It has been a rough stretch on the schedule as of late for the Buffalo Sabres. With so many games in not so many nights, this stretch should be a good learning experience for this young group.
By the Numbers 📊
Record: 20-17-2 (42 points) | Division: 4th | League: 21st
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 48.7% (23rd in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 50.7% (17th in the NHL)
Quick Hits
Casey Fitzgerald claimed on waivers by the Florida Panthers
Tage Thompson named to the Atlantic Division roster for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game
Tage Thompson the Playmaker
Tage Thompson is a complete enigma.
His jump in production and overall play from the 2020/21 to 2021/22 season came as a complete surprise to many. He went from one of the worst players given NHL minutes to a 38-goal scorer.
Thompson signed a 7-year, $50 million deal this offseason with the expectation that he could at least come close to his 2021/22 season production in the future. Well, the 2022/23 (NHL All-Star) Tage Thompson happens to be an even better player who continues to add elements to his game.
After recording 31 goals and 26 assists in just 39 games this season, we can certainly say that his 2021/22 campaign was not a fluke but the start of something special.
One element that Thompson has added to his game this season: playmaking.
Just check out this beautiful assist from Tuesday’s game against Seattle:
When he drives the net it is just a beautiful display of organized chaos. He is able to use his reach and his hands to beat the drawn-in defenders and create opportunities for his teammates. His 26 assists may not seem as impressive next to his 31 goals, but he’s tied for 2nd on the team in assists (and tied for 30th in the NHL).
We can also utilize Corey Sznajder’s fantastic manually-tracked data sets to compare Tage Thompson’s 5v5 Scoring Chance Assists per 60 numbers from this season to the last:
The 2021/22 chart is on the left while the 2022/23 chart is on the right. Tage Thompson went from a pure danger creator through his shot to a player who can create with both his shot and pass. He went from a below average 1.46 Chance Assists/60 to an impressive 5.76 Chance Assists/60.
Oh and this hasn’t come at the expense of his chances via shooting which increased from 6.68 Chances/60 to 9.22 Chances/60. The names in the upper right quadrant with him? Jack Hughes, Nathan MacKinnon, Evgeni Malkin, and Brady Tkachuk. Not bad company to be in.
Rasmus Dahlin the Goal-scorer
After having talked about Tage Thompson the playmaker, let’s talk about Rasmus Dahlin the goal-scorer. He just scored his 13th goal of the season during Tuesday’s game against Seattle:
There have been 3 seasons since 1997/98 where a Sabres defenseman has scored 13 or more goals: Rasmus Dahlin (2022/23), Rasmus Dahlin (2021/22), and Jordan Leopold (2010/11).
If Rasmus Dahlin scores just 3 more goals this season, he will be the first Sabres defenseman to score 16 or more goals since Phil Housley in 1989/90. We are likely to see history being made by a Sabres defenseman this season and it’s not too surprising that it is coming from none other than Rasmus Dahlin.
Prospects Update: Savoie heating up
Don’t look now, but Matthew Savoie has been putting up some decent production in the WHL as of late. After a slower start to his Winnipeg Ice campaign this season, he has gone on to record 12 points in his last 6 games.
Check out this assist from his 4-point game against Portland on Sunday:
Game Preview: Jets @ Sabres, 1/12/223, 7:00 PM ET
The Buffalo Sabres look to put an end to their two-game losing skid against a very solid Winnipeg Jets squad
Jets by the Numbers 📊
Record: 26-14-1 (53 points) | Division: 2nd | League: 8th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 50.4% (20th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 53.7% (9th in the NHL)
Scouting the Jets
High-Event Hockey: the Jets allow the 3rd most Entries leading to Scoring Chances in the NHL, the Sabres are 2nd in Entries leading to Scoring Chances. It’s a good game to get the offense back on track
Solid Penalty Kill: Winnipeg’s penalty kill comes in 9th for xGA/60 and 7th for GA/60
Goaltending: the Jets are a different team when Connor Hellebuyck is in net so keep an eye on the starting goalie reports today. The Jets are 20-10-1 with him and 6-4-0 without him
Players to Watch
JJ Peterka (BUF): At their peak, The Kids Line was one of the most efficient 5v5 lines in the NHL and were elite creators off of the rush. With Jack Quinn remaining out of the lineup, it’ll be interesting to see a rejuvenated Peterka after a night in the press box.
Josh Morrissey (WPG): he has simply been one of the best defensemen in the NHL this season and will certainly be in the Norris consideration at season’s end if he keeps up this level of play. He ranks 2nd among all defensemen this season in Evolving-Hockey’s GAR metric