Which Sabers prospect will take the roster spot created by Jack Quinn’s injury?

Quinn’s prolonged recovery created a hole in the Sabres’ forward line that Adams tried to fill, but the general manager’s efforts did not lead to a signing. Instead, the plan is for several internal candidates to compete for a roster spot when training camp begins next month.

“It’s not something we talk about every day, it’s not something we share plans or big visions,” Sabers coach Don Granato told reporters last month. “But Kevyn will try to improve our team every day, I will try to improve our team every day. Sometimes it’s inside, sometimes it pulls someone outside.

“But in this case especially with Jack Quinn, we have players in our organization right now that will slide into slots that I’m very comfortable with. But again, that’s not to be confused with always losing sight of the effort to be better and better and better.

A source close to the situation told The Buffalo News after Quinn’s surgery in late June that his timeline for a return was “closer to six months,” which would keep the winger out until late December. Even if the procedure isn’t problematic for an athlete’s career, it’s reasonable to wonder how much time Quinn will need to make an impact.

Here’s a look at each of the prospects competing for the job:

Don’t let two playoff games with Rochester put you off Savoie’s potential. He was one of the leading players in the Western Hockey League last season, scoring 38 goals and 95 points in 62 regular-season games before scoring 29 points in 19 games during the streak. of Winnipeg to the championship series. He’s an incredible skater with a skill set ready to be tested in the NHL, as illustrated by his strong training camp with the Sabers last summer after a summer in which he was unable to work out at the top body due to shoulder injury.

The potential issue is size and strength. The Amerks listed Savoie at 5-foot-9, 179 pounds when he appeared in Games 2 and 3 of their Eastern Conference final series against the Hershey Bears. It’s worth putting Savoie in the lineup to give him an introduction to the physical nature of the American Hockey League, but I’d argue that even the most talented junior player would struggle in that situation. The Bears are a big, physical opponent with a defensive-minded style of play that easily earns time and space for a forward.

Savoie has a top-6 skill set with a mature defensive game that prepares him for the responsibilities of the NHL. There’s no way to rush physical maturity, though, and if Savoie doesn’t show he can handle the NHL grind, he’ll spend another season in the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild.

The Sabers have a few options with Savoie if he has a strong camp. He could appear in nine regular-season games without burning through the first year of his entry-level contract, or the club could follow the same plan the Seattle Kraken used with their top draft pick in 2022 , Shane Wright, who was scratched from the NHL long roster to earn a conditioning assignment in the AHL. Wright appeared in eight games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds before he was reassigned to junior hockey. Wright rejoined Coachella for the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs when his season with the Windsor Spitfires ended.

The Sabers showed us last fall with Quinn and JJ Peterka that when a young player proves he’s ready for the next challenge, they can’t stop him from earning a spot in Buffalo. Kulich is only 19 years old and 13 months removed from being selected 28th overall by the Sabers in the NHL draft in Montreal, but he has delivered a remarkable debut season in the AHL. Kulich totaled 24 goals and 46 points in 62 regular-season games – marks that ranked first among all under-19 players in the league since 2000 – before an impressive postseason with seven goals and 11 points in 12 games while playing center.

It’s no secret that Kulich needs to sharpen some parts of his game that can be exposed against the main competition in the NHL, especially his details without the puck. However, the Sabers aren’t afraid to let him learn lessons on the job, like Quinn and Peterka did last season. Another potential issue is Kulich’s game at 5-on-5. His left-handed shot can beat goalies in today’s NHL, but will he bring enough to every shift to make a consistent impact at even strength? Can Granato bring Kulich and Victor Olofsson to the same line given how similar their skill sets are at this stage of the former’s career?

If a bottom-six forward is needed without Quinn, the Sabers could lean toward Rousek, given his skills on the wing. Rousek, 24, is a terrific passer with an uncanny ability to find pockets of space in the offensive zone. He understands how to extend possession with smart plays on the wall and creates chaos by getting in front of the net. His extensive experience in Rochester and playing pro hockey in the Czech Republic gives him a more mature defensive game than others competing for a roster spot, plus he’s the type of player who can skate up or down the lineup. and next to different types of forwards. .

The Sabers hope Rousek will eventually become a full-time NHLer, as illustrated by the two-year contract they gave the 2019 sixth-round draft pick this summer that includes a one-way clause in 2024-25. His development has continued since he returned from an ACL injury in the spring of 2022, and he has quickly established himself as one of the most skilled players on the Amerks roster. He had 16 goals and 56 points in 70 games last season before posting 12 points in 14 playoff games.

Murray’s agent, Jeff Jackson, could negotiate a higher salary for the 6-5 winger this summer after a season in which Murray produced career highs in goals (23), assists (26 ) and points (46) while spending most of his time. on top of the Amerks line. Murray accepted the one-year contract with a $775,000 cap hit and $250,000 salary in the minors because it makes him more attractive to other teams if he doesn’t join the team this fall. He would need waivers to return to Rochester, and every dollar counts as general managers try to improve their depth in the days leading up to the start of the season. Watch out for the Oilers, whose hockey operations are now run by Jackson, and the Anaheim Ducks, where Murray’s junior coach is now an assistant at their AHL affiliate.

Murray has had an issue carving out a role with the Sabres, and they likely filled his role in March by acquiring Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild. Greenway has a similar skill set but plays with enough pace to receive consistent ice time in Granato’s system. Murray, on the other hand, is not the strongest skater. His 19 games with the Sabers in 2021-22 illustrate what he needs to do to become a full-timer NHLer. There were moments in games when Murray’s skating allowed him to make plays and others when he looked a step slower. His skill set may not suit Buffalo, but teams are always looking for cheap players with upside. It’s not easy to find young, big power forwards with a track record of scoring in the AHL. The Sabers will be happy if he clears waivers to join the Amerks at the start of the season.

Weissbach’s transformation into a dynamic bottom-six winger who hits, blocks shots and kills penalties has separated the Swede from a crowded forward depth chart in Rochester. It’s unlikely he’ll match the offensive NHL production he had with the Amerks, including career highs in goals (20) and points (47) last season, but he could be a double-digit goal-scorer. thrive in a role that suits his skills. Given the Sabers’ need without Quinn, it’s hard to imagine Weissbach being their pick, but he had a strong training camp last fall and will strengthen the penalty kill.

A similar challenge awaits Biro, who was arguably the Amerks’ most consistent player in the regular season. He had 16 goals and 51 points in 49 games but dealt with several injuries, including one that kept him out of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Biro’s versatility is valuable, especially his ability to play center and wing, and he’ll need a waiver to get to Rochester, but it’s hard to imagine any NHL team giving up one of their 23 roster spots to the 25-year-old. forward to his recent one. injury history.

Arguably no prospect in the Sabers organization has improved more over the past 12 months than Rosen, who was limited to just 39 games in 2021-22 due to a hand injury that abruptly ended his season. Buffalo signed the Swedish winger to an entry-level contract and opted to bring him to Rochester a year earlier than expected. Rosen looked physically overmatched during a rough start but gradually learned how to use his incredible skating, dynamic left-handed shot and stamina to make an impact for Rochester. He had 14 goals and 37 points in 66 games during the regular season before totaling four goals and eight points in the playoffs.

Rosen is just 20 years old and two years removed from being selected 14th overall in the 2021 draft, a pick Buffalo acquired from Philadelphia in the Rasmus Ristolainen trade. Rosen, like Savoie, needs time to become a mature NHL player.