Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR) - As the Buffalo Sabres prepare to host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, winger Josh Doan is looking to do more for his team on the ice. Doan has been playing on the right wing with Tage Thompson and Josh Norris, but has so far not gotten any points in two games.
In his first season with the Sabres, Doan broke out with 25 goals and 52 points in 82 games played. His 25 goals were the same amount JJ Peterka finished with as a member of the Utah Mammoth last year after the two teams swung a trade last summer.
After just one season in Utah, the Mammoth traded Peterka to the Boston Bruins.
Doan is always going to give you an honest answer, and he's starting the first year of a seven-year, $48.65 million contract he signed in the middle of last season.
"It's where you want to be, that's part of it. But there's an element of just getting back to work and putting your head down, and getting pucks back and doing the things that have brought you success in the past. Now I'm trying to focus on being too skilled of a player. I think that's something I need to adjust to," said Doan following Monday's practice. "There is that element of coming in with more responsibility and not trying to be too cute, at times, instead of being who you are. You try to change what that role might appear to be, and that's something I have to eliminate. That's something I allowed to creep in in Game 1 and in Game 2. I shook it a little bit more, but it's one of those things: Do what brings you success, and that's what will give you success the more minutes you play.
"Last year, I started off three or four games without a point, and there's going to be stretches through the year where you're not going to score. And it sucks in the beginning of the year because you see zeros. But I'm confident in just getting back to the simple things. It's being the best player I can be and not focusing on points."
He knows one way he's going to help create offense is by always going to the net.
Doan says there is another factor that's playing on him early in the season.
"It's going to be a little harder to go as hard as you can for four or five more minutes per-night, and that's something you would've liked a longer preseason for," he said. "But at the same time, you're slowly getting involved again, and there's a whole different element of real game shape than there is training camp shape. I've got to grow into that role of being a dog on the forecheck, hunting the forecheck and create opportunities for my linemates than wait for them to come to myself."
The Sabres are 1-1-0 through the opening two games, and were lucky to beat the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday after playing a very poor defensive game. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff says the defensive mistakes that have allowed nine goals in two games are easily correctable.
Buffalo is currently dead last on the power play with no goals, and they're 29th on the penalty kill. You're not going to win many games with those kinds of numbers.
Colten Ellis will get his first start of this season in goal for Buffalo. Ellis is playing for the injured Alex Lyon, who took the ice for the first time Tuesday since injuring his shoulder in a preseason game.
Jason Zucker also practiced with the team Tuesday for the first time since offseason surgery.
Owen Power is Buffalo's leading scorer with three assists in two games.
Minnesota is 2-0-0 to start the year after beating the Nashville Predators, 3-1, and the Bruins, 4-1.
Kirill Kaprizov has scored three goals in the two games.
Quinn Hughes has a goal and two assists.
Join Zach Jones and Derek Kramer for pregame coverage on WGR, starting at 6 p.m. when you'll hear from Ruff, Doan and Ellis.
