The Buffalo Sabres are heading into training camp with a crowded forward group and not nearly enough lineup spots to go around. With 15 forwards likely battling for 13 jobs, Lindy Ruff has room to get creative, even if the preseason has been trimmed from six games to four because the regular season has been stretched to 84 games.
That shorter exhibition slate makes every look a little more valuable. The Sabres won’t have endless time to sort through combinations, and with injuries always lurking over an 84-game season, it makes sense to find out now which groups can actually work when the stakes are low. A few line mixes stand out as worth a serious test.
One intriguing option is Zach Benson, Tage Thompson and Josh Doan together. Thompson spent most of last season at center, but that was driven in part by the team’s injury situation. Jiri Kulich was out for the season, Josh Norris missed time, and Konsta Helenius had not yet reached the NHL.
This year, Thompson should be on the wing more often because Buffalo suddenly has more center depth, with Kulich, Norris, Sam Carrick, Ryan McLeod, Noah Ostlund and Peyton Krebs all able to handle the position. Still, if Thompson does move back to center at any point, Benson and Doan could make that a heavy, hard-to-play-against trio.
Benson brings the forecheck and works well around the net. Doan does a lot of the unglamorous stuff and is probably the best defensive forward currently on the roster.
Add Thompson’s shot, and the line has the ingredients to keep the puck in the offensive zone and make life miserable for opponents. It may not be a permanent setup, but it has the look of a group that could provide a real jolt if Buffalo needs one.
Another combination the Sabres should at least examine is a young trio of Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius. All three can take faceoffs, with Ostlund and Kulich shooting left-handed and Helenius right-handed, which gives the coaching staff some flexibility depending on the matchup.
There’s a reason this group stands out: each player is expected to help replace the production Buffalo lost from Alex Tuch. Over the last two seasons, all three have flashed enough to suggest they can matter, but the next step is doing it consistently.
In a perfect world, the Sabres would probably spread them out and pair them with veterans during the season. Even so, there’s enough upside here to justify a preseason run, whether that’s as a spark plug or for a specific game situation.
The third line worth a look is Justin Danforth, Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn. Danforth was signed last summer but barely got on the ice after a knee injury limited him to just four games. Given where the roster stands, he’ll need to win his place in camp and in the preseason.
If he can look like the player he was before coming to Buffalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres could have a fast, aggressive fourth line on their hands. Danforth, Carrick and Malenstyn could fit together cleanly and bring steady pressure on an opponent’s top group.
With the roster battle set to be tight and the preseason chances limited, Buffalo has to make these looks count. These three combinations aren’t just experiments - they’re the kind of options the Sabres may need to lean on once the season gets rolling.
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