2023 Player Report Card: Henri Jokiharju

Total Season Stats: 3-10-13 in 60 games

Age: 23 (Turns 24 on June 17th)

Contract Status: Signed through 2023-2024, $2.5 million AAV, RFA at the end of next season

Henri Jokiharju has been a polarizing Sabre during his four seasons with the team. He shows flashes of being a reliable defensive compliment to one of Buffalo's more dynamic offensive defenders. Other times, he seems incapable of reading a play as it develops, leading to prime scoring chances against. However, the defining feature of this season is a lack of growth that has plagued the former first rounder since being acquired from Chicago.

For the third straight season, Jokiharju scored 3 goals, missed more than 10 games with injury, and was at least a minus 8. With the emergence of Owen Power, Jokiharju saw limited time on the second power play which contributed to him posting the second lowest point-per-game pace of his 5-year NHL career. His 13 points ranked 4th among Sabre blueliners behind Dahlin, Power, and Lyubushkin. Of Sabre defenders who played at least 20 games, he only ranked ahead of Jacob Bryson in +/- with a -12.

The primary struggle for Jokiharju in the beginning of the season was staying healthy. In Buffalo's fourth game, he took a puck off the face and missed the following four weeks with a facial fracture. After a few healthy weeks, he found himself on the IR in early December after suffering a lower body injury on December 9th. This resulted in another month out of the lineup. Thankfully, he was able to avoid additional significant injuries in the second half of the season.

When Jokiharju is on his game, he can jumpstart the rush with quality outlet passes, provides a reliable safety valve for his defensive partner when regrouping and keeps opponents on the perimeter in the defensive zone. His offensive impact is often overshadowed by his lack of a booming shot. However, he is a quality puck distributor when he's decisive and playing with confidence. He found some chemistry with Owen Power and provided a stay-at-home presence that complimented Power's offensive tendencies.

The drawbacks in Jokiharju's game became apparent as the season progressed. There have not been many noticeable improvements to his game over the years. While injuries can be partially responsible, his lack of hockey sense seemed to cost him this season. The free-wheeling, aggressive playstyle Don Granato has implemented is great for players that can think the game at a high level and anticipate where the play is going. Often, Jokiharju appears to be behind the play as it develops, and he lacks the footspeed to compensate.

This leads to opponents sneaking behind Jokiharju for odd man rushes or back-door plays in the Sabres' defensive zone. This major weakness in his game become more pronounced when injuries to Samuelsson and Dahlin forced Jokiharju up the lineup. With 273 NHL games under his belt, Jokiharju should be able to better diagnose what opposing forwards are throwing at him and be able to respond accordingly.

Overall, Jokiharju's season was hampered by early season injuries and produced little noticeable improvement from prior years. He did have some quality games working with Owen Power and receives partial credit for easing Power's transition to the pros. However, the lack of growth from a defenseman nearing his prime years has Sabres fans restless. Expect to see his name come up in many mock trades this offseason. Both Kevyn Adams and Don Granato have expressed confidence in Jokiharju's game. With one year left on his deal, it will be up to Jokiharju to prove he can be a top 4 NHL defender next year. As for this season, it goes down as missed opportunity for him to take the next step in his career.

Season Grade: C-