As Mark Pysyk took his first warmup lap ahead of his 500th career NHL game Tuesday night, the Buffalo Sabres defenseman stopped by a corner of the KeyBank Center ice to greet his biggest fans.
Pysyk’s wife, Oakley, stood at the other side of the glass with their daughter, Mylo, who was holding a sign that read, “Happy 500th Daddy.”
“It’s been some highs, some lows on the way here, but to get here is pretty cool,” said Pysyk, a 30-year-old who returned to Buffalo on a one-year contract in July.
Despite injury, Anderson has had an impressive season in Buffalo, totaling a .916 save percentage and 6-3 record.
The milestone was delayed two days because Pysyk was scratched Sunday in Montreal, the latest defenseman to sit out in what coach Don Granato has described as a rotation. In a rare occurrence for the injury-riddled club, the Sabres have an extra blue liner to create internal competition.
Jacob Bryson sat first, followed by 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent Robert Hagg and Pysyk. Hagg will be back in the lineup Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators and Granato wasn’t prepared to say who will be scratched.
The Sabres are rotating rather than sitting one player because Granato doesn’t want anyone sitting for too long, particularly the young defensemen on the roster, and the idea is that a breather will only help them perform better when on the ice.
It’s also beneficial for the Sabres that they’re able to showcase veteran defensemen on expiring contracts and protect them from a heavy workload ahead of the March 21 trade deadline.
“We have so many guys in such a short span that it’s irrelevant as far as anybody sitting is going to be back in,” Granato explained. “It’s not like they’re sitting and they’re actually going to lose a bunch of time at all. So, there is an advantage, especially in tight schedules and games, for young guys to sit and just step back, take a breath. As it is for older guys. I mean, Mark Pysyk sat the other night, and he came in, he looked even fresher last night. So, there’s no negative to this when you have a couple extra guys.
“We said from the outset, our success is contingent upon development, and our speed of development is contingent upon how hard we can play. And how hard we can play is being fresh. So, it all ties right into that.”
Don’t expect Rasmus Dahlin or Henri Jokiharju to sit. The young duo is the Sabres’ top defense pair, facing the opponent’s best players in every situation. Dahlin, 21, is averaging a career-high 23:44 of ice time across 46 games, totaling eight goals and 31 points during that span. He was selected to the NHL All-Star Game and quarterbacks the Sabres’ top power-play unit.
The rotation likely will impact the rest of the Sabres’ depth chart. At least for now. A source told The News that Pysyk has drawn interest from contenders, adding to a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger, who said Tuesday night that Hagg and injured defenseman Colin Miller have been the subject of recent trade talks.
With forwards Cody Eakin and Vinnie Hinostroza, and goalie Craig Anderson also likely to have suitors, Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams is in position to add to his stockpile of young talent.
The Sabres won’t want to completely deplete their depth around the young core and Pysyk is a perfect fit to be part of the group next season. A first-round draft choice of the Sabres in 2010, Pysyk returned to Buffalo on a $900,000 deal after spending the previous two seasons as a part-time defenseman in Florida and Dallas. The Sabres need another blue liner with a right shot for next season, and he’s been solid on the penalty kill. Additionally, Pysyk is beloved by teammates for his wry sense of humor and leadership.
But as much as Adams likely wants Pysyk around in 2022-23, the Sabres are not in position to risk losing him for nothing this summer if the price is right and they have enough healthy defensemen. In these situations, the general manager typically explains to the player and his agent that a trade is possible but that the club wants to reunite in the offseason. It’s no secret how much Pysyk has enjoyed his return to Buffalo.
“This year’s been a lot of fun for me,” Pysyk said. “The guys in the room have been great. The on-ice has been better than the last couple of years personally, so I think that adds to it. But I’ve been having an absolute blast.”
This is also an opportunity for the Sabres to look to the future. While the club knows what it has in Dahlin, Jokiharju and Mattias Samuelsson, Granato and Adams can use the final 34 games to evaluate Casey Fitzgerald and Bryson.
Fitzgerald, 24, has skated alongside Samuelsson for most of his 10 games in the NHL. The duo played together in Rochester for two seasons and their familiarity has helped them acclimate. Fitzgerald has a right-handed shot, blocks shots, kills penalties and continues to add to his game offensively.
Bryson, also 24, has played some on the right side recently because the Sabres will have three talented defensemen with left-handed shots: Dahlin, Samuelsson and Owen Power. Bryson will need to show versatility and consistency during the season’s second half.
“I’m very grateful to be up here,” said Fitzgerald. “It’s been a long time coming. Now I feel like I’m here, I want to stay here and I think I can stay here. I know I can. It’s been fun just to kind of sink in now and be like, 'Alright, I’m here for a reason and I’ve kind of earned it.’ ”
The situation is fluid, as Granato indicated. Miller is expected to return from surgery sometime in early March, providing him with enough time to show contenders that he’s worth the acquisition cost. Will Butcher, another pending unrestricted free agent defenseman, is working his way back from a lower-body injury. More injuries can change the dynamic.
While the personnel will change from game to game, Granato’s development philosophy won’t. Young defensemen are going to be tested and won’t be sheltered by skating alongside a veteran. Dahlin and Jokiharju will play heavy minutes on the top pair, and Samuelsson and Fitzgerald will learn the NHL game alongside each other.
“They have to figure it out themselves,” said Grantao. “I like that. I like that a lot. Anytime you cannot have a young guy lean on a veteran for help, the better for me. Adapt on your own and figure it out.”
