Foligno has played two games with Reinhart as his centerman, and that passing ability - not only the ability to make the pass, but the knowledge of where to place it - is what's stood out the most.
"I think just the way he's a heads up player, always looking to kind to dish the puck," Foligno said. "He's a really, really smart player where he comes through laying pucks into soft areas for us to skate onto so yeah, I think he's just a heads-up player. He kind of has that hockey sense where he knows guys are around him or even behind him so for my job and [Brian] Gionta's job it's just to get open and obviously create as much space as we can for him."
Where Reinhart does believe he has improved in recent games at the center position is in the defensive zone, which in turn has led to more opportunities on offense. Against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Reinhart was matched up defensively with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in a tight game and rose to the occasion. His boxing out of Crosby on the play below likely prevented a game-tying goal.
"There's no question these last two games have been his best at center," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "The game against Pittsburgh, he was out there against Crosby and Malkin but Crosby in particular in the third period. I thought it was his best game of battling and playing defensively. He was stuck up against Crosby a couple of times and out-battled him.
"I thought it was his best couple games at center and last night, at least for the first half of the game, he was one the positive side of winning faceoffs and helped us out in that regard. I don't want to use the word, but I think he's really kind of looked comfortable and settled in playing the center position there."
It remains to be seen how Reinhart will be used once O'Reilly and Eichel return. The Sabres are hopeful for O'Reilly to join the lineup later this week, perhaps even against Detroit on Wednesday, and Bylsma has said that Eichel's rehabilitation from a high-ankle sprain has been progressing well. Reinhart played well last season primarily on the wing, first with O'Reilly and then with Eichel. Even if he does return to playing that position, his last two games are evidence of his ability to provide depth at center going forward.