Buffalo’s recent surge has the club in third place in the Atlantic Division with an 11-9-1 record.
The Buffalo Sabres showed some resilience in back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, falling behind in both contests in the second period, only to rally late in each contest to sweep the California leg of their four-game road swing.
The Sabres at the quarter mark of the season are 11-9-1 and are in third place in the Atlantic Division with 23 points, but still have a ways to go if they are to lock up their first playoff berth in 14 years.
In today’s edition of the Sabres quarterly report card, we look at Buffalo’s centers:
Center
Tage Thompson - 18 pts. (11 goals, 7 assists) in 16 GP
The Sabres top center dipped to 29 goals from a career-high 47 in 2023, but started off like a house on fire this season, leading the club with 11 goals in 16 games. For the second year in a row, Thompson was hit by the injury bug in November and has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.
Grade – A
Dylan Cozens - 8 pts. (4 goals, 4 assists) in 21 GP
Cozens has been unable to recapture the scoring touch from his career-high 31 goals in 2023. Last season, he struggled and his numbers dropped to 18 goals, and this season has appeared to be more of the same. Head coach Lindy Ruff briefly shifted him from center to wing to see if it would give him a jump start, but it did not help.
Grade – C-
Ryan McLeod - 12 pts. (6 goals, 6 assists) in 21 GP
Acquired from Edmonton in July, McLeod was added to give the Sabres depth up the middle as a checker and penalty killer behind Thompson and Cozens. Ruff has been forced to elevate him into the top six numerous times, and the speedy center has provided more offense than expected, reaching the halfway mark of his career-high 12 goals in just 21 games.
Grade – A-
Peyton Krebs - 7 pts. (3 goals, 4 assists) in 20 GP
Krebs started the season playing as an extra forward and on the wing, but quickly impressed his new head coach with his effort and feistiness. Finding himself higher in the lineup at times, the 23-year-old has seven points (one less than Cozens) and is averaging 5 minutes less per game.
Grade – B+
Jiri Kulich – 2 pts. (2 goals, 0 assists) in 12 GP
The 20-year-old youngster proved largely ineffective playing on the wing and was demoted to AHL Rochester in early November. Recalled after Thompson’s injury, Kulich has played much better in his natural position, scoring an overtime winner vs. Anaheim, and winning 66% of his faceoffs.
Grade C+
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