Last month when I talked about a few of the things that have actually gone right for the Buffalo Sabres this season, I failed to include one player in particular and it’s time to correct that.
Much like some of the others on that list, Henri Jokiharju has been outstanding in 2023-24 but the team’s struggles have prevented him from receiving anywhere near the amount of credit he deserves. He’s emerged as a complete defenseman and has been the Sabres’ best blueliner in a season where that group has needed it badly.
Jokiharju Has Persevered
It’s important to remember the disadvantages that come with being a defensive defenseman. The NHL loves flashy displays of skill and has always prized blueliners who light up the score sheet. The Norris Trophy for Defenseman of the Year is almost awarded for offensive merit and has little to do with actual positional play.
Defensive defensemen are the unsung heroes of hockey and are tasked with shutting down opposing forwards while also providing the balance that their offensive counterparts need to trek up ice. They bear the brunt of their position but rarely receive any fanfare because they don’t possess the same glowing statistics. It’s an unfair double standard, but it’s the reality of the NHL nevertheless.
Throughout his entire career to this point, Jokiharju has been the embodiment of such. Though known as a scorer in his junior days, he adopted a stay-at-home style when he debuted with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 and that continued after he was traded to Buffalo the following summer in one of the team’s best moves in recent memory. It works well in the scope of the Sabres and he’s a perfect counterpoint for the likes of Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. However, he’s also had his ups and downs.
Defense has been the Sabres’ Achilles heel dating back several years. Their blue-line corps has long lacked cohesiveness and has played a major role in the team’s ongoing 12-season playoff drought. Jokijarhu has felt the sting of that more than most. He had to fight to keep his place in the lineup during the COVID-shortened 2021 season and found himself demoted to the team’s Taxi Squad on a few occasions. He’s also struggled with injuries and missed significant time each of the following two seasons.
As a result, the Finn has become a popular target of fan ire, but it’s not entirely justified. He’s had his issues with consistency over the years but he’s far from the only one. No one member of the Sabres’ defense is entirely responsible for its struggles. Even Dahlin, who has emerged as a bona fide star, isn’t free of blame. It’s to be expected with a group as young as the Sabres have, which is why they finally decided to do something about it this past summer by signing veterans Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson to provide stability and guidance.
A New Leader Of The Bunch?
Jokiharju entered the 2023-24 campaign with much to prove. In the final year of his contract, it was officially make-or-break time and he faced the threat of becoming the odd man out with the Sabres’ defense even more overcrowded due to the aforementioned acquisitions. Fans and the media alike probably weren’t expecting much, but he’s proven that sometimes no expectations are the best expectations.
It’s been a very strange season for the Sabres’ defense. Clifton and Johnson delivered as advertised but there’s also been some unpleasant surprises. Dahlin’s play on both sides of the puck has regressed and he suddenly seems far less dangerous than the man who put up 73 points last season. Power continues to be a solid contributor but his passiveness despite his towering physique has raised many an eyebrow. Mattias Samuelsson, who last season emerged as Buffalo’s smooth and calm defensive anchor, experienced a major regression as well and was lost for the season in January due to injury.
Meanwhile, with attention fixed on the newcomers and struggling stars, Jokiharju took advantage of the lack of attention and has had a very strong season. His team-leading plus-13 rating is a testament to the strides he’s made and a remarkable about-face from his minus-12 of last season. In a season in which the Sabres have scored considerably less, he’s quietly emerged as their best pure defenseman and it may have played a factor in Buffalo’s decision to ship Johnson to Philadelphia at the trade deadline.
The 24-year-old has also shown considerable improvement on the other side of the puck. Prior to this season, he never looked truly comfortable in the opponent’s zone and always felt like something of an offensive liability. Perhaps from the influence of Dahlin and Power (both of whom he’s been paired with this season), he now looks far more poised and has transformed into a confident two-way defender. His offensive numbers won’t blow you away and he’s not likely to be on any highlight reels, but it’s been a welcomed change nevertheless and he’s on pace for a new career-high in goals, assists and points.
Jokiharju’s rise hasn’t been without its bumps in the road though. He was a healthy scratch eight times in the first half of the season but has been in the lineup for every game since Dec. 27. It’s obvious that coach Don Granato has taken notice of his improvement and he’s not likely to be seeing the press box again (from “Henri Jokiharju showing he ‘belongs’ on Sabres’ top pair after healthy scratches”, The Buffalo News, 2/20/2024).
The Joker’s Future In Buffalo
The irony of the timing of Jokiharju’s breakout is that the 2023-24 campaign could potentially be his last in Buffalo. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season and though it would be hard to imagine the Sabres letting him walk away at this point, there’s a strong possibility that they may have to.
General manager Kevyn Adams has made a couple of bold contractual decisions over the course of the last two seasons and may have forced himself into a corner as a result. Samuelsson and Power were both given whopping seven-year extensions after their first full seasons, and though fans will undoubtedly want them locked up going forward, both were a bit too much too soon and essentially guaranteed that a few players would then be cast aside.
Leading scorer Casey Mittelstadt was traded to Colorado at the deadline because Buffalo was almost certainly going to have a hard time meeting his new contractual demands this offseason. That transaction also brought promising youngster Bowen Byram in return, making their defense even more overcrowded. And with 2019 first-round selection Ryan Johnson now factoring in as well, space on the blue line will be at a premium going forward.
Though Jokiharju has more than proven his worth this season, the Sabres may have left themselves no choice but to part ways with him, and that would be a great shame after how valuable he’s become. Will he still be wearing the blue and gold next season?
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