Sabres head coach must get more out of Thompson and Cozens
The Buffalo Sabres will likely see changes this summer with the return of Lindy Ruff if they are serious about snapping their lengthy playoff drought and getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2011. There appears to be stability in goal with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi, and the blueline has a talented top four group that needs to be more physical and defensively consistent, but it is at forward where the club needs to make the most changes.
Sabres GM Kevyn Adams likely went into last season feeling confident about the quality and depth of his club up the middle, with Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt coming off career years and two of the three locked up on long-term deals.
Both Thompson and Cozens saw a significant dip in their offensive production, in part because of the emphasis on being more responsible defensively, but also due to a dramatic decline in the power play, and getting them back to their 2023 scoring levels will be one of Ruff’s most important tasks.
Mittelstadt led the club in scoring and found himself often elevated into the top six, but the fact that he needed a new contract this summer and that Adams would not be willing to pay him at the same level as Thompson and Cozens led to the 25-year-old being dealt to Colorado for Bowen Byram.
Where the Sabres have big question marks is in their bottom six and whether Mittelstadt can be replaced internally or if Adams will have to go outside the organization. Peyton Krebs found himself elevated to the third line after the Mittelstadt deal, to see if he could handle the role. The former Vegas first-rounder was effective playing on the fourth line, but only scored five points in 19 games at the end of the season playing with wingers Zach Benson and Jeff Skinner.
Prospects Jiri Kulich, Matthew Savoie, and Noah Ostlund will vie for spots on the roster, but with the edict of playoffs or bust this season, it is possible that Buffalo under Ruff would not leave such a critical role to chance and that they might be open to dealing one of them or their 2024 first-round pick for a stable veteran presence.
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