Since the 2011 season, the Buffalo Sabres have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs eight straight times. For a city like Buffalo, one that is hockey-crazed, that streak is pathetic and embarrassing. To put it in perspective, they have finished with less than 80 points, about average in the NHL, five out of the last six seasons. Going into the 2019-20 season, there is optimism that this could be the year where the Sabres surprise many and make the big jump following several recent additions.
During the 2018-19 campaign, Buffalo traded for top-four defenseman Brandon Montour, who put up 10 points in 20 games as a Sabre. With his solid reputation, Montour is expected to be a bigger part of the Sabres defensive core that includes second-year phenom, Rasmus Dahlin. Pieces like those two will help keep pucks out of the Buffalo net much of the time.
This summer, General Manager Jason Botterill signed Marcus Johansson, a solid 2nd line forward to a two-year deal, and traded draft picks away to Vegas for depth defenseman Colin Miller, who has shown offensive upside in the past and can be a solid addition to either power-play unit. Additionally, the Sabres took a chance on Jimmy Vesey by acquiring him from the New York Rangers in an offseason trade. Vesey has never fully lived up the hype surrounding him when he came into the league in 2016, but a 35 point season last year could be the start of something bigger in Buffalo, depending on line combinations and power playtime.
As with any team who missed the playoffs in the previous season, there are plenty of questions concerning the current roster. Can forward Jeff Skinner come anywhere close to his 40 goals in 2018-19 let alone match/exceed it this season? Many in hockey circles doubt that he has the same type of season, but playing with captain Jack Eichel will certainly boost Skinner's productivity. Will forward Kyle Okposo have a bounce-back season after a disappointing 29 points in 78 games? Okposo's cap hit is $6 million per season until 2023, meaning low point totals for him essentially implies wasted money for the organization. Can the goaltending of Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark stay above average, like they were in the first half of last year?
One of the biggest obstacles to the Sabres returning to the playoffs is the fact that the Atlantic Division, which they play in, is incredibly tough this season. The Tampa Bay Lightning appear to be about as good as they were last year during their record-breaking regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made moves that will keep them near the top as long as Mitch Marner signs, and the Boston Bruins are coming off of a Stanley Cup Final appearance and will bring back most of the same roster. The Florida Panthers added significant pieces to bolster their roster, while the Montreal Canadiens still have Carey Price in net and a fast group of forwards that will keep them in contention for a playoff spot like last year.
In order for the Sabres to make the playoffs, they will need a total team effort to help them win games, especially from their new additions and their goaltending, which was subpar in the second half of the year. Frankly, it's going to be quite difficult to jump past a lot of talented Atlantic teams, but that is why they play the game.
