For the last 21 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 22nd annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

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Gone – Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson, Zemgus Girgensons, Eric Robinson, Tyson Jost, Brandon Biro, Matthew Savoie, Eric Comrie

Incoming – Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod, Beck Malenstyn, Sam Lafferty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Dennis Gilbert, James Reimer

Impact of changes

For a team that is overdue to take the next step (the playoffs), the Sabres' offseason might seem underwhelming. Especially when considering that there wasn't a big trade or signing after Skinner's $9 million cap hit was moved off the books. Replacing Skinner with Zucker won't improve the Sabres offensively, even with Skinner's wildly inconsistent season-by-season production. That means it will be up to new (old) coach Lindy Ruff to maximize the production of the current mix of top scorers to bring the Sabres back into the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11 – the longest playoff drought among all NHL teams.  

Trading blue-chip prospect Savoie for third-line center McLeod might seem like a head scratcher, but the 24-year-old McLeod provides more immediate help and is better equipped to handle faceoffs and defensive assignments than the 20-year-old Savoie. As well, the Sabres have an abundance of smaller offensively-minded prospects. Malenstyn, Lafferty, and Aube-Kubel will also bring a more physical presence to the bottom 6. The hope is that these types of changes will make Buffalo a tougher team to play against.

Ready for Full Time

Jiri Kulich – After two 20+ goal seasons in the AHL, Kulich might be NHL-ready. But will the Sabres have room for him? The 2022 first-round pick (28^th overall) led all under-22 AHL players in scoring as well with 45 points in 57 games. Unlike previous seasons, the Sabres don't appear to be throwing their young players into the lineup and letting them sink or swim, instead opting for more defensively-responsible veterans in their bottom 6. Kulich has played in only one NHL game, but he should be able to add more to that total in 2024-25, even if he doesn't stick around for the entire season.

Isak Rosen – The 2021 first-round pick (14^th overall) of the Sabres, Rosen has a similar skill set to Kulich as a scoring-first forward that isn't overly physical. Rosen posted 50 points in 67 games, which should also warrant a callup at some point. But like Kulich, Rosen might have to be patient.

Ryan Johnson – A quality defensive defenseman, Johnson isn't a big scorer and doesn't hold the fantasy upside of either Kulich or Rosen. However, he could play more games than either of them in 2024-25. Johnson split time between Buffalo and Rochester of the AHL in 2023-24, mainly playing on the third pair when with the Sabres. The 23-year-old Johnson could be the Sabres' seventh defenseman, moving up the lineup in the event of an injury.

Devon Levi – The Sabres rushed Levi in 2023-24, installing him as the starter straight out of the NCAA. It turns out they had their starter all along in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, with Levi eventually finding his way back to the AHL. It's entirely possible that coach Ruff elects to go with the veteran Reimer over Levi as the backup this season. Even if he's back in the AHL, the 22-year-old Levi has a very bright future ahead as a possible NHL starter. Keeper leaguers should already be holding on to him.

Fantasy Outlook

Will the real Tage Thompson please stand up? After a breakthrough 94-point season that had him rubbing shoulders with fantasy hockey's elite in 2022-23, Thompson crashed to just 56 points in 2023-24. His true value probably lies somewhere in the middle, but opinions will vary on his relative worth. Thompson's uncertain projection also affects Alex Tuch, whose production also declined in 2023-24.

If all goes according to plan, forwards who are 23 and under should fill up the remaining top 6. Dylan Cozens, JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, and Zach Benson will all be counted on to fulfill their promise as high draft picks. Zucker could move up if one or more of these players slumps, although being on a one-year contract means that he might only be part of the short-term plan. Peyton Krebs and Jordan Greenway could also push for spots on one of the scoring lines.

Rasmus Dahlin did not have his best season points-wise in 2023-24, but he is still the Sabres' best option fantasy-wise. Former first overall pick Owen Power and trade deadline acquisition Bowen Byram should help form a promising defense that should also chip in its share of offense.

Luukkonen took a big step forward in 2023-24, playing a career-high 54 games with an effective 63% quality start rate. He could be even better in 2024-25 if Buffalo can finally take that big leap forward.

Fantasy Grade: B (last year was an A-)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.