Next up in the 2023 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers series is the Buffalo Sabres. They just missed the playoffs last season and have a very exciting group of players. This was one of the top offensive teams in the league and there’s no reason to think they won’t happen again. With so much talent, some players could get lost in the shuffle in fantasy hockey. That is why we are here to identify a few sleepers from this up-and-coming talented team. Depending on how well the team does this season and where certain players play, these sleepers could really have an impact on your fantasy hockey team.
Buffalo Sabres Sleepers for 2023-24 Fantasy Hockey
JJ Peterka
There is a strong chance that we get to see JJ Peterka enter into the Sabres’ top-six this season. Not only is Jack Quinn starting on the injured reserve, but Victor Olofsson seems to be staying on the third line to help provide some scoring. He’s also much more effective on the power play. Either way, Peterka gets to play with some real talent alongside Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt who combined for 46 goals and 127 points last season.
This would be a very talented young line where all three players are even better than they were last season. Peterka would go from 13:38 of ice time per game to up to 15 minutes at least. He scored 12 goals and 32 points as a rookie, which is impressive for the bottom-six. I don’t expect Peterka to be selected high in any drafts, but late-round picks are for taking chances. He is definitely a sleeper to take a chance on with the potential for points this season on the second line.
Owen Power
Owen Power also had an impressive rookie season, although a lot was expected of him. The former number-one overall pick played a lot of minutes and on the second pairing. Nothing there is expected to change. But as he started his career so well, it can be expected that he will put forward an even better performance in 2023-24. He finished third in Calder Trophy voting with four goals and 35 points.
Power will continue to get time on the power play and lots of minutes with top players. I can see the team trying to get him to play more physically moving forward because of his size. Since he spends so much time on the ice, he is able to accumulate good numbers for fantasy more than most. For a talented defenseman, I expect him to at least match the ice time from last season at all strengths. 40 points at the very least isn’t a stretch at all. He is the second most effective fantasy producer on the Sabres’ back end this season.
Devon Levi
Although Devon Levi is expected to be the starter for the Sabres this season, the team could surprise and do even better than anticipated. He too has the capabilities of playing better than many may expect as well. He has shown the ability to make stellar saves and the defense has gotten better. Levi will be able to win a good deal of games as the go-to in Buffalo’s net. He will also be able to put up better GAA and SV%.
We’ve only seen a seven-game sample from him and he was very good. With his play, the Sabres would be a strong team. At the very least, the team can score goals and outscore opponents if he has a bad night as well. He should be a top-25 selection in net, but I can easily see him sneak into the top-15. Don’t sleep on the future in net for the Sabres.
Related: 2023 Fantasy Hockey Sleepers: Columbus Blue Jackets
The Sabres and their players will definitely be able to pleasantly surprise us this season. There will be a lot of opportunity and offense from them. In the right situations on a solid team, keep an eye on these fantasy hockey sleepers this year.
Make sure to check out all of the sleepers and breakouts of the 2023 fantasy hockey season!
Looking for more great fantasy hockey analysis? Check out our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit for team previews, rankings, and all the sleepers you can shake a stick at.