Buffalo Sabres: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so older players are not eligible for discussion.

Earlier today, we talked about the Boston Bruins. Now, let's look at the Buffalo Sabres. What can we say about Buffalo? They are in for a very rough season yet again, as they have already traded away Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. They also have no choice but to trade Jack Eichel. They also lost Linus Ullmark through free agency, as he signed with the Bruins.

Yet, even with all of this, there are some young players who should be able to improve this upcoming season. Thus, perhaps there is some optimism to be had when it comes to their future.

Dylan Cozens C: Dylan Cozens played his first season in the NHL this year. In 41 games, he scored four goals and recorded 13 points. With all the moves that the Sabres have made this off-season, he should be able to secure himself more playing time. The 2019 seventh overall pick has a lot of potential to thrive in this league, so expect this season to be his breakout campaign. He is still just 20 years old, so Buffalo fans have a lot to look forward to with him.

Casey Mittelstadt C: After having just nine points in 31 games the season before, Casey Mittelstadt quickly turned things around. In 41 games this past season, he scored 10 goals and recorded 22 points. It's been a bumpy road for the 2017 eight overall pick, but he is showing signs of real improvement. He also is expected to be one of the core guys for the Sabres moving forward. Therefore, he will given plenty of opportunities to succeed. This, in turn, should result in his production to improve noticeably.