The Sabres concluded a poor December with a frustrating loss to the New York Islanders on New Year’s Eve that cemented their scoring depth issues and just a 4-6-2 record for the month. It ended a disappointing month after fans saw their team rattle off 10 straight victories earlier.
The Sabres are not the caliber of team that won 10 games in a row, but I do not believe they are as bad as December showed either; in fact, their 6-4-2 record for the month of October may be the perfect middle ground for who they truly are. Their play in October is that of a team pacing for somewhere around 95 points. That sounds about right for this group of players.
With a player the caliber of Jack Eichel, and a partner as strong as Jeff Skinner, it’s a combo that absolutely can push a team to a playoff spot as Taylor Hall and Nathan MacKinnon showed last season.
“Jack Eichel! Oh my, what a play! Coming soon to a theater near you, Sick Mitts: starring Jack Eichel!”
Never change, Rick Jeanneret. #Sabres pic.twitter.com/v69TDLnRIq
— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) December 16, 2018
During the winning streak, many people got excited and made comparisons with this roster to the beloved 2005-06 and 06-07 Sabres teams. As fun as that run was, those teams were far deeper and far more complete by comparison.
Instead, this team is probably what we would have seen in 2004-05 had the NHL played that season. Jack Eichel was playing like an MVP war horse before his injury, Sam Reinhart has never looked better, and Rasmus Dahlin continues to dazzle as a rookie. The defense as a whole is far better and productive, and Linus Ullmark is showing the promise to be the No. 1 goalie for the long term.
Linus Ullmark shows why you never give up on a play.#LetsGoBuffalo
pic.twitter.com/Vj8LbW2yg9
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 17, 2018
The most important pieces you want to lead your team are doing that, which creates a very solid base to work from.
This is not to hide the fact that the Sabres struggle offensively after their main horses, that their special teams could use some improvement, or that they won an unsustainable amount of games in overtime.
But fundamentally, this is a decent to good team that has taken that important first step to potentially becoming great. Players like Tage Thompson, Casey Mittelstadt, and Lawrence Pilut all are having valuable learning years, which they will benefit from possibly as soon as the second half of the season.
Mittelstadt puts the #sabres up 3-1 on a beauty! #njdevils pic.twitter.com/atLMaD7039
— Buffalo Hockey moments (@SabresPlays) January 9, 2019
In no way does GM Jason Botterill want to waste an opportunity at the playoffs, and I believe if things get tough in January, he will make a move to improve the bottom half of the roster without selling the farm.
If the Sabres can keep playing over .500 hockey, they could easily find themselves in the playoffs. Last season, both the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche had impressive months like Buffalo did in November, while playing a little above a .500 pace the rest of the year.
This Sabres team is better then both of those across the board with a bit more youth. The Sabres are not the Tampa Bay Lightning nor Toronto Maple Leafs yet, but this year’s squad can be a good team that clinches a playoff spot.
That would count as a massive improvement while also knowing the potential exists long-term for that great team very soon.
I agree with the majority of your article (although I would have to say that the Sabres lost to the Islanders on New Year's Eve. The Boston loss was the game before on 12/29). So instead of making the same points that you made in your article I would like to give a couple shout outs to some players that have shown impressive play, and should be added to reasons fans should be excited about the future of the Sabres.
Johan Larsson - Watching Larsson play in the past I thought of him as a space filling 4th line body. This season he has raised his play to a level I never knew he had. I knew he could cycle the puck and bang some bodies, but an offensive flare and vision has come out of nowhere. With only 7 points on the season he doesn't exactly light up the score sheet, but his drive opens up the ice for those that do.
Tage Thompson - This is the first I have seen Thompson play, and he is physically a monster at 6'6". He has impressive hands for such a large figure, and has shown a lot of offensive creativity. He needs to continue to work on his game, but what he has shown so far as a 21 year old he has become a player to watch grow.
Evan Rodrigues - Rodrigues is fun to watch every time he steps on the ice. He shows speed, creativity, vision, and most importantly hustle. The shorthanded goal he set McCabe for in the game last night (1/8) is a prime example of all of the above. His skills should be nothing new to fans as he shown these skills for a couple seasons now.
There are other players I could add to the list, but these players are examples of role playing diamonds in the rough. They are not pure skill guys like Eichel, Skinner, or Reinhart. Their ceilings may not be as high as a player like Mittelstadt, but every team needs role players. If the role players can get consistent secondary scoring going it will drive this Sabre team from a middle of the pack team into a dangerous one.