Season Preview: 3 players to watch on the Sabres
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The Buffalo Sabres aren't quite ready to join the ranks of the NHL's elite, but they're headed in the right direction.
A pair of second overall picks made their marks in 2015-16, becoming the first Sabres rookie duo in more than 40 years to score 20 goals apiece, and a new free-agent addition should bolster Buffalo's top line this season.
Here are three Sabres players to keep an eye on in 2016-17:
Jack Eichel
Buffalo's consolation prize in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes proved he was much more than that, notching a team-leading 24 goals and 56 points (second to Ryan O'Reilly) in a memorable rookie campaign.
Eichel's speed, hands, and ability to finish put him on many highlight reels in 2015-16, and that trend should only continue.
The 19-year-old is locked in as the Sabres' second-line center and should see a gradual increase in ice time, which is good news if you're a fan of spectacular plays.
Kyle Okposo
He's not Steven Stamkos, but Okposo was still a significant free-agent splash for Buffalo.
The 28-year-old winger gives the Sabres another playmaker on the top line and the power play, and should produce at a similar clip as he did in parts of nine seasons with the New York Islanders.
His arrival also takes some pressure off Eichel and the other young guns as they continue to develop, and Okposo should be a vital cog in Buffalo's offense for years to come.
Sam Reinhart
Reinhart nearly matched Eichel's scoring prowess in his own rookie season, collecting 23 goals and finishing with 42 points in 2015-16.
The 19-year-old did it while playing about two fewer minutes per game than his teammate, and like Eichel, Reinhart's role should grow in his second go-around.
He's already shown he can find the back of the net at the NHL level, and he also demonstrated that in the WHL and the world juniors before joining the Sabres.
Buffalo could certainly make a playoff push in 2016-17, but even if they fall short, there's no shortage of burgeoning talent on the roster.