Focused on the future, Adams and Granato wrap up 2022-23 season

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Don Granato met with the media on Wednesday morning to wrap up the season and share their thoughts about what's in store for the team this offseason.
The Sabres finished one point behind the Florida Panthers for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the 91 points the team compiled marked the most successful campaign since 2010-11. Several players established new career highs as the organization solidified its core for the future.

Here are five takeaways from Adams and Granato's end-of-season press conference:
1. When constructing the roster, it's clear Adams' focus was on compiling quality people, not just quality players. Captain Kyle Okposo leads the group, but not just because of the "C" that he wears on his chest.
Okposo exemplifies the character that Adams and Granato value. His influence on a young dressing room helped the team navigate the ups and downs they inherently experienced over the course of an 82-game season.
"I can't say enough good things about him as a person, what he's done in the locker room, the way he carries the message from Donny and the coaching staff through to the team, his selflessness, to be able to mentor and bring along players," Adams said. "I see it over and over again, day after day, players are down, whatever's going on in their life, they're talking to him. And I just think it's we're lucky to have him."

Okposo and alternate captain Zemgus Girgensons, the longest-tenured Sabres player, are both unrestricted free agents this summer. Okposo, 35, said he will take time with his family before making a decision on his future but added that if he does continue playing, he would want it to be with the Sabres. Girgensons also said he hopes to return to the team.
"Of course, I want them back. They are as respected, as good a people as you'll find in the game. And they complement each other well," Adams said.
2. Devon Levi arrived in Buffalo after his college team, Northeastern, was eliminated from the Hockey East tournament in March. Levi made his first start on March 31 against the New York Rangers, making 31 saves in a 3-2 overtime win.
The 21-year-old netminder played in seven games and earned five wins, but there are still two other goalies that could factor into the team's plans moving forward: Eric Comrie and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Granato said he is comfortable having two young goalies working as a tandem in the future in the event both Levi and Luukkonen earn roster spots next fall.

"Those two guys I'm very comfortable with because they're talented guys that are very dialed in, and come to the rink and improve every day," Granato said. "They improve from the experiences that are given and what's put in front of them. So, I would be very comfortable if that's the case, but obviously you have a camp and you have the offseason and things need to go accordingly before a decision on that would be made."
3. The Sabres, as an organization, have struck a delicate balance in recent years of providing opportunities for their young players to develop while avoiding an influx of free agents to not inhibit their growth.
With prospects Matt Savoie and Jiri Kulich potentially in the mix next season, Adams will once again be selective about any potential veterans he adds in the offseason. The GM said he would be cognizant of not wanting to disrupt the chemistry of the room and understanding that cap space can disappear quickly.
Adams said now isn't the time to deviate from the plan and make a signing that could have a positive impact in the short term, but negative down the road.
"You know you have to make hard decisions when there's certain players that you don't necessarily want to move them, but we feel like we have to create a spot here because this player is now ready," Adams said. "We want to be able to get in the playoffs year after year after year, and have sustainable success that helps us compete"
4. While Adams didn't explicitly state it in his 40-minute-long news conference, signing Rasmus Dahlin to a contract extension will be one of his priorities over the coming months. The front office and coaching staff value Dahlin's talent and character and feel he is already one of the top defensemen in the National Hockey League.
Rookie Owen Power could also be included in that category. Adams likes to be proactive in locking up key members of the Sabres' core and Dahlin and Power are sure bets to be in their plans for the future.
Dahlin set career milestones in points (73), goals (15) and assists (58). He joined Phil Housley as the only defensemen in franchise history to reach the 70-point mark in a single season and is the first blueliner since Alexei Zhitnik (15) in 1997-98 to record 15 or more goals in a single season.
Power ranked second among all NHL skaters in 5-on-5 time on ice per game played (19:46), the highest mark by a rookie since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2009-10. He also logged more even-strength time on ice per game (20:44) than any rookie since the NHL.
"Both him (Dahlin) and Owen are critical pieces of this franchise moving (forward) and (I) certainly have let their agents know how we feel about them, and we'll work at it," Adams said. "These things, they take time, there's a process that you go through. But I couldn't imagine those two not part of us long-term."
5. Adams was also asked about the status of defenseman Ryan Johnson, the 31st-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Johnson's senior season ended recently in the Frozen Four where Minnesota fell to Quinnipiac 3-2 in overtime of the final.
He can become an unrestricted free agent in August. In that event, the Sabres will receive a compensatory draft gpick in the second round this summer.
"We've had conversations since his college season has ended," Adams said. "I guess the best way to say it is that they know kind of where we're at, how we feel about him, and we think he's a good prospect. Now it's just kind of his court and we're waiting."