@boosbuzzsabres
In this series we build the 2019-20 Buffalo Sabres roster one by one leading up to the season opener on October 3.
C--Evan Rodrigues
26 yrs. old
5'10" 176 lbs.
Undrafted free agent, 2015
Career Stats: 154 games | 21 goals | 41 assists | 62 points | -22
Forward Evan Rodrigues, who rode shotgun on Jack Eichel's line at Boston University in 2015, has carved himself out a pretty good professional hockey career thus far. Many, if not most, believed that riding Eichel's coattails got him a pro contract with the Buffalo Sabres but so far he's proved them wrong. Step by step Rodrigues made his way up the ranks and now finds himself a legit NHL player, which is a feather in the cap of both player and team in terms of development.
Sabreland more than likely won't see Rodrigues develop into a top-six, scoring forward at the NHL level, but what we will see, and have seen out of the Toronto, Ontario native, is a player devoted to his craft eking out every ounce of talent he has. Rodrigues has gotten progressively better every pro season.
His first season with the Rochester Americans he had 30 points (9+21) in 72 games and followed that up with another 30 points (9+21) in 48 games. Rodrigues was poised to make the Sabres lineup in 2017-18 but was felled by an injury and when he returned to Rochester he had 10 points (5+5) in eight games and played the rest of the season in Buffalo. He finished off the season with the Sabres scoring 25 points (8+17) in 48 games and in his first full season last year, Rodrigues had 29 points (9+20) in 79 games while playing various roles for the club.
Although these are not the stats of a top-six player there's still room for a little more growth, and when all's said and done we might be looking at a solid bottom-six player who might pull a surprise or two in his career. And that's fine. Rodrigues was used in all situations last year averaging 1 minute 40 seconds on the penalty kill and another 1 minute 22 seconds on the powerplay to go along with 12:48 at even strength. He has the versatility general manger Jason Botterill likes and was used at both center and on the wing up and down the lineup.
If the Sabres continue to add top-nine talent to the team, eventually Rodrigues will either be in a fourth-line center role or at wing on the third line. One would expect centers Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens to occupy the Nos. 2 and 3 center slots on the team in the near future with the likes Jimmy Vesey and Marcus Johansson (or players of that skill-level) occupying the wings on the third line. If all of that comes to fruition, one can expect some good things for Buffalo.
Until then, however, they'll need to get the most out of what they have and right now Rodrigues is the Sabres third-line center unless (until?) Mittelstadt falters or they land a true No. 2 center.
Building the 2019-20 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Jeff Skinner /
C, Jack Eichel/
RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Jimmy Vesey /
C, Casey Mittelstadt /
RW, Marcus Johansson
_____________ /
C, Evan Rodrigues / __________
LHD, Rasmus Dahlin /
RHD, Brandon Montour
LHD, Jake McCabe /
RHD, Rasmus Ristolainen
G, Carter Hutton
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