Deslauriers Can’t Find Bouts and Isn’t Happy About It

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Nick Deslauriers can’t hide the disappointment in his voice discussing his difficulty finding fight partners this season.

The Sabres’ top heavyweight has only fought three times in 29 appearances entering tonight’s tilt against the hapless Colorado Avalanche at KeyBank Center.

“I’ve been trying to get some,” Deslauriers said Saturday in Toronto. “I haven’t got that many fights.”

Deslauriers, 25, didn’t fight until Jan. 10, his 19th game after a knee injury sidelined him five weeks. As a fourth-liner with a limited skill set and short ice time, Deslauriers’ main job is to create energy and spark his teammates.

If Deslauriers, who considers himself a throwback, can’t scrap, his value significantly decreases. He has zero points this season and has become a regular healthy scratch in the last month.

“I know my role,” he said. “It doesn’t happen a lot. I think I still have a little bit of (the) ‘back in the days hockey’ (attitude) that I love getting in fights. It’s not an easy job. It’s a thing for me, I’m not a goal scorer. I know how to bring energy. That’s one part that I can bring.”