Total Season stats: 44 GP, 5 G, 2A, 7 PTS
Age: 28
Contract Status: UFA
No one who follows Tobias Rieder’s NHL career will remember much fondly about this past season. Rieder is a fine NHL player who has been on a decline the last few years, and bringing him to an already-struggling Buffalo Sabres team didn’t exactly help the matter.
In 44 games this season, Rieder accrued just seven points, including five goals. That’s his lowest point total for an NHL season to date (going back to 2014). Coincidentally, or perhaps not, this was also one of the lowest-paying seasons in Rieder’s career. He earned $700,000 this season, a far cry from the $2.225 million he made back in 2016 and 2017, and even less than his entry-level contract.
Following the NHL season, Rieder went on to represent his country at the IIHF World Championships. They eventually got ousted by Finland and Arttu Ruotsalainen.
Inside the Hockey Players Studio with Tobias Rieder @deb_teams @BuffaloSabres #IIHFWorlds pic.twitter.com/Bi1AwSeOxz
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 24, 2021
Overall during his first season with the Sabres, Rieder was just kind of… forgettable. Were there times when he looked good? Sure – but he was also playing on a team full of guys who were played terribly.
But can he score? Sometimes. Heck, at one point, Rieder had more goals then Jack Eichel, Taylor Hall & Jeff Skinner combined. (Take that however you’d like, but that’s probably more of a criticism of the team as a whole than a praise of Rieder himself.)
Does he know how to finish plays? Questionable. Would he, perhaps, be better on a better team? Maybe. Should he be the Sabres’ top-line winger? No. Will he be back in Buffalo next season? I doubt it, and honestly, I hope not. My two cents – it would be smarter for the Sabres and Rieder to both move on, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s suiting up in another jersey when next season rolls around.
Season Grade: D
How would you grade Tobias Rieder’s season?
| A | 6 |
| B | 16 |
| C | 104 |
| D | 103 |
| F | 69 |