3 outstanding candidates for Sabres’ MVP

The Buffalo Sabres are wrapping up their season with the opportunity to play spoiler for several teams who are on the cusp of elimination. While the Sabres haven’t had a lot to celebrate this season, the small victories have likely been important in the dressing room as coach Dan Bylsma keeps his young players’ morale high.

There have been some good individual stories in the season. There have been stories of redemption, perseverance and even players who have exceeded expectations. Though it is unlikely that any of these Buffalo players will be named at the NHL Awards ceremony in June, several players deserve some recognition.

If the Sabres were to present their own MVP award, it may be difficult to decide who the most deserving player is. Chad Johnson, Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen have all had outstanding seasons, and each has been integral the to the measured success that Buffalo has had.

Chad Johnson save on Kessel (@5forFighting_) pic.twitter.com/B9qOE2CwV1

— Stephanie (@myregularface) March 30, 2016

3.) Chad Johnson

Chad Johnson came to the Sabres last season as a journeyman backup with sub-par numbers and low expectations. Though Johnson remains the backup by name, he has started more games than any other Sabres goalie this season. After his start in Detroit, Johnson has started 36 of Buffalo’s 76 contests. The goaltender has been impressively stalwart for Buffalo, shouldering much of the load after starter Robin Lehner went down with an ankle injury in the team’s first game of the season.

Since Lehner’s return, Johnson has maintained a steady playing schedule. He leads the team in wins with 19 and win percentage with .542, as well as goals against, at 2.39. One of the hallmarks of this Sabres team is their ability to come back when they fall behind in a game, and Johnson has been a huge factor in that regard.

He is 11th in the league at even strength when trailing in both goals against and save percentage, but most impressive is that he maintains these decent numbers despite trailing for nearly 750 minutes throughout the season.

From a statistical standpoint, Johnson’s improvement from 2014-15 has been astronomical. In 17 starts for the Islanders, Johnson had a 3.08 GAA and .889 save percentage. In his expanded role with Buffalo this year, he has shaved .70 from his goals against and increased his overall save percentage by 3 percent.

In a season where the players in front of Johnson have had trouble scoring–the Sabres are 28th in the league in goal differential at minus-23–the ‘back-up’ has been one of the most important players for the Sabres in the 2015-16 campaign.

2.) Jack Eichel

Center Jack Eichel has had a sensational season. Second in goals and in scoring among rookies, Eichel is the first Buffalo player to score 50 points in a rookie season since Derek Plante accomplished the feat nearly 25 years ago in the 1993-94 season. His 23 goals and eight power-play goals lead the Sabres.

While Eichel’s impressive scoring stats have been a storyline for the Sabres this season, he has been the complete package for Buffalo. His overall game has been a godsend for Buffalo.

It seems as though anyone who is put on a line with Eichel experiences immediate success. His next-level partnership with fellow rookie Sam Reinhart has made them one of the league’s most threatening scoring tandems. Eichel is second on the team in games played and third among forwards in ice time. He’s transitioned seamlessly from a distinctly lighter college schedule to the grind of an NHL season, and through it all, he’s contributed at even strength, on the power play and even on the penalty kill.

He’s handled his rookie year like a veteran, all at 19 years old. His leadership shone brightest perhaps when the team lost Ryan O’Reilly for three weeks. The Sabres did not stumble without O’Reilly. In fact, they gained ground in the overall standings. Eichel’s elevation of his game carried the Sabres through this tough period with measurable success.

1.) Rasmus Ristolainen

A lot has been said about the number of games that the Buffalo Sabres have lost to illness and injury this season. Only Rasmus Ristolainen has played in every game for the team. Though he is just outside of the league’s top 10 in ice time, he leads the Sabres by nearly three minutes a night.

His 31.3 shifts a game is third in the league. Obviously the most reliable player for Buffalo, Ristolainen’s performance in the 2015-16 season has been perhaps the most important factor in Buffalo’s rise from the absolute bottom of the league.

While being Buffalo’s most dependable player, Ristolainen is also one of the team’s leading scorers. His 40 points are third on the team, behind only Eichel and O’Reilly, and tied with Reinhart. Risolainen’s most damning stat is his plus-minus (minus-19,) but this number is skewed by the fact the Ristolainen has been on the ice for eight empty net goals scored on Buffalo. The fact that he is such a key player is damaging his statistical performance.

Outside of the numbers, Ristolainen’s presence on the ice is just as important. Though he is offensively gifted, Ristolainen is one of Buffalo’s best defensive defensemen. He is responsible in his zone, and a barbarian in front of his net, though he is among the Sabres’ cleanest players.

Ristolainen has had only 33 minutes of penalties this season, which is good for Buffalo in that he is routinely available to kill penalties when called upon, and the team’s 82.3% penalty kill is ninth in the league–outstanding for a team that is only six spots from last place.

The individual performances of players like Johnson, Eichel and Ristolainen have defined the team’s seasons in these early years of development. Though each has been outstanding by both the standards of the league and that of the team, it is the stellar two-way play of Ristolainen which makes him the Sabres’ most valuable player.

It will not be long before his name is said in the same breath as premiere defensemen like Erik Karlsson and P.K. Subban, and the Sabres’ success will certainly follow.

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