Players Buffalo sabres Will Immensely Miss Next Season..Why Are Your Thoughts…
Eric Comrie showed value later in the season
This isn’t saying Devon Levi is ready to join the NHL ranks full-time next in 2024-25. We made the mistake thinking that was the case after his solid seven-game sample size, so Kevyn Adams should think about investing in another veteran goaltender this offseason. But Eric Comrie shouldn’t be that player, given his continued regression this year.
While Comrie only has seen action in nine games this season, it’s large enough of a sample size since he also saw 19 contests last year to conclude his future is most likely as a full-time AHLer starting next season.
His 3.91 GAA is currently the ninth-highest in the league and the third-highest of all goaltenders who have appeared in at least nine games.
His save percentage of 0.864 is tied for the eighth-lowest alongside Calvin Petersen and the eighth-lowest among all netminders who appeared in nine or more contests.
Thanks to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s emergence and Devon Levi’s average play, the Sabres defense isn’t the issue, so it’s time for this team to find a more reliable player to provide organizational depth.
They could consider bringing back Dustin Tokarski for another season, or they can look at the talent available in the free agent pool – even if the 2024 goaltender class doesn’t look appealing.
Jacob Bryson isn’t signing an offer sheet this summer
Okay, let’s give Jacob Bryson credit: He’s played much better this season following what was an awful 2022-23 campaign. Time in Rochester undoubtedly helped, and he probably salvaged his future in the NHL, given his recent performances in Buffalo.
But the Sabres also have to be honest with themselves and ask the following question: “Where would they put him?”
Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, Ryan Johnson, and Connor Clifton are the top-six heading into 2024-25, and while the Sabres need a seventh blueliner, Bryson hasn’t shown the consistency necessary to make us believe he’s the guy.
Henri Jokiharju and Kale Clague are also pending restricted free agents, but Clague could return simply because he would be a clear-cut AHLer next year should the Sabres bring him back.
Jokiharju has proven to be the more reliable player for a while, and he’s given the Sabres career-highs in plus-minus, hits, blocks, and don’t be surprised if he also snags a career-best in takeaways.
Jokiharju has registered short-handed minutes, a Corsi For of nearly 50 percent, plus a 92.3 on-ice save percentage. The latter isn’t as good as what we saw from Bryson, but Jokiharju has also appeared in nearly three times more contests.