[The Athletic] Thoughts on Sabres roster cuts: Zach Benson sticks around; Jacob Bryson over Riley Stillman
October 8, 2023
[The Athletic] Thoughts on Sabres roster cuts: Zach Benson sticks around; Jacob Bryson over Riley Stillman
1 comment
>1. The decision to keep Jacob Bryson and waive Riley Stillman and Kale Clague was a head-scratcher for me. Stillman and Clague seemed to outperform Bryson last season and into the preseason. Stillman, in particular, brings a physicality that can provide a nice change of pace from a seventh defenseman. Bryson also has a bigger cap hit ($1.8 million) than Stillman ($1.3 million), so that could have made him easier to get through waivers. The Sabres traded prospect Josh Bloom to get Stillman before the deadline last season only to waive him a little more than six months later even though he’s the same age as Bryson.
>Clague heading to the AHL makes more sense than Stillman since he spent time there last season and had trouble climbing the depth chart in training camp.
>This is still a leap of faith when it comes to Bryson. He was a minus-24 last season and a minus-nine the season before. Granato said he saw a much-improved player in training camp and the preseason and thinks he can get back to who he was before last season. When Bryson was on the ice at five-on-five last season, the Sabres had 46 percent of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. The year before, that number was 47 percent. Either way, the Sabres are in a better place if the biggest roster debate is about who should be the seventh defenseman.
>2. The other interesting element of Buffalo’s organizational depth chart on defense is how Ryan Johnson fits in. Outside of Zach Benson, Johnson was the most impressive youngster in the Sabres’ lineup during the exhibition schedule. He looks like someone who could step in and play NHL games in a pinch this season. At the very least, he’ll play a huge role for Rochester. His presence will continue to put pressure on Bryson.
>3. Zach Benson finished his preseason just as strong as he started it. In the second period against the Penguins, Benson got a net-front pass from Jordan Greenway and finished the play with his fourth goal of the preseason. Benson played on a line with Greenway and Casey Mittelstadt in this game, another different look for him. He still got some power-play time with the second group, too. Later in the game, Benson made a nice play at the blue line in the offensive zone to keep possession and find Mittelstadt, who scored on a smooth move to his backhand. Benson finished the preseason with seven points, more than Jack Eichel had as an 18-year-old.
>The same qualities continued to stand out with Benson. He thinks the game at a high level, even against NHL veterans. He’s relentless on the forecheck, able to make plays at top speed and changes direction so well. Now he’s managed to stick around all the way to the initial 23-man roster. We’ll see how he handles the jump in intensity that the regular season will bring.
>4. The Sabres are keeping three goalies for now, and that makes sense to me. When you evaluate Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen based on their respective bodies of work dating to last season, it’s tough to say one really separated himself from the other. Comrie looked better this preseason, but you could argue Luukkonen had a better season last year. Luukkonen is also younger, cheaper and less likely to pass through waivers because of those two qualities.
>This doesn’t mean the Sabres need to stick with three goalies all season. Despite an uneven performance in the preseason finale, Devon Levi has earned the right to start the season opener. But he’s 21 years old and will be dealing with the ups and downs of a full NHL season for the first time. Since the Sabres didn’t sign a proven veteran to split the net with Levi, having both Comire and Luukkonen on the roster increases the odds that one emerges as a quality backup. The Sabres could also wait for other teams to solidify their goalie situations and try to sneak one of them through waivers in a week or two. Maybe a trade partner emerges. The point is, keeping three goalies is about asset management as much as it is anything else.
>5. Matt Savoie began skating with the team Friday morning as he continues to work his way back from shoulder and elbow injuries. The Sabres’ top pick in 2022 missed the entire preseason after going down in the final game of the rookie tournament last month. The timing was brutal, because Savoie looked like Buffalo’s best player in that tournament and was in line for a big opportunity during training camp. Instead, Benson, his junior teammate, got the opportunity and ran with it. That’s a tough break for Savoie, but he could still get his shot. If the Sabres want to keep him around, he could start the season on injured reserve and potentially do a conditioning stint in the AHL. By then, the Sabres will have a better idea of how Benson is holding up. The Sabres could also eventually make room on the roster for Savoie and Benson if Benson carries his strong play into the regular season. But that would mean carrying only two goalies. Given the amount of variables we’ve outlined above, the Sabres will have more roster movement in the weeks to come.
>6. Lukas Rousek didn’t make the initial cut, but I won’t be surprised if he finds a way to get games this season. This was less about Rousek and more about Benson grabbing a spot in the lineup and not letting go. But as injuries happen, Rousek is an ideal fill-in at forward given his tenacity on the forecheck and ability to win puck battles. The organization is going to have strong competition in Rochester for call-ups, too, with Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen getting sent down earlier in the week.
1 comment
>1. The decision to keep Jacob Bryson and waive Riley Stillman and Kale Clague was a head-scratcher for me. Stillman and Clague seemed to outperform Bryson last season and into the preseason. Stillman, in particular, brings a physicality that can provide a nice change of pace from a seventh defenseman. Bryson also has a bigger cap hit ($1.8 million) than Stillman ($1.3 million), so that could have made him easier to get through waivers. The Sabres traded prospect Josh Bloom to get Stillman before the deadline last season only to waive him a little more than six months later even though he’s the same age as Bryson.
>Clague heading to the AHL makes more sense than Stillman since he spent time there last season and had trouble climbing the depth chart in training camp.
>This is still a leap of faith when it comes to Bryson. He was a minus-24 last season and a minus-nine the season before. Granato said he saw a much-improved player in training camp and the preseason and thinks he can get back to who he was before last season. When Bryson was on the ice at five-on-five last season, the Sabres had 46 percent of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. The year before, that number was 47 percent. Either way, the Sabres are in a better place if the biggest roster debate is about who should be the seventh defenseman.
>2. The other interesting element of Buffalo’s organizational depth chart on defense is how Ryan Johnson fits in. Outside of Zach Benson, Johnson was the most impressive youngster in the Sabres’ lineup during the exhibition schedule. He looks like someone who could step in and play NHL games in a pinch this season. At the very least, he’ll play a huge role for Rochester. His presence will continue to put pressure on Bryson.
>3. Zach Benson finished his preseason just as strong as he started it. In the second period against the Penguins, Benson got a net-front pass from Jordan Greenway and finished the play with his fourth goal of the preseason. Benson played on a line with Greenway and Casey Mittelstadt in this game, another different look for him. He still got some power-play time with the second group, too. Later in the game, Benson made a nice play at the blue line in the offensive zone to keep possession and find Mittelstadt, who scored on a smooth move to his backhand. Benson finished the preseason with seven points, more than Jack Eichel had as an 18-year-old.
>The same qualities continued to stand out with Benson. He thinks the game at a high level, even against NHL veterans. He’s relentless on the forecheck, able to make plays at top speed and changes direction so well. Now he’s managed to stick around all the way to the initial 23-man roster. We’ll see how he handles the jump in intensity that the regular season will bring.
>4. The Sabres are keeping three goalies for now, and that makes sense to me. When you evaluate Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen based on their respective bodies of work dating to last season, it’s tough to say one really separated himself from the other. Comrie looked better this preseason, but you could argue Luukkonen had a better season last year. Luukkonen is also younger, cheaper and less likely to pass through waivers because of those two qualities.
>This doesn’t mean the Sabres need to stick with three goalies all season. Despite an uneven performance in the preseason finale, Devon Levi has earned the right to start the season opener. But he’s 21 years old and will be dealing with the ups and downs of a full NHL season for the first time. Since the Sabres didn’t sign a proven veteran to split the net with Levi, having both Comire and Luukkonen on the roster increases the odds that one emerges as a quality backup. The Sabres could also wait for other teams to solidify their goalie situations and try to sneak one of them through waivers in a week or two. Maybe a trade partner emerges. The point is, keeping three goalies is about asset management as much as it is anything else.
>5. Matt Savoie began skating with the team Friday morning as he continues to work his way back from shoulder and elbow injuries. The Sabres’ top pick in 2022 missed the entire preseason after going down in the final game of the rookie tournament last month. The timing was brutal, because Savoie looked like Buffalo’s best player in that tournament and was in line for a big opportunity during training camp. Instead, Benson, his junior teammate, got the opportunity and ran with it. That’s a tough break for Savoie, but he could still get his shot. If the Sabres want to keep him around, he could start the season on injured reserve and potentially do a conditioning stint in the AHL. By then, the Sabres will have a better idea of how Benson is holding up. The Sabres could also eventually make room on the roster for Savoie and Benson if Benson carries his strong play into the regular season. But that would mean carrying only two goalies. Given the amount of variables we’ve outlined above, the Sabres will have more roster movement in the weeks to come.
>6. Lukas Rousek didn’t make the initial cut, but I won’t be surprised if he finds a way to get games this season. This was less about Rousek and more about Benson grabbing a spot in the lineup and not letting go. But as injuries happen, Rousek is an ideal fill-in at forward given his tenacity on the forecheck and ability to win puck battles. The organization is going to have strong competition in Rochester for call-ups, too, with Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen getting sent down earlier in the week.