It’s almost time for the first matinee faceoff of a new season. The NHL’s international viewing programme returns on Saturday [15 October] with a meeting between the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres at 18:00 BST on the NHL Network.
Was beim #NHLSaturday / #NHLSunday demnächst auf dem Programm steht? DAS! 😍👇 pic.twitter.com/sFkA1aIfal
— NHL Deutsch (@NHLde) October 11, 2022
Saturday’s early start provides hockey fans in the United Kingdom their second opportunity of the campaign to watch the world’s best league at sociable hours, following last week’s Global Series fixtures between the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks.
Sabres versus Panthers: Game Preview
The Sabres enter the new season to minimal fanfare. Buffalo still isn’t regarded as a playoff team, but they should be better this time around after adding depth to their defence with the signing of Ilya Lyubushkin.
More importantly, the Sabres’ top prospects are another year older. Rasmus Dahlin popped off last term and is expected to continue on the same path in 2022-23. If he delivers on the blueline, Buffalo could start to close the gap to the playoff line.
Related – NHL 2022-23 Preview: 5 storylines to watch in the new season
The Panthers are an intriguing proposition. Florida general manager Bill Zito made several high-profile moves in the summer, starting with his decision to replace head coach Andrew Brunette with Paul Maurice.
(Brunette, for what it’s worth, won the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year last term.)
As a result, the first North America-based afternoon game promises to be a thriller. Here are three players you should look out for as the Sabres take on the Panthers.
Owen Power: Buffalo Sabres, Defenceman
Owen Power is the favourite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie this season. He spent last year in the NCAA with the University of Michigan, for whom he 32 points (three goals, 29 assists) in 33 appearances, after turning down the chance to jump straight into the majors after his draft.
“It was a very mature decision by him,” Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar said.
Power’s choice was unusual. It made him the first No. 1 pick since Erik Johnson (2006) not to immediately play in the NHL.
Makar, who was selected fourth overall in 2017, spent two extra seasons in the NCAA and has since blossomed into the best defenceman in the sport.
“You can never be over-ready,” said Makar, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season. “If you believe in yourself and you know you’re going to get there, then there’s no rush. You want to make sure you’re ready.”
Power’s eight-game trial with the Sabres at the end of last season proves that he is ready. He notched three points (two goals, one assist) from the blueline and was exceptional in training camp.
The 19-year-old is already an integral part of Buffalo’s plans, sliding onto the second pair and quarterbacking their No. two power play unit. He will also feature prominently on the penalty kill.
There aren’t many 6’6” defencemen who can skate or move the puck like Power. He’s a player to watch for the Sabres versus the Panthers as a result.
Matthew Tkachuk: Florida Panthers, Winger
Mathew Tkachuk made a splash in the offseason. He watched Johnny Gaudreau leave the Calgary Flames and decided it was time for him to look for greener grass too. The 24-year-old hopes that he will find it in Miami.
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“It was just kind of putting myself in a position to reevaluate everything – life, on-ice, off-ice, the future and I came to the decision that I was going to look elsewhere and have a change,” he said after the trade. “Hard, mixed emotions, sad, happy, everything, but very ecstatic to be ending up in Florida.”
The Panthers paid a substantial price for Tkachuk – they sent MacKenzie Weegar and forward Jonathan Huberdeau to Calgary in return for the former sixth overall pick. But will he be worth the expense?
The American finished last season with 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 82 appearances and lands in Florida with a point to prove after his blockbuster trade.
Tkachuk could slot into the team on any unit but is expected to start the season with Sam Bennett and Rudolfs Balcers on the second line. He will combine with Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad, and Brandon Montour on the power play.
Tkachuk is a no-holds-barred kind of player. It will be fascinating to see how his career unfolds on a with the Panthers, especially after inking an eight-year, $76 million contract in the summer. He will be key versus the Sabres.
Aleksander Barkov: Florida Panthers, Centreman
Barkov is a force to be reckoned with in every situation. He’s dominant at five-on-five, devastating on the power play, and a wreking ball on the penalty kill.
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Last season, the Finn notched a remarkable 88 points (39 goals, 49 assists) in 67 appearances and captained Florida to the Presidents’ Trophy. He could be even more prolific this time around, despite losing assist king Huberdeau to Calgary.
Barkov is one of the best centres in the sport. He won the Selke Trophy in 2021 and ranked fifth amongst forwards for defensive touches per game last season. The Tappara-born forward also finished seventh in scoring chance creation with 11.8 players per game.
Barkov is difficult to knock off the puck at 6’3” and only committed 491 turnovers last season. He’s excellent and will be a thorn in the Sabres’ side for the Panthers on Saturday.
Are you backing the Sabres or Panthers to win this weekend? Join the conversation by tagging @BritIceHockey on Twitter.
