Sabres’ Addition of Erik Johnson Will Help Team Succeed

They have a pair of first-overall picks in 23-year-old Rasmus Dahlin and 20-year-old Owen Power and will be adding a third, older first-overall to the pile with Johnson. While Dahlin had shown some great leadership potential over the course of the 2022-23 season, he’s still a young player with room to grow. Having an older mentor on the blue line could only help the growth that’s going to need to happen to get the Sabres to the playoffs. 

Besides Dahlin and Power, the Sabres have been utilizing 24-year-old Henri Jokiharju, 23-year-old Mattias Samuelsson, and 25-year-old Jacob Bryson more frequently. Assuming there are no further shake-ups to the lineup before opening night, these are three players who would have to greatly improve their games to help the Sabres get to the playoffs. An older mentor in Johnson could be what they need to push them to the next step. 

Johnson Brings Playoff Experience

Johnson has been playing in the NHL for 17 years now, and with most of that time being spent with the Avalanche, he has been through some years that are very similar to what the Sabres are now going through. From being one of the worst teams in the league to building themselves into a playoff contender to eventually winning the Stanley Cup, Johnson has been everywhere that the Sabres are going. 

This experience will be valuable not just for the youth on the Sabres to learn from, but for the longest-tenured among them as well. Not a single player on the Sabres roster has experienced success in Buffalo, and only a few have elsewhere. Johnson has first-hand experience that it is possible to be at the bottom of the NHL barrel and work your way up.

Heading into the 2023-24 season where the expectation is playoffs or bust, General Manager Kevyn Adams has added a voice who has been in almost this exact position before and could offer a boost of confidence to the young team looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. 

Personal Connections

Besides his extensive NHL experience, Johnson comes to the Sabres with some personal connections as well. A Minnesota native, Johnson is childhood friends with Sabres captain Kyle Okposo. A friendship that may have influenced his decision to sign with the Sabres in free agency. 

Johnson is also close with former Avalanche teammate, Tyson Jost , who just re-signed with the Buffalo to a one-year, $2 million contract. It has been a few years since they played together, as Jost had a short stint with the Minnesota Wild before being claimed off waivers by the Sabres in 2022. However, the two remain friends and played well together when they were on the Avalanche. 

Overall, the addition of Johnson to the lineup appears to be a move that could genuinely improve the Sabres heading into the 2023-24 season.