Buffalo Sabres: Mark Jankowski is a dark horse to re-sign

The Buffalo Sabres need veterans to mentor not necessarily their own roster, but also the plethora of incoming AHL prospects. 

Mark Jankowski has just 272 games of NHL experience and his latest 19 games came with the Buffalo Sabres. A former first round pick for the Calgary Flames, it is safe to say Jankowski never lived up to expectations. But he’s not an absolute bust either.

In his 19 games with the Sabres, Jankowski set a career high of average ice time at 13:39 and won 86 face-offs with a win percentage of 48.0. He wasn’t the type of player who scored often for the Sabres, but he did snag his first game-winning goal in three seasons to pad his statistics.

Why the Buffalo Sabres would want Mark Jankowski back

Jankowski is a UFA and the Sabres would be wise to re-sign him to the organization for two reasons:

1. He makes for a phenomenal insurance policy in case the injury bug once again strikes the organization.
2. He would make a fantastic mentor for incoming AHL prospects like Aleksandr Kisakov and Isak Rosen. And if he sticks around longer, you can even add names like Josh Bloom and Olivier Nadeau to that list.

Further, Jankowski enjoyed a productive year with the Rochester Americans, scoring 27 points (10 goals) in 32 games. He also added seven points in 10 playoff games. An older prospect, Jankowski will be 28 when the season begins, and his overall experience and productivity will pay dividends.

If the unfortunate injury bug again hits the Sabres, he can also find a spot on the main roster’s fourth line as a face-off specialist. That said, Jankowski still adds a lot of value to a Buffalo Sabres franchise that can use a veteran presence at the AHL level.

Expect general manager Kevyn Adams to at least attempt to hang onto Jankowski. And if he can, Jankowski’s influence in Rochester will help turbocharge the growth of the team’s youngest and most inexperienced players.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and Hockey DB)