With just 14 games remaining on the Buffalo Sabres’ 2020-21 schedule, fans are finally experiencing some entertaining hockey. The only problem is that the team has been dead in the water since February as it pertains to a potential playoff push.

This summer represents another crucial offseason for the organization. It will likely include additional hirings in the hockey operations department, and a new head coach. In addition, with just 11 players under contract for next season, there will be an inevitable influx of new faces on the 2021-22 roster.

Still, there are some things fans should want to see happen down the stretch involving the current roster. Depending on how the following things play out, the results could have a significant impact on the Sabres’ player acquisition approach this summer.

So, I decided to put together my “home stretch wish list” which includes an assortment of deployment and tactical approaches I’d like to see the team experiment with now in order to establish a better sample of knowledge heading into the offseason. Without further ado…

A Bryson-Borgen Pairing

Last week, Will Borgen rejoined his teammates at practice after missing the past 28 games recovering from a broken forearm. Prior to the injury, the 24-year-old was posting very positive underlying results alongside Rasmus Dahlin. Since then, Dahlin has performed admirably with Henri Jokihajru on the de facto top-pairing.

Conversely, Jacob Bryson has since floundered alongside Rasmus Ristolainen following a really nice start to his first NHL call-up. As a transitional defender, Bryson likely requires a strong defensive blueliner in order to succeed. Ristolainen does not fit that description, but Borgen does.

Though he only dressed in four games before sustaining an injury, Borgen led all Sabres defenders in xGA/60 rate at 1.15. Known for his physicality and competence in the defensive zone, he seems like an excellent option to pair with a partner who does a little more free-wheeling. Though his NHL sample is small, Borgen’s defensive acumen at the AHL level is well documented.

This experiment is especially important to conduct because of what it could mean for the Sabres’ plans heading into next season. If Bryson and Borgen prove competent in a third-pairing role over these last 14 games, it gives Buffalo a very inexpensive tandem to pencil-in for next season (assuming the Sabres elect to protect Borgen in the expansion draft).

Keep the Young Guns Together

The last month of the season should be used for experimentation. Buffalo has a lot of assets on expiring contracts, and some big decisions to make pertaining to the complexion of their roster for 2021-22. Fortunately, they’ve done a good job of trying new things under Don Granato, namely with their younger assets.

One existing experiment that has worked out nicely is the middle-six trio of Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Asplund, and Tage Thompson. The same might be said for the line featuring newcomer Anders Bjork, Arttu Ruotsalainen, and Dylan Cozens, but they’ll need more time together in order to make an assessment. Either way, Granato’s willingness to let his young forwards play together (in lieu of placing them with underperforming veteran entities) has been a breath of fresh air.

The same can be said about Granato’s defensive pairings. As previously mentioned, Dahlin and Jokiharju have been playing quite a bit together (and in some critical game situations to boot). While their metrics are still not what you’d call “positively impactful” (a five-on-five xGF rate of 45.07-percent) there is noticeable improvement from that duo (now that they are unencumbered by Ralph Krueger’s stubbornness and systematic rigidity). Perhaps giving them even more responsibility as we approach the home stretch would serve as a good litmus test for next season.

In saying all of this, it might not be a bad idea to mix things up either. In a slate of games that has no real bearing as it relates to wins and losses, confirming how players perform under a variety of circumstances would provide a useful sample. Subsequently, it allows the front office to seek out additional assets with a greater degree of knowledge as to what types of players they would be best suited to target.

Let the (other) Kids Play

At the risk of sounding repetitive – there is nothing left to be gained this season. For that reason, Buffalo should take advantage of that fact and give their current fringe prospects a look at the NHL level.

This group includes players like Oskari Laaksonen, Mattias Samuelsson, and even Jack Quinn as long as they don’t burn a year off his ELC. Laaksonen has been one of the Rochester Amerks’ better defensemen as a rookie this season (leading all blueliners in points with 11 in 16 contests) and Sameulsson, while unpolished, has shown flashes of strong play as well.

Between the pipes, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might have to receive a call-up out of necessity. On Tuesday night, Linus Ullmark left the game with an injury. If it keeps him out for any length of time, Luukkonen will inevitably see NHL time (likely in tandem with Dustin Tokarski. Even if Ullmark returns to the lineup unscathed, it would be wise to give Luukkonen a few starts regardless. His numbers at the AHL level haven’t been great this year (.888 save-percentage through 14 starts), the Amerks’ defense allows a lot of high-danger chances which certainly hasn’t helped.

Again, this exercise would represent a two-fold benefit. It allows the front office to more accurately gauge the tangible progress their prospects have made this year, and it could help to narrow the grocery list of needs on the horizon this summer (like adding an overstock of unnecessary veteran roadblocks).

Leave Reinhart at Center

This one is interesting. As the Sabres’ centermen started dropping like flies last month (including Jack Eichel who has been out of the lineup since the second week of March), fans got their long-awaited wish as Sam Reinhart assumed top-line pivot duties. With yesterday’s news that Eichel will miss the remainder of the season with a herniated disc, Granato will essentially be forced to keep Reinhart down the middle.

In the seven games he’s spent exclusively at center this season the 25-year-old hasn’t been stellar, holding an xGF percentage of 43.72% at even-strength (manual game-by-game calculations via Evolving Hockey game data). To be fair, that mark roughly matches the Sabres’ overall team xG rate in that stretch. By using simple math and subtracting his xG metrics at center from his entire 2020-21 sample, his even-strength xGF rate on the wing is much better at 50.93-percent.

It’s not great, but consider the circumstances. Reinhart hasn’t been asked to play center in years, and we’re talking about a very small sample where he’s been thrust into top line duties. For that reason, Buffalo should use the rest of the season to expand said sample and get a more accurate gauge of whether or not his impacts can improve with more time down the middle.

If they do, it helps the Sabres greatly. Kevyn Adams would no longer need to pursue a middle-six pivot this offseason, as Eichel, Reinhart, and Cozens would theoretically represent a formidable center spine. It’s easier (and less expensive) to find contributors on the wing. For that reason, the organization should do everything they can to make a more educated decision before arbitrarily placing Reinhart back on the wing.

Beat a Good Team

Time for a little dose of reality here. Yes, the Sabres have accrued 11 of a possible 18 points over their last nine games. Yes, the team has been more entertaining to watch since Krueger’s exit. That being said, it’s important to realize a couple of key factors.

For one, the Sabres aren’t any better from an xG standpoint than they were under Krueger. In reality, their positive PDO regression has finally started to take place. Whether that’s partially a result of a change in playing style remains to be seen, but the xG marks speak for themselves. In their last nine games, Buffalo has held a positive xG share just once (a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 31). They hold a 4-2-3 record in that stretch.

On top of all of this is the fact that the Sabres have yet to beat one of the top-four teams in the East Division since Granato has taken over (though they’ve collected a couple of loser points). A lot of fans are quickly becoming Granato supporters and it’s tough to blame them. He says all the right things, and puts his money where his mouth is in regard to letting young players simply play the game.

That’s all wonderful, but the Sabres should be careful not to drop the interim tag unless these issues show a noticeable improvement down the stretch.

Advanced Metrics and RAPM Charts courtesy of Evolving Hockey

Heatmaps courtesy of HockeyViz

xGF vs xGA Chart courtesy of JFresh Hockey

Photo Credit: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images