Quinn’s injury also made it so the Sabres needed a bit more proven depth on the wing. I think that could change by the end of the season if Quinn gets healthy and one of Benson or Matt Savoie earns a permanent spot in the lineup. There are also players like Lukas Rousek, Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen in Rochester competing to be the first one called up. The Sabres moved away from Olofsson in their most important games last season, and the internal competition could push him out of the lineup again.
Connor Clifton will lead the Sabres in hits and fights
This might not be the boldest prediction on the list, but Connor Clifton is going to bring a needed edge to the Buffalo lineup. Clifton’s two preseason games weren’t his best, but everything about his game suggests he rises when the competition is at its most intense. It remains to be seen how much of a bigger role he might get and whether he can unlock some more offense, but I’m expecting him to be a major physical presence from the get-go in Buffalo. We might even see him drop the gloves in the opener to set that tone.
The Sabres will make the playoffs and not as a wild card
The Sabres have been a popular wild-card pick, so picking them to make the playoffs doesn’t feel like a bold prediction anymore. Throughout the preseason, I’ve wondered whether this team will be able to take that next step into the postseason. But if they do, I feel like they could even take a big enough jump to get one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division. With even average goaltending, the Sabres could make that necessary jump.
Don Granato wins the Jack Adams
It’s clear the hockey world is paying attention to the Sabres. Their story is a captivating one given the playoff drought, how young the roster is and the exciting style of hockey the Sabres play. To win an award like the Jack Adams, you need a narrative like that one. If the Sabres get into the playoffs, Granato will be at the top of a lot of ballots. He’s been involved since the very beginning of this rebuild. A long list of players have experienced career turnarounds under his watch. He has all the ingredients to win the award if everything falls into place.
(Top photo of Zach Benson celebrating a goal: Timothy T. Ludwig / USA Today)
