Doan demonstrates offensive evolution
Doan caught the attention of scouts for his offensive outburst in his draft year, 2020-21, when he finished third in the USHL with 70 points. Doan was north of a point-per-game at Arizona State but has worked to refine his offensive prowess in the professional ranks.
The former second-round pick, now 23, scored on the power play Saturday and showed he can be a valuable scorer in tight around the net. That’s why the Scottsdale, Ariz., product spent time this summer watching film of players like Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett. Ruff said Doan is a strong decision maker with the puck and knows how to make pressure plays. These kinds of intangibles reveal a new dimension to Doan’s offensive ceiling.
“It’s been a couple years now where I've had a little bit of success here, and it's taken a bit,” Doan said. “I think in Tucson in the AHL, I kind of found my offensive stride a bit. In college, I found it. And then in junior, my first year was a learning year, and it's almost felt more like that in the past couple of years. My first year in junior and the older you get, you can find a way to take that step... this league is a really skilled league, and you're getting an opportunity to produce with no matter who you're on the ice with.”
Danforth on the kill
Ruff said the Sabres have “a little bit of everything” in their offseason signing Danforth, and “everything” includes the penalty kill. On Saturday, the 5-foot-8 forward worked alongside McLeod on one of Team Blue’s PK units.
“Hard, heavy on the puck, (good) reads,” Ruff said, sharing his early impressions of the 32-year-old’s shorthanded ability. “He’s a guy that pretty [much] does everything right almost all the time. Penalty-killing-wise, reading and being in the right spot is important.”
Last season, Danforth led Blue Jackets forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (1:40). With Jordan Greenway expected to miss the start of the season due to injury, Danforth could join Tuch and McLeod as one of the Sabres’ top penalty-killing forwards.
Ostlund-Helenius-Rosen line responds after Prospects Challenge
While the lines varied on both sides, a consistent trio was used by Amerks head coach Michael Leone, who stood behind three of his top prospects Saturday. Ostlund, Helenius and Rosen may not have dominated the Sabres’ Prospects Challenge like Leone expected them to, but the line shined in the scrimmage.
Rosen unleashed a one-time missile past a lunging Lyon on a play headlined by strong puck possession from Ostlund and Helenius. Ostlund used his speed to make a number of plays, and Helenius generated several turnovers with his stick. It was a game for all three to make another impression and bounce back from the Prospects Challenge.
“Everybody’s got a clean slate come Wednesday," Leone said after the Prospects Challenge. "And the guys that didn’t produce this weekend, I think you have a chance, an opportunity come Wednesday to show what you can do. And then, however they do the lineup, when you get into a game, whether you play one, two, three, it’s an opportunity to showcase yourself.”
Tuch and Luukkonen updates
Per Ruff, both Alex Tuch (undisclosed) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) are progressing in their injury rehabs. Tuch participated in the pre-scrimmage practice, while Luukkonen could return to practice as soon as Monday.
