Buffalo begins the 2018 Prospects Challenge facing the New Jersey Devils
By Chad DeDominicis / Diebytheblade.com
Game #1
Buffalo Sabres (0-0-0) vs New Jersey Devils (0-0-0)
Puck Drop: 7 PM | HARBORCENTER | Buffalo
TV: Sabres.com
SB Nation Devils Blog: All About The Jersey
What to Watch For
1. Dahlin’s debut
Sabres fans will finally get to see 2018 first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin play in his first real game action wearing the blue and gold. If practice is any indication, he’ll be playing on the top pair with Will Borgen.
2. Strong top line
The top line the Sabres will put out there tonight may be a glimpse of a line we’ll see down the road in the NHL. Casey Mittelstadt will center Swedish sniper Victor Olofsson and newly acquired Tage Thompson. If that line can click over the weekend, it’ll bring some more intrigue to training camp.
3. Ty Smith
The Devils will showcase their 2018 first-round pick, Ty Smith, this weekend. The 17th overall pick is an extremely smooth skater with high offensive upside. He’ll be another player to keep an eye tonight for entertainment purposes.
Projected Lines:
41 Victor Olofsson – 37 Casey Mittelstadt – 72 Tage Thompson
70 Alex Nylander – 74 Rasmus Asplund – 52 Andrew Oglevie
83 Shane Eiserman – 77 Vasily Glotov – 75 Judd Peterson
73 Matej Pekar – 86 Kevin Hancock – 79 Cole Coskey
76 Pascal Aquin – 78 Myles Powell – 46 Eric Cornel
26 Rasmus Dahlin – 33 Will Borgen
45 Brendan Guhle – 67 Arvin Atwal
44 Brandon Hickey – 58 Oskari Laaksonen
24 Lawrence Pilut – 84 Nicholas Welsh
61 Devante Stephens – Tobie Bisson 70
1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
34 Jonas Johansson