As the offseason continues to progress, fantasy hockey managers around the world have been watching each team to figure out where they can find value in the late rounds of their drafts, and on teams that did not have a lot of success in 2023-24. While some Buffalo Sabres players had a significant drop off in their fantasy value this past season, they will look to gain some stock as the team itself climbs the NHL standings in 2024-25. With some other underrated players emerging as solid options last season, they too will rise in the fantasy ranks.
As NHL.com recently released their top 200 fantasy players for 2024-25, they did include a few Sabres players with great upside in Rasmus Dahlin at No. 46, Tage Thompson at No. 69, Alex Tuch at No. 109, Ukko Pekka Luukkonen at No. 131, and JJ Peterka at No. 178. These were the Sabres’ top overall point scorers, so seeing their fantasy value is very easy, but looking deeper into their lineup, there are a few other options that show some real fantasy potential based on their position, ability, and ice time. These are the players that will provide a fantasy manager with some sneaky value all season.
Jack Quinn, Right Wing
Though Jack Quinn has had some injury troubles as of late, a healthy season would do wonders for him, and for whatever fantasy GM has him in their lineup. He is a consistent scoring threat, and last season, when he was in the lineup, he was a noticeable one. In 27 games, he had nine goals and 19 points, and by the time he was fully healthy, he was back playing top-six minutes and creating scoring chance after scoring chance on a flat Sabres team offensively. He is not much of a physical presence, but with a new coach in town, that could very much change the way he plays, as he has not shied away from being an adaptive player.
In a new system run by Lindy Ruff, Quinn again looks to be in a top-six role and will be a reliable scoring threat there as well as on one of their power play units. Should he remain healthy, he has the potential to hit the 30-goal and 60-point mark, and I would even argue push the 40-goal mark. For a player that would likely not be selected until some of the last rounds of a fantasy draft due to uncertainty and the team he plays on, he is someone worth taking a gamble on. He has been overshadowed by Peterka to this point, but that will only keep him hidden for so long. He will inevitably break out and score at the pace of a reliable top-six scorer. He is one of the best not-so-hidden gems the Sabres have to offer the fantasy hockey world.
Bowen Byram, Defenseman
Acquired in a one-for-one trade with the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittelstadt, Bowen Byram looked fantastic for the Sabres in the first couple of games that he played for them. That is, until the Don Granato system took hold of him and he fell off hard into some poor habits and questionable defensive play. He was not looking like himself, but he still has a lot to show, and even more to give fantasy GMs. Some may be concerned about his ability to stay healthy as well, but given his ability, youth, and presumed ice time with Rasmus Dahlin, he will be an ample fantasy performer.
Up to this point, he has shown to be an effective goal scorer from the back end, and with Dahlin being more of a playmaker (despite his 20-goal campaign in 2023-24), Byram will benefit from this immensely. He will most likely see power play time on their second unit which adds to his fantasy value, and with Ruff at the helm, he will definitely go back to using his physicality more, so his hit numbers will rise again. He will be a solid mid-round draft selection in any draft as he is an all-around defender in a top-four role. Some may not want to take a chance on him due to his Buffalo association or his injury history, but a healthy Byram means some big value for any blue line in any fantasy format.
Connor Clifton, Defenseman
This pick is a much deeper cut for peripheral category coverage as Connor Clifton is not an offensive powerhouse by any means. He can contribute offensively for sure as he posted four goals and 18 points in 79 games in 2023-24, but where his true fantasy value lies is in his defensive and physical game. Every fantasy GM cycles through the bottom part of their lineup looking for deep cuts to fill the defensive holes and Clifton is the perfect one to do so. He had 204 hits last season and blocked 117 shots on a team that was at or near the bottom in both categories. With a new mentality and approach from their head coach, those numbers will surely rise.
On top of those, he plays well at both ends of the ice as he finished with a plus-12 on his plus/minus stat. As a third pairing defender with an inclination towards physical play, he would be a premier late round pick for any fantasy GM that struggled to get over the hump in the hits or blocks category last season. His name is not likely to draw attention from anywhere, but that is not a reason to let him slide forever. Clifton is in that category of defenseman that can be picked up and dropped in some types of leagues depending on how deep they are, but if you find yourself in one where things are very tight, he is one that I would hold on to for the bottom parts of your defense.
Honorable Mentions
The Sabres have several other players that could provide some good fantasy value deep in their lineup if they get the right circumstances. A player like Zach Benson could break out and really make an impact, but second-year players are so volatile that I would not make a bet that big on him just yet. Or even someone like Mattias Samuelsson has the potential to be a deep cut defensively with all the hits and blocks he brings, but as he provides so little offense, and has yet to play a full season in the NHL, he is not the one I would bet on reliably either.
Related – 3 Remaining Free Agents The Sabres Could Sign
At the end of the day, Quinn, Byram, and Clifton are the three that have some of the most underrated value that this team has to offer outside of the big names like Dahlin, Thompson, and Luukkonen. The influence of the new coaching staff and the new system that gets put into place will also have a big impact on how these players respond and ultimately produce. If the option to only pick one of these players came about, the one I would bet on most would be Quinn. He has the biggest upside with scoring, and in any format, that can make or break a season.
