Buffalo Sabres: Brett Murray can transform into a solid rotational piece

Brett Murray is one of the more underrated prospects for the Buffalo Sabres, but he has become a jack-of-all-trades in professional hockey. 

The Buffalo Sabres had a physical presence with John Hayden in 2021-22. Hayden was the team’s sledgehammer, at least at forward, with 104 hits in 55 games. But Brett Murray is another one to watch. He carries identical size to Hayden, but with a thicker build and more offensive prowess.

Murray who played in 19 games this past season, also had six points (two goals) and a 14.3 shooting percentage. Not bad numbers for a player who spent most of his time in Rochester this past season, further looking to hone his game.

But what really jumped out about Murray were his 17 hits. Across an 82-game span at the same pace, Murray would have logged 73. Not as much as Hayden recorded in 55 outings, but again, we are looking at a jack-of-all-trades on what could be a future fourth or even a third-liner.

Has Brett Murray shown enough to be part of the Buffalo Sabres lower lines?

Murray’s physicality was on full display last season. Not only did he log nearly a hit per game over 12:59 of ice time; Murray also used his physicality to help create scoring opportunities. Die By the Blade’s Jeff Dahlberg recalled a particular assist against the Boston Bruins in which Murray found Vinnie Hinostroza for a goal.

During the play, he checked Charlie McAvoy into the boards and separated him from the puck. After gaining possession, Murray skated into the left circle and found Hinostroza, who in turn, found twine. It’s plays like these that build momentum and can excite the coaching staff.

Murray will be a restricted free agent who not only put up admirable performances when given the chance at the NHL level; he also looked good in the AHL. Per Hockey DB, Murray logged 32 points (15 goals) in 57 regular season games. He followed that up in the playoffs with six points (three goals) in 10 games.

At the absolute least, Murray has shown enough to return to the organization and again become a fixture in Rochester. He is nothing more than a lower liner at the NHL level, but if given a tad more time to develop his game, he could easily find himself on the team’s checking line as a defensive forward.

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)