We’ve heard all the in-house praise and seen the optimism around town about where the Sabres’ rebuild is going. But the last few days have provided the tangible evidence that it’s having an impact around the hockey world.
Now, you can take the draft with a grain of salt because 18-year-olds are generally “super stoked” to get taken by any NHL team. But those were the words used by first-round pick Zach Benson on Wednesday in Nashville about being picked by the Sabres and they were no exaggeration. Benson spent all year in Winnipeg playing with 2022 first-rounder Matt Savoie, and has been talking to both his linemate and former junior teammate Peyton Krebs about the Sabres and Buffalo as well.
On a personal note, I’ve never been approached by more reporters at the draft talking about the Sabres than I was in the Music City – and they weren’t talking about tanking either. Praise be.
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In Connor Clifton, the Sabres on Saturday added a defenseman who projects to play on one of their top two pairs this season.
There’s been a running joke for several years in media circles that I’m the losingest hockey columnist in the league and that the only time I ever saw good games was during six trips to the Stanley Cup Final. This season, there were no such jokes. And there were actual inquiries in Nashville about what it’s going to be like to cover a playoff series at home next spring, since we haven’t had one here since 2011.
The hockey world’s expectations for the Sabres match what we have in the 716.
Still, free agency is a totally different animal.
The Sabres were looking to add a veteran defenseman to their roster and the thinking was that it would come in a trade, via one for Carolina’s Brett Pesce or someone else. Free agency is a tough road to travel. Prices are high and, frankly, Buffalo hasn’t been much of a destination in the NHL in recent years even if the Sabres wanted to pay. That’s especially true for guys looking for multi-year deals.
Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton blasted holes in those theories when they did video calls with Buffalo reporters Sunday, a day after joining the Sabres of their own volition. This was about as far as you could go from the infamous conference call of former Buffalo defenseman Colin Miller, who didn’t even bother to try to hide his dismay after Vegas traded him here in 2019.
Johnson lifted the Stanley Cup for Colorado a year ago last week in Tampa. Clifton came within one of win it in 2019 in Boston, and just finished a 135-point regular season with the Bruins. They both had multiple teams talk to them.
They chose the Sabres. There’s zero chance that happens in recent years.
“Part of it is what’s starting to happen here within our own locker room, and how the players themselves talk about building something special,” General Manager Kevyn Adams said Sunday. “And then that gets around to other players in the league. Different agents call and talk about what they hear is going on here in Buffalo.
Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson (6) celebrates his goal against the Seattle Kraken with teammate Mikko Rantanen (96) during Game 6 of the Avs’ first-round playoff series in Seattle.
“It’s exciting. We still have a long way to go. We have a lot to earn but I couldn’t agree with you more. Erik Johnson with the career he’s had up to this point, Stanley Cup champion, and to have us at the top of his list is pretty exciting.”
Adams loves finding connections and he got some here. Johnson has known Sabres captain Kyle Okposo since they were 8-year-olds playing in Minnesota and was teammates in Colorado with Tyson Jost, who was so intent on being back in Buffalo that he worked out a deal lower than his qualifying offer to return. Clifton played for Don Granato with the U.S. National Development Team Program.
Good work by the GM to quickly get a major need filled without having to part with any assets on the trade market, Harrington writes.
“I don’t think we probably are able to sign any of the three (players) 12-to-24-to-36 months ago, unless we would have massively overpaid either on term or dollar,” Adams said. “It says a lot about what the people in that locker room, the players, are building, and what the coaches are doing every day to make this place one where people want to play.”
How often have we heard Adams talk about finding players that want to be here? They’re not empty words. Johnson and Clifton brought them up unprompted Sunday.
Johnson said flatly the Sabres are “not a secret” anymore. Buffalo split two December games against the Avs, and both of them were super interesting affairs played at a high level that left Johnson with major impressions of the Sabres’ top six forwards.
“If this team can get in the playoffs, I think a lot of teams really wouldn’t want to play us,” Johnson said. “I think it’s a fast team, skill team that can play anyway you want. It’s a contending team, guys around the league know that and it was one of the reasons I wanted to sign here.”
Johnson may not be the player he was a few years ago, but he doesn’t have to be either. He’s here as much for his locker room leadership as he has for what figures to be 13-15 minutes a night. Clifton will likely see more time, perhaps as Owen Power’s new partner, and the Sabres hope Granato can help him rid some of the hiccups in his game that surfaced late in the season in Boston.
Clifton was playing over 20 minutes a night in the first half on a pair with Hampus Lindholm. Want a mind-blowing stat? Clifton led the Bruins this season with 208 hits while Mattias Samuelsson topped the Sabres – with only 107. In a 5-foot-11 package, the Sabres are adding plenty of physicality.
Both Johnson and Clifton also took note of the other’s choice as well. Johnson said the Avs paid a “Stanley Cup tax” this season with lots of injuries still lingering from the Cup run. He can’t wait to start fresh in September after a full offseason.
“It’s just fun being around the young guys,” Johnson said. “I’m 35, old for my profession, but I’m young in life. I’m still a kid at heart and love having fun and being in the locker room and hanging out with the guys. Being with a young team like that is fun and I think that’s an exciting part about playing for the Sabres.”
