It was pretty much everything a Sabres fan could want out of the first Prospects Challenge game. From Rasmus Dahlin scoring two goals and adding an assist to Victor Olofsson showing off his quick release and wicked shot to Alexander Nylander with some magic stickwork while potting one of two Sabres short handed goals to Tage Thompson getting on his horse and scoring the second shortie on a breakaway, a lot of things clicked for the youngins last night (see highlights below.)
This is the future of the Buffalo Sabres and for the 1,800 fans in attendance at HarborCenter they put on a helluva show in a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils last night.
With no disrespect to center Casey Mittelstadt, Dahlin leads this wave of young players. The fact Dahlin nudges out Mittelstadt, who played so well in his short six-game stint in Buffalo last season leading to a No. 2 center slot heading into this season, is an indication of just how good the prospect pool is at the top.
Dahlin was the first pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and was said to have franchise-changing qualities. At Sabres development camp Dahlin's skill level was on display as he flew through drills with ease and did everything except dominate the score sheet in the 3-on-3 tournament. However, that was against his fellow prospects and camp invitees. The Prospects Challenge would be his first taste of action against the best prospects from other NHL teams and after Round-1, the reviews were outstanding.
"Obviously he's a special player," Sabres Prospects coach Chris Taylor told the gathered media post game. On Dahlin's second goal the 18 yr. old native of Sweden jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone and fed tournament invitee Myles Powell at the Devil's blueline before barreling towards the net. Powell sent a low shot far side that was kicked out to the right circle where Dahlin was there to blast home the rebound. Using that play as an example, Taylor said Dahlin's "instincts are amazing," and that "he's a smart player, knows when to go (on the attack) and when not to go" while also having "the confidence and ability to get back."
Sabres fans might be breathing a brief sigh of relief at Nylander's performance. Nylander was said to be engaged throughout the game and his shorthanded goal was a product of following the play and heading to open ice in front of the net. The skill Nylander showed on that goal was the type that had him labeled as possibly the most skilled player in his draft class yet his Houdini acts on the ice have him moving perilously towards bust status.
Nylander's shortie was set up by Rasmus Asplund who drew two defenders to the Devils left face off circle and outworked them to get the puck to a wide open Nylander. Asplund also set up Victor Olofsson for a one-timer on the powerplay. Olofsson used that patented one-timer on many occasions in Sweden while on his way to a league-leading 27 goals in the SHL last season, but his quick release blast from the slot wowed the fans at HarborCenter who were seeing it live for the first time.
The Svensk Brigade of Dahlin, Olofsson, Asplund and Nylander stole the headlines at this one but there were many other who made their mark. Thompson, acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, showed great speed for a big man (6'5" 205 lbs.) as he jumped on a puck in the neutral zone while shorthanded and went in for a breakaway. He also showed off some deft stickwork with a deke and a shot that went top-shelf from in tight. Matej Pekar (2018, 94th) had two assists in the game and defenseman Will Borgen (2015, 92nd) patrolled the ice with a physicality that everyone at HarborCenter noticed.
Buffalo went into this tournament with what is widely considered one of the best, if not the best, prospect pools in the NHL and it showed. Dahlin lead the charge, the rest got their jiggy on and the Devils had no answer of which SB nation's John Fischer wrote, "On the ice, [the Sabres] were mostly a better team from start to finish. Their passes were better. Their puck control was better. They committed fewer and less costly turnovers. They appeared to have more attack time than New Jersey. They definitely had more odd-man rushes and breakaways. Their special teams were better. Most importantly, their best players on paper were the best players on the ice."
For Sabres fans the future, especially encapsulated in Fischer's last sentence, is pretty exciting.
*****
The Sabres take on the Boston Bruins tonight at 7 pm and despite The Athletic's Corey Pronman ranking
the Bruins prospect system as 27th in the league, they still have some good quality players in the system. Boston's prospects beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 in the matinee yesterday.
2018 Prospects Challenge highlights--NJ Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres (via sabres.com)
Quick Scoresheet:
Rasmus Dahlin--3 pts. (2 goals, 1 assist)
Rasmus Asplund--2pts (2 assists)
Matej Pekar--2 pts. (2 assists)
Victor Olofsson--1 pt. (1 goal)
Tage Thompson--1 pt. (1 goal)
Cole Coskey--1 pt. (1 goal)
Alexander Nylander--1 pt. (1 goal)
Kevin Hancock--1 pt. (1 assist)
Oscari Laaksonen--1 pt. (1 assist)
Eric Cornel--1 pt. (1 assist)
Myles Powell--1 pt. (1 assist)
Primary assists:
Asplund--2
Hancock, Powell, Dahlin--1 each
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