When the 21-game wait for Casey Mittelstadt’s return ended last week, coach Don Granato provided a glimpse into the Buffalo Sabres’ short- and long-term optimism surrounding their suddenly impressive depth at center.
“We’ve seen amazing progress in those three in those positions, and it’s not even close to what their ceiling is,” said Granato, referring to his trio of Mittelstadt, Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson. “That’s the most exciting part.”
Memories and experiences from all that occurred behind the scenes during the Carolina Hurricanes’ championship run have molded the way Adams is trying to build a winner in his hometown.
The trio had been in the lineup together for only three games when Mittelstadt hobbled down the tunnel in the third period Tuesday night in KeyBank Center and did not return to the game. He visited a specialist Thursday to determine if the Sabres were correct to fear this is a re-injury of the upper-body ailment that occurred in the season opener and sidelined him for six-plus weeks.
The Sabres (8-14-3) are prepared to be without Mittelstadt beyond the minimum stay on injured reserve, another blow for the club amid a difficult stretch in which it is winless in eight of its last 10 games. Yet somehow, the outlook at center isn’t bleak entering a Friday night matchup against the New York Rangers.
Cozens and Thompson emerged as two of the Sabres’ top players in Mittelstadt’s absence, providing consistent offense while shouldering immense responsibility. They’ll be tasked with centering Granato’s top lines until Mittelstadt returns.
Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs and JJ Peterka are all hot with the Amerks.
“Tage has progressed through the season and continues to progress,” Granato said after practice Thursday. “That’s a positive. Dylan has been on a surge. … He’s been on a seven- or eight-game surge here to a new career-high level for him. It’s nice that those two are still trending very well in the right direction. You’re not going to replace Mittsy, because Mittsy’s on our team. … You do what you have to in the interim, and those are definitely two guys to lean on.”
Thompson, 24, has a team-high 10 goals and is tied for second with 16 points while leading all Sabres forwards in average ice time (17:36) across 25 games. At 6-foot-7, Thompson is difficult to knock off the puck and he’s learned how to find space in the offensive zone. He leads Buffalo with 76 shots on goal and is tops in on-ice shot quality at 5-on-5, according to Evolving-Hockey.com. Thompson also is averaging a team-high 20.16 individual shot attempts per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
Thompson spent the first 145 games of his NHL career, and all his time in the American Hockey League, on the wing. A move to center has allowed Thompson to play to his strengths. He’s no longer restricted to skating along the wall.
It’s the fruits of a successful experiment by Granato. The Sabres’ depth at center was hit hard by the July trade of Sam Reinhart to Florida and the inevitable exit of Jack Eichel. While Cozens and Mittelstadt were penciled in atop the depth chart, neither had experienced NHL success at the position. Another prominent option, Zemgus Girgensons, hadn’t played center full-time since early in his career.
Thompson moved to center late in training camp and, while he hasn’t mastered his new assignment as faceoffs remain a challenge, he is showing why he was acquired by former general manager Jason Botterill in the Ryan O’Reilly trade.
Asked directly if the fear is this is another long-term injury, coach Don Granato simply said, "Could be."
“It’s been a really nice surprise,” Sabres right winger Kyle Okposo said of Thompson. “I know going into the year, there was a ton of talk about our depth in the middle. Tommer has really came in and blown the doors down at center. He’s been phenomenal. Night in and night out, he’s created a ton of chances, he’s using his frame. I think that he’s still learning how good he could be and how talented that he is and he’s only going to continue to get better."
This is also the best Cozens has played since he made his NHL debut last season. He has seven goals and 14 points while averaging 15:17 of ice time across 25 games. The 20-year-old had four goals and six points during a six-game span from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2, and he skated a career-high 21:30 in the Sabres’ loss Tuesday night.
Cozens has produced the third-best individual shot quality at 5-on-5 over the past eight games, according to NaturalStatTrick.com, and ranks second behind Okposo in on-ice high-danger scoring chances during that span. With Mittelstadt out again, Cozens will move back to the top power-play unit and should continue to handle difficult assignments against opponents' top players.
There’s a noticeable difference in Cozens’ game with the puck. He’s averaging more 5-on-5 shots per 60 minutes (7.23 compared to 6.01) than last season, and his individual shot attempts in those situations have increased from 10.21 per 60 minutes in 2020-21 to 12.06. Cozens is showing confidence in beating defenders one-on-one, as he did last week in Florida by stickhandling around Joe Thornton before dishing to Vinnie Hinostroza for a highlight-reel assist.
“I think just my confidence, holding the puck and kind of using my body, my speed, to create space for myself and beat guys and create space for other guys and try to find them,” said Cozens, a 20-year-old drafted seventh overall in 2019. “I also think a big thing is just getting more pucks on net. Using my shot, I believe I have a good shot. Last year, I didn’t use it enough, so this year I try to use it a lot more. And then obviously I think my defensive game has improved as the season’s gone on."
Did you have any idea the Sabres entered the game on pace to average more goals this year than any season since 2010-11?
There’s no underselling what the latest setback for Mittelstadt means for the Sabres. Their depth took a massive hit, which has recent signing Mark Jankowski in line to center the fourth line. Management is reluctant to bring a top prospect up to fill the void, though the top center in Rochester, Peyton Krebs, has seven points in his last three games.
Until a prospect plays his way to Buffalo, Granato will lean heavily on his two top centers in Mittelstadt's absence.
Trending up
Goalie Malcolm Subban (lower body) showed more progress while skating separately from the team before practice Thursday. Subban, who suffered the injury in his Sabres debut Saturday in Carolina, could be an option for the team Friday against the Rangers or Saturday against the Capitals.
Another one
Sabres prospect Jakub Konecny, a seventh-round draft choice in 2020, will participate in Czech Republic’s evaluation camp for the IIHF World Junior Championship. Konecny, 19, made his professional debut this season with HC Sparta Praha of the country's top league, recording three goals and six points in 22 games.
