Sabres preview: Don Granato's drive to build a winner; No, they're not tanking

Another long workday had just ended when Don Granato sat on the edge of his seat in a KeyBank Center office adjacent to the Buffalo Sabres’ dressing room.

Wearing a Sabres hooded sweatshirt and royal-framed glasses, Granato completed meetings with his coaching staff following a nine-round shootout preseason loss in Pittsburgh the previous night. His players, like most across the league, weren’t yet in regular-season game shape and there were mistakes to correct from the night before.

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“I think as you watch us, you'll see that night to night we'll be getting better and more efficient in different areas, and eventually it will all start to add up,” Granato explained.

The 54-year-old showed no signs of panic or concern. He exudes calmness and belief, the biproduct of 28 seasons in coaching and scouting. His team’s 10-year playoff drought is tied for the longest in NHL history and his roster is filled with young, talented – albeit unproven – players. Few outside the building are predicting the Sabres to do anything but endure another season of hardships.

Unlike other coaches forever linked to the drought, Granato has produced results in similar situations. He took an expansion United States Hockey League team to the championship in its second year, won a title during his first season in pro hockey, developed the nation’s brightest young stars into NHLers at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and learned from three-time Stanley Cup winning coach Joel Quenneville.

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Granato’s resume is as impressive as the way he explains the game to reporters, yet he doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, and he’s quick to mention that he’s not in this alone. When reflecting on his seven weeks as interim coach in the spring, Granato credited his support staff, everyone from assistants Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi to video coach Myles Fee.

Inheriting what veteran winger Kyle Okposo later described as “one of the toughest situations that I’ve seen in 14 years of pro hockey,” Granato and his staff coaxed more from the Sabres’ young core and delivered the only encouraging moments during one of darkest seasons in franchise history. Over 28 games, the club went 9-16-3. They didn't have Jack Eichel, effective veterans were traded shortly after Granato got the interim job and the club used five goalies while he was behind the bench.

His excitement is palpable. With lessons culled from last season, and ample practice time to implement further changes, Granato is determined to move his team closer to contention.

“I love potential,” beamed Granato, who was hired as full-time coach on June 29. “Potential is exciting for the player and, to me, it's extremely exciting as a coach, because you're trying to be as creative as the player in getting the player to (reach that potential) as fast as you can get them there. ... And that's fun for me. That's the drive for me.”

‘In his DNA’

Sabres season predictions, who will win the Stanley Cup, when Jack Eichel will be traded and more

Here are NHL season predictions by Buffalo News reporters Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski.

Granato didn’t have to wait this long to be an NHL head coach. In 2001, only six years after he coached a group of underage players with the USHL’s expansion Green Bay Gamblers to a 9-38 season, Granato was named the American Hockey League Coach of the Year for leading Worcester to the second round of the playoffs. He earned the honor over men who went on to lead NHL benches, including Mike Babcock and Bruce Boudreau.

Granato insists he wasn’t ready to lead an NHL team at that time, despite his name being mentioned for openings. He didn't want to be an overwhelmed, underequipped coach, unable to handle the blend of on-ice strategy and crisis management that comes with the job. And Granato was picky.

His first professional head coaching gig with the East Coast Hockey League’s Columbus Chill lasted only two seasons because the franchise was folding in response to the city receiving an NHL expansion team. There were 11 vacancies in the league that offseason, Granato recalled, and he applied for only two.

Granato was an alternate governor with the league and knew each owner well. His colleagues were taken aback by his decision to limit his options so early in his career. Granato was only willing to go somewhere he could win and with ownership he trusted. The following season ended with him leading the Peoria Rivermen to a league championship.

“You always need to think ... 'this is going to go on your track record,' ” Granato said. “When you put 20-some years in, you better make sure you have good ownership, good people, good players and good discipline or you don't take it.”

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The same holds true for his current job. When Granato was weighing whether to become the Sabres’ seventh coach since 2012-13, he called mentors and confidants to ensure he wasn’t making the same mistake he tried to avoid for decades.

“They were all like, ‘You've got to get that job,’ ” Granato recalled. “I just needed to bounce it off them. And then because of where we're at, this goes on your resume. This is your career.”

There was anecdotal evidence to show Granato that he could revive the Sabres. In 1994, he sold Green Bay ownership on the idea of selecting young players, rather than adding older guys who were promised prominent roles in previous stops. Granato knew his first season would be difficult and, he acknowledged recently, “My career could have been over before it even started.” But he believed in his ability to develop. The Gamblers won back-to-back championships after that trying first season.

At the USA Hockey National Team Development Program from 2011-16, Granato and his assistant coach, Nick Fohr, developed future NHLers Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Noah Hanifin, Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy, Colin White, Seth Jones, Brady Skjei, Jacob Trouba, J.T. Compher, Quinn Hughes, Tage Thompson and Josh Norris, among others.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams interviewed double-digit candidates this summer when deciding who to hire as the franchise’s full-time coach. Amid a roster rebuild, and the inevitable departure of Eichel, Granato’s track record stood above the field.

“The arch of his career and all the different experiences from the national program to college hockey to being an assistant coach in the NHL, all the way down to the East Coast league, and even having management experience, all of that came together to what is in his DNA: helping players get better,” Adams said. “That’s what we saw.”

Hardened by early NHL struggles, Casey Mittelstadt in line to lead Sabres

Mittelstadt’s immediate impact shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He thrived under Don Granato during the second half of 2020-21, totaling nine goals and 17 points while averaging 17:17 of ice time in the final 22 games.

‘Nothing is broken’

When Adams fired Ralph Krueger on March 17, there was no time for Granato to reflect on his coaching journey. His thoughts immediately went to strategizing. He had a style of play in mind – fast-paced, relentless and, in many ways, simple – to challenge young players and coach to their strengths. Granato showed video to Ellis and Girardi, who immediately embraced and understood how to implement the philosophical shift. Lineup changes were set for the following night when the Sabres were scheduled to host the Boston Bruins.

Then, Granato and his players were unable to hold a morning skate because of Covid-19 protocols. There was no time to make significant changes, but Granato wanted to get a message across to his players, all of whom had struggled to recover from an abbreviated training camp and Covid-19 outbreak that paused their season for two weeks.

Granato told the group, “Nothing is broken.” He spoke with conviction when telling his team that improvement would come through subtle changes, but execution would remain elusive until their conditioning improved.

“I felt our team, through the Covid issue, through no training camp, we never got in the game condition that we needed,” Granato said. “My mind went right to, if we're gonna make any noticeable change, our players have to feel better. … I felt we were in survival mode from a conditioning standpoint. The third periods weren't good. We were losing puck battles, conserving energy, because we didn't have it. I felt practice intensity was going to be important."

Following his first game as coach, a 4-1 loss, Granato showed his players video of positive moments from across the winless streak. The run of futility reached a franchise-record 18 games, but the Sabres became a hard-working, competitive team and took calculated risks that produced clear signs of improvement.

“Within a 30-minute meeting, their belief system changed,” Granato said.

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For now, the Buffalo Sabres' 23-man roster for their opening-night game Thursday appears set…

Next steps

When attempting to diagnose the problem, Adams watched the Sabres practice from the lower bowl in Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum in early March and noticed a troubling trend.

“Quite honestly, last year, I didn’t think we practiced hard enough,” Adams said.

The effort in practices and morning skates carried over into games. The Sabres were sloppy and fell apart in the final 20 minutes of regulation. They had a negative-13 third-period goal differential under Krueger.

The challenge was practice time. Granato had only 12 on-ice sessions across his seven weeks as coach, a result of the compressed, 56-game schedule amid the Covid-19 pandemic. And none of those practices occurred following a day off.

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While the Sabres’ 3-1 victory Saturday reminded fans what style of play to expect from the club under Granato, it’s unclear who will be in the lineup when the regular season opens Thursday in Buffalo against Montreal.

Granato had no choice but to push his players. In his mind, even one week of exhaustive sessions would make a difference. When the Sabres were ready, Granato implemented changes to their 5-on-5 game. Defensemen were allowed to carry the puck into the offensive zone. Forwards were able to use their speed and skill on the rush. There was no overthinking. Young players didn’t fear making mistakes and were challenged to handle difficult assignments.

The results were transformative.

Casey Mittelstadt, a 22-year-old drafted eighth overall in 2017 who Krueger viewed as a long-term winger, thrived at center. Across the final 22 games, Mittelstadt had nine goals and 17 points.

Dylan Cozens, a 20-year-old drafted seventh overall in 2019, showed maturity at center while lining up against some of the best in the league, including Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron.

Rasmus Dahlin, selected with the first pick in the 2018 draft, returned to form and began to show his otherworldly talents with the puck. Henri Jokiharju, Rasmus Asplund, Tage Thompson and Arttu Ruotsalainen also thrived.

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 The move means the Sabres will go with seven defenseman on the initial roster.

“This year, I can start on the right page,” Dahlin explained. “I can start playing my own game and build on that the whole year. I think that’s going to be the good thing. The structure we’re working on here, it fits everyone in the locker room. Every single guy is a skilled guy and will like having the puck and create stuff.”

Additional practice time this season will allow Granato to spend more time coaching his special-teams groups, a luxury he didn’t have last spring, and continued improvement is needed at 5-on-5. Practices will be more effective with conditioned, rested players. There’s also the task of developing a winning culture amid a chaotic situation. Everyone on the outside is wondering if Eichel’s stalemate and trade request will become a distraction.

It’s not a concern for Granato. His approach to coaching, specifically an emphasis on pushing players to improve, mixed with the personalities in the dressing room, give him confidence that positive change is occurring. In no way is this a tank season. A winning culture is needed, but Granato said that will occur through accountability and the personalities in his dressing room.

“Donny’s style is he’s very calm,” Adams said. “He’s detailed in the way that he looks at the game we’re playing. … The players clearly trust him and like playing for him. Now, when you have that trust, you can push them because they know that he understands their game and has their back. That’s the relationship that’s important between coach and player. He knows where he wants this team to get to and how we get there.”

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The sense you get is that fences are being mended in what had been a toxic situation.

Rather than allowing mistakes, Granato is urging his players not to fear the inevitable. Reacting to difficult moments is more important and will determine how quickly they evolve into consistent difference-makers. Wins are still important, especially how the Sabres are producing those results. But he also wants to see steady growth from individuals.

While his roster has fewer proven talents, and the Eichel saga drags on, the young Sabres with limitless potential have an unwavering desire to build a winner together in Buffalo. That, above all else, led Granato to this seat in KeyBank Center and the task of accomplishing what others could not.

“For me, I have to do things that I feel good about, and this is the job I wanted. So, the way the guys finished the season, the fact that they were excited to wear a Buffalo Sabres jersey proud, I was happy,” Granato said. “It was just nice when the season ended to feel like you did something good. The guys felt good about themselves, about their game, about Buffalo, about the Sabres and, honestly, it was just nice to feel that. I know what this franchise can accomplish.”

Let's make this clear right from the opening faceoff.

The Sabres are not tanking. It's reasonable to expect them to be terrible but they're not trying to lose. They're going to be overmatched most nights but you're going to see effort. Based on what we saw at the end of last season, you stand a chance to see some entertainment through patches of games, too, because coach Don Granato believes bad and boring is just death. Props to him.

And for everyone fretting over the losses of Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake McCabe and the inevitable trade of ex-captain Jack Eichel, it's important to be reminded of one key fact: The Sabres finished last overall in the NHL twice in the last four years with those guys.

Twice.

This corner is about as ardent an anti-tanker as you'll find and would call this organization out in a second if it was warranted, but enough with all this talk of 2014 and 2015. There's no Stink for Shane campaign going on here. Go ahead and spend hours having Uncle Google tell you all about Kingston center Shane Wright, the heavy favorite to walk across the stage at Montreal's Bell Centre on July 7 as the No. 1 pick in the draft. Sure, he would look good in a Sabres uniform. But with 32 teams in the league now, that top pick might be down to 15% in lottery odds. The Sabres can't play for that.

Judging from all the empty seats we saw in the preseason and are sure to see in the months ahead in KeyBank Center, this franchise's brand is more damaged now than at any point in its history other than the 2002-03 bankruptcy season when the NHL was in charge and the Rigas family was doing perp walks.

The Pegulas can't put this city and this franchise through another tanking charade again like the one they rubber-stamped for former GM Tim Murray, the king of "losing properly." 

You simply need to compare rosters to see that's not what GM Kevyn Adams has in mind.

Think back to poor Ted Nolan's teams in 2014 and 2015. Remember first-line center Phil Varone? Other immortals up front like Linus Omark, Zenon Konopka and his pet rabbit Hoppy? A defense featuring Andrej Meszaros, Andre Benoit and Tyson Strachan and his no-goal, minus-30 season? Remember Murray trading goalies like Jhonas Enroth and Michal Neuvirth because they were winning too much? Or his 2015 deadline work when he traded Neuvirth, his best forward (Chris Stewart), best shootout player (Brian Flynn) and best penalty killer (Torrey Mitchell) all on the same trip to Tampa?

That, my friends, was a tank.

You're not tanking when you're rebuilding with 12 former first- or second-round picks on your roster like this edition of the Sabres. And there's more coming when you think of J-J Peterka, Jack Quinn, Owen Power, whatever picks they get for Eichel and whatever pick they get from what surely looks like a bottom-five finish this season.

The scuttlebutt is the tank is in goal after Adams signed Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell in the offseason and lost Linus Ullmark in free agency to Boston. A question for skeptics: What prominent free agent goalie was coming to Buffalo this season? 

As for training camp, Dell has already flamed out to Rochester and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen isn't ready. Dustin Tokarski has been strong in the preseason and Anderson will help immensely in the dressing room, like he did last season in Washington, if not on the ice. And the GM is always looking. Stay tuned there.

No more excuses

The Sabres have kept a stiff upper lip during training camp when asked about their dim outlook for the 2021-22 season. On the first day of camp, I put the cards on the table for Adams after he had spent what was probably a torturous 20 minutes talking about the Eichel saga.

The question was simple: What's your message to your players, when basically no one in North America thinks you have any chance to be any good?

Adams exhaled openly before answering. You could tell he was chafed. Good.

"It's about doing things the right way. And it's about building," Adams said. "And it would be easy for me to stand here and get upset at that type of question or statement. But I think the better answer to that is we need to earn it. ... This is about us, as an organization, the culture of our team, earning the respect on a daily basis. It's every conversation, it's every practice, it's every workout, it's every game. We have to earn it.

"This is something special in a town that cares, that wants to see hard work, that wants to see people own it. If you're not good enough, own it. And I said that to the players. You know what, if you were not good on the ice, then just say 'I've got to be better.' Don't make excuses. I don't want an organization where we make excuses."

Excellent. We've heard a lot of talk during training camp from players about getting a "better culture" in the dressing room. A lot of it sure comes off as not-so-veiled comments about Reinhart and Eichel and how they operated like things were never their fault.

Ownership of this franchise has made countless mistakes the last 10 years. So have the revolving door of coaches and GMs. But it's always seemed odd that Eichel and Reinhart – the former No. 2 overall picks built around in the wake of the tank – never got much blame for what went on here. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are ringing up seasons of 30-40 goals and 80-90 points with first-round playoff exits on an annual basis in Toronto and getting savaged. So why were Eichel and Reinhart so untouchable here? 

Adams has clearly seen enough. He loves Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Luukkonen, and with good reason. And he's already got his own draft picks to build around.

You know the big names like Power, Peterka and Quinn. And you'll soon learn plenty more about the ones drafted three months ago like Isak Rosen, Prokhor Poltapov and Aleksandr Kisakov.

Look deeper than standings

Players in any dressing room don't want to hear about draft picks. But especially with Power and Peterka likely full-timers, the 2022-23 season looks to be appreciably more promising than this one.

For 2021-22, if you only look at the standings, you will be miserable. The Sabres are going to set the all-time NHL record with 11 straight non-playoff seasons, a black mark that goes directly to ownership as the only segment of the organization here for that entire stretch.

Watch the players individually. See who gets better. See who regresses. See who gets called up halfway through the season or arrives via an Eichel trade. 

"I think it's been laid out pretty clearly here that there's a lot of opportunity for a lot of guys," said defenseman Colin Miller, less than four years removed from his trip to the Stanley Cup final with Vegas. "Everybody has something to prove this year. Me, veteran guys, young guys, everybody. Whether it's establishing yourself in the NHL, there's no better opportunity than here right now."

"The outside doesn't matter," said Dahlin. "If you listen to that stuff, you can't play. We tell each other to stay away from it all the time."

The Sabres aren't going to be any good this year. This time, it won't be for lack of trying. But there's a chance to see some hope. 

"You just embrace the challenge," Granato said. "I love the challenge because if we can turn it around, the excitement on the other end is even greater."

Casey Mittelstadt didn’t have to respond to a recent question from a reporter for everyone to know exactly how he felt about the pundits predicting the Buffalo Sabres to finish in last place.

The 22-year-old bristled at the notion. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head before providing media and fans a glimpse at the mindset inside the Sabres’ dressing room at KeyBank Center.

Hardened by early NHL struggles, Casey Mittelstadt in line to lead Sabres

Mittelstadt’s immediate impact shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He thrived under Don Granato during the second half of 2020-21, totaling nine goals and 17 points while averaging 17:17 of ice time in the final 22 games.

“You take it and use it as motivation, but I’m not going to listen to them talk about us like that,” Mittelstadt said. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not gonna waste my time.”

Despite the noticeable growth under coach Don Granato last season, and the return of a young core that has shown flashes of on-ice brilliance, the Sabres are being picked to miss the playoffs for an NHL record 11th season.

Sam Reinhart is gone. Jack Eichel’s disagreement with the team regarding his preferred treatment for a herniated disk has led to a stalemate and a trade is inevitable. There’s a young, unproven roster with two question marks in goal and a significant void at center. So much is riding on the progress of Mittelstadt, Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens, among others.

Driven to build a winner, Don Granato applying past lessons to improve young Sabres

“I think as you watch us, you'll see that night to night we'll be getting better and more efficient in different areas, and eventually it will all start to add up,” Granato says.

With the season opener against Montreal in KeyBank Center on Oct. 14, Sabres’ players are determined to show that their best is on the horizon.

“We are a tight group and we know what we expect from each other,” Dahlin said. “And everyone’s talking about the same stuff. Like, we really want to turn this around and we really want to be a winning team.”

Forwards (14): Rasmus Asplund, Anders Bjork, Drake Cagguila, Dylan Cozens, Cody Eakin, Zemgus Girgensons, Vinnie Hinostroza, Casey Mittelstadt, Kyle Okposo, Victor Olofsson, Arttu Ruotsalainen, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, John Hayden.

All eyes will be on Mittelstadt and Cozens, who are first in line to try to replace Eichel and Reinhart. Mittelstadt, 22, appears ready to take a leap after totaling nine goals and 17 points in the final 22 games last season. He’ll run the Sabres’ power play from the left wall and likely will center the top line. His development across the past two years is evident every time he’s on the ice.

Cozens, meanwhile, had a difficult start to camp because he placed too much pressure on himself to be a catalyst for change, but he grew more comfortable in the final days. He’s only 20 years old and there will be some difficult moments as he faces the league’s top centers. We’ve seen flashes of his talent early on. The next step is consistency.

Asplund, Bjork and Ruotsalainen are skilled, young wingers who need to take another step under Granato. And while Olofsson has been a prolific power-play weapon during his three years in the NHL, he has yet to make much of an impact offensively at 5-on-5. Thompson, meanwhile, moved to center during the final days of training camp and is expected to start the season at that position. 

Skinner is a key to unlocking the Sabres’ potential at 5-on-5. He’s among the league’s top scorers in those situations since entering the league in 2010 and should help create space for one of the young centermen. Skinner, though, has fallen far below expectations and needs to show that he’s still an elite goal-scorer. He doesn’t make enough of an impact in other areas to justify the $9 million annual cap hit.

Hinostroza had a remarkable camp. His speed and fearlessness driving to the net should earn him a regular spot in the top six. Okposo and Caggiula are useful depth forwards.

The problem is at center, where the Sabres’ top options behind the young tandem are Thompson, Eakin, Girgensons and Ruotsalainen. Three of the four weren't at the position at the start of last season. Girgensons and Thompson haven’t played there in years. The lack of depth led Eakin to secure a roster spot because his ability in the faceoff circle will be useful on the penalty kill.

Defensemen (7): Jacob Bryson, Will Butcher, Rasmus Dahlin, Robert Hagg, Henri Jokiharju, Colin Miller, Mark Pysyk.

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The additions of Butcher, Hagg and Pysyk provide a veteran presence on the blue line and buy time for prospects to develop in Rochester, but each is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be gone before the trade deadline. The same goes for Miller, who is entering his third season in Buffalo.

For the Sabres’ defense, this season is all about Dahlin and Jokiharju. Their talents proved to be a perfect fit for Granato’s preferred style of play and they will be counted on to shoulder a heavy workload with Rasmus Ristolainen gone. Dahlin enters the season with immense expectations. He signed a three-year, $18 million contract and is another season removed from his selection first overall in 2018. The 21-year-old has the tools to be great. Now he needs to put it all together.

Bryson earned a roster spot with a solid camp, particularly away from the puck, and his ability to play on either side is an asset.

Goalies (2): Craig Anderson, Dustin Tokarski.

The Sabres are going with a veteran tandem in goal, but it’s not the one we expected. Tokarski, 32, made the team over Aaron Dell after a preseason in which in he logged a .946 save percentage in three appearances. Anderson, 40, is four seasons removed from leading the Ottawa Senators to the Eastern Conference finals and played well in limited work in Washington last season.

Both will need to play well to hold off Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who should excel on an improved Rochester team. Luukkonen had a disappointing preseason, but signs of growth with the Amerks will lead to another NHL opportunity.

Here are NHL season predictions by Buffalo News reporters Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski.

Mike Harrington

Atlantic champion: Tampa Bay.

Metropolitan: New York Islanders.

Central: Colorado.

Pacific: Vegas.

East wild cards: Boston, New York Rangers.

West wild cards: Dallas, Seattle.

East playoff champion: Tampa Bay.

West playoff champion: Colorado.

Stanley Cup: Colorado.

• • •

Sabres place in Atlantic: 8th.

Sabres in East: 15th.

Sabres in NHL: 30th.

Sabres record: 28-43-11 (67 points).

• • •

Date/team of Eichel trade: Dec. 13/Anaheim.

• • •

Sabres MVP: Casey Mittelstadt.

Most improved player: Rasmus Dahlin.

Rookie of the year: J-J Peterka.

Biggest offseason addition: Vinnie Hinostroza.

• • •

G-A-Pts

Mittelstadt: 19-27-46.

Cozens: 12-26-38.

Skinner: 17-14-31.

• • •

Lance Lysowski

Atlantic: Tampa Bay.

Metropolitan: New York Islanders.

Central: Colorado.

Pacific: Vegas.

East wild cards: Florida, Pittsburgh.

West wild cards: Vancouver, Seattle.

East playoff champion: New York Islanders.

West playoff champion: Colorado.

Stanley Cup: New York Islanders.

• • •

Sabres in Atlantic: 8th.

Sabres in East: 16th.

Sabres in NHL: 31st.

Sabres record: 30-47-5 (65 points).

• • •

Date/team of Eichel trade: Feb. 5/Vegas.

• • •

Sabres MVP: Casey Mittelstadt.

Most Improved Player: Casey Mittelstadt.

Rookie of the Year: J-J Peterka.

Biggest offseason addition: Vinnie Hinostroza.

• • •

G-A-Pts

Mittelstadt: 25-32-57.

Cozens: 17-25-42.

Skinner: 15-12-27.

For many Buffalo Sabres fans, this season is about the prospects.

There are beacons of hope on the club’s NHL roster, led by Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Henri Jokiharju. But the young core is unlikely to snap the 10-year playoff drought until the next wave of talented young players reaches Buffalo.

There’s Owen Power, the defenseman drafted first overall by the Sabres in July. Rochester will be well-stocked with intriguing talent, including Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka. During a season in which you’ll read more prospects coverage in The Buffalo News, here’s a glance at the 15 to watch in 2021-22.

Sabres season predictions, who will win the Stanley Cup, when Jack Eichel will be traded and more

Here are NHL season predictions by Buffalo News reporters Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski.

1. Owen Power, defenseman, University of Michigan: Back with the Wolverines for his sophomore season, Power will be among the early favorites for the Hobey Baker Award and will patrol the blue line for 25 minutes per game for a national title contender. Standing 6-foot-6, Power can sign his entry-level contract with Buffalo following the season.

2. Jack Quinn, winger, Rochester Americans: Drafted eighth overall in 2020, Quinn’s development was negatively impacted by the Ontario Hockey League not holding a season. Overmatched in the American Hockey League, Quinn had only two goals and nine points with Rochester before undergoing season-ending hernia surgery. The 20-year-old had a difficult training camp but should play on the Amerks’ top line.

Sabres' preseason reveals JJ Peterka's readiness, 'impactful' move for Tage Thompson

While the Sabres’ 3-1 victory Saturday reminded fans what style of play to expect from the club under Granato, it’s unclear who will be in the lineup when the regular season opens Thursday in Buffalo against Montreal.

3. JJ Peterka, winger, Rochester Americans: A second-round pick in 2020, Peterka is a 19-year-old winger who showed flashes of brilliance during training camp and appears on the cusp of helping the Sabres. Peterka almost made the NHL roster for opening night. Instead, he'll have top-six role with heavy minutes in Rochester.

4. Ryan Johnson, defenseman, University of Minnesota: Now a junior and two years removed from his selection 31st overall by Buffalo, Johnson had a breakout offensive season in 2020-21, recording 14 points in 17 games and winning a gold medal with the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

5. Prokhor Poltapov, winger, Zvezda Moskva (VHL in Russia): A dynamic 18-year-old who Sabres director of amateur scouting Jerry Forton described as a “hard skill player,” Poltapov likely will represent Russia at world juniors and is off to a strong start in the country’s second-tier league.

6. Erik Portillo, goalie, University of Michigan: Named the USHL Goaltender of the Year for 2019-20, Portillo appeared in only seven games last season because he was the Wolverines’ backup, but the 21-year-old is expected to start for one of the top teams in the NCAA.

7. Devon Levi, goalie, Northeastern University: Acquired by the Sabres in the trade that sent Sam Reinhart to Florida, Levi delivered a breakthrough performance for Canada at world juniors in January. The 19-year-old unsigned prospect had a record-setting .964 save percentage in seven games, but a broken rib prevented him from competing for Northeastern as a freshman.

Driven to build a winner, Don Granato applying past lessons to improve young Sabres

“I think as you watch us, you'll see that night to night we'll be getting better and more efficient in different areas, and eventually it will all start to add up,” Granato says.

8. Isak Rosen, winger, Leksands IF (Swedish Hockey League): The Sabres drafted Rosen in the first round, 14th overall, with a pick acquired in the Rasmus Ristolainen trade. Rosen, 18, uses his elite speed to slice through defensive-zone coverage and used an impressive performance at the IIHF Under-18 world championships last spring (seven goals and nine points in eight games) to buoy his draft stock.

9. Aleksandr Kisakov, winger, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL in Russia): Kisakov was a second-round pick of the Sabres in July after the 5-10, 150-pound forward totaled 73 points in 61 junior games last season.

10. Stiven Sardarian, winger, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL): A 6-1 forward committed to play NCAA hockey for New Hampshire, Sardarian had 30 points in 50 Russian junior games last season. He made the early move to North America to prepare for the NHL.

11. Linus Weissbach, winger, Rochester: A seventh-round draft choice in 2017, Weissbach developed into a fast, playmaking forward during his four seasons at the University of Wisconsin. Now 23 years old, he has a legitimate opportunity to help the Sabres this season.

12. Josh Bloom, center, Saginaw (OHL): Bloom did not play a game last season because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but he was still selected by Buffalo in the third round. An 18-year-old listed at 6-2, Bloom had some impressive moments during the Prospects Challenge and NHL training camp. He had 14 points in 54 games during the 2019-20 season in Saginaw.

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13. Aaron Huglen, center, University of Minnesota: Finally recovered from a back injury that prevented him from playing in 2019-20, Huglen had 15 goals and 35 points in 39 games with Fargo of the USHL last season.

14. Brett Murray, winger, Rochester: Murray is among the oldest players on this list at 23 years old and has played two seasons with the Amerks, but he’s still a raw prospect trying to develop into an effective power forward. The 6-6 fourth-round draft choice in 2016 had a dominant Prospects Challenge, but he wasn’t as noticeable in NHL training camp.

15. Matteo Costantini, center, University of North Dakota: A Buffalo Jr. Sabres alumni drafted in the fifth round by general manager Kevyn Adams, Costantini struggled at times in the USHL last season, totaling 22 points in 37 games against older competition. 

Somewhere during the seemingly never-ending drive from Buffalo to Rochester in December 2019, Casey Mittelstadt was speaking to his father, Tom, about the difficult news that he was joining the Amerks after 114 games with the Sabres.

Tom, the patriarch of the hockey family, didn’t mince words with his then-21-year-old son.

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Here are NHL season predictions by Buffalo News reporters Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski.

" 'Well, you can go down there and you can be cranky and complain the whole time, or go down there and have a good attitude,' " Casey recalled following the Sabres’ practice Monday at KeyBank Center.

The assignment was a defining moment for Mittelstadt. He was the Amerks’ best player in the final 36 games of that shortened season, receiving heavy minutes and difficult assignments while learning from mistakes that can lead to a swift benching in the NHL.

Two years, two contracts and another Sabres coaching change later, Mittelstadt is a key member of the franchise’s young core and will likely center the team’s top line on opening night Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Sabres' roster takes shape with decision to send JJ Peterka to Rochester

For now, the Buffalo Sabres' 23-man roster for their opening-night game Thursday appears set…

The prominent role wasn’t a gift, either. Only nine months ago, at the start of the 56-game regular season, Mittelstadt was on the Sabres’ taxi squad. Kevyn Adams wasn’t the general manager who selected Mittelstadt eighth overall in 2017.

Through a summer strength-training program and invaluable on-ice lessons gained in the final months of last season, Mittelstadt earned his spot. And the 22-year-old is determined to not relinquish it.  

“I never stopped believing in myself,” he said. “I’m just going to keep coming, working hard and try to get better.”

This isn’t an easy situation for Mittelstadt or fellow young center Dylan Cozens. Both will be counted on to replace departed forward Sam Reinhart and star center Jack Eichel, who is awaiting a trade amid a stalemate with the team over treatment for a herniated disk.

There will be unfair expectations given the increased ice time and void left by those departures. Mittelstadt, though, appears ready for the assignment. He had two goals and three points in three preseason games, skating mostly with wingers Jeff Skinner and Vinnie Hinostroza at 5-on-5.

Sabres place winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby on waivers; Casey Fitzgerald joins Amerks

 The move means the Sabres will go with seven defenseman on the initial roster.

The trio had a plus-22 shot-attempt differential in two-plus games together, showing they can be particularly potent while generating offense off the rush. Mittelstadt, who turns 23 next month, quarterbacked the top power play from the left wall, Eichel’s former spot, and his skating stride looked elite.

Mittelstadt’s immediate impact shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He thrived under Don Granato during the second half of 2020-21, totaling nine goals and 17 points while averaging 17:17 of ice time in the final 22 games.

“I think he’s starting to find a voice,” Sabres winger Kyle Okposo said of Mittelstadt. “If you would have told me two years ago that he would be at the level of maturation that he is now on the ice and off the ice, I might have said that might not happen. But he’s there. … He’s really stepped into his skin nicely, and I think that he’s only going to keep getting better and keep growing up on a personal level, too.”

The signs were evident during Mittelstadt’s first full seasons with the organization. He played well during the first 10 games of 2019-20, only to endure struggles that led him to join Rochester. As a rookie in 2018-19, Mittelstadt had 12 goals and 25 points in 75 games.

The transition to center is difficult for young players. Defensive assignments are more challenging than at lower levels, particularly on the road when the opponent can expose those deficiencies.

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While the Sabres’ 3-1 victory Saturday reminded fans what style of play to expect from the club under Granato, it’s unclear who will be in the lineup when the regular season opens Thursday in Buffalo against Montreal.

Following his time in Rochester, Mittelstadt used the long offseason in the summer of 2020 to gain strength and improve his physical conditioning. The additions of Eric Staal and Cody Eakin that October led Mittelstadt to start the season on the taxi squad, but he worked with then-director of player development Matt Ellis to improve his individual game and prepare for an opportunity.

When Mittelstadt was elevated to the active roster, former coach Ralph Krueger mostly used the former world juniors star on the wing. Krueger even went as far as to suggest that Mittelstadt’s NHL future might not be at center.

When Krueger was fired, Granato moved Mittelstadt back to center and allowed him to face top opposition. Mittelstadt thrived, earning himself a three-year, $7.5 million contract with Buffalo this summer.

“I think I had a couple rough summers, personally. So, yeah, it was good (to finish the season strong),” Mittelstadt said. “But at the same time, I think another thing I learned is you can’t get comfortable. … It was definitely a better summer, I think, for my attitude and overall well-being. But, like I said, you can’t lose that feeling and you’ve got to find it some more.”

Mittelstadt knows how to use his linemates, and he’s spent ample practice time working on faceoffs after he won 49% of his draws last season. The defensive side of the game also will need to evolve as he receives more matchups against top Atlantic Division centers Patrice Bergeron, Aleksander Barkov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews and John Tavares.

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The sense you get is that fences are being mended in what had been a toxic situation.

Eichel became a reliable two-way center through some difficult moments over his first four years in the league. And Mittelstadt, like Eichel, will learn how to use his shot more often. A willingness to shoot led Eichel to score a career-high 36 goals in 2019-20 and, according to Granato, Mittelstadt could go through a similar transformation now that he knows his shot can beat NHL goalies. That confidence, and the maturity that came along with it, might not have been possible without that long drive to Rochester nearly two years ago.

“Shooting in the NHL, you have these guys that come in and they’re just shooters,” Granato said. “They love to shoot the puck. And then you have the creative kind that are goal scorers all the way up as well, but they don’t shoot as much or they don’t focus on shots as much or taking it to the net. And I think that’s where Casey’s really progressed. A lot of time, you come up and your shot is not beating goaltenders. I mean, you are at the NHL level, you weren’t before. And so until you improve your shot and velocity and everything else, even though you were a goal scorer at a previous level, you’re not getting the reward for it, so you sometimes lean to more playmaking.

“But Casey now, I think, the self-expectation to score is greater, so he’s going to shoot more as a result.”

Winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is never easy. The Tampa Bay Lightning have done it through two of the most mentally grueling playoff runs in NHL history.

They survived the 2020 playoff bubbles of Toronto and Edmonton to beat the Dallas Stars in the Cup final and won again in July, ultimately prevailing in the Covid season over a Montreal team that somehow got there and pushed the series to Game 6.

Now comes the quest for a three-peat, something no team has accomplished since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83.

And let's not forget the Lightning are back in the Atlantic Division with the Sabres. After not seeing them since New Year's Eve of 2019, the Sabres are back to four meetings with the Bolts this season. Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt said he watched virtually all of the playoff games the last two years and Tampa's show was particularly instructive.

"They're all just going to be flying around making plays and it's going to be times where you think that you need to try something and maybe the better play is just get the puck in and live to fight another day," Mittelstadt said during training camp. "You definitely take things from them. I think you watch (Nikita) Kucherov, watch the way he moves and skates it's pretty ridiculous.

"The first line could look like the fourth line and the fourth line could look like the first line. They all are playing. They're up by a goal and Kucherov is out blocking shots, (Brayden) Point is diving in front of shots. Playing to win. That's things that we need to learn to do here for sure."

By virtue of their current stranglehold on the Cup, the Lightning bolt from the opening faceoff at the top of our preseason power rankings. But there are strong challengers to their perch out West and even one across their own state.

Here's one view of how the league stands as the puck drops on the season:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning. Led by the world's best goalie (Andrei Vasilevskiy) and ultra-smooth coach Jon Cooper, the Bolts have a legitimate chance to win it all again. But they finally had to pay the piper cap-wise, losing their entire third line of Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, as well as Tyler Johnson. They added veteran Corey Perry and come to town Oct. 25 and Jan. 11.

2. Colorado Avalanche. Patching the broken hearts of Sabres fans: The Avs had 48 points – worse than Buffalo's tank teams – and finished last overall in 2017. They've had four straight playoff runs since and could win the Cup this time, which proves that rebuilds do work when they're done right. Frustrated by second-round losses three years in a row, this could be the breakthrough for Nathan MacKinnon & Co., even though losing goalie Philipp Grubauer to Seattle in free agency hurts.

3. Vegas Golden Knights. One of these years, they just might go the distance. Still can't figure out how they lost to Montreal. They made the decision to go with old friend Robin Lehner in goal and jettisoned Marc-Andre Fleury. It's a stacked lineup but could really use a No. 1 center. Hmm. Anybody know where you could find one of those?

4. New York Islanders. Two straight trips to the conference final ended at the hands of the Lightning and they're easily good enough to go back again. The return of captain Anders Lee, lost to injury midway through last season, will make a huge difference. Two X-factors: Lots of teams think the crackdown on cross-checking is directed at the Isles' style of defense, and how will they adjust to their new UBS Arena?

5. Florida Panthers. Easy to forget they finished four points ahead of the Lightning in the 2021 Central Division and gave them everything in a fierce playoff series. Sam Reinhart was given a legitimate Stanley Cup chance by getting dealt here, and clearly saw that when he signed a three-year extension. Aleksander Barkov is the biggest superstar no one talks about and Aaron Ekblad's absence due to injury might have tipped the scales in the playoffs. Will be interesting to see if young Spencer Knight supplants Sergei Bobrovsky in goal.

6. Washington Capitals. They haven't won a playoff series since winning the Cup in 2018 and time seems to be catching up to them. But they still win a lot. Much of the focus, like always, is on Alex Ovechkin, who signed a five-year deal, but now it's as much about pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 goals as it is about a Cup.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs. They haven't won a playoff series since 2004 and time will catch up to GM Kyle Dubas and some key players like Mitch Marner and William Nylander if they flame out again. Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly and Marner will be judged only by what happens from April on.

8. Edmonton Oilers. For all the legitimate angst over the Sabres' lack of success in the Eichel era, don't forget that the Oil has won exactly one playoff series with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl destroying the stat sheets. That seems bound to change, but Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen in goal continue to be question marks.

9. Boston Bruins. The breakup of a longtime core has started with David Krejci's return home to the Czech Republic and goalie Tuukka Rask staying unsigned after hip surgery. The Bruins re-signed Taylor Hall, added Nick Foligno and took their big swing in goal with four years and $20 million for Linus Ullmark. We'll see about that. He'll have to battle Jeremy Swayman for the job.

10. St. Louis Blues. Much like the Caps, they haven't won a series since their 2019 Cup. Much like the Sabres, they have a disgruntled star who wants out, but at least Vladimir Tarasenko's shoulder is healthy enough for him to play. Acquiring Pavel Buchnevich from the Rangers should help the offense for the Flying Ryan O'Reillys.

11. Philadelphia Flyers. It will take a while to get used to Rasmus Ristolainen in black and orange and wearing No. 70. The Flyers were 11-4-1 last year but then cratered. A big reason was the subpar play of Carter Hart in net. He needs to bounce back.

12. Minnesota Wild. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter were bought out so a transition is going on. Old friend Marcus Foligno is one of the leaders now. Draftniks will be watching the progress of center Marco Rossi and continue to bemoan the Sabres' choice of Jack Quinn over him in 2020.

13. New York Rangers. Lots of folks think GM Chris Drury overreacted to Caps nemesis Tom Wilson by bringing in tough guy Ryan Reaves and a mandate for more sandpaper. Once and for all: Are they in on Eichel or not? It says here they are, but aren't willing to pony up enough.

14. Dallas Stars. They went from Cup final to out of the playoffs in one year thanks to an epidemic of injuries. Added Braden Holtby in goal and Ryan Suter on defense, they are hoping everyone stays healthy and that highly paid defense stud Miro Heiskanen improves after a step-back season.

15. Seattle Kraken. They're not going to be Vegas, circa 2018. But they're not going to be the '75 Capitals either and will battle for a playoff spot. Split the difference and have fun throwing your fish at the Pike Place Market. They've got some nice veterans like Yanni Gourde, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle and Mark Giordano but the offense will struggle. And will goalies Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger be as good as with their old teams?

16. Carolina Hurricanes. They won the Central Division last year over Tampa Bay and Florida. Seriously. Then they didn't re-sign Dougie Hamilton and traded goalie Alex Nedeljkovic to Detroit, which made no sense. They'll go with former Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen. Rob Brind'Amour is a great coach and will have to spin some magic this year.

17. Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck is a Vezina-level guy in goal and that's why they can do things like sweep Edmonton. But getting swept by Montreal in the next round is the opposite of that, and it's why they're always a hard team to predict. Canadian media fawn over coach Paul Maurice but other than the 2018 run to the conference final, where's the playoff success?

18. Chicago Blackhawks. They're still in go-for-it mode. Jonathan Toews is back, and Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury have come aboard, Jones for eight years and Fleury likely for one to mentor Kevin Lankinen. Jake McCabe also signed on to play for his hometown team and will get a chance to make a playoff push for once. It seems like Patrick Kane is a good bet to captain Team USA at the Olympics.

19. Pittsburgh Penguins. Right now, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin injured, they probably deserve to be lower. The preseason without them has been a window to what life will become sooner rather than later. They need to stay in reach of the playoff race until their stars get back or it could be a wasted year.

20. Montreal Canadiens. After one of the flukiest trips to the Cup final in the last 30 years, didn't see the Habs even making the playoffs after it was determined Shea Weber would be out for the season. Last week's stunning announcement that goalie Carey Price is entering the league's Player Assistance Program adds to the doubt.

21. Vancouver Canucks. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes were late to camp but signed. They seem to be a team on the rise. Will be interesting to get an early look at them here Oct. 19.

22. Los Angeles Kings. Tough loss last week with 2020 No. 2 overall pick Quinton Byfield suffering a fractured ankle. Adding Viktor Arvidsson and Philip Danault to their Stanley Cup alums and a young group that features top-line winger Alex Iafallo of Eden accelerates their rebuild.

23. Calgary Flames. There are pieces in place but a lot feels like same-old, same-old too when you're talking Darryl Sutter, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, etc. Would an Eichel model be of interest perhaps?

24. Nashville Predators. Pekka Rinne retired. Ryan Ellis was traded to Philly and Viktor Arvidsson was sent to Los Angeles. The championship window, which got within two wins of a Stanley Cup in 2017, is closed in the Music City. They'll miss the playoffs for first time since 2014.

25. Ottawa Senators. You have to like this kind of rebuild. Sabres have to be viewing its incremental progress with a wary eye, given that it's a division rival. Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle make anybody's top tier. Will Matt Murray make enough saves?

26. San Jose Sharks. They're reportedly happy now that Evander Kane isn't around. Let's see how long that feeling lasts. Can James Reimer carry things in goal? The heat has to be on GM Doug Wilson.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets. The infernal Nationwide Arena cannon might bellow quite a bit more this year if Patrik Laine returns to form. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins was signed long-term but suspicious minds wonder how things will go without John Tortorella behind the bench and former assistant Brad Larsen now in charge.

28. New Jersey Devils. Lindy Ruff really wanted one more chance if he inquired about the Sabres' job with Jason Botterill in 2019 and then agreed to take on this heavy lift. The Devils broke the bank for Dougie Hamilton (seven years, $63 million) and need to keep seeing growth from Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. But the Metropolitan Division remains too tough.

29. Detroit Red Wings. Another rebuild that has direct impact on the Sabres, and fans in Motown implicitly trust GM and Stanley Cup hero Steve Yzerman. Trading for Carolina goalie and Calder Trophy finalist Alex Nedeljkovic looks like a shrewd move. But winger Jakub Vrana's long-term shoulder injury is a major blow.

30. Buffalo Sabres. They may have finally found their coach and the 9-11-2 finish under Don Granato last year was encouraging. But the Eichel distraction is a large one and the loss of Reinhart is key too. The seemingly annual question: Will they get any saves? Goalies Craig Anderson (at age 40 and not the 2017 version) and Dustin Tokarski have to produce.

31. Arizona Coyotes. Issues about getting a new arena built will be the story of the season. This is a thin lineup and how long will Phil Kessel be there? Have sympathy for old friends Johan Larsson and Carter Hutton. On paper, they should be terrible but they did go 5-1 in preseason. Hmm.

32. Anaheim Ducks. There are GM hot seats all over California with Wilson in San Jose, Rob Blake in Los Angeles and Bob Murray in Anaheim. With a worst-since-the-1970s 8.9% power play ranking last year, a terrible offense needs help. John Gibson gets no support in net.

For now, the Buffalo Sabres' 23-man roster for their opening-night game Thursday appears set and it won't include impressive rookie winger JJ Peterka.

Peterka, a 19-year-old drafted in the second round in October 2020, was assigned to the Rochester Americans following practice Monday. He had three goals and four points in five preseason games after spending last season with EHC Red Bull Munchen of Germany's DEL.

Defenseman Casey Fitzgerald was also loaned to the Amerks before rosters were due to the league at 5 p.m. Monday.

While Peterka showed he's close to NHL ready, the Sabres view a prominent role with heavy minutes in Rochester over less ice time in Buffalo. Coach Don Granato made it clear that he expects Peterka to help the Sabres this season.

"JJ will be in that mix, there’s no doubt in my mind," Granato said. "But he can get more ice time, more special teams time right now there. ... We look at that as a tremendous opportunity."

The Sabres traded up to select Peterka at 34th overall and he proved he's more ready for the NHL than expected. Peterka played 72 games in Germany's top professional league before signing an entry-level contract with the Sabres, totaling 20 points in 30 games in Munich last season. He was also had 10 points in five games at the IIHF World Junior Championship and represented Germany in the IIHF Men's World Championship.

Peterka joins an Amerks team that also includes 2020 first-round draft choice Jack Quinn, Brett Murray, Linus Weissbach, Oskari Laaksonen and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, among others. 

In other Sabres news, winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby rejoined the Washington Capitals after he was placed on waivers by Buffalo on Sunday. The Sabres claimed Jonsson-Fjallby six days prior but a delay in the visa process prevented him from appearing in a preseason game. Practice time wasn't enough for Jonsson-Fjallby to surpass experienced depth forwards Drake Caggiula and John Hayden. Jonsson-Fjallby, 23, has yet to appear in an NHL game.

Although the roster can change, the Sabres' current plan is to carry the following 14 forwards, although only 12 will dress Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens: Jeff Skinner, Casey Mittelstadt, Vinnie Hinostroza, Rasmus Asplund, Tage Thompson, Victor Olofsson, Zemgus Girgensons, Cody Eakin, Kyle Okposo, Anders Bjork, Dylan Cozens, Drake Caggiula, John Hayden and Arttu Ruotsalainen.

The Sabres' seven defensemen are expected to be Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Jacob Bryson, Colin Miller, Will Butcher, Robert Hagg and Mark Pysyk.

Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski will be the Sabres' goalies to start the season after the club decided to not claim anyone on waivers Monday.

Notable returns

Dahlin and Olofsson returned to practice after missing the final days of training camp with soft-tissue lower-body injuries. Dahlin regained his spot on the top defense pairing, while Olofsson is back in the team’s top six.

Personnel

The Sabres used the following forward lines during practice: Skinner-Mittelstadt-Hinostroza; Asplund-Thompson-Olofsson; Girgensons-Eakin-Okposo; Bjork-Cozens-Caggiula; and Hayden-Ruotsalainen-Peterka.

Granato deployed the following defense pairings: Dahlin-Jokiharju; Bryson-Miller; Hagg-Pysyk; and Butcher with Fitzgerald.

Behind the scenes of the Pittsburgh Penguins back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, then-General Manager Jim Rutherford and his staff used analytics to pinpoint which players to add to a roster led by elite centermen Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

The man in charge of the Penguins’ foray into the data revolution: Sam Ventura, co-founder of the now-defunct hockey analytics website War-On-Ice.com. Ventura, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area, joined the Penguins in 2015 as a consultant and, in 2017, was elevated to a full-time role as director of analytics and hockey research.

Ventura, now 33, owns a bachelor’s degree in computational finance and statistics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a master's of science and Ph.D. in statistics. When the Penguins won their second straight championship, he received a half day with the Cup.

Ventura was promoted by the Penguins to director of hockey operations and hockey research in 2020, but he did not hold the position for long. His contract expired this summer and he was promptly hired by the Buffalo Sabres to lead General Manager Kevyn Adams’ analytics department. Ventura's title is vice president of hockey strategy and research.

Ventura was first hired in Pittsburgh by current Sabres assistant general manager Jason Karmanos, who joined Adams in Buffalo last April. Ventura has been with the club since early July, and he is in the process of hiring a data scientist and data engineer.

Together, Ventura and his staff will provide Adams with information to help with personnel decisions as well as amateur and pro scouting. To better understand what lies ahead, and how the Sabres plan to use the NHL’s player and puck tracking data, The Buffalo News spoke to Ventura about his new role:

Buffalo News: Why did you decide to come to Buffalo?

Sam Ventura: Certainly, working with Jason Karmanos again was a big part of it. You know, he and I have established a really good working relationship over the last six years. I was excited to work with him, and with Kevyn as well, who I had heard nothing but really good things about. In addition to all of that, you know, I saw it as a really unique opportunity to try to help be part of the positive change going on in this franchise. The goal is to bring it from where we finished last season, all the way up to the top. It won't be easy and won't be quick necessarily, but that's our plan. And, you know, it's a unique opportunity in the league as far as opportunities go.

BN: How is this opportunity unique?

SV: The biggest one is having many more draft picks than what we had in Pittsburgh. The state of the team there was that we were trying to win the Cup every year and, as a result, you know, you end up trading a lot of draft picks when you're trying to do that. So, it was really exciting this offseason, in particular, with the number one overall pick, and then, I think, nine or 10 more by the end of it. That's probably more picks than I had been a part of during my entire career in Pittsburgh. Not quite, but I think that's the biggest part, is the draft and being able to have played a role in bringing in a lot of young talent into the organization.

BN: How has the job of an analyst evolved in recent years?

SV: When I joined the Penguins in 2016, I think back then, there was a mindset around the league that you just needed one person to kind of do all the work that goes into hockey analytics. You know, collecting all the information, building out the databases, doing all the analysis, communicating the results and everything in between. Whereas I think now, teams are starting to realize that that's probably too much work for one person to do and so you need a bigger team to help accomplish all the goals that we have as hockey organizations and as hockey analytics groups within those organizations.

BN: How will the new hires help?

SV: The biggest thing is going to be just helping build out all of the information that we'll need to get into the hands of all the decision-makers in our organization. So we're going to be not just providing information for the draft, but for free agency and for Kevyn, and Jason and (assistant general manager Mark Jakubowski) to use in all the decisions that are made in hockey operations on the management side, and then also there's going to be information that will be flowing into the hands of our coaching staff, the staff in Rochester, our scouts. So, the two hires that we're hoping to make here pretty soon will really be focusing on helping create all that information from all the raw data sources that we have access to via the NHL and third-party agreements.

BN: Did it help that you entered the league with a different perspective than someone who has worked in hockey?

SV: I think I probably have learned a lot more from people who have worked in hockey than people have learned from me, to be honest. One thing for me, you know, coming from the public sphere to working for the Penguins is you don't really know what to expect from the people that are already there. And one thing I learned pretty quickly is that there are some really, really smart people working in the National Hockey League and they have a lot to teach you. And so I really look back on my time with the Penguins as a fantastic learning experience. There's so many things about the league that you just don't know when you're going in. I feel like I learned more than I dished out.

BN: What will you gain with puck and player tracking technology?

SV: Hockey analytics is an interesting field and that when it first came to be, you know, it was really just using the information that the league provided to try to help explain what was going on. When did a shot happen? Who was on the ice for that shot? And that's like the basis of all hockey analytics, essentially. But there's a lot of context in there that when you're watching the game that isn't accounted for in that type of analysis. What puck and player tracking is going to do is it's going to allow us to help hone in on the context and figure out why players are making certain decisions or how involved they were on a particular play. And so it really gives us an entire new level of detail with which to analyze player and team performance.

BN: What misconceptions, if any, are created by the hockey analytics available to the public?

SV: I'm certainly not the first person to make this observation, but essentially, the data that a lot of analysis is based off of essentially gives you a snapshot once every handful of seconds. So imagine watching a hockey game where I tell you that you have to keep your eyes closed the whole time and then I'll tell you to open your eyes for a second every once in a while, and you can see what's happening. And then I say to you, 'Now tell me who the good players are.' You might do a decent job, but it's certainly going to be a lot easier when you can keep your eyes open the whole time. So that's essentially what it's like going from the event-level data to the tracking data. So, you know, that should give you a good idea of the increase in our ability to analyze player and team performance now that we have more detailed data.

BN: Do you monitor trends around the league as far as how successful teams are building a roster through analytics?

SV: I think you have to be a little careful looking at the results of the playoffs, and then looking at the construction of those teams and trying to say, "Oh, we need this type of player." We try to look at it more from a big-picture point of view and identify other skill sets and strategies that lead to long-term success, and then target acquiring players, and using strategies that will meet those principles.

BN: What's the next step for puck and player tracking?

SV: In hockey, we're just at the beginning, but I think the nice thing about where the state of sports analytics is that we've been able to study what's happened in other sports, the NBA, or the NFL, or soccer, baseball. Those sports have all had tracking data in one form or another for anywhere from a couple of years to over a decade. We've been able to see what the best research strategies are in those other sports, and it sort of gives us a little bit of a head start when we think about how we're going to tackle this big problem in hockey.

For me, in particular, I have some affiliations with Carnegie Mellon University, and I've been part of a group that has been studying NFL tracking data for the last three or four years and trying to figure it out what the best ways to analyze player and key performance are with that data. So, you know, we'll probably start by just applying some of the same knowledge that we've gained from other sports and trying to see how it works.

BN: Will you work with the coaching staff to use data when putting together a lineup throughout the season?

SV: The most important thing is that we're going to be providing them with whatever information they will need to make decisions and then from there, it'll be a two-way street in terms of the conversation surrounding all of that information, and how it would affect any on-ice decision that they need to make.

BN: What gave you confidence that your work would be used by the organization?

SV: I wouldn’t have taken this position if I thought I would be spinning my wheels or something like that. I think there's a commitment in the organization to integrate this type of information into the decision-making process. I'm excited to work with Kevyn and Jason and Mark and (director of pro scouting Jeremiah Crowe) and the whole staff to make that happen.

The identity of the Buffalo Sabres became more evident with every shift Saturday inside KeyBank Center.

Quick breakout passes allowed the Sabres to carry the puck with speed through the neutral zone, long possessions tired out the Detroit Red Wings and coach Don Granato’s players made the job easier for their goalie, Craig Anderson, who made 18 saves to cap the team’s six-game preseason schedule. 

While the Sabres’ 3-1 victory reminded fans what style of play to expect from the club under Granato, it’s unclear who will be in the lineup when the regular season opens Thursday in Buffalo against Montreal.

JJ Peterka, a 19-year-old winger drafted in the second round in 2020, again showed why he's a candidate to make the opening-night roster. Peterka scored the Sabres’ first goal by tipping a Tage Thompson shot from the slot, and his four shots on goal were tied with Robert Hagg for the team lead. Peterka's line, which also included Thompson and Rasmus Asplund, had 11 shot attempts at 5-on-5 and only allowed two.

“I just tried to play the best I can and tried to have fun out there,” said Peterka. “It’s out of my hands, but I tried to do my best out there.”

In five preseason games, Peterka had three goals and four points. He was a bright spot during a training camp in which it became clear the Sabres need more top-six options on the wing, especially with Thompson shifting to center.

Jeff Skinner didn’t score during the preseason, Victor Olofsson didn’t have enough impactful moments at 5-on-5 and Anders Bjork sat out the finale. Vinnie Hinostroza was the club’s best winger during camp, while Skinner had his best game in the finale. The Sabres received more consistent performances from depth wingers Drake Caggiula, John Hayden and Kyle Okposo.

If Peterka makes the team, which forward is cut and sent to Rochester? The Sabres won’t want to lose Hayden or Caggiula on waivers. Cody Eakin’s ability at the faceoff dot and on the penalty kill will earn him a roster spot. Arttu Ruotsalainen is the forward most likely to join the Amerks, a scenario that would allow the 23-year-old to get more work at center.

Granato and General Manager Kevyn Adams planned to meet following the game to discuss the final roster, which must be submitted to the league before Monday at 5 p.m.

Here's a snapshot of what we learned while the Sabres went 2-3-1 in the preseason:

1. Casey Mittelstadt is further along than Dylan Cozens. Ignore the slow start to camp for Cozens. He’s only 20 years old and admitted he placed too much pressure on himself to be a difference-maker from day one. Cozens will have complementary linemates in a prominent role. There will be difficult moments, though. He needs to play a straightforward, direct-to-the-net game with the puck, rather than trying to create from the perimeter. That’s a natural adjustment for every young center and you’re going to see him endure some struggles until he gains more experience. 

Mittelstadt, on the other hand, was the Sabres’ best player in training camp. He’s 22 years old and appears ready to absorb first-line minutes. It’s remarkable how far Mittelstadt’s game has come since his time in Rochester in 2019-20. Mittelstadt, Skinner and Hinostroza will likely start the season on the top line.

“I think we’re ready for that and I think we’re both pretty confident,” Mittelstadt said when asked about he and Cozens stepping into prominent roles. “We’re ready to face it together. We want to do it as a group and obviously it’s not going to be just me and Cozey stopping those guys or scoring on those guys, but we’re confident for sure.”

2. Rasmus Dahlin won't be at his best on opening night. Dahlin missed the final practices and preseason game with a soft-tissue lower-body injury that occurred during a nine-round shootout loss in Pittsburgh. The Sabres expect the 21-year-old defenseman to return to practice Monday, but he missed valuable repetitions. Dahlin also struggled during the preseason games, specifically with the puck.

“It’s not ideal and there is a lot of work,” Granato said of Dahlin missing time. “We’re going to wait and see, but yes, those are obvious concerns that we have as well. Combined with he didn’t look himself his last time out, but he’s a talented guy and he works hard. It might be a good thing that he didn’t look or feel like himself the last time out.”

3. Will Butcher and Colin Miller will have prominent roles to showcase them for a future trade and take pressure off the Sabres’ younger defensemen. Miller and Robert Hagg, who is also a pending unrestricted free agent, will likely skate on the club’s second pair at 5-on-5 and be first over the boards to kill penalties. Butcher, meanwhile, should quarterback the team’s second power-play unit and will be able to earn more ice time at even strength.

4. Granato used this training camp to develop versatility up front. Zemgus Girgensons moved back to the wing Saturday. Ruotsalainen and Thompson shifted between center and wing during camp. The Sabres want options because there aren't many NHL-ready depth in Rochester, particularly at forward. 

There will be nights where mistakes by young players will lead to in-game lineup adjustments. Granato wants to be ready to use the personnel that’s performing well.  For example, Cozens could be moved to the wing late in a game if he’s struggling at center. The same goes for Thompson. They're too talented to sit, so Granato wants the option to use them elsewhere.

5. Thompson is a center. The 23-year-old skated there again Saturday, recording an assist and three shots on goal while leading all Sabres forwards with 18:21 of ice time. Granato confirmed after the game that Thompson will remain there moving forward. It's likely the Sabres' top four centers at the start of the season will be Mittelstadt, Cozens, Thompson and Eakin.

“We’ve talked a ton about the potential of Tage,” said Granato. “And you flip him (to center), and my mind just goes, it’s just lights out, because there’s so much a guy with his skill set and size and that ability. If we can get him to play that position, it’s going to be impactful. And he’s showing signs right away that are even more intriguing than I thought before I put him there.”

Notes: Winger Axel Jonsson-Fjallby was unable to make his Sabres debut because he’s still awaiting his visa. This will make it difficult for Jonsson-Fjallby to make the team. … Olofsson skated Saturday morning and will resume practicing Monday.

There has been some movement in Jack Eichel's situation in the last couple of weeks and the ex-Sabres captain's switch of agents to Pat Brisson has certainly helped.

One of the league's most prominent agents is having regular dialogue with Sabres GM Kevyn Adams on the Eichel front and the sense you get is that fences are being mended in what had been a toxic situation.

But this is such a complicated process that it's hard to imagine any sort of trade is imminent either.

Brisson spoke publicly about Eichel for the first time Thursday during an interview on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto. The key points he made on the new nationwide show hosted by Jeff Marek were these:

• Brisson revealed that he has spoken to teams that say they would likely allow Eichel to have an artificial disk replacement surgery, the type of treatment he'd prefer over the standard fusion procedure the Sabres' medical staff has deemed appropriate.

• Brisson has had Eichel get more MRIs on the herniated disk in his neck and that information is being shared with teams. The agent is talking to teams about potential trades and going back and forth on a daily basis with Adams. 

• Brisson confirmed that Eichel is getting antsy in part because he "absolutely" wants to be available for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics in February. The agent reminded Marek that the artificial disk replacement surgery timetable of three to four months allows Eichel to be ready for the Games if he has the surgery soon. The fusion surgery would essentially end Eichel's Olympic hopes.

• Perhaps of biggest importance is that Brisson said Eichel needs surgery – any surgery – as soon as possible because of nerve pain in his neck.

"Every day that goes by, I feel like I lost a day," Brisson said. "I'd like him to get the surgery tomorrow morning. There are opinions of well-renowned doctors feeling that the more pressure you get on the spinal cord, the spinal cord doesn't forget it, doesn't forgive so to speak, doesn't heal the same way as many other organs in the body. The more stressed and more time that goes by, it's not good. So the clock is ticking, and that's why we're putting a lot of emphasis and all the pressure on getting  it done."

Adams has to do a difficult dance here because now that Eichel aligned with Brisson, Adams has to be sure to keep a long-term focus about his relationship with the agent. And not just for any potential free-agent deals with Brisson clients.

The big reason? Brisson serves as the "adviser" for Michigan defenseman Owen Power, the Sabres' No. 1 overall draft pick from July (NCAA players, remember, can't officially have agents). Someday later in this decade, Power might be in the spot where Rasmus Dahlin was this summer, with Brisson negotiating his client's first deal off his entry-level contract.

Adams can't afford to let his relationship with Brisson get stained by whatever happens with Eichel. Yes, I realize that assumes Adams is still in the GM's chair in, say four to five years and you can never make that assumption the way Terry and Kim Pegula have operated this franchise. But at some point, they're going to have to find an executive to run their hockey team and stick with him.

"We're communicating very well together," Brisson said of his talks with Adams. "We have hopefully the same goals. We've identified a few teams and Kevyn's having conversations with them. And I'm speaking with him as well and we're trying to move the needle as quick as possible."

Brisson came aboard Team Eichel in August after the player jettisoned former agents Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli. Brisson said it was initially a slow process as he had to learn the details of the case and get opinions on Eichel's medical situation.

"First and foremost is Jack's health," Brisson said. "That's what's important and everything that goes by it's a day that we lost in a sense. We want him on the (operating) table. We want him to get his surgery of preference. This is a really, really complex one because it's a unique situation."

Sure is. The Sabres did not consummate an Eichel trade to get a first-round pick in the 2021 draft and it now seems they will be hard-pressed to get one for him in the 2022 selection party in Montreal. As reported over the weekend by Pierre LeBrun of TSN and the Athletic, Eichel's uncertain health status makes it likely any trade will include a boatload of conditions tied to his health and playing status to give some protection to the team making the deal.

One outgrowth of that is it's entirely possible we'd see a first-round pick for Eichel coming in the 2023 draft rather than this year unless he has surgery, returns to action and plays a sizable chunk of games later this season with no further health issues.

With teams formulating their rosters for the start of the season in advance of Monday's 5 p.m. deadline to name their 23-man units, most are tight to the cap. Many would undoubtedly be wary giving up multiple NHL players for Eichel until later in the season when they know their team's status in the playoff race.

On Saturday morning, Capfriendly.com showed 11 teams capped out at or above $81.5 million limit, thus needing to make moves to become cap-compliant or use some long-term injured reserve space. Ten other teams were within $3 million of the cap.

From this view, Adams' No. 1 target should still be Anaheim. The Ducks have nearly $14 million in cap space, a GM in veteran Bob Murray likely feeling the heat to do something to help his team get better quickly after three straight playoff misses and a cadre of prospects the Sabres would be interested in. But as far as NHL players, no matter which team Adams ultimately deals with, he may have another issue to overcome in players' no-movement clauses.

At this bedraggled moment in the Sabres' history, you can bet a ton of NHL players have Buffalo on their no-way-I'm-going-there lists. It requires another tentacle of negotiation to work through. 

"Long story short, we're trying to get the perfect fit here," Brisson said. "And it's not an easy trade because Jack's making 10 million a year and has five years left on his contract. He's an important player obviously. So there's a lot of pieces, but at the current time that we speak here he's not Jack Eichel. He's a depleted asset. And so there's a lot of moving parts that we're trying to assemble all together."

Forwards Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons are the senior members of the Buffalo Sabres and have combined to play 795 games in blue and gold. To coach Don Granato, that matters when you put a young roster on the ice.

So Granato had huge praise for the pair Tuesday when he announced they would serve as his club's alternate captains for the 2021-22 season. 

"We feel they're great leaders, two of our veteran guys that have a passion and love for not only the Sabres but Buffalo," Granato said. "They have homes here, they enjoy their time here, they spend a lot of their offseason here. They do a great job in the locker room as well as on the ice, so we're excited to have those guys. I'm excited to have those guys in the locker room, on the bench and on the ice with us. They're great leaders and they'll fill that role very well."

Okposo, 33, joined the Sabres in free agency in 2016 and previously served as an alternate captain for both the Sabres and the New York Islanders. Girgensons, 27, joined the organization as a first-round draft pick in 2012. He has captained Dubuque of the USHL and has worn an "A" for the Latvian Olympic team, most recently at the August qualification tournament in Riga.

Sabres season predictions, who will win the Stanley Cup, when Jack Eichel will be traded and more

Here are NHL season predictions by Buffalo News reporters Mike Harrington and Lance Lysowski.

The Sabres previously announced at the start of training camp they were stripping the "C" from Jack Eichel while his health and trade status remains in limbo, and would not have a captain this year while their younger players continue to mature. They are one of five NHL teams without one.

Okposo, a three-time 20-goal scorer with the Islanders, has combined for just 11 goals the last two seasons but is highly regarded by the young players in the dressing room.

"I'm going to be nothing but myself, and I know that Zemgus is going to be the same," Okposo said. "And I know that we have a lot of young guys that are in the core of this team that are going to take a lot of steps in that direction, too. And we're gonna see kind of what comes out of that group and the different voices and how they are able to take steps this year."

Fresh A's 🔥@bookerT2116 | @zemgus94 pic.twitter.com/evzVX8l3N3

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 12, 2021

Girgensons missed all of last season with a serious hamstring injury that required surgery. He has returned to regular duty this year, playing both center and wing during camp.

"It's an honor to be selected as one of the leaders and especially to be next to 'Okie' who's been a leader throughout the years," Girgensons said. "I've taken many notes from him so it's a honor. It means a lot to me to be next to him but we have a lot of leaders in that room."

Okposo said veteran players can help build a culture around an entire organization and not just on the ice.

"I'm just myself and I try to treat everybody with respect, whether it's the security guard walking in or you guys (in the media) or the GM, coach, any player, whoever," Okposo said. "I just want to make everybody feel welcome here. And when I'm in the locker room talking to the team, we know when to laugh, when to joke around, when it's time to work. That's just kind of the way that I want to try and help build this thing here."

Girgensons said he and Okposo can help the club's younger players get through the inevitable down moments of a long season.

"There's a lot of ups and downs in hockey and it's mentally hard sometimes to keep it steady," Girgensons said. "So I remember my younger days that if an older guy came up to me and had a just a little chat it kind of took your mind off what was going through your head."

Caggiula leaves practice early

Granato had no update on winger Drake Caggiula, who limped off the ice and didn't return after toppling over from a collision with Jeff Skinner.

Practice got physical for a spell, with Cody Eakin accidentally popping Caggiula in the chin a few minutes earlier and Skinner taking a hard bump at mid-ice from Tage Thompson.

"We're preparing for a game obviously but we hope that the game feels easier because of the intensity of practice," Granato said. "So we're trying to deal with these guys in situations with very limited time and space to make plays and challenge them in that regard."

Adams on Peterka

General Manager Kevyn Adams said rookie JJ Peterka took his bid to make the roster to the last day before the team opted to send him to Rochester.

"What we saw as a staff as coaches and management was everything that were looking for and what we're building here in Buffalo," Adams said during an appearance on WGR Radio. "Competitive, good speed, good puck battles, can make plays. Really good teammate. Can shoot the puck. He really is an exciting player for us moving forward."

Dahlin is staying on 'D'

Granato categorically doused chatter from Toronto radio host Jeff Marek and said there's no truth that the Sabres may use defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at forward, much like the club did in the early 1980s with Hall of Famer Phil Housley.

"I can tell you absolutely none," Granato said. "It's funny actually. And crazy. No, there's no truth to that. So we'll stick with shifting guys to center and the wing but not 'D' to forward."