NHL Rumors: 2 Buffalo Sabres In Tough to Make Opening Night Lineup

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to find another gear in 2022-23. The team is filled with young talent and management has done a great job mixing in some veteran leadership. The Sabres are hoping to be in the mix for one of the final Stanley Cup Playoff spots in the Eastern Conference this season. Here's two players who will be in tough to crack the roster out of training camp:

Jack Quinn

Even with the changing of the guard in Buffalo, former first-round pick Jack Quinn will need to impress throughout training camp and show he can consistently contribute. The eighth overall pick from 2020 has managed to play in two NHL games to this point and is hopeful 2022-23 is the season where he makes the permanent jump. Quinn's showed with his 65 points in 45 AHL games last season, his skill set is there, he just needs an opportunity.

Riley Sheahan

Veteran center Riley Sheahan signed a one-year deal with the Sabres this past offseason and is hoping the reunion works out as planned. Sheahan spent the 2020-21 season as a member of the Sabres and was in Seattle with the Kraken for their inaugural season in 2021-22. He's a defensive minded forward who can play down the middle or on the wing.

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With Cody Eakin off to Calgary, looks like Sheahan will be given a shot to win the fourth-line center role. He'll need a very strong camp to win over his new head coach, as Sheahan will need to be defensively sound and a pest on the forecheck to crack the Sabres opening night lineup.