The Buffalo Sabres are still one of the youngest teams in the NHL, and with so much potential from their 21-and-under group, there needs to be a lot shown from them this upcoming season. With management having made so few moves this offseason, they will once again be relying on how well their young players have grown and developed, and how well they will mesh with their already established core. Luckily for them, a pair of them have already spent ample time in the NHL, but will they be able to make a big enough splash?
Benson and Kulich Need to Make Big Jumps
Zach Benson and Jiri Kulich have a combined 209 games of NHL experience, and 82 points between them as well. Kulich will be going into his second season, while Benson readies himself for his third. Last season, Benson found himself moving up and down the lineup constantly as his role was not clearly defined. Kulich, on the other hand, spent the majority of his season in the top six, preparing himself to be the goal scorer he is projected to be. As both of them look to take the next step forward in their career, there needs to be some significant progress shown.
While it may be a bit selfish to want some high-end results out of such young players so quickly, the Sabres are not in a position where they can afford another losing season. Demanding excellence out of both Benson and Kulich early on may be unfair, but it is a necessary evil if they are going to be better this season. Benson has not yet made it past the 30-point mark in his first two seasons, and with how well he plays with the puck, those numbers need to rise.
Zach Benson, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
As for Kulich, his rookie season saw him pot 15 goals, but he, too, will need to raise that number by a significant margin. The hope is to have them both become top players in the organization, but as far as taking the next step, they both need to be pushing the 50-point mark, and Kulich needs to be scoring at least 25 goals by season’s end, especially if they both actually play the projected top-six roles that they currently sit in.
Ostlund and Helenius Need to Progress
The top end of the 21-and-under group is headed by forwards Noah Ostlund and Konsta Helenuis. Both forwards saw significant time with the Rochester Americans last season, with Ostlund even getting a brief call-up to the NHL late in the season. With the NHL lineup mostly set, neither of them will likely make the opening lineup, but both need to be strong candidates all season long for getting called up. As two of the Sabres’ best overall prospects in their system, both forwards have a lot to offer, but they need to show that they can compete above their current level sooner rather than later.
Ostlund is a speedy playmaker who uses timing and his hand skills to set plays up. He is not the kind of player who will be putting pucks in the net all the time, but he surely will be one who can set up nearly anyone else. He still has some scoring touch as he is willing to go anywhere on the ice, but his real talent comes from his speed and his hand skills. Helenius is more of a cerebral player. He may not be as fast as Ostlund, but he thrives by using his vision and his drive to both set up and finish plays. He is the more complete player of the two, and he has the capacity to be a high-end two-way center in the NHL who can score goals.
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Pushing the envelope and forcing a general manager to recognize that you are worthy of playing above your current level is one of the best things a player can do for themselves. Both Helenius and Ostlund need to capture the attention of general manager Kevyn Adams and force his hand to bring one or more of them up to the big leagues for an extended period of time. Whether it is in the case of injury to a roster player or simply because one of these two talented forwards is playing so well that it would be better for their development to be in the NHL, getting acclimated to being a part of the team’s core is critical.
Sabres’ Youth Must Seize the Opportunity in Front of Them
Both pairs of players have a lot of opportunities in front of them. While the NHL lineup is fairly set, there is always room for change, especially on a roster where the team has missed the playoffs for 14 straight seasons. The young guns in Benson and Kulich can always be moved up and down the lineup if they are not performing up to standard, and both Ostlund and Helenius can be inserted into the fold, especially since the Sabres are fairly thin at the center position right now. There are plenty of spots to either take, rotate to, or fumble in some cases, and all of these young talents need to make the most of what is right in front of them.
