NHL Preview 2024-25 23 SportsForecaster.com

Forwards

Nicolas Aube-Kubel [RW/LW]

  • Age: 28
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 213
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Wsh 60 6 10 16 4 23 0.27
Career 304 32 48 80 10 192 0.26
Forecast 58 4 8 12 - - 0.21

The 28-year-old is the definition of a depth forward. His 12:12 average ice time in 60 games for the Capitals in 2023-24 was a career high and came after he started the season in the AHL. He hit a lot of opponents in not a lot of time, averaging 13.02 hits per 60 minutes. He is a good addition to the young Sabres, who need more grit.

Zach Benson [LW/RW]

  • Age: 19
  • Ht: 5-10
  • Wt: 159
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 71 11 19 30 -3 36 0.42
Career 161 21 48 69 -5 102 0.43
Forecast 78 16 25 41 - - 0.53

The 5'10'', 170-pound winger surprised many by making the Sabres shortly after they took him with the 13th pick in the '23 draft. His output was a bit streaky, but he showed a willingness to get his nose dirty despite his lack of size. Benson has all the makings of a productive top-six forward who will be used in all game situations.

Dylan Cozens [C]

  • Age: 23
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 207
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 79 18 29 47 -4 42 0.59
Career 390 91 139 230 -70 244 0.59
Forecast 80 32 36 68 - - 0.85

The 23-year-old Cozens has proven he can score, but he is trying to rebound this season; his offensive numbers regressed following his 31-goal showing in 2022-23. The defensive aspects of his game have improved, and he is now one of Buffalo's regular penalty killers. That said, the Sabres are paying Cozens to put the puck in the net.

Jordan Greenway [LW/C]

  • Age: 27
  • Ht: 6-6
  • Wt: 231
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 67 10 18 28 11 64 0.42
Career 449 56 106 162 15 351 0.36
Forecast 64 9 16 25 - - 0.39

The big forward has a combination of size, strength and athleticism not seen in a lot of NHL players. Greenway saw his offensive numbers rebound last season. He also led the Sabres in penalty-killing ice time and tied for third on the team with 141 hits. While he is a decent bottom-six forward, he is unlikely to become a huge scorer.

Sam Lafferty [RW/C]

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 195
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Van 79 13 11 24 4 32 0.30
Career 360 41 50 91 -39 196 0.25
Forecast 75 8 12 20 - - 0.27

When Lafferty laces up the skates for his first game as a Buffalo Sabre, he will have toiled for five NHL squads since 2021-22! Last season in Vancouver, he notched a career-high 13 goals–three of which were game-winning tallies. While the 29-year-old can play both center and wing, Buffalo may need him more down the middle in '24-25.

Beck Malenstyn [RW/LW]

  • Age: 26
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 200
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Wsh 81 6 15 21 -1 25 0.26
Career 208 15 24 39 -21 77 0.19
Forecast 80 5 12 17 - - 0.21

The 26-year-old Malenstyn finally made it as an NHL regular last campaign, stepping into a checking role as an energy winger and penalty killer. He led the Capitals in hits (241, tied for 11th in the NHL), topped their forwards with 93 blocks and even put up 21 points. Buffalo's coaches should trust him because he is low maintenance.

Ryan McLeod [C/LW]

  • Age: 25
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 188
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Edm 81 12 18 30 10 10 0.37
Career 326 57 85 142 21 56 0.44
Forecast 82 10 15 25 - - 0.30

He is seeking to build on the best of his three full NHL seasons, one that saw him put up career highs in goals, assists, points and plus/minus rating (+10). McLeod is both quick and fast, works well on the cycle and is getting stronger as he matures physically. He notched three of his four playoff goals in the '24 Stanley Cup Final.

JJ Peterka [RW/LW]

  • Age: 22
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 189
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 82 28 22 50 10 28 0.61
Career 268 79 93 172 -1 98 0.64
Forecast 82 30 28 58 - - 0.71

The German winger improved by leaps and bounds in 2023-24, his second NHL season, more than doubling his rookie goals total. He also earned more ice time by improving his play away from the puck, leaving no doubt about his ability to handle a top-six role up front. Expect more improvement this season; his game still has room to grow.

Jack Quinn [RW/LW]

  • Age: 23
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 176
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 27 9 10 19 -1 8 0.70
Career 206 45 67 112 -33 43 0.54
Forecast 73 18 24 42 - - 0.58

Two major injuries short-circuited Quinn's second NHL season in 2023-24. But his showing in the 27 games he managed to play has the Sabres eager to see what he can do if he stays healthy for a full season. Quinn is a shooter with a quick release and scoring touch, but he is also capable of killing penalties and playing sound defense.

Tage Thompson [W/C]

  • Age: 26
  • Ht: 6-6
  • Wt: 220
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 71 29 27 56 -1 43 0.79
Career 476 188 159 347 -66 220 0.73
Forecast 77 35 38 73 - - 0.95

The Sabres hope Thompson's drop-off from 47 goals in 2022-23 to 29 last season was the result of a wrist injury that cost him games and hampered him for weeks after he returned. The 6'6'' forward looked like his usual fearsome self down the stretch, racking up goals and points at the same rate he did throughout the previous campaign.

Alex Tuch [RW]

  • Age: 28
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 220
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 75 22 37 59 9 54 0.79
Career 564 176 230 406 56 241 0.72
Forecast 71 24 35 59 - - 0.83

The 28-year-old Tuch will try to rebound offensively after both his goals and points totals dropped by double figures in 2023-24. Although his two-way game was better, his offensive decline was one of the principal reasons why the Sabres made no progress toward ending the longest current playoff drought in the National Hockey League.

Jason Zucker [LW/RW]

  • Age: 32
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 192
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Ari/Nas 69 14 18 32 -9 81 0.46
Career 790 226 213 439 -7 402 0.56
Forecast 72 12 15 27 - - 0.38

He bet on himself last campaign and did not cash in. Zucker's offensive totals tumbled, and he missed time with injury and a three-game suspension. His ice time fell below 14 minutes per game. The Southern California native is a left shooter who can play either wing. At this stage of his NHL career, he may be headed for a depth role.

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Bowen Byram

  • Age: 23
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 190
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Col/Buf 73 11 18 29 0 53 0.40
Career 274 39 84 123 18 184 0.45
Forecast 74 12 20 32 - - 0.43

Moving to Buffalo from Colorado late last campaign has given the No. 4 overall pick in the '19 NHL draft more of an opportunity to shine. Byram quickly found a home with the Sabres and has all the tools to become an all-around impact player along their blueline. He has the ability to elevate the performance of everyone he plays with.

Connor Clifton

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 195
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 79 4 14 18 12 88 0.23
Career 394 15 62 77 42 296 0.20
Forecast 76 2 12 14 - - 0.18

On a squad loaded with talented defensemen, Clifton's role is to keep the puck out of his team's net. He is never going to generate a lot of offense and sees almost no power-play time (1:19 total last season). He does play on the penalty kill (2:01 TOI/GP), led the Sabres with 204 hits and was second with 117 blocked shots in '23-24.

Rasmus Dahlin

  • Age: 24
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 204
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 81 20 39 59 -3 66 0.73
Career 534 84 294 378 -67 409 0.71
Forecast 82 22 50 72 - - 0.88

The No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 NHL draft has grown into one of the league's top defensemen during the past two seasons. He scored 20 goals for the first time last season–the first Buffalo defenseman to do so since Phil Housley in '89-90. Dahlin plays huge minutes, gets loads of power-play time and also blocks a ton of shots.

Ryan Johnson

  • Age: 23
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 170
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 41 0 7 7 3 12 0.17
Career 47 0 7 7 1 18 0.15
Forecast 70 2 15 17 - - 0.24

In 2023-24, Johnson bounced between the Sabres and the AHL in his first pro season (after four years at the University of Minnesota). He did not look out of place at the highest level. He has never been a big offensive force at any level, but he is a fluid skater with a good first step, poise with the puck and excellent hockey sense.

Owen Power

  • Age: 21
  • Ht: 6-6
  • Wt: 226
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 76 6 27 33 8 28 0.43
Career 269 21 97 118 2 74 0.44
Forecast 80 7 33 40 - - 0.50

The Sabres thought enough of Power to lock him up long term after he was a Calder finalist and All-Rookie Team selection in '22-23. He is a solid two-way defenseman who can be used in all situations. Power blocks shots but is not very physical. Getting more power-play minutes (1:36 TOI/GP last season) would help his offensive totals.

Mattias Samuelsson

  • Age: 24
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 224
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Buf 41 1 6 7 4 26 0.17
Career 238 12 43 55 8 94 0.23
Forecast 66 2 8 10 - - 0.15

The first year of Samuelsson's long-term contract was cut short after 41 contests by an upper-body injury that required surgery. When healthy, he is a huge (6'4'', 224 pounds) minute-munching defensive defenseman who is willing to sacrifice his body to block shots. Samuelsson can also play on either side, which adds to his NHL value.

Devon Levi

  • Age: 22
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 184
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
26 16 6 4 0 2.42 0.927
Career 39 17 17 2 0 3.29 0.894
Forecast 22 9 - - 1 2.99 0.899

The seventh-round draft choice in 2020 nearly carried the Sabres to the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs after turning pro in March 2023. Now 22, Levi is trying to get his career back on track after he went from opening-night starter in '23-24 to losing his NHL gig and spending much of last campaign in the AHL, where he performed very well.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

  • Age: 25
  • Ht: 6-5
  • Wt: 223
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
Buf 54 27 22 4 5 2.57 0.91
Career 164 75 69 16 7 3.03 0.898
Forecast 52 24 - - 3 2.89 0.901

The big Finn will try to build on a great 2023-24, the best season by a Sabres starting 'tender since the Ryan Miller era in the early '10s. The 6'5'' Luukkonen takes up a lot of room and moves well for someone his size. Despite playing on a team that regressed badly last season, he cut more than a full goal per game off his average.