BUFFALO – The nine and 21 attached to Sabres newcomer Logan Stanley’s stat line this season jump right off the page.
After registering just one goal in each of his first five NHL campaigns, the 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman has already scored nine times. He had never surpassed the 14-point mark before recording 21 points in 59 games for the Winnipeg Jets.
Of course, Stanley, who was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets before Friday’s trade deadline, is known for being a sturdy and tough defender who’s willing to fight.
His offensive jump might be a byproduct of the work he has put into improving his overall game over the past couple of years.
“It’s starting to show and pay off,” Stanley said during the first intermission of Sunday’s thrilling 8-7 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in KeyBank Center. “I worked on my skating a ton and a little bit of skill work. I just (think my) overall game has been getting better.
“The offensive side is great, but I’m still focusing on defense first and making a good first pass. And the offensive side of the game is kind of just a bonus.”
Still, considering the lethal shot Stanley possesses – “An absolute bomb,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff called it – it’s not surprising he has busted out and started scoring goals.
Stanley, who can’t practice with the Sabres or play until his visa is worked out, boasts a 12.2 shooting percentage this season, up 10.2 percent from last year.
Any offense Stanley produces might be gravy. He has joined perhaps the NHL’s deepest and most dynamic blue line.
“We were here with Winnipeg a couple months ago, and you could see the skill and the speed that they play with,” Stanley said. “It’s gonna be a lot of fun. It’s gonna be nice to get on the ice with them, pick their brain on how they play and hopefully learn some stuff.”
Stanley and veteran defenseman Luke Schenn, who arrived in the same trade, offer valuable depth for a team that loaded up for a long playoff run.
“I’m a big believer that the further you get into the spring, you need that size that protects the front of the net,” Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Friday. “Luke Schenn has a Stanley Cup, and he knows what it takes to go through the grind the further into the spring and the summer you can get.
“Logan Stanley, obviously, a huge man, 6-foot-7, and length, there’s the size and ability to clear the front of the net.”
When Ruff said he spoke to Jets coach Scott Arniel about Stanley’s game, his close friend and former teammate told him he “loves the guy.”
The Sabres host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
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The NHL on Monday fined Tampa Bay Lightning winger $5,000, the maximum amount allowed by the collective bargaining agreement, “for serving as the aggressor in an altercation” with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
Hagel on Sunday sucker punched Dahlin. As Dahlin tried to get away, he kept punching, knocking him to the ice.