The undersized forward was a point-per-game player in the AHL, as evidenced by his 41 points in 46 games with Rochester, but at the NHL level he's not been able to produce consistently enough to be a regular player. He appeared in 21 games for the Sabres and pitched in just three points, and he's the type of player who does not fit anywhere in the lineup outside of a scoring role. Now in Winnipeg, competition on the wings is expected to be no less intense than it was in Buffalo and Griffith doesn't have the inside track, so it's expected that he'll spend most of the coming season in the AHL.
Griffith is a proven scorer in the AHL with 121 points in his past 95 games, but managed to notch only five assists in 24 NHL games last year. The 24-year-old tweener needs to play a scoring role to maximize his talent, but the Sabres are loaded on the wings and may not have much room for him. Unless Griffith can prove he can handle the physicality of the NHL and be a consistent scorer, he'll likely spend the 2017-18 season shuffling between the AHL and NHL teams again.
The 2012 fifth-rounder saw action in just four NHL contests last season, after suiting up for 30 contests with the big club in 2014-15. On the plus side, Griffith finished the 2015-16 campaign second in scoring in the AHL with 77 points (including 24 goals) in 57 games for Providence. With not much to prove at the minor league level, Griffin will now look to challenge for a full-time NHL role this coming season, though the 23-year-old's solid offensive skills are paired with modest size and a limited physical component to his game.
Griffith, who saw early-season work for the B’s last year, ended up recording six goals and 10 points in 30 NHL games before being sent down to the AHL in January. With Providence, Griffith appeared in 39 contests, notching 31 points. Griffith’s modest size and the limited physical element of his game remain issues, but at times, the 22-year-old has displayed some offensive potential of note. Still, he’ll enter camp presumably competing for a bottom-six forward role with the big club.
At 5-foot-9 and192 pounds, Griffith will need to prove that he can handle the rigors of the pro game before he gets a shot with the big club. His first season with AHL Providence yielded good results, as Griffith finished second on the team in scoring, with 20 goals and 50 points in 69 games. After he was cut by the Bruins in training camp, another season at Providence awaits.
Griffith, who was a fifth-round pick in last year's draft, racked up 33 goals with 48 assists in 54 games for OHL London this past season. The 20-year-old will give the Bruins' organization added young depth up front, but at 5-11, 185 pounds, he'll need to prove that he can handle the rigors of the pro game before he gets a shot with the big club.
